Downtown parking no longer limited

James Roberts

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Downtown shoppers no longer need to rush.

During its regular meeting Monday, Campbellsville City Council members approved replacing signs limiting downtown parking to just two hours. The signs will be repainted to read "Customer Parking Only."

Downtown Business Association President Doug Tucker, who attended the Council meeting, said the signs were erected long before Main Street was ever home to restaurants. Now, limiting customers to two-hour parking doesn't provide enough time to eat and shop downtown.

"It's becoming a liability, not only to business owners but to customers," Tucker said.

Tucker said the problem was initially brought up at a Campbellsville Renaissance/Historic Preservation Commission meeting and then discussed at a Downtown Business Association meeting.

The Council discussed the issue last month, but agreed to hear from the DBA before proceeding.

On behalf of the DBA, Tucker asked the Council to have the signs repainted "Customer Parking Only." After all, Tucker said, that was the original intent of the signs.

"The signs were meant to inhibit employees from taking prime spaces," Tucker said.

Mayor Tony Young said it would cost $255 to repaint the signs. Young said the City would be happy to assist the DBA in paying to repaint the signs.

Councilman Mike Hall Jr. said someone asked him if the signs could say "Patron Parking Only" rather than "Customer Parking Only" to avoid confusion for those visiting the Taylor County Judicial Center.

Councilman Stan McKinney made a motion to repaint the signs to read "Customer Parking Only." Councilman David Nunery seconded the motion. The vote was unanimous. Councilman Richard Jeter did not attend the meeting.

McKinney also asked Young to look into handicapped accessibility downtown, particularly handicapped accessible parking spaces.

Expenses running over budget

With the fiscal year half finished, the City has spent 54 percent of its budget, Young said.

McKinney asked if Young knows why expenses were so high over budget for December. Budgeted expenses for December were $821,556, while actual December expenses totaled $1.2 million.

Though Young wasn't in office at the time, he said, expenses were over budget because of equipment purchases, which is typical for November and December.

Young said that year-to-date expenses - $4.7 million - were over the $4.3 million that was budgeted.

"That is something we do need to keep an eye on," Young said.

One way Young said he'll do that is by having department heads bring purchase orders directly to him so that they can discuss them. In the past, purchase orders were faxed to City Hall.

December and year-to-date revenue is also over budget. Budgeted revenue for December was $674,134 while actual revenue was $735,694. Year-to-date revenue is $4.7 million, while $4.6 million was budgeted.

Economic activity picks up

New business activity has picked up in Taylor County, according to Team Taylor County Executive Director Ron McMahan.

In his report to the Council, McMahan said he referred seven possible startup businesses to the University of Kentucky Small Business Development Center as well as private and public lending institutions. Three of the businesses are retail, one is retail service, one is a restaurant, one is in the medical field and one is manufacturing.

McMahan said there has been an inquiry on a spot in the Heartland Commerce and Technology Park and multiple inquiries about leasing building space.

McMahan said he is talking to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet about signage directing truck drivers to the industrial park. GPS devices are sending drivers to areas other than the park, he said.

Young said the City and County road departments will work together to fix a sharp curve on Industrial Drive that is causing problems for large trucks.

Also on the agenda:

-- Councilwoman Patti Phillips asked when the Street Department would address the numerous potholes throughout the City. Young said there is already a long list and work will begin when the weather allows.

-- Retired codes enforcement officer Kenny Phillips told the Council about the many hats he wore during the Department Spotlight. Young has asked someone from a different city department to make a presentation each month.

Phillips was flood plain coordinator, codes enforcement officer, property maintenance officer, building inspector and helped enforce the storm sewer system laws.

The City will soon hire Phillips' replacement, who will also serve as the local Alcoholic Beverage Control officer. Current ABC officer Ed Miladin will retire soon.

-- The Council approved appointments to three boards and committees.

Sam Wickliffe and Councilman Greg Rice were appointed to the Police Merit Board. They fill positions vacated by Sparky Taylor and former Councilman Paul Harmon.

Angie Call was appointed to the Campbellsville/Taylor County Economic Development Authority Board. She fills a position vacated by John Miller, who now serves as city attorney.

Miller was appointed to the Street Naming Committee. He fills the position vacated by former city attorney John Bertram. Bertram is now county attorney.

-- The Council had first reading of a flood plain ordinance that requires a permit before any type of work can take place on property in a flood plain. Although a vote isn't required for the first reading of an ordinance, Young asked for one. Council members Nunery, Phillips, Sharon Sanders, Randy Herron, Terry Keltner and Hall abstained. Only Nunery explain his abstention, saying that he has not seen the ordinance and that a vote isn't required on first readings. The ordinance is not completed and wasn't included in Council members' packets.

-- Young said that he and Taylor County Judge/Executive Eddie Rogers have declared Feb. 9 as Lera Williams Day in honor of her 111th birthday. For more on Williams, see the Monday, Feb. 7 edition of the Central Kentucky News-Journal.

-- The Council had first reading of an ordinance updating a previous annexation ordinance from December 1988. The original ordinance stated an intention to annex rather than simply stating that the property would be annexed. The change in language is required by the state.

-- A 1994 Ford Ranger, used by the Street Department, was declared surplus. The City will advertise for bids.