New ABC Administrator Position
By PJ Martin
Office/News Reporter, Metcalfe Division
The first meeting of the Edmonton City Council began with a moment of silence in honor of all veterans on Monday, January 7th with all members present.
The first reading of Ordinance # 2018-19-08 to amend Ordinance 2016-17-02 Article III. City Alcoholic Beverage Control Administrator 1. (b) passed by a vote of 4-2.
The old ordinance states that the Mayor of Edmonton appoints the Chief of Police to serve as the city Alcohol Beverage Administrator. The amended ordinance will allow the Mayor of Edmonton to appoint a person to serve as the City Alcohol Beverage Administrator, pursuant to KRS 241.170.
The two no votes were cast by Council members Wayne Wilson and Austin Bragg. The second reading is scheduled for the next meeting. Once completed, this will create the position of ABC Administrator. The position will require the appointee to attend regular law update sessions and according to Mayor Doug Smith, the pay will be $250 a week.
Also approved was the second reading of Ordinance # 2018-19-07 – Budget Amendment – Payment to KRS for Additional Pension Expense was approved. This amendment increases the appropriated funds of the city by $73,000 for additional pension expenses for FY2018-19.
Police Department
Chief Delaney Wilson introduced Officer Allen Huffman to the council. Huffman was hired as of January 2nd to replace Junior White, who resigned as of January 1st.
Wilson reported a total of 205 items for the December activity report. Broken down by category that is 42 traffic stops, 65 complaints, 14 arrests, 39 citations written, 9 warrants served, 2 domestic calls, 14 non-injury accidents, 3 injury accidents, 5 new investigations, 2 incomplete 911 calls, 2 fights, 1 DUI, 3 EPO’s and 4 drug-related.
Wilson also advised that five businesses will have their alcoholic beverage license renewals due the end of January, one of which has already renewed.
Parks and Recreation Department
Director Page Edwards requested a building be purchased for the storage of the Christmas decorations (current and future). Mayor Smith asked that Supervisor Moe Hensley check into storage options. Also discussed were the use of school gym facilities for basketball practice and games.
Council member Cathy Nunn, “I just can’t see using everybody else’s buildings and we know that we’ve got different teams out there that needs a place, the baseball team like we discussed last year. We need a place for storage for the Christmas decorations. Can we not do something where we can get all of that together?”
Edwards pointed out that in the parks plans the last phase was to build a YMCA or gym type of building. “I would like to see us look at the possibility of building a gym that could have some office rooms, meeting rooms. We could do a whole lot with a facility like that. We could have more year round.”
Water, Sewer, and Gas Department
Supervisor Moe Hensley reported that eight leaks were repaired in December, one to a mainline and seven to service lines.
Fire Department
Chief Jerry Clemmons advised that the report produced by the fire department software would not allow the division of city and county numbers, but he could present the combined totals. The total runs for December were 65 of those there were 30 medical, 12 assistance, 11 accidents with injury, 4 test runs, 3 weather-related, 2 trees in the road, 1 SD, 1 accident without injury, and 1 fire.
Other Business
Newly appointed to the Industrial Board are Donna Caffee and Matt South, who fill the positions left vacant by resigning members Charles Wisdom and Jody Curry.
Mayor Smith appointed Council members Teresa Hamlett and Cathy Nunn to join Council member Curt Estes on the Parking Committee to look at parking issues around the square and report back to the council.
Mayor Smith also appointed Council members Estes and Bragg to the Edmonton-Metcalfe County 911 Board.
The members of the newly elected Edmonton City Council (L-R): Wayne Wilson, Teresa Hamlett, Curt Estes, Mayor Doug Smith, Cathy Nunn, Faye Word, and Austin Bragg. PJ Martin/The Herald-News
