By Carolyn Reid
Falmouth City Council accepted the appointment of Susan Bishop as the new city clerk, filling the position that Ramona Williams vacated upon her retirement June 30.
Bishop, who was hired full-time for city hall under Mayor Gene Flaugher and was hired full-time by Mayor April DeFalco in 2006, says she feels confident leading the city's main office of business. She will manage two staff members, Shelley Wright whose role is now ABC Administrator, and Belinda Stevens who will assume the role of Alternate KYMEA Director.
The agenda called for a closed session per KRS 81.610(1)(b), but the council did not agree to go into the session. Councilperson Sabrina Hazen began the discussion by asking if a new development had occurred in the situation, and Mayor Sebastian Ernst confirmed nothing had changed. He spoke again of the owner having several properties in the town, and if the requested amount was paid, she would have more money to go into those properties.
Councilperson Darryl Ammerman responded he felt the council should not act in any way until an appraisal had taken place, and Ernst responded that "appraisals can be finicky." Hazen returned that the property is limited because of its location, and she felt the amount could not be justified in any way, saying a building could not be put on the property, and houses in the area, move-in ready, are sold for a similar amount requested for the property.
Hazen and Ammerman both stated the school center is the city's now, and that needs to be the city's focus. Hazen asked why a splash pad could not be included on those grounds.
Hazen said housing in the city is going for more than it is often worth, and the purchase of the property at that price would inflate the tax assessment.
Ernst replied that the city had just given KRT funds to bring people into town, and the idea behind the splash pad is the same.
Hazen asked about the site itself, saying she understood the lot is filled in with debris from the building that was torn down on the location. She asked about the price of clearing that out so that it could be used. Ernst replied with other ideas. His goal, he stated, was to keep streets from being shut down during events. He wants the area to be an entertainment district, and Hazen once again questioned the price.
Councilperson Bobby Pettit said the public would be surprised at the asking price, and Hazen asked, in light of the pricing, if an arrangement could be made to lease the area during events.
Ernst said the money was approved in the budget for purchasing the lot.
Councilperson Amy Hurst reminded the council that fire hydrants, hoses, and sidewalks need attention, and that money could be used to further those projects, as well. Ernst replied the budget set aside $100,000 for those improvements, and Hurst said the council had no proposals or other information to know the cost of improvements or any other project that is being proposed.
Ernst insisted people have asked for something like this for decades, and said he would like to discuss further. Hurst agreed they could discuss, but not at the price that was set.
Hazen voiced her support for the old middle school project, but the cost of this property is too much. She said nothing had to happen at this time, and Hurst said they could listen to the idea on down the road.
Belinda Stevens of the city office told council she has been sending notices to those who have had delinquent taxes for at least the past seven years, explaining that they had previously been told they could only go back one year. She said she has people calling to ask if they can make payments and who are trying to pay their back taxes.
The late Fire Chief David Marquardt’s birthday will be commemorated July 26 with David Marquardt Day, and was proclaimed so as an annual event. This year, the mayor proposed changing the name of Eichholz Court, the little street running between the firehouse and Wells’ Market, to Marquardt Way. Councilperson Luke Price asked for the history of the street, saying he wanted to know the historical facts behind its original name. “I doubt we want to diminish that,” he said. The mayor agreed, and Ammerman said he would look into it, saying he did not think the street had been named long compared to the history of the town. After a little questioning, Ammerman found the street was named during what was likely the Max Goldberg administration for a Covington mayor who had supported the Falmouth Dam project and had been active working for it. After the history was found the first reading of the ordinance to rename the street took place, and a special meeting will be held, it was decided, July 26 in order to hold the second reading and to vote on the new name.
Cassandra Jacobs approached the council with a donation request from Kincaid Regional Theater in the amount of $7,500. Councilperson Luke Price asked how many plays the theater planned in Falmouth, and Jacobs said the theater had five shows planned, and possibly seven would be held within the year. Since the building is theirs, she explained, they wanted to be ambitious. They hope for six per year. Price asked about attendance, and she said that opening night of Million Dollar Quartet had about 250 in attendance with many of those people being from out of town, and she reminded council most of the performances of Church Basement Ladies had brought in so many people that the restaurants were at or beyond capacity.
Hazen asked if a haunted house would be held again this year, and Jacobs explained that was not sponsored by the theater, and if it could be scheduled, they plan to have another. She also stated the board still plans to do after-school theater work in order to supplement what the schools have lost in those classes.
Ernst reminded the council only $15,000 had been set aside for charitable donations, and they had given PC Search and Rescue $7,000, leaving only $8,000 to donate for all who request. Councilperson stated they could move the “money from somewhere else if we have to.” Ammerman made the motion to award $7,500 to the theater, and after a second, the motion passed five-to-one with Price voting “no.”
The newly-hired city code enforcement officer Steve Groh reported his work in the city since his hiring July 1. Price asked for a report to be given to council 24 hours prior to caucuses, and Groh explained he had planned to have a report ready, but the computer he is to use was down. Ernst asked, from now on, council bring questions and issues to Groh directly in order to keep addresses and activity confidential.
Hurst asked Groh to check on pools in the area that have no fences and for ladders that are not put up. He did say he had not gotten to that yet, but he had dealt with people holding yard sales in the Subway parking lot without permits or permission.
In appointments other than city hall appointments, Dylan Stacy was unanimously appointed to the Housing Authority.
Due to the mayor being out of town on the scheduled date of the next caucus, city council will meet Wednesday, July 26, in order to hold a special called meeting to vote on the street name (Eichholz Court to Marquardt Way), and that will be followed by a caucus.