The story originally appeared in the July 7 issue of the Community Voice. For your own subscription, call 270-384-9454.
Mayor Pam Hoots said the city’s natural gas department will soon be running gas lines to residents on East 80 Dr.
Hoots made the announcement Tuesday night during the monthly Columbia City Council meeting.
Hoots said the city’s gas department employees, led by Jerry Watson, will install the lines.
“He has enough pipe to do 2,500 feet and is planning to get started Aug. 1. More pipe has been ordered,” she said.
Hoots said expanding natural gas lines has been one of the things she has tried to do as mayor. “We’ve done it. We now have it in Churchill Estates, the Cane Valley area, and the Green Hills area,” she said.
If anyone would like to see if natural gas can be brought to their neighborhood, Hoots said they should call City Hall at 270-384-2501. She said somebody from the gas department will see if running gas to the neighborhood is feasible.
Also during the meeting, the city council approved the selection of Kenvirons, a civil and environmental engineering company in Frankfort, to administer a project to fix old gas pipes in the areas of High and Wall streets and several streets throughout the city. The work is expected to be paid for by a Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Grant.
The city council also agreed to pursue an easement from Steve McKinney for property just north of the NAPA building on Campbellsville Street. The city wants to build a loading ramp for kayaks there for people wanting to make their way down Russell Creek . Mayor Hoots said McKinney is very interested in the idea.
In other business:
– The council voted to bid for a tractor for the street department. Hoots said the current tractor is “20 something years old.”
– Council members voted to bid for four police cruisers. Two would be paid for from alcohol tax revenue, one from American Rescue Plan Act funds and the fourth would be funded
from the department’s budget.
– The council voted to increase a monthly sti- pend for Tyler Solum, city fire chief, from $25 a month to $100 per month.
–The city will check on costs to add lights on Burkesville Street from Patricia Trail towards the parkway. Hoots said that section of road is pretty dark at night and she would like to put four to six lights in that area.
– The council voted to establish two new positions in the parks department, with one
focused on maintenance to take care of the city’s facilities.
The council went into executive session for approximately 15 minutes Tuesday night on deliberations on future acquisitions or sale of real property when publicity would be likely to affect the value of the property.”
All six council members – “Doc” Ronald Rogers, Robert Flowers, Mark Harris, Craig Dean Linda Waggener and Sharon Payne – were all present for the meeting.
By Scott Wilson
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