In July 24-30 issue
By Derek Aaron
Times Journal Reporter

JAMESTOWN – Members of the city council unanimously approved the Interlocal Emergency - 911 agreement during this month's meeting of the Jamestown City Council.

The agreement, which has also been approved by the Russell County Ambulance Board, the Fiscal Court and the city of Russell Springs, merges together the county's dispatch service and EMS.

Jamestown Mayor Brooks Bates along with Russell Springs Mayor Hollis DeHart and Judge-Executive Mickey Garner support the merger.

“The cities and the county will not be making the contributions that we were before,” Bates said.

He said Jamestown had roughly 10 percent of the county's population and had been paying 25 percent of an agreement between the four entities, both cities, the county and the ambulance service, had been paying $3,500 per month or $42,000 each year to run the 911 service.

“Under this merger, the ambulance service board will be running it,” he said.

Bates said Jamestown's main interest was getting out of the $3,500 a month “burden.” The council accepted the proposal without any discussion.

In other happenings at the meeting—

• Bates said he had recently met with Dale Halliwell with Fruit of the Loom about an upcoming expansion project at the clothing manufacturer.

Bates told the council that the plant's expansion will result in around 50 news jobs and an increase in cloth production to 3 million pounds per day, a third more than they are producing now.

Public Works Director Ottis Skaggs said he expected an increase in water usage at the factory, which already consumes the most each day in the county at 1.25 million gallons, and increased revenue from the new employee's occupational taxes.

•Duo County Telephone CEO Bill Magruder has asked the city to approve recording its monthly meetings to be video broadcast on Duo County's Community Channel 2.

The council members agreed and Duo County will begin taping the city's meetings in August.

Bates said the city had no written contract with Duo County to tape the meetings and the city could opt out of the oral contract at any time.

• Councilwoman and Lakefest chair Marcelene Taylor lauded this year's Lakefest celebration as one of the largest ever. She said she appreciated all city workers who put the effort into the celebration and to getting the square back in order so quick.

“It takes a lot of work to get this together but it seems like it falls into place after we get started,” she said.

• The council amended the 08-09 fiscal year budget to include the $225,000 for the current city hall by the project development board for the new Judicial Center

• Bates gave an update on the water plant expansion project and informed the council of the possibility of producing 6 million gallons of water each day by November.