In Aug. 21-27 issue
By Derek Aaron
Times Journal Reporter

RUSSELL SPRINGS - Following the resignation of former Russell Springs Police Department Officer Reggie Gosser last month, Police Commissioner Wayne Gaskins announced that his department will be taking applications for the vacant position until Sept. 1 at this month's meeting of the Russell Springs City Commission.

Gaskins said that once applicants have filed their paperwork with the police department's business office or at city hall, he and Police Chief Joseph M. Irvin will begin the process of finding a replacement officer.

Persons interested in applying for the position can do so at the aforementioned locations during regular office hours, Monday through Friday, through the end of this month.

In other happenings at the meeting—

• The new sewer lines that extend from the city limits to the Alligator Dock #2 area are now customer ready, according to Commissioner Richard Wooldridge.

Wooldridge, who oversees the city's water and sewer department, said the sewer line expansion project, which has been in its construction phase for much of the summer in that area, was good to go.

The areas with the lines in question are from the city limits eastwards out Ky. 80 toward Fairview, then along Ky. 910 and Ky. 76, from Ky. 76 to Alligator Dock #1 and then Ky. 1383 toward Alligator Dock #2 are now accessible.

Wooldridge said any resident along any of the aforementioned routes that wants to hook on to the city sewer system to call Public Works Director Terry Russell at 270-866-5189, Monday through Friday.

He said the tap fee for a low pressure sewer system is $350 and must have a grinder pump.

• Mayor Hollis DeHart reiterated that the fire subscription system for property owners living outside the city's limits but within the parameters of the city's fire district was now in full effect.

He said everyone that qualified for the service had had been contacted via mail about the rising cost of fire suppression and the need to to to the system.

DeHart urged all that could to participate in the subscription system, although it is not mandatory.

“This yearly membership for the homeowners is $35 for houses under 3,000 sq. feet and $50 if the house is more than 3,000 sq. feet,” DeHart said.

Commercial property is $100 to participate in the service. Non-members of the service are personally responsible for the charges and it could be up in the thousands of dollars.

 Members of the service will be exempt from any additional fees, just as if they lived within the city's limits.

The mayor said the fire department would respond to all fire calls within the district whether or not the homeowners subscribes to the service or not.

• Commissioner Ray Barrett said the Joseph Smith Hayes Memorial Pool at the Russell Springs City Park now has new hours as many lifeguards are returning to high school and college.

He said the city pool is now open on weekday afternoons from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The pool will operate under its regular hours during the weekend.

Barrett said it is his hope to operate the pool through the Labor Day holiday weekend.

• Commissioner Timmy Hudson said three of the fire department's volunteers will obtain their state firefighter's certification within the next month.

• The commission accepted modifications to municipal order 2008-01, the police department's policy and operating procedures manual, mainly being just clerical changes and redefinitions, according to Mayor DeHart.

• Around 35 minutes of the meeting was taken up by the second reading of the city's Occupational Tax ordinance, which is now 15 pages long.

Kentucky law requires ordinances to be read in their entirety when taken up for for the second time. City Attorney Matthew DeHart read the long document.

• The meeting was recorded by Duo County Telecom and was televised last Friday on Duo Channel 2.