In Oct. 16-22 IssueBy Derek AaronTimes Journal ReporterThe Russell Springs City Commission gave $1,000 to the “Doughboy” restoration project that’s underway in Jamestown after contemplating for nearly a month on how much to give to the project.
Commissioner Richard Wooldridge made the motion to give that amount, which was seconded by Commissioner Timmy Hudson. The Russell County Fiscal Court also allocated $1,000 to the fund.
American Legion members Jeff Reeder and Dan Woodruff attended the meeting to hear the announcement. Reeder said the money would leave the project only $3,000 short of being fully funded.
“We all know that the “Doughboy” represents those young men of this county who gave their lives for the freedoms we now enjoy,” Mayor Hollis DeHart said.
“Russell Countians are apart of it, and it is a part of us,” he said.
DeHart said the entire project was between $30,000 and $40,000 and that included the replacement for the flagpole and the pouring of new steps leading up to the monument.
“Dimes for the Doughboy,” an ongoing effort in the county to obtain pocket change for the monument’s replacement fund, continues to be in affect at several locations throughout the county, according to Reeder.
The dedication ceremony for the new “Doughboy” is scheduled for Tues., November 11, at 5 p.m. around Monument Square in Jamestown.
In other happenings at the meeting:
• Myron Fisher and Kenny Keener with Baldwin & Associates, the city’s auditors, presented the commission their 2008 Fiscal Year Audit.
Fisher said the city was “financially on solid ground,” and was in “good shape” entering the 2009 Fiscal Year.
The auditors said that with the bad economic conditions it was important for the city to pay close attention to their financial dealings as the year goes forward.
• Commissioner Wayne Gaskin said that 15 applicants for the vacant police officer’s position were sent this past month to the Department of Criminal Justice Training in Richmond for physical fitness testing as part of the application process. Out of those 15, nine now remain as the selection process is ongoing. After more training, Gaskin said he hopes to have more on a final decision for the position next month.
• The commission heard the second reading of ordinance 2008-08, an ordinance provided for the levying and collection of an ad valorem tax for the city.
An ad valorem tax of .174 cents on each $100 worth of property was finalized at the meeting. When paid, the taxes will be put into the city’s general fund.
• Mayor DeHart announced that the city had received “verbal approval” from state officials on their street light project that will update some of the city’s lights. “All we’re waiting on now is the paper trail,” he said.
• DeHart talked about the need for the city to purchase a street sweeper vehicle.
He said he had consulted with Commissioner Ray Barrett on the issue. The mayor said that areas downtown and in both industrial parks need to be cleaned up.
“We’re trying to purchase a street sweeper with a vacuum,” he said. “But they’re very expensive.”
Over the next month, DeHart said the focus would be on trying to find one for a reasonable price.
“But we need to buy one,” he said. “We need to get our city cleaned up.”
• The commission set “Trick-or-Treating” hours from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. for Halloween on Friday, Oct. 31.
The annual “Trunk or Treat” event on Main St. will begin with a costume contest at 5 p.m. and will go through 8 p.m. that night, as well.
• Commissioner Timmy Hudson said that several members of the Russell Springs Volunteer Fire Department have been attending training courses and that even though the past month has been extremely dry, the fire department has only been dispatched to small grass fires.
• Commissioner Richard Wooldridge said repairs have been made recently to a few sewer and water lines in the Runway Acres area of Russell Springs.
• Commissioner Ray Barrett said that Richards Drive has been resurfaced this past month and tentative plans for Oak Street to be resurfaced were announced when funds become available.
