In April 16 Issue
By Derek Aaron
Times Journal Reporter

At last Thursday's meeting of the Russell Springs City Council Anna Robins, the president of the Russell County Farmer's Market, gave a report on the agricultural program and how people in Russell Springs, and the entire county, could benefit from the healthy selection this summer.

Robins said a grant money application toward a new farmer's market building was denied last year and that the market has now turned their focus toward a new location at the corner of  South U.S. 127 and Lakeway Drive. She said the market's hours could also fluctuate when it opens in the coming weeks.

"We are working diligently to revitalize the market," Robins said. She said the market's numbers had dwindled in recent years and upon her taking office as president last year made it a point to grow the group's membership back to where it had been in the past.

"I'm really proud to say that we have eight new members this year and we're looking to add two or three more to bring the total to around 13-15 members," she said.

She also said one of the new members would be supplying fresh beef and pork to the market this summer.

Robins said it was her hope that the market would be able to furnish fresh eggs, canned vegetables, salsa, bread and jams as well.

"We're really trying hard to diversify the market and, of course, run it more like a business," Robins said. She said the market would also hold several to-be-announced fundraising events this summer to help pay for the market's operating cost.

"We're also one of the few pre-approved markets in our 10-county area that can accept the women and infant children coupons and also the senior coupons that can be used to purchase the fresh produce," Robins said.

She said, following a recent vote of members, that no brokered produce would be sold this summer and that only locally grown produce would be available.

"We also have several organic growers and we're real excited about that," she said.

In other happenings at the meeting:

• The city's leaders heard the reading of three resolutions that gave Mayor Hollis DeHart the authority to sign to accept both sewer and water project grants for the city.

The grants total more than $1.25 million in all. The first resolution, 2009-02, is for a sewer project worth $200,000. The second resolution, 2009-03, is for a water project worth $350,000 and the final resolution, 2009-04, is for another sewer project worth more than $700,000.

Public Works Director Terry Russell said he hoped to obtain the funds needed for the projects within the next couple of months.

• The city chose, by motion, not to charge an occupational license for people who mow lawns within the city limits.

After a short discussion among the council, it was agreed that charging an occupational license for this could not be successfully enforced.

"It would be very hard to pro-rate it," DeHart said. "Very difficult."

Councilman David Blakey was the lone dissenter on the matter.

"I'd like to see everybody pay their fair share myself," said Blakey.

• The council heard the first reading of Ordinance 2009-03, an intent to annex an area around Foley Rd., Delphia St., Old Dunnville Rd. and Campground Rd., an area with around 65-70 property owners.

The land needs to be reannexed into the city to correct mistakes in regards to property tax payments and to correct annexation inconsistencies, according to Mayor DeHart.

DeHart said the first annexation of this area, which occurred before he and the current council took office, was never received by the secretary of state's office and the mistake was just recently discovered. The council will hear the second reading of the ordinance at the May meeting next month.