Inez project not listed in state’s latest plan

BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — The cost of the 13-year-old Rockcastle Creek Pedway Project has risen from its original $400,000 to $700,000, and according to a state highway official, the project “is just stuck.”

Mayor Ed Daniels announced in an Inez City Commission meeting Thursday that he had spoken to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Alternatives Program coordinator Kim Tompkins earlier in the day.

“We have about $400,000 for the pedway,” Daniels said. “With the prices that have gone up and all the things that have held us up – the land, the bids, the pandemic – now it is money that is in the way. She was telling me today that it would cost about $700,000.”

According to Daniels, $560,000 in federal funding has been approved for the project.

“We need $140,000, and we have $70,000 of that $140,000,” said Daniels. “She thinks she can get the rest of the money through Highway Safety, and that’s what this is all about anyway. She’s going to ask for $100,000 and is going to call me back tomorrow and let me know about that. Maybe we can get going on that.”

When asked Monday by the Mountain Citizen why the pedway project did not appear in the state’s most recent list of Transportation Enhancement Projects, Tompkins said, “It shouldn’t be dropped from the list because I still have it as an active project.”

“We did the design phase, we did the right-of-way phase, we got all of our rights-of-way,” said Tompkins. “I got the construction firms. They were authorized; they had not expired. We just don’t have enough at the moment to be able to bid the project again. The pandemic has made everything so crazy.”

Tompkins said she was trying to acquire the funds to bid the project again.

“The bids came in too high,” she said. “I need to get an updated construction estimate and need to get some additional funds and bid the project again. It’s not big; it is just stuck.”

According to KYTC records in September 2019 (“Authorization No. 847275” signed with the initials “AB”), $662,000 was authorized to date.

Tompkins said she would respond to specific questions in an email.

The newspaper, in an email, asked Tompkins to confirm: that the amount authorized to date is $662,000 instead of $560,000; that the project is listed in the latest STIP or anywhere else; that she had requested additional funding; the amount of time it would take to receive an answer on additional funding; and the date that the project would resume.

On Tuesday, Tompkins replied to the newspaper’s email, saying her answers had to be reviewed by Public Affairs before she could send them.

The pedway project comprises a pedestrian bridge across Rockcastle Creek, beginning at the Skeeze Ward Manor Housing Complex and ending at Boardwalk.

The project was bid out twice. The last bids were opened in July 2020 from Frederick & May for $448,728, Walker Construction $514,859 and M&M Service $638,169.

In other business, Daniels also told the commission that Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials expect asphalt resurfacing on state routes in the city to be complete by Nov. 15.

“They believe they will be done before then,” advised Daniels.

Asphalt resurfacing in the city will include Route 40 from the west junction of Routes 645 and 40 to the red light at the old Sheldon Clark High School and Middlefork Road from Route 40 at the old courthouse to Route 645.

“The asphalt in town will run from sidewalk to sidewalk,” added Daniels.

The mayor said the highway department would remove the raised median in front of the old courthouse and replace it with a painted median. He also stated the highway department’s work would include installing “a couple of beepers” to assist visually-impaired pedestrians.

“They should be able to give us about a week’s notice before they begin,” said Daniels.

The mayor agreed to inquire about the state repainting crosswalks and parking stripes.

Commissioners agreed that City Hall needs to upgrade its computer and printer.

“I think we need a new desktop and a new printer,” Commissioner Lisa Wells said. “This is dinosaur stuff that we have.”

Wells advised that she had reached out to one tech person and would contact another in Inez.

Commissioner Dennis Hall advised the commission that he attended a Martin County meeting for public comments on the Fiscal Court’s plan to fill in the public swimming pool and install a splash pad. He asked commissioners to fill out a comment sheet that he would return to Martin County Judge/Executive Colby Kirk.

“He’s just wanting an idea of what you want – if you’d rather see the swimming pool or splash park or both,” Hall said. “There was a couple of people down there that wanted the pool. Of course, he’s got more of these out. He’s getting more from other people to find out what they really want. The splash park is a lot cheaper to operate, but a lot of people hate to see that pool get filled in.”

Daniels said he talked with Judge Kirk about the splash park.

“It’s going to use about 30,000 gallons of water a week, 120,000 gallons a month,” said Daniels. “And he told me that by the time the splash park was finished, they should have their water loss rate down. Now, that’s assuming something. I know there are a lot of people in this county that learned to swim there.”

Hall said Kirk had stated that if people wanted the pool, he could get the money to fix the pool and install a splash park.

“All of it works with our city park, and that would be great,” said Hall. “I’m up in the air about the swimming pool or a splash park.”

Daniels said he likes the swimming pool.

“Whether it’s a splash park or a pool, it’s never going to show in the black because they’re meant for the public’s use and the public’s funding,” said Daniels.

The city conducted its first reading of the 2023 fiscal year budget.

The total budget is $52,167

General Fund — Advertising $345, Big Sandy ADD $1,500, clerk’s dues $45, Kentucky League of Cities dues $400, Visa fee $12, Kiwanis $100.

Insurance — general liability $1,000, property $85, public officials $1,000, workers’ compensation $54, ALC surety bonds for officials $609, postal delivery and box rent $64, stamps $174, certified mail $25.

Professional services — legal $200, PVA tax rolls $1,300, UFIR $1,000.

Recreation — Christmas and Halloween $650.

Software — Quickbooks payroll $1,100, clerk travel/training $1,100, supplies $2,510.

Utilities — Electric $1,200, telephone $1,050, water/sewer $1,057, gas $986, electric pole lights $12,000.

Sheriff's Fee $2,000, payroll $17,888, tax $2,979.

In other business, the city:

• Instructed the new clerk to close the office for clerk’s training July 18-22.

“We really want you to be able to do this – get some training and see how everything works,” said Wells.

Daniels said, “Just put a sign on the door, ‘This office is closed for training.’”

• Approved bills.

• Approved a resolution removing the former clerk and adding new city clerk Sandy Prince to the bank accounts.

• Agreed that Commissioner Hall would check prices on two-way radios for the street department and report to the commission.

• Agreed to investigate bringing the city sidewalk handicap ramps into ADA compliance.