CITY GETS EXTRA $32,000 BOOST IN ALCOHOL SALES; POOL MAKING SURPLUS
(This story was mishandled by our staff and should have appeared July 28)
By Wade Queen
LOUISA, KY. — The Louisa City Council held a special meeting on Tuesday evening, July 20, annexation and city code enforcement were the two main topics of discussion during the session.
The July session had been delayed by a week, due to not being able to get a full gathering, as several council members were on vacation.
ANNEXATION
Mayor Harold Slone told the five of the six council members present (council member Tom Parsons was absent from the meeting) that he had received a proposal from Mike Shapaka of P & A Engineers (Mr. Shapaka is also the county’s elected surveyor) concerning the survey work that would need to be done if the city pursues annexation along the route Ky. 2565.
“In order to annex what we proposed way back when we discussed it, there’s going to have to be surveying done. This time, it’s not going to be simple,” Mayor Slone said.
Mayor Slone said that the surveying would be “much more complex because of where it is, that it was not going by road boundaries, and that it would be necessary to be surveyed.”
Mayor Slone said that a survey and coordinates from a previous annexation plan many years ago are not accurate and a new survey needs to be conducted.
The annexation proposal, which was originally discussed a few years ago and revisited by the city council at its April 2021 & June 2021 meetings, includes the area along Ky. 2565. Mayor Slone said at both the April and May meetings, that numerous businesses on Ky. 2565 are not located in the city limits, including KFC, a new dialysis center, a Marathon station and numerous medical facilities.”
“Even the city garage is not within the city limits.” Mayor Slone said.
The mayor said that when the city council previously addressed annexation a few years ago, three options were discussed: doing nothing; annexing the business district on Ky. 2565; or annexing Ky. 2565, along with Springhill and Highbottom areas.
The city council voted for the option for the Ky. 2565 business district, with the next step of the process being getting the exact boundaries on an official map. Spring Hill and High Bottom are NOT part of the annexation plan, Slone emphasized.
P & A Engineers submitted a $32,500 proposal for a new survey, Mayor Slone asked the city council members if they wanted to accept it or have him seek a second proposal from another surveyor. City council member Ashley Caudill suggested soliciting another proposal and the council agreed.
When city council members asked the mayor how much tax revenue the city would generate from the proposed annexation, Mayor Slone said he remembered an earlier estimate was about $30,000, based on $14 million of property assessment.
“If we annex them, then their water goes down, their trash goes down, their fire fee goes away completely because they get it for free then,” Mayor Slone stated. “So, when you balance it out, it’s like the city does gain a little tax revenue and the water loses it, because the water and sewer rates go down. Trash loses it. The fire district loses it.”
The lone civilian attending the city council meeting, who happened to live along a part of KY. 2565, and also owned several rental properties in the proposed annexation areas, Mikie McKinney, asked Mayor Slone what it would take to have a vote on whether residents who live in the area of 2565 could vote on whether to be annexed by the city if they did not want to.
Mayor Slone told McKinney that first, city would have to complete the annexation and that then if residents who lived in the newly annexed area and would be part of the city that there would need to be a total of fifty-five percent (55%) of those who lived in the newly annexed areas to sign a petition that would need to be verified and when verified, could be placed for a vote in a special election process.
Mayor Slone was puzzled by why McKinney and others who lived in the proposed annexed areas, about why they were against it, to which McKinney stated that he had spoken to people who lived in both rental and owner homes residences that they had no desire to be a part of the city. That led to the mayor Slone responding once again to his earlier statement that those who will get annexed into the city and that their numerous utilities will be going down including water, sewer, fire fees, and trash.
“Those new annexed city residents would save alone around $100 a year on their trash bill, basically eight dollars less a month in savings than what you’re paying for now,” Mayor Slone cited in his response.
CODE ENFORCEMENT
The city council also discussed during the meeting about creating a code enforcement board to hear appeals concerning violations of the city’s nuisance ordinances.
This was a follow up to previous discussions about establishing a code enforcement board at the previous June 2021 city council meeting.
Mayor Slone said under the city’s current procedure that the city’s code enforcement officer issues a notice to violators and asks them to correct the problem.
If property owners disagree with the finding, they can appeal to Lawrence County District Court.
City council members asked Louisa Attorney Bud Adams to draft an ordinance that would create a code enforcement board that would include one member who would act as a hearing officer. Those given citation tickets for violations would be able to appeal to the city code board and continue to district court if they are not satisfied with the outcome.
Louisa Police Chief Greg Fugitt stated that detective officer Hunter James would be the city’s nuisance code enforcement officer full time later this year, and he and Mayor Slone both said that there was extra money set aside in the this year’s city budget that would be used to hire a new police officer, to take the place of the full time street patrol position that officer James is assigned to. This would bring a total of seven full-time police officers to the Louisa city police force.
SWIMMING POOL SUCCESS
In the early part of the meeting, Mayor Slone told the council that the city’s swimming pool brought in $34,770 in revenue since it opened on June 1, which includes money from party rentals, the swim team, swimming lessons and general admission. Mayor Slone said the city pool’s revenue was “up a little bit” from previous years.
Mayor Slone also updated city council members on the revenue the city receives from alcohol sales. Mayor Slone said the city budgeted $130,000 for 2020; and that city got more than expected, as they collected $162,825, leaving a $27,825 surprise surplus.
The mayor said jokingly that local residents were feeling down on their luck due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the alcohol sales were boosted by the need for coping “must have spurred some spirits.”
Annexation equals increased property tax. The city “gives” you a break on the above mentioned services. I saw no mention of how much will be added to your property taxes if this happens. Those in the proposed area need to vote no. They won’t stop at 2565. They’ll come down 32, 3396, Rte 3, and Five Forks. Keep government small and limited on every level.
Stuart, annexing a highway does not annex property adjoining the highway. Prestonsburg annexed U.S. 23 from the Pike to Johnson county lines and no one could object. Adjoining properties do not have to pay city taxes, unless they want and request annexation. Some business may want the added police and fire protection, most home owners wont. They cant force you into the city if you stand up. Read the laws that apply in your area, since IF it goes on the ballot, some places it must be voted down by a certain percentage 2/3 if I remember correctly, or you get annexed. A friend of mine and his community fought annexation for 2+ years…and lost to the city of Prestonsburg. However Prestonsburg slipped in a little trick, If you accepted city water and sewage you couldn’t vote in an election for or against annexation. People signed stuff without reading it. I don’t know if Louisa did anything like this or not, but it would be wise to check.
Why was nothing mentioned during the annexation discussion about the 12.5% surcharge that would be added to our insurance and that all property owned would have an additional city tax added. Homes, land, vehicles, boats etc.. also our garbage rate would not go down. If you are in the city you have to use their garbage service which is higher than what I currently have plus I would have to buy a dumpster (over 1000.00). The service I currently have provides the dumpster at no cost to me.
I wish that all the facts were discussed.
Exactly, I for one like many am Insurance poor. I alone pay CITY TAXES of around $450.00. That is city tax on my insurance alone. You’re right, they do not give you all of the facts. Transparency goes a long way.
If you want to complain then go to the meetings. That’s if you live in the city. People complain and then send others to speak for them. They should come and speak for themselves.
I’m not complaining. I chose to live in the city limits which was MY mistake. Live and learn. It costs me around a $1000.00 a year to live in the city limits with the taxes I pay. City Tax, City Tax on Insurance, etc.
I wouldn’t put much stock in the spike in pool revenue; people have been trapped for well over a year, and had a breath of freedom this year and it will taper off if things get back to normal. Alcohol revenue may remain constant, unless the county or neighboring counties were to vote wet, that may or may not happen? Water, fire and garbage are a plus, but does it out weigh city taxes, since I don’t know what they are, I wouldn’t venture a guess. Most cities want to grow and most people not in the cities tend to resist. In my opinion annex the highways, then allow spot annexation for those that want it, those opposed don’t have to. Most people are not thrilled about paying more taxes but business may see added police, fire and other services as worth it, since they can and will pass the costs on to their customers. Code enforcement can be good or bad, depending on how strictly it’s enforced? IMHO.
Yea. The trash water and sewer go down but there are added property taxes.
Doesn’t the city place a property tax on those that are within the city limits? The mayor did not address that part. If that’s true then residents are losing money by paying city and county real estate tax.
It happens in every city in America every day Josie, and they always leave that part out when talking about annexation.
Yes, that is true. You pay city tax on top of your county tax on your property. City tax is about 0.25% of your property value. I may be a little off on that amount.
Let them pass it. They can get then get the signatures, put it to a vote and reverse it.
Bright lights, big city, has gone to my babies head. I tried to tell you, baby, but you won’t believe a word I said
I live in the city limits and there is absolutely no benefits from it. I see a police car every now and then but that’s it.
I also live in the city what I don’t like is having to pay county taxes now you talk about a waste of money for city residents might as well put a match to it.
You pay them damn taxes KAG.
Charley pay a hell of a lot more than you ever payed
KAG, I’ve paid more in taxes than all the money you’ve ever made, that’s a FACT!
What the city needs to do is raise there water, sewer, and fire rates higher where they would be stand in line to join the city. They are enjoying the benefits but don’t want to pay for them.
+
Ug oh KAG, this time it’s their not there. Got to watch that bad grammar.