By Ronica Shannon
BEREA — Both lanes of a short section of KY 1016 will close today for a construction project that could last for the remainder of July.
Randy Stone, Berea’s city administrator, gave a project update Tuesday at a meeting of the Berea City Council.
Woodall Construction, based in Lexington, previously had constructed a new curb, gutter and sidewalk for a portion of KY 1016 that runs along Cemetery Hill.
Water run-off from the hill mixed with the change in landscape from construction caused water buildups on the road that would easily freeze in the winter, creating a dangerous roadway, Berea Mayor Steve Connelly said in June.
Woodall Construction workers will return to the site today to begin work repairing the fixtures.
“We’ve changed the hydrology of that whole area when we put the sidewalk in with that large ditch there,” Stone said. “We’re learning by our mistakes and trying to get this problem solved for the betterment of the community.”
The stretch of road will be closed during the sidewalk and curb reconstruction, and detours to Glades Road and US 25 will be used to reroute traffic.
After the sidewalk, curb and gutters are removed, a city road crew will come in to place a four-inch drain underneath the curb and behind the sidewalk and run the length of the sidewalk and under the entrance to the cemetery, Stone said.
The city also will place a “drop box” underground to help catch water before it spills onto the roadway.
The pipes and “drop box” will cost the city anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000, Stone said.
In other business:
• Stone said Tuesday there would be upcoming ordinances that will raise the pay of city planning and zoning members from $50 to $75 per meeting. Additional ordinances will address members of other taxpayer-based committees, Stone said.
• The council heard the first reading of an ordinance that will amend an existing ordinance to include three new municipal sewer pollutants that has a limit as to their daily discharge, as mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The pollutants being added include Molybdenum, 2.18 mg/liter; phosphorus, 54 mg/liter; and Selenium, 0.22 mg/liter.
• Council members reluctantly voted in favor of suspending a certain public pool rule for a July 13 swim meet of the Berea Dolphins Swim Team.
Several team members and their parents attended Tuesday’s meeting where they voiced their discontent with the pool rule prohibiting food in certain areas. The team’s concern lies in the fact that a visit to the concession stands means that they must eat their food quickly to make it back in time for the next event.
The team asked the council to allow them to eat in a nearby grassy area rather than sending team members to the concession stand.
Several council members voiced their concerns that if they allow this for the swim team, then other groups will want the same thing.
Councilman Virgil Burnside suggested that the city parks committee reconsider pool rules in the off-season, rather than having to change them with one more swim meet to go.
All council members voted in favor or suspending that specific pool rule on a one-time-only, trial basis.
• Stone spoke about the need for a Scaffold Cane (Road) study group, to look at pedestrian walkways down Scaffold Cane down to Logston Lane
• The former Parker-Seal building at 103 Lewis Street was purchased June 30 for $150,000 by FAHE (Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises), which is based in Berea on Chestnut Street.
The next meeting of the Berea City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, at the Berea Police and Municipal Building on Chestnut Street.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
