News from Jan.
8, 2003 issue
Officials
keep eye on 641 funding
With the Kentucky General Assembly beginning its legislative and
budgetary work this week, there's plenty of reason for local officials
to keep at least one eye on the daily news.
Among key issues that will be discussed in Frankfort over the
coming weeks are highway project priorities. With Kentucky facing
a potentially $500 million revenue shortfall in the general fund,
that could mean some road projects getting pushed under the rug.
Crittenden County Judge-Executive Pippi Hardin says he hopes the
U.S. 641 project a new four-lane from Marion to either I-24
or the Western Kentucky Parkway will be spared the rod when
it comes to spending cuts.
"We're going to be watching it very closely," Hardin
said. "Gov. Ernie Fletcher told me it's going to be in his
plan."
Hardin said Fletcher made a personal commitment to the project
during a stop in Marion while he was campaigning for governor.
State Rep. Mike Cherry of Princeton admits there is reason for
concern, but thinks the U.S. 641 project will stay in the transportation
budget, too. The governor's blessing is the key, Cherry said.
"The governor will submit his transportation road plan in
late January. If it stays in the governor's plan, I can almost
say for certain we will keep it in legislatively," Cherry
said. "If it slips out of the governor's plan, I will try
to get it replaced in the House, but it's going to be difficult."
Current plans call for the road to be built from Marion to just
north of Fredonia in the first phase. A second phase would continue
it to either I-24 or the Parkway. There is $7 million in the current
six-year road plan for right-of-way purchase and utility relocation.
That part of the plan is currently underway. The next part of
Phase 1 will be construction, which is scheduled for the summer
of 2005 and calls for $22 million.
With so much belt-tightening anticipated in the new state spending
plan, there's a chance the project could be pushed back another
year or two.
The project's current timetable also calls for design of Phase
2 to begin next summer. The location of the second phase is still
in question. It could either turn south at Fredonia and connect
with the Interstate near Eddyville or go toward Princeton where
it would merge with the Parkway.
Fire chief concerned about
board safety
A state fire marshal was expected in Marion this week to determine
the seating capacity of the Crittenden County Board of Education's
meeting room. At last month's board meeting, Marion Fire Chief
Ronald "Red" Howton informed the board he believed the
room was over capacity with 28 people.
Howton said fire codes were also violated because exits to the
room were blocked by chairs and there are no posted exit signs.
When contacted by Howton, Senior Deputy State Fire Marshal Alan
Rash said it was the second time he'd been questioned about the
room's seating capacity within the previous month. It wasn't clear
who had filed the other complaint about the safety of the room.
Howton said the room, located inside the Central Office between
the bus garage and Rocket Stadium, is not large enough to be considered
a meeting room.
"It's a few feet short," Howton said. "It's 341.25
square feet, and it must be 350 square feet to be considered a
meeting room."
The January board meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, will
be held in the meeting room at the Central Office. However, the
board will consider changing the meeting location. At the start
of each year, the board has the prerogative to change the time,
date and place of its monthly meetings, Superintendent Fredericka
Hargis told Howton at December's meeting.
When he examines the board room, Howton said Rash will determine
the safe number of people allowed in the room by looking at the
room's furnishings and the way it is set up to accommodate visitors.
"If he says the room can't hold but 15, then (the board)
will have to move meetings somewhere else or limit the number
of people who come in."
State police watch school
traffic
Crittenden is among a handful of area counties that will be under close watch by Kentucky State Police during school traffic periods. Local Trooper Brent White said Crittenden, Caldwell and Hopkins counties are among the areas where officers will target drivers during the high-traffic periods early in the morning and at mid afternoon. The selective enforcement period is aimed at reducing accidents and potentially dangerous traffic offenses during the time when students and teachers are going to and from school. Police will be in marked and unmarked patrol cars as they monitor highways between 6-8 a.m., and 3-5 p.m., White said. Police will be looking for speeders, improper passing and reckless driving among other offenses. The program is gearing up during this time of the year as schools approach prom and graduation. "We want to make sure every student is here for graduation," White said.