News from October 7, 2004 issue


Bells Mine Road will be closed
Despite some continued opposition from residents in the Bells Mine community, magistrates voted unanimously last Thursday to close a section of the Bells Mine Road so a proposed coal company can have exclusive use of it.

The road will not be closed until the court votes on the plan a second time later this year or early 2005.

Magistrates and Judge-Executive Fred Brown have said all along that the coal company could be a huge economic benefit to the county. By closing the road, it ensures the company will have the resources to begin mining and hauling coal, Brown said.

"I met with Crittenden Coal Company and Kimball last week," said Brown, pointing the company that has applied for a strip mining permit and the Indiana-based furniture company that owns the land where mining will be done.

"From what I understand, they have done more core sampling at the site and have found what they were expecting," Brown continued. "They plan to start stripping the area really soon, by mid-October or early November."
The coal company asked the fiscal court last spring to close a two-mile section of Bells Mine Road so it could use the road to haul its coal from the mining site east of Ky. 365 to the Ohio River where the company plans to build a riverport. The company has said that by hauling coal across a private road, it can save a great deal of money because it can use larger trucks. Otherwise, mining in that area is not too attractive, company officials have told fiscal court members.

"Without use of this road, they say it's not feasible," Brown said.
The coal company has projected hiring between 15 and 75 workers. It currently has four people on its payroll, Brown said.

A company spokesman told the fiscal court a few months ago that it plans to gradually increase employment and will be a more labor-intensive operation once it goes underground.

"These will be $20 per hour jobs with full benefits," the judge added.
A handful of residents have been outspoken in their opposition to the road, especially Barbara Conway who lives near Green Chapel Cemetery. Bells Mine Road will be closed from 100 feet south of the Bells Mine Cemetery to 120 feet north of Green Chapel Cemetery.

Melanie Collins, who lives near the proposed mining site, joined Conway and her husband in attending last week's fiscal court meeting. Collins said there are two more family cemeteries ­ one with her decedents ­ in between the closure points.

"What are you going to do about that?" she asked.

Magistrates placed several conditions on closing the road and say they may add more before voting a final time to close it. The normal process of adopting an ordinance to close a road requires the fiscal court to vote on the measure twice. Brown said the second vote will not be taken until the coal company is ready to use the road, thereby leaving it open for public use as long as possible.

Magistrates have also stipulated that if the road goes for six months without being used to haul coal or limestone rock, then the fiscal court has an option to re-open it to the public. Additionally, keys to the gates that will limit access to the segment of road cited for closure will be available at the county judge-executive's office and city hall, and the ambulance department will have a set in case of emergencies.

John Miller, who lives in Weston and has been opposed to the road closure, said he thinks there are other reasons Kimball wants to keep people from going up and down the public road. He said the company sells high-priced deer hunts and the traffic is troublesome to the hunters.
"I wish the companies could have worked together with the residents on this," Miller said. "But there was no working together because the bottom line is Kimball wants the road closed because of hunting."

Privately, magistrates have said that the coal company has indicated that it can't be profitable if it has to build its own haul road, which the company estimated at about $500,000 to build. The magistrates say risking up to 75 jobs is not worth keeping the road open for now, especially since it can be re-opened later if the company ceases using it for hauling.

Brown said the company will initially hire about 15 workers when it begins the surface-mining process. After it goes so far down, the company plans to hire more workers and sink an underground shaft for mining more coal, Brown said. That's when Bells Mines Road will be needed.

"They plan to haul what they mine initially out on Ky. 365 and then north on U.S. 60 to Caseyville," Brown said. "Once they start mining underground, that's when they will build the riverport and need the haul road."

Brown said it could be several months before that happens. "I will let each of you know before we vote on this the last time," Brown told the residents of the Bells Mine area who attended the meeting.

County recommends U.S. 641 corridor
Crittenden County has made it official which corridor it would like for the Kentucky Transportation Department to use for the southern segment of the proposed four-lane U.S. 641.

Crittenden County Judge-Executive Fred Brown introduced a resolution during a special meeting of the county fiscal court last week. The resolution specifically identifies the western most alternate as the one that reflects "the best interest of Crittenden County's citizens... and will improve its economic conditions and quality of life."

The state has been considering a four-lane from Marion to either Interstate-24 or the Western Kentucky Parkway for the last four or five years. The northern segment from Marion to Fredonia has already been determined. The state recently held a series of pubic meetings in Fredonia and Eddyville to gauge support and to study several alternative for the route once it leaves Fredonia and heads south. Some of the routes go to I-24, some to U.S. 62 near Eddyville and some to the Western Kentucky Parkway near Princeton.

The Crittenden County Fiscal Court officially cast its support behind what is known as Alternate 3, which leaves Fredonia and goes south on the west side of the town then bends westerly until it connects with I-24 near the Eddyville weigh station.

Magistrates approved their second and third choices, both are western alternates which would go from Fredonia to meet U.S. 62 just east of Eddyville.

No actual land acquisition or construction has started on the proposed highway, although there are some funds allocated for 2004-05 fiscal year in the state's highway department budget for right-of-way purchase and utility relocation on the northern portion. The financially strapped transportation department has set aside no money for the southern segment.

Gearing up for Heritage Days
Promotions and prizes for this year's Heritage Days festival, Oct. 13-17, are tenfold over recent years. Organizers are hoping increased spending for the event coupled with a host of new activities will make this one of the biggest and best in history.

The City of Marion Tourism Commission budgeted $10,000 for the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event this year, up from spending of just under $1,000 in recent years.

"The commission is giving back to the community through the festival," said Kara Harris, Chamber board member and festival organizer. "We're trying to bring people into the community and give our folks an opportunity to come to town and have a good time."

Harris said there is something for everyone this year ­ an antique auction, a soccer tournament, the Jeep 4x4 Ramble at Paddy's Bluff, musical performances and plenty of games and activities for kids on the Court Square.

Festival regulars, like the carnival for kids, vendors around the Court Square, the Hog Calling Contest, FFA Pedal Tractor Pull and Little Mr. and Miss Heritage Days continue this year. And as always, the festival coincides with Christmas in Marion, the annual Homemaker-sponsored arts and crafts show at Fohs Hall.

This year there is more live entertainment planned than in past years, including Gary Gibson of Nashville, Stanley Walker of Grand Rivers, Country Connection of Livingston County, the McKendrees of Marshall County and Harris' local band, Just Country.

Also new to this year's festival are a Heritage Classic soccer tournament which its organizers are expecting to attract about 3,000 out-of-town folks; a fiddlers contest; a husband and wife callin' contest; an antique auction; and a pie and cake auction.

"We're modeling the Heritage Days Pick-Off after the old fiddlers contests that used to be held during festivals all the time," Harris explains. "Although it's called a fiddler's contest, there are always multiple categories including fiddle, banjo, mandolin, dobro, flat-picking, thumb-picking and vocal categories." A $100 cash prize will be awarded to the winner of each category.

Another new event for Heritage Days is an antique auction to be held in the parking lot of Pamida. Items will be sold on consignment with a recommended starting bid. If the item doesn't bring a price suitable to the seller, it won't be sold, Harris said. Contact Mike Perryman at 965-9876 for more information.

The second annual Graveyard Tour will be offered at Mapleview Cemetery. The community can get to know more abut Dr. Isaac H. Clement, Civil war-era teacher Mary Elizabeth "Norfie" Moore, post mistress Amy Wathen and Cook Hotel owner Henry Mintor Cook among others during short history lessons at Mapleview Cemetery.