WQXE News
The Elizabethtown City Council met for their first meeting of the month Monday.
The council approved an ordinance on second reading which set the rate for hauled waste for leachate from Pearl Hollow Landfill at .0520 cents per gallon. The council voted to deny a bid for seating at the outdoor music venue, with the council instructing Mayor Jeff Gregory and city staff to contact previously interested vendors to secure new bids.
A municipal order for a change order was approved for Elizabethtown Fire Station No. Four to provide for additional special inspection services.
“The contract included a $5,000 contingency for bad soils, and during the first few sites visits L.E. Gregg discovered bad soils, which have now required additional inspections and testing until the issue was remediated,” said City Attorney Ken Howard, reading from the municipal order.
$3,793.25 was approved for L.E. Gregg Associates for the additional inspections. A contract with Thoroughbred Architects and Engineers for $7,000 was also approved for special inspection services on the Freeman Lake Park north end restrooms project.
Elizabethtown Police Chief Jeremy Thompson provided an update on the department’s joint venture with the Kentucky State Police and Motorola on an updated radio system. Thompson said the purchase of five radio consoles, including one dedicated to the Elizabethtown Fire Department, will allow the department to cover anticipated growth.
“When we look at the fourth console (for EPD), we also are looking at the reason we went to Motorola originally, because our radio traffic is at a level that’s so voluminous, there’s times when officers in the field are needing to get airspace and they can’t,” Thompson said. “We need a second channel.”
The council gave authorization to the mayor to sign the contract in order to lock in $130,000 in savings.
The council approved the reappointments of H.Y. Davis to the city’s Board of Zoning Adjustments and Robby Walters to the Hardin County Board of Ethics, and approved the appointment of Aaron Hawkins as the city’s Director of Planning and Development. Hawkins was then sworn in for the position.
The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet December 15.
As you are “making spirits bright” this holiday season, make sure you are taking steps to reduce fire hazards when decorating your home.
Radcliff Deputy Fire Marshal Tommy Crane said that starts with checking lights and cords for decorations to make sure they are in good shape.
“You want to make sure they’re not worn out or broken,” Crane said. “You don’t see any bare wires. Make sure the connections are tight. Try to choose decorations that are going to be flame-resistant or flame-retardant when you’re putting up the lights, things with the lights. LEDs are great because they don’t put off as much heat as older incandescent bulbs.”
Make sure outdoor decorations are rated for outdoor use, and be aware of limits for how many strands of light you can string together. Don’t follow Clark Griswold’s lead and use staples to hang your lights, and be safe on the ladder.
“The best thing is to have somebody actually holding the ladder for you, making sure that it’s stable,” Crane said. “If not, at least make sure somebody is aware that you’re going to be on the ladder, so if they don’t hear from you in a little while, or if they do hear a scream outside as you’re falling, they know to come and check on you.”
Be sure you are reducing the risks for hazards inside the home as well.
“Make sure that you don’t cover the cords with rugs, especially where there’s a connection,” Crane said. “Don’t run the cords across pathways, running them through the hallway or across a doorway where they could be a trip hazard. Make sure that with your decorations, try not to block the windows and doors.”
Don’t forget to check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are in working order.
Voter registration in Kentucky saw another strong month in November.
The Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office says more than 5,000 Kentuckians registered to vote in the month of November.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Republican registration in November increased by 2,412 voters, and independent or other registration increased by 1,209. Democratic registration decreased by 1,914 voters. Republican registration makes up 48 percent of the state electorate, Democratic registration makes up 41 percent, and independent or other makes up 11 percent.
The secretary of state’s office says 3,748 voters were removed from the rolls in November. 2,982 were deceased, 259 moved out of state, and 385 were convicted felons.
Kentuckians planning on voting in the May 2026 primary election must have their party registration set by December 31. Kentuckians can register to vote or check their registration status by visiting govote.ky.gov, or by contacting their county clerk’s office.