WQXE News

The city’s wastewater treatment plant was the main topic of conversation during the Elizabethtown City Council’s work session Monday.

City Wastewater Treatment Director Corey Bond gave the council a recap of the wastewater treatment plant’s operations in 2023, during which time 2.3 billion gallons of water was treated and no violations were reported to the state. Bond said the plant is operating at just under 50 percent capacity, which with anticipated growth coming to the area has the department looking at expansion.

“Right now the goal is to build a second plant that will treat mostly industrial waste, so that allows us to basically break off what’s coming from the industrial park and treating it separately and treating it differently than when we treat commercial and residential waste due to the other chemicals that would be in the water that we could remove more efficiently in a separate plant,” Bond said.

Representatives from HDR engineering presented the preliminary results of the city’s wastewater treatment plant rate study. The proposed rate increases would see the base cost for the average customer using 4,000 gallons a month go from the current rate of $18.80 to $22.09 in 2025, increasing in increments to $28.20 in 2029. 

HDR said rate revenue adjustments are necessary in order to fully fund operations, maintenance expenses, and capital improvements. HDR Municipal Client Adviser Ashley Willoughby said the increases still land Elizabethtown lower than similar-sized operations like Bardstown and Hodgenville, but are necessary to maintain baseline growth.

“Those costs that we’re experiencing from the pandemic and just general inflation are now sort of catching up to you, so we’re probably looking at having to maybe recover those costs on the front end, and then look at making sure you that are maintaining that revenue rate to cover those inflationary costs down the line,” Willoughby said.

The proposed rate increases do not account for possible expansion, which HDR said the firm is looking at alternative funding sources for but would be primarily addressed in a future rate study. City Administrator Ed Poppe said the plan is to get a rate ordinance before council in March in order to have it on the books by July.

In other meeting news, coaches and team members from the Hardin-E-Town Stampede mountain biking team came before the council to discuss the positive impact the team has had on its members and the positive impact mountain biking can have on community health. The team is planning to help with improvements to the trails at Buffalo Lake, where they will be hosting an event this August, and are asking for the city’s assistance in building a pump track or bike playground at the site.

The city will be hosting a Safe Streets for All public meeting on January 30 at 4 p.m. at the Pritchard Community Center. The meeting will be an open house format and give the community the chance to give their input on the use of funds from the grant program.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet February 5.

The Hardin County Election Board met Monday morning to discuss a special election and the upcoming primary election.

The board approved the proposed plan from Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith for a special election to fill the Kentucky House of Representatives District 26 seat vacated by Russell Webber. That district covers the western half of Bullitt County and three precincts in northern Hardin County: West Point, Fort Knox 26, and Radcliff Southeast. The term runs through the end of this year.

Smith said the new clerk’s office location at the former Nolin RECC office in Radcliff should be approved for absentee and early voting, while polling locations for election day are still being lined up. Smith said even with the special election only being for one seat the county has the same duties and responsibilities as any other election.

“We know these are always low turnout, but we can’t treat it like it’s not a real election,” Smith said. “We can’t treat it like it’s a play election. It’s the real thing.”

The special election will be held Tuesday, March 19. Candidates will be nominated by the respective political parties.

The board also approved Smith’s plan for the May 21 primary election. Smith said with 2024 being a presidential election a higher turnout is expected, but the plan already fits in with his goal of adding more polling locations, which people responded well to in 2023.

“One of the things people like is yes, there was a line, but the line moved quickly,” Smith said. “There were a couple of times we had to make some adjustments during the day. We had to send an extra piece of equipment to one location, etc., but ultimately this plan is a blend of that. It adds more locations and then it beefs up our existing locations so that we can get people through the line quickly.”

Smith’s plan would increase the polling locations on election day from 12 to 15, and would add the former East Hardin building in Glendale as an early voting location.

Visit the clerk’s office’s website for more election information.

The Hardin County Clerk’s Office is still seeing delays due to the state’s new vehicle registration software.

“This new software system, KAVIS, that’s been introduced by the Transportation Cabinet is still wonky and still buggy,” said Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith. “We’re reporting those bugs to the software team and they are working on them.”

He said despite still seeing longer wait times progress has been made.

“What is currently not available right now is online registration,” Smith said. “We’re hopeful that they’ll get that up and running very, very quickly, but most other transactions we’re able to complete. We just ask for continued patience from the public.”

While some delays are expected, the staff at the clerk’s office is still working hard to accommodate customers.

“We always encourage folks to renew your registration on time,” Smith said. “That;s always helpful. It will save you time and money, but expect a longer than anticipated wait. Early mornings seem to be the best time to come. We’re a little bit lighter in the mornings. Afternoons get really, really heavy.”

Smith said he can’t thank the public enough for their patience.

“They have really, really been gracious,” Smith said. “I know it’s been frustrating for them. I know they’re worried about deadlines and timelines. We are too. We’re going to do our very best to help them.”

Smith has been posting ongoing updates to the Hardin County Clerk’s Office’s Facebook page.