By Caleb Oakley and Al Cross
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications
Jon Maybriar, a member of the Francisco’s Farm planning
committee, updated the council on the festival, which he said is in “a new
phase.” This year’s festivities will be free, will be held about five weeks earlier to avoid hot weather, and after three years at Equus Run Vineyards will return to Midway College.
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications
Changes to the Francisco’s Farm arts festival, such as
its admission price, location and quality of the art, were outlined in Monday’s
Midway City Council meeting. Council
members also discussed replacing water lines on Higgins Street and an ordinance
for adjustments to bills in case of water leaks.
Francisco's Farm was last held at Midway College in 2010. |
“They, I
think, are more excited about having us back than us going out there,” Maybriar
said. “It just couldn’t
be a better relationship working with them.”
Francisco’s
Farm will transpire May 17-18, the same weekend as the Art in the Park festival
in Versailles, a one-day occasion on Saturday, May 17. Only Francisco’s Farm is juried, which means
the artists’ works were judged and approved by a jury in order to appear.
The jury accepted 93 of the 153 artists who
applied, and almost 70 are coming, said Maybriar and Council Member Sara Hicks,
president of Midway Renaissance, which sponsors the event.
“We raised the bar on the quality of the
artists,” said Maybriar. “We wanted it
to be a little better quality than where it’s maybe slipped in the last couple
of years. If we don’t have as many artists, that’s by design. . . . We’re
really trying to make sure the quality is there, and meets the expectation of
people who come to a fine arts show.”
The
festival will no longer charge $10 a car for parking. Making it free “really
turns it back to the community,” Maybriar said. “It’s the community’s event.”
Maybriar
said he was seeking both in-kind and financial contributions from the city, but
acknowledged that his request for money was on short notice. The city has a
little more than three months left on its current budget.
Mayor Tom Bozarth didn’t reply directly to the request for
financial aid, but asked Maybriar to list only the in-kind help he would like
from city employees, and when he would need it. He asked him to avoid weekend
work, which incurs overtime. Maybriar said the tear-down of booths on Sunday
will take less time that the set-up on Friday.
Maybriar
also articulated the need for volunteers to serve on committees, design posters
and banners, and to help set up and tear down. He asked the council to put an appeal for volunteers on water bills, and
after the council agreed, Bozarth said that would be done on the bills going
out in late April.
The
festival’s notice in last week’s Woodford Sun said volunteers will also be
needed to direct traffic, drive golf carts, deliver water to artists, occupy
booths while artists take breaks, and provide information at entrances.
“We’re
open to a lot of new volunteers coming back home again,” Maybriar said, adding
that homecoming is “sort of a theme” for the 2014 festival.
Maybriar
gave the council his phone number, 948-3621, so anyone interested in helping
with Francisco’s Farm could contact him. Volunteer coordinator Mary Penn is at
699-9894. Maybriar said people can also volunteer online at
www.FranciscosFarm.org.
Construction projects, other issues discussed
Chris Stewart of HMB Engineers, a consultant to the city, announced Midway is eligible for a federal-state loan to replace water lines on Higgins Street. The Kentucky Infrastructure Authority would loan Midway $198,000 at a 2.75 percent, repayable over 20 years. That would cost the average city water customer an extra $1.43 per month, council members said after the meeting.
Chris Stewart of HMB Engineers, a consultant to the city, announced Midway is eligible for a federal-state loan to replace water lines on Higgins Street. The Kentucky Infrastructure Authority would loan Midway $198,000 at a 2.75 percent, repayable over 20 years. That would cost the average city water customer an extra $1.43 per month, council members said after the meeting.
The council voted to submit the application, which is due
April 14, with the assurance by Stewart that they would still have time to
decide whether to accept it. The KIA
would not bring the project to its board until June 2014 and the city would not
have to bid on construction until June of 2015.
“I think
this would be good for the city,” Bozarth said after the council meeting. Stewart said during the meeting that the council
might also want to do some drainage work on Higgins Street during the
construction to avoid tearing up the street and yards twice.
The
council voted to allow Vanhook Enterprises of Somerset, which won the contract
to build a wheelchair ramp on Main Street, to use three parking spaces for
equipment and materials. Stewart said
Vanhook will begin mobilizing its equipment this week and start construction
Monday, March 24. The company would need
to do this to meet its completion date of April 23, followed by stone facing by
Renner Construction, which would finish by May 7, he said.
Stewart
said Renner had hoped to use its bond for the recently completed Gratz Street
project for the ramp work, but was unable to that, and wanted the council to
reimburse its bonding fee of $100. The council agreed, raising Renner’s total
contract price to $5,600.
The
council spent considerable time discussing a proposed water bill adjustment
ordinance. The current ordinance allows
individuals to seek reimbursement from the city in the case of a water leak,
but only by reducing the sewer charge, which is based on water usage. The proposed ordinance would allow those
outside the city limits who are not on city sewer to request an adjustment.
Council members were on
board with the idea of an adjustment, but disagreed over whether to also give a
discount on water bills. They tentatively decided against such a discount, and
asked city attorney Phil Moloney to draft the ordinance accordingly. For details of the discussion, see the video below.
The council unanimously voted to repeal and replace an
ordinance prohibiting business after midnight except at restaurants and private
clubs, which are regulated by another ordinance. The new ordinance expands the exemption to
include the Interstate Service Business (B-5) zone, so the new Shell station
and convenience store at Interstate 64 now complies with city law, according to
Council Member Sharon Turner.
Bozarth announced that he would deliver his proposed budget
to the council on April 7, and that the council would hold budget work sessions
April 14 and 28 at 9 a.m. at City Hall. The council will have regular
meetings April 7 and 21.
Here is a video of the council meeting:
Here is a video of the council meeting:
Internet access for videostreaming provided by Verizon Wireless MiFi
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