Council accepts mayor's plan to use surplus to finish sewer repairs by replacing main line to treatment plant

Green lines show sewers that are part of the video-and-cleanout project.

By Heston Bates, Taylor Beavers, Jordan Brown and Gage O'Dell

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway City Council went along Monday with Mayor Grayson Vandegrift’s plan to finish repairs to the sewer system though the cost is expected to exceed their original estimate.

Vandegrift noted that the original budget of $200,000 for a project to video and clean out sewers on the east side of town was cut back to $150,000 due to COVID-19’s expected effect on occupational-tax revenue, but he said the revenue picture is better now.

When the pipes were cleaned out, they were in better condition in many areas than was previously thought and since then there have not been any spills, but the main line near the plant has “entire gaps of sewer missing” and is causing backups upstream, he said.

Vandegrift said it is likely that the cost will be closer to the original budget. “I don’t think we can blink at this,” he said. “The project is too big not to move forward with.”

The council agreed. Council Member Logan Nance, often a fiscal conservative, agreed with Vandegrift. “That’s what surpluses are for, to help with projects like this,” he said. “This is only going to make things better down the road.”

Some other council members said likewise, so the project will be advertised for bids and the council may pick a bidder Sept. 8.

The mayor hired Buchanan Contracting to video and clean out the sewer system. He said sewage overflows from manholes during heavy rains have stopped, but the condition of the main line causes blockages upstream.

“This will be the city’s biggest public works project in over 50 years,” Vandegrift said. He estimated that the work will begin in late fall or early winter, depending on approval by the state Division of Water.

University students return: Addressing possible concerns about the influx of Midway University students for the start of the fall semester, Vandegrift went over the school’s plans and voiced confidence in them. “If a university can pull this off, it’s going to be Midway,” he said.

He said capacities in classes are limited and students are required to complete a negative coronavirus screening within one week of returning. He said students cannot be confined to campus because many have jobs, but if tested positive, a dorm is available for quarantine if the student is not able to leave campus.

“We are going to continue to communicate with them whether there’s cases or not, as it certainly is an issue that can affect public health,” said Vandegrift. He noted that Midway only has two of the reported 187 coronavirus cases in Woodford County, but expressed concern because most of the recent cases have been people younger than 40.

Vandegrift said  contact tracing will be the key to preventing covid-19 not only on campus but in the community. He praised the university’s quick response to the virus in the spring, saying the closure of the campus helped it better prepare for this semester.

Rentch property is labeled "private property" on map.

A piece of the park: The mayor told the council that Helen Rentch is willing to donate the part of her property that is being used as part of Walter Bradley Park back to the city, if they can agree that her part will not be developed and if the city ever abandons it, it will revert to Rentch or her estate.

Council Member John Holloway, the unpaid park manager, said “virtually all of that property” is in the floodway of Lee Branch, meaning it can’t be developed.  “Helen has been just extremely gracious to let us use her property the way that we have been,” he said.

In its only official action of the meeting, the council approved a permit for the “Turn the Town Purple” parade scheduled for 11 a.m. Sept. 10 by The Homeplace at Midway to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease. Representatives from The Homeplace at Midway will be driving through town with purple-adorned vehicles, purple being the signature color of the Alzheimers’ Association.

The event will not seek public participation due to the pandemic. The caravan will start at the Homeplace, go down Stephens Street to Winter Street, turning around at Main Street to head back to the Homeplace.

In the roundtable at the end of the meeting, Council Member Stacy Thurman asked Vandegrift about the progress of the city's new Code Enforcement Board. The mayor said the board, three members and an alternate, has been meeting via Zoom (as the council does) to develop a list of abandoned properties for the council's consideration after Jan. 1. Property that the council declares abandoned can be taxed at about 10 times the normal real-estate tax rate.

Vandegrift said he is still having difficulty hiring a code enforcement officer, partly because of the pandemic. He said the task is "a little bit more challenging than it was six months ago," when the board was appointed. Jim Starks, whom the council appointed to a three-year term, is the board chair.

Mayor says city will levy fines against Columbia Gas for closing part of Main Street without encroachment permit

Outdoor work on 116 E. Main started June 30.

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift says the city will levy fines against Columbia Gas for causing closure of the north side of East Main Street today.

"The work violated city ordinance, disrupted Friday traffic downtown, and burdened businesses such as restaurants, who rely on gas for their operations," Vandegrift said in an email. "We are starting the process to levy fines on Columbia Gas for violating our ordinances."

The mayor said the word was done without an encroachment permit allowing access to the city's right of way. "Encroachment permits are required of every citizen, every property owner, every utility company before cutting into city owned streets," he wrote. "We need to know before such action is taken and need to approve it so that we know the work to be done, and to have assurance that the replacement of the pavement will be to city specifications."

Vandegrift said a Columbia Gas supervisor told him that the work was being done "on behalf of 116 East Main Street," site of a historic but long-dilapidated building now being renovated by owner Ness Alamdari of Lexington under orders from the Woodford County building inspector.

"As to Mr. Alamdari, this is living proof of what we have been dealing with for more than four years," the mayor wrote. "For whatever reason, Mr. Alamdari continues to attempt to go around the city, around Planning and Zoning, and around any local law he can for his own purposes, despite the will and laws of our citizens."

Summing up, Vandgerift said, "Columbia Gas should have known better, and therefore should pay the penalty for doing such work without going through the process we as a city require. This behavior will not and cannot be tolerated. The interests of one person do not supersede the interests of the city and the people we work for."

Mayor: MetroNet crews may be in your backyard soon

Workers locating facilities for the MetroNet fiber-optic service will be returning to Midway in the next few days, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said in an email to the City Council and news media today.

"If you live in a neighborhood with buried utilities (Northridge, Mill Road, Gayland) and have a fence with a lock, please consider removing any padlocks you may have in the mornings so as to allow locate crews to mark the existing utilities for those whose easements run through your back yard," the mayor wrote. "This is most common in Northridge; most will not have anyone in their backyard marking."

Vandegrift said the location crews "will not be on site longer than it takes to mark lines with spray [paint], and MetroNet has assured me they will check on any locate crews if problems arise. After the locates are complete the installation process will begin. Burying utilities where none have been installed for 30 years isn’t always the most fun experience but MetroNet has committed 100 percent to strawing and seeding ditches, and fixing anything that may be damaged to the specifications of the home’s occupants."

Alluding to last month's problems with the contract crews, The mayor added, "After a frank discussion I had today with executives from their company, I do believe MetroNet greatly values our city, and they will work diligently to make this process as smooth as possible. Competition always favors the consumer, and having a third choice of cable, internet and phone provider, this one with high-speed fiber optic, will be a win for us and improve property values simply by having fiber run to each home."

Residents who have issues can report them to MetroNet by calling 859-785-1107 or 1-877-386-3876, Vandegrift said, adding, "If you have any questions, feel free to holler at me. He gave a link to what he called a "very informative" video about utility easements: https://youtu.be/Ca30L1RAMNI.

Close call: City's 12-inch water main is hit, quickly fixed

Google image shows water tower and two businesses involved.

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway residents nearly saw their water shut off on Thursday after an accident involving two businesses in Midway Station.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said AST Environmental hired its neighbor, Reed Utilities, to bore underground for an electric-service upgrade. During the process, a worker hit the 12-inch water main that comes from the nearby tower.

After sending an alert to City Council members, City Hall staff and the Messenger at 3:53 p.m., warning that the city's water supply might be shut off, Vandegrift sent another one at 5:31, saying the issue had been revolved.

The city's water and wastewater operator, Jack Blevins, saved the day, Vandegrift said.

"Because of the amount of water on the site . . . Jack was very concerned the break was bad," Vandegrift said in an email. "He was even more concerned because it was at the bottom of the pipe, the hardest spot to do a repair."

Luckily, Blevins was able to determine upon digging around the pipe that he could fix it without cutting it, and used a repair band around the pipe that sealed the break.   

Jack Blevins

Public Works Supervisor Terry Agee assisted Blevins with the repair in what Vandegrift called a team effort. The mayor praised Blevins, who worked without his usual co-worker, who is not working due to being at high risk for covid-19.

"I give Jack a ton of credit because he doesn't normally call me as worried as he did today, and given the current circumstances of dealing with covid-19, the timing would have been exceptionally bad,” Vandegrift said. "He pulled a rabbit out of his hat today."

The mayor added, "It's a great example of why I'm so proud of all our city employees. They're a skeleton crew, but they work together, and they've all absolutely stepped up even bigger during this pandemic."

AST and Reed Utilities also played an important role in helping resolve the problem, according to Vandegrift. "They hit the line by accident but were extremely helpful afterward, he said. "It's not every day the one who hits a line also helps you fix it."

The mayor says he does not fault either company. "Unless you have X-ray vision, it's a human thing to think you're further from a line than you are. It could have been a bad deal, but fortunately, it turned out well."

Steele Road to be closed Wednesday, Feb. 26, between Old Frankfort Pike and US 60 for pipe replacement

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet;s district office announced Thursday that Steele Road (KY 1685) will close most of the daylight hours next Wednesday, Feb. 26, "for pipe replacement operations." The closure is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The closure will be at milepoint 7.2, between fire gates 1 and 2. District spokeswoman Natasha Lacy said that is closer to Old Frankfort Pike than US 60. "All work, and closures are scheduled on a tentative basis, and subject to change depending on weather, emergencies, and other factors beyond the control of the Department of Highways," her news release said.

Weisenberger Mill Bridge scheduled to open Dec. 23, contractor says; state not willing to promise that

The new bridge structure was placed Nov. 25. (Image from
video shot by Phil Weisenberger, from Weisenberger Mill )

Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift announced near the end of last night's City Council meeting that the new Weisenberger Mill bridge could open to traffic before Christmas, months earlier than long thought.

Vandegrift said he had heard from "state officials" and Scott County Magistrate Chad Wallace that "unless something just terrible happens, unexpected, Weisenberger Mill bridge will be open by Christmas Day."

That brought cheers in City Hall, because the bridge has been closed for safety reasons since July 1, 2016, and its replacement has been delayed by environmental and historical considerations. The new bridge was expected to open by May, but construction has proceeded quickly.

Asked if the bridge could be open by Christmas, state Transportation Cabinet District 7 spokeswoman Natasha Lacy said in an email this morning, "There is a possibility for this. However, I will not send out an advisory until we receive final word from the contractor." Asked how long before traffic opening  the advisory would go out, she said "We do not know at this time because of the inclement weather."

UPDATES: The state contractor, Louisville Paving Co., has posted signs saying that the bridge will be open to traffic Dec. 23. Lacy said Wednesday morning, "The contractor did set up variable message boards with the date of the 23rd. However, guardrail work has not been completed. I will send a news release when we (the District 7 Office) are confident that the road/bridge will be open to motorists."

Lane of Leestown Road at railroad overpass near Midway WON'T close today for work, state says

UPDATE: The work and the lane closure have been delayed "due to inclement weather," the Transportation Cabinet said this morning. (The original item was published Friday.)

Google base map

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet advises motorists of a lane closure planned for Leestown Road (US 421/US 62) for shoulder work and ditching operations Monday, Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

The location, at US 62 milepoint 16.15 in Woodford County, is near the railroad overpass 1.65 miles west of the Midway city limits. The area has had drainage issues for some time and signs warning of possible ice were placed recently, apparently after a motorist slid into a guardrail.

"All work, and closures are subject to change depending on weather, emergencies, and other factors beyond the control of the Department of Highways," the cabinet's news release says.

More videos and photos from the 'pick' of the Weisenberger Mill bridge

This video was taken from just above the mill dam. For the completion of the "pick," as the move was called, go to Midway Messenger reporter Dalton Stokes' story, below or here.

Crane operator Joe Fisher (yes, really) of Taylorsville fished as he waited for other workers to finish preparations for the pick. He said he had fished in all manner of waters, never in Elkhorn Creek, but when he visited the site the day before, he said to himself, "I'm going to make a few casts." In ideal conditions, he caught five largemouth and one smallmouth bass, all too small to keep.

Jay Weisenberger waited at his vantage point for the work to begin. His family has operated a mill at the site since 1865; the current building was erected in 1913, partly with stone from the original mill. It is no longer directly powered by water; water flowing from the creek behind the dam drives a generator that contributes to the electric power used to run the mill.
Below, a wider shot taken at about the same time, showing the crane, the mill, the dam and the creek.

After 84 years, there is no bridge across South Elkhorn Creek at Weisenberger Mill; new one to be done by May

Story and Vimeo video by Dalton Stokes
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

After six years of debates and preparations, the Weisenberger Mill bridge was removed from its moorings with a 550-ton crane at around 11 a.m. Friday.

A handful of spectators gathered to watch the crane lift the 84-year-old bridge over the corner of the mill and onto a trailer bed. Many spectators were part of the Weisenberger family who had come to see the bridge that they had known all their lives to be lifted and hauled away.

Among them was Phil Weisenberger, who manages the family-owned mill. He said the bridge “had always been there, and it was strange to leave, but time marches on.”

Doug Elam, a neighbor to the bridge on the Woodford County side of South Elkhorn Creek, said  “It Looked like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade with a balloon” as the crane slowly swung the bridge through the air on a sunny morning.

Crane operator Joe Fisher visits with Kristey and Susan
Weisenberger after "picking" the bridge. (Photo by Al Cross)

The crane that "picked" the bridge, as engineers say, was from Sterett Crane and Rigging, based in Owensboro, and manned by crane operator Joe Fisher of Taylorsville, who caught a few bass in the creek before his part of the job began.

He said the crane measured the bridge’s weight at 52,300 pounds,  much heavier the 37,000-pound estimate given by Roger Wade, a structural engineer for Louisville Paving and Construction, the main contractor on the project. He said there were more asphalt and probably less rusted steel than he estimated.

The job wasn’t as easy as just picking up the bridge with the crane, putting on the truck bed and hauling it off. The tractor-trailer was too long to turn around, so the tractor and trailer were separated, and while the tractor turned around, Fisher and workers flipped the trailer around. Kentucky Utilities also had to de-energize overhead power lines for safety.

The bridge is to be rebuilt by May 2020 as most in the community requested, as a pony truss one-lane bridge much like the original. It was argued by some of the community in the decision-making process that the bridge should stay a one-lane bridge as opposed to a two-lane bridge to force southbound drivers to slow down for the sharp curve on the Woodford County side.

The bridge has been marked for either renovation or replacement since 2010, and required public meetings and studies because it is a state project. Woodford County is responsible for the bridge, but the state assumed control in return for the county doing some work for the state several years ago. Before any decision could be made, the damage from heavy trucks forced state engineers to close the bridge on July 1, 2016.

When the work was done, the view from above the mill dam looked very different than it had since 1935. (Photo by Al Cross)

Removal of Weisenberger Mill bridge is set for Friday

Thursday evening, the crane was in place for Friday's work. (Photo by Al Cross, Midway Messenger)

The steel structure of the Weisenberger Mill bridge will be removed by a crane Friday to make way for the new bridge, the state Transportation Cabinet announced in a press release.

"Louisville Paving Co. Inc. will take out the steel truss between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. tomorrow. The time frame for lifting by crane to transfer truck is approximate," the release says. "Kentucky Utilities will de-energize the overhead power lines pending appropriate weather and temperature conditions." The weather is forecast to be sunny in the morning and partly cloudy in the afternoon, with temperatures rising from 66 degrees at 8 a.m. to 87 degrees in late afternoon.

Louisville Paving will move the bridge, which was built in 1935, to its yard. The new bridge will be built in a similar "pony truss" style because the State Historic Preservation Office deemed the site to be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

The bridge has been closed since July 1, 2016 because of damage caused by heavy trucks. Its replacement was delayed by required hearings, historical and environmental studies, and right-of-way acquisition.

A Transportation Cabinet photo earlier in the day shows the lifting supports installed across the top of the bridge.

Mayor: Stephens Street sewer work, followed by paving there and elsewhere, is to be done in time for festival

Street paving on and near Stephens Street, following storm-sewer work on the street, is expected to be completed by Sept. 20, just in time for the Midway Fall Festival, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said in an email this morning. He gave this schedule:

• 8/26-9/1: Storm sewer pipe work on East Stephens Street
• 9/2-9/9: Concrete curb work on North Winter Street (near City Hall) and E. Stephens
• 9/10-9/13: Milling and paving on E. and W. Stephens, Starks Alley, N. Winter (near 421)
• 9/13-9/20: Clean up and finish

"This is obviously tentative," the mayor wrote. "Weather and unforeseen circumstances could delay this schedule, but this should be wrapped up by Fall Festival," which will be held Sept. 21-22. "Each of these areas is going to be much improved with more functional storm sewers, better storm-water flow, and better roadways."

Vandegrift said workers ruptured a gas line last Friday "due to the 'spaghetti' nature of lines that were buried a long long time ago without adequate mapping. That is all fixed up now, though, and the project is off to an otherwise smooth start. I’ll keep you apprised if anything changes or new developments occur."

Sole bid on new Weisenberger Mill Bridge may be too high for state to accept, state says 'there was no error'

The bridge is a scenic, historic spot due to the mill, built in 1913 on the site of an 1865 mill, and its dam on South Elkhorn Creek.

This story has been updated.

The only bid for construction of a new Weisenberger Mill Bridge was almost three times the engineers' estimate, raising the possibility that the bid will be rejected and the project further delayed. The bridge will have been been closed for three years as of next Monday.

The bid by Louisville Paving Co. was $1.95 million, 2¾ times the estimate of $709,889. The Awards Committee of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is scheduled to consider the bid and others from Friday's bid letting at 9:30 a.m. Friday. (The meeting is exempt from the state Open Meetings Act.)

Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay told the Midway Messenger that his office had heard from Kelly Baker, the chief engineer at the cabinet's District 7 office in Lexington, "that the bid may have been a mistake." District 7 spokeswoman Natasha Lacy said in an email that Baker "has not talked with Judge Kay about this. In addition, there was no error." Kay said in an email, "Magistrate Jackie Brown spoke with Kelly Baker and relayed that info to me."

Brown told the Messenger Tuesday evening that Baker told him Louisville Paving bid on foundation work they would not have to do, and expects a rebid would be much nearer to the engineers’ estimate.

Told that, Lacy sent an email Wednesday saying, "The existing abutments are being left in place for the project. The design calls for placing a soil-nail wall around the abutments . . . to sufficiently protect and strengthen them. If the bid is rejected, we will discuss the possibility of separating out this part of the project. It then [could] be completed through maintenance agreements that we have in place. The remainder of work for the bridge would be placed back out for bid."

The bridge across South Elkhorn Creek, the border of Woodford and Scott counties, is nominally Woodford's responsibility, under a longstanding agreement between the counties, but the state agreed to take responsibility for it several years ago.

The state closed the bridge on July 1, 2016, after inspectors found it was not safe for a load of three tons. The state had already lowered the limit twice in an effort to turn away heavy trucks whose drivers used the bridge, apparently following Global Positioning System directions for a shortcut to or from Interstate 64, using Paynes Depot Road and perhaps Big Sink Road.

The state could ask the county to share in the unexpectedly high construction cost, but Kay said he doubted that the Fiscal Court would be willing to do that, even with a contribution from Scott County.

Magistrate Liles Taylor, who represents the Midway area on Fiscal Court, said he expects the state to keep its commitment to replace the bridge, and said the top concern must be public safety, but "Everything's on the table."

The bridge's closure has further isolated the largely African American community of Zion Hill, at the southern tip of Scott County. Woodford County has been providing emergency services to the area.

Replacing the one-lane span, built in the early 1930s, has been complicated. The first plan was for a two-lane bridge, but the cabinet changed it to one lane, with the pony-truss style of the old bridge, to assuage public concern that a modern concrete span would detract from the scenic nature of the site and encourage speeding, causing accidents in the sharp curve on the Woodford County side.

Since the bridge has historical significance and is a state responsibility, the project had to undergo review by the State Historic Preservation Office and the Kentucky Heritage Council, as well as an environmental impact report to federal officials. The project was delayed at least a month by negotiations over construction easements.

State plans to close left lanes of I-64 from 9 p.m. Wed. to 6 a.m. Thurs. for installation of cable barriers

The left lanes of Interstate 64 between Midway and I-75 will be closed from 9 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday for installation of cable barriers in the median. The closure had been scheduled for Thursday night, but was moved up because rain is forecast, the Transportation Cabinet said.

The left shoulders of the interstate will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. Work is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. each day and could continue past 5 p.m., the cabinet said. "All work is subject to change depending on weather, emergencies and other factors beyond the control of the Department of Highways," the cabinet said.