Author of book on female entrepreneurs to speak

Midway College will host Dr. Dorothy Perrin Moore as she discusses her new book WomenPreneurs: 21st Century Success Strategies Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Anne Hart Raymond Center.

Moore, a graduate of the college, will discuss development of the book and success strategies of the subjects. "Major themes in the book include the nature of the changing workplace, the challenges of organizational life, career strategies, entrepreneurship, home and family balance and tactics for navigating in a turbulent economic climate," a college press release said.

The event is free but registration is required. To register, go to www.midway.edu/events. For more information, contact Ellen Gregory at 859-846-6046 or egregory@midway.edu.

Council passes ordinance on blighted property

The Midway City Council voted 4-2 tonight to enact an ordinance to crack down on blighted properties in the city, a topic of discussion in city government for almost a year.

The "no" votes were cast by Council Members Doris Leigh and Sharon Turner, left, the mayor pro tem. Leigh did not explain her vote, but Turner said she wanted tighter qualifications for the mayor-appointed committee that will review the cases of properties officially identified as blighted.

The ordinance calls for members of the committee to be property owners or residents in the city. Turner said they should be both property owners and residents. In an interview, she said that would prevent non-residents who own property, and residents who do not own property, from sitting in judgment of property owners in the city.

Turner said she was "tickled to death" with the rest of the ordinance, but had received several calls from constituents who saw the committee question as she did. The committee members will serve three-year terms and their appointments are subject to approval by the council.

For a copy of the ordinance, click here. For the nuisance code ordinance, go here.

Bozarth is on state task force that will start meeting on Thursday to examine alcohol laws

Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed Midway Mayor Tom Bozarth to the Governor’s Task Force on the study of Kentucky's Alcoholic Beverage Control Laws, which will have its first meeting Thursday.

Bozarth represents the Kentucky League of Cities on the task force, which has 22 members and is headed by Public Protection Secretary Robert Vance. It will meet Thursday, Aug. 16, at 1 p.m. in Room 110 of the Capitol.

Council to hear proposed property-tax rates, may pass ordinances on property maintenance

The Midway City Council has a busy agenda for its meeting Monday, Aug. 20 at City Hall: First reading of an ordinance setting tax rates for real estate and personal property, second and probably passage of the ordinances on blighted properties and the nuisance code, a bond issue for the Montessori school in Versailles, and an event permit for the Bourbon Chase.

The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. All council meetings are open to the public.

Council panel will meet Wed. to discuss billing adjustments, extraterritorial services, parking issue

The Water, Sewer and Garbage Committee of the Midway City Council will meet Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. at City Hall to discuss pool adjustments, services outside the city limits and parking issues near Corner Grocery. All city council and committee meetings are open to the public.

Blighted properties dominate Mon. council agenda; zoning amendment would apply to microbreweries

The Midway City Council will consider ordinances on nuisances and blighted property, and hear about some individual cases of condemned properties, at its regular meeting Monday evening, July 16.

The draft agenda calls for first reading of Ordinances 2012-006, on elimination of blighted and deteriorated properties, and 2012-007, on enforcement of the Nuisance Code and nuisance-notice appeals. The council reviewed drafts of both ordinances last month.

The substantive business of the meeting is scheduled to begin with an appearance by Lewis and Pam Yount, who were issued a compliance order last month on six properties and are to submit a plan of action at the meeting, according to City Council Member Dan Roller, chairman of the council's Property Maintenance Task Force.

This house at 313 Second St. is not among properties under the compliance
order to but is near one that is (at 327 Second) and was among those reviewed
by the Property Maintenance Task Force. (Photo by Morgan Rhodes)

The Younts told the council last month that they plan to tear down three of the houses and/or sell the lots at 218 N. Winter St., 305 Smith St. (next to Second Christian Church) and a burned house at 306 S. Brand St, next to the old Tococo plant, Roller said in a mass email on June 24. "The three other properties condemned were at 113 Martin St., 209 E. Stephens St. and 309 E. Stephens St. They further stated they must arrange financing and other details."

Roller added, "The council also received a condemnation letter dated June 5, 2012, on 327 Second St., owned by Lion Crest LLC. The owner stated by letter the house would be torn down starting by Aug. 1 and completed by Sept. 1, 2012."

The new business on the council agenda for Monday night includes amendments to the "principal uses" sections of five zoning district regulations sections in the Woodford County Zoning Ordinance: 713.2, neighborhood business; 714.2, central business district; 716.2, highway business district; 717.2, highway interchange; and 718.2, light industrial, all in Article VII of the ordinance. These are to conform to an amendment approved by the county planning commission last month, to make specifications for microbreweries. There has been discussion of the possibility of a microbrewery in Millville, and/or in or near Midway.

UPDATE, Sept. 2: Greg Kocher of the Lexington Herald-Leader reports that a brewery is being established in Millville.

Council bans open burning, use of fireworks

At a special meeting at noon today the Midway City Council passed am emergency ordinance banning open fires and use of fireworks because of dry conditions caused by the drought. The ordinance will remain in effect until repealed. The ban means there will ne no sparks at the annual Sparks in the Park event at Walter Bradley Park tonight. However, city council candidates are scheduled to speak, so there could be some figurative sparks.