Council moving on trap issue, but devil may be in details

By Evan Merrill

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway City Council inched closer to an agreement on lethal trapping, agreed to apply for the old Weisenberger Mill bridge and approved a time for trick-or-treating in Midway at its meeting Monday night.

The council has agreed to not outlaw lethal traps despite the pleas of South Turner street resident Sarah Gilbert made following the death of her cat, Bunny Kitty, in a trap set for groundhogs.

“We felt that could lead to people using poison,” said Council Member Dan Roller, reporting on deliberations of the Finance, Ordinance and Policy Committee, which he chairs.

“The research we did on poison is, animals that are poisoned often then leave the location,” causing the death of additional animals who eat them, Roller said. “Most the research we found determined the legislation that relates to this came about because of animals that were killed in illegal traps, many of which were on leashes at the time.”

Roller said the committee recommended enforcing responsible trapping, in which homeowners or businesses can be held liable for the harming or death of resident animal. He proposed an ordinance that would say, “The removal or eviction of any animal from a property in the City of Midway shall not result in the harming or death of a domestic animal.”

This recommendation would not apply to government animal-control authorities, and a copy of the regulation would be provided to individuals and businesses applying for city business licenses when they indicate their business deals with the removal or eviction of animals. The trapper who killed Bunny Kitty did not have such a license.

Roller said the proposal specifies domestic animals because not doing so would disallow a mousetrap. The specifics of the ordinance, such as punishment for violation, are still up for debate.

Council Member Libby Warfield asked Roller what the penalty for violation would be. Roller said none is proposed, since “pets are priceless,” and people who lose them would still have “legal recourse.”

Council Member Steven Craig argued it’s difficult to hold homeowners responsible for a pet getting into a trap on their own property.  “So if a homeowner sets a trap for a rodent and a domesticated cat comes on to their property and gets into the trap, why is the property owner responsible for the domesticated cat when the cat came onto his property?” Craig asked.

“It’s not quite time for the debate yet,” Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said. At Vandegrift’s suggestion, Craig moved that the proposal be put into ordinance form by city attorney Phil Moloney.

Bonds, bridges, Halloween and more

The council heard first reading of an ordinance to issue bonds totaling up to $50 million for the building of the Lakeshore Learning Materials distribution center, which is expected to bring 262 new workers to the city.

The council also passed on second reading an ordinance for refinancing of bonds for the Providence Montessori school of Lexington. The refinancing is strictly for a better rate on the bonds and the city has no liability, Vandegrift said. The council held a public hearing on the bonds just before the meeting, and no one attended, Vandegrift said.

The bridge over Lee’s Branch in Walter Bradley Park is complete except for some minor work, Vandegrift said. The city will hold a ribbon cutting event on Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. If it’s rained out, it’ll be held the next day at 2 p.m.

The council agreed to apply to the state for the Weisenberger Mill bridge, which the state is replacing. “If we apply for the bridge, we’ll get it,” said Vandegrift. The favored location is over a marshy area in the park.

The council approved Vandegrift’s suggestion that trick-or-treat in Midway be held Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The council also granted an encroachment permit for a driveway to be built at 212 South Turner St.

Council committee to discuss unspecified 'change in regulations' at 10 a.m. Monday

The Finance, Ordinance and Policy Committee of the Midway City Council will meet at 10 a.m. Monday, Oct. 3, at City Hall to discuss a "change in regulations," says the notice from the city, with no elaboration. All committee and council meetings are open to the public. The council will hold a regular meeting Monday at 5:30 p.m.

Council committee endorses idea of moving Weisenberger Mill bridge to city park

This story has been updated since the committee meeting.

Walter Bradley Park has a new bridge. It might also be getting an old one.

The Cemetery and City Property Committee of the Midway City Council agreed Wednesday afternoon that the city should apply to the state to get the Weisenberger Mill bridge when the bridge is replaced next year. The state is seeking proposals for moving the one-lane bridge, built in 1935.

Weisenberger Mill bridge (Commonwealth of Kentucky photo)

If moved to Midway, the bridge would not span any stream. Its proposed location is a marshy area in the park, next to Newton Street. The park has a new pedestrian bridge farther downstream on Lee Branch, in the formerly overgrown wooded area.

"I think we owe it to our citizens to keep it here, because it means so much to Midway residents," Mayor Grayson Vandegrift told the committee. He said the state would bring the bridge to the site, but in pieces, and the city would have to pay for reconstructing it.

"What we really want are the trusses," said prospective park manager John Holloway. "The rest of it is just two concrete pads for it to fit on. . . . I would make it as close to the ground as practical." Holloway's park plan calls for two trees at the site, but he said that could be changed.

Committee chair Sara Hicks mentioned other possible locations, but Council Member Libby Warfield said, "I can't see any place that would accommodate it as easily" as the park. Council Member Steven Craig said, "I think it's going to look great in the park and I'm actually excited about getting it there."

The council is expected to discuss the idea. Vandegrift said the state wants proposals by Nov. 10. He said the city has spent about $6,000 of the $10,000 park budget on the pedestrian bridge, but also has more than $3,000 in extra money that has been donated for park improvements.

Park bridge has gained its essential appearance

The bridge over Lee Branch in Walter Bradley Park is virtually complete. Workers are grading the approaches today; the temporary plywood at the far left keeps dirt from falling into the creek. This photo was taken from the upstream side after crossing the bridge.

Bridge over Lee Branch in park is nearing completion

L-R: City workers Timmy and Terry Agee, park manager-to-be John Holloway, city worker James Downs.

Lee Branch is bridged. The pedestrian span over the creek in Walter Bradley Park is nearing completion, following installation of the supporting steel beams on Friday. City workers and John Holloway, who is line to be park manager when the city's new Park Board gets organized, worked on installing the wood elements Monday. Holloway, a theatre professor at the University of Kentucky, has spearheaded the volunteer work that has transformed an overgrown section of the park into a great asset for the community. He said the grand opening for the bridge is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 14.

'The case of the curious cat' remains unresolved; ordinance committee to consider issue

This story has been corrected.

The concern about lethal traps endangering pets remained unresolved at the Midway City Council meeting Monday night. At the last meeting, on Sept. 6, council members tabled the discussion after they were pressed to answer a letter from a concerned resident whose cat was killed in her neighbor’s yard by a trap set for groundhogs.

This meeting didn't make much progress on the issue either. After a 35-minute debate, council members concluded that the issue needed more public input, so they referred the mater to the council's Ordinance and Policy Committee. agreed to invite the Midway community to voice opinions on it at the next council meeting, on Oct. 10.

Sarah Gilbert was the owner of Bunny Kitty, the cat killed in a lethal trap set in a neighbor's yard back in August. Gilbert acknowledged the friendliness of neighbors and good character of Midway, but she believes that lethal traps don't belong here.

"I really don't think kill traps keep with the spirit of community that we have in this town," she told the council. It is legal to set lethal traps for animals pests in Midway, but Gilbert and her boyfriend, Stewart Surgener, reiterated her written request for an ordinance to ban them.

Members were sympathetic to the loss of Bunny Kitty, but not to the point of taking action.

"I'm not certain that we can enforce this," said Council Member Libby Warfield. Instead of banning lethal traps, Warfield suggested they urge members of the community "to take more personal responsibility" and communicate with neighbors if they resort to using such traps for animal pests.

Gilbert disagreed. "Just because you can't enforce a law all the time, doesn't mean that it still shouldn't be law," she said.

Council Member Daniel Roller Steven Craig said existing ordinances that could make banning lethal traps problematic. He posed the questions: Should pets be on a leash, and do trap owners have rights "if a neighbor's pet is on his or her property?" These questions and more will be examined by the Ordinance and Policy Committee, which Mayor Grayson Vandegrift says will also research how other cities have handled similar situations.

"We're dealing with one unheard element here," Vandegrift said. "We just need to see other ideas of how people handled this."

Fall Festival is again a success, despite rain

Crowds filled Main Street and spilled onto Gratz Street.
(Photo by Alexandria Kerns, UK School of Journalism and Media)

By Alexandria Kerns
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The sun may not have shone much on Kentucky this weekend, but that did not stop crowds from enjoying the 42nd annual Midway Fall Festival.

The festival started Saturday morning with beautiful weather as visitors gathered on Main Street to explore offerings of the vendors, who were more numerous than ever.  This changed around 4 p.m. when it started to rain heavily, which led many vendors and festival patrons to leave for the day.

Sunday, the skies cleared and many vendors and visitors returned to finish out the festival strong.  Kenny Smith, president of the Midway Business Association, estimated that between 12,500 and 15,000 people came to the festival. Last year’s crowd was estimated at 15,000. Smith attributed the likely decrease to the weather.

“The rain hurt us on Saturday,” said Smith. “We didn’t have a surge of people in the afternoon.”

Among the vendors leaving early Saturday was Carol Hyde of St. Louis, whose booth flooded. She blamed a storm drain directly behind her booth.  Hyde did not let the rain ruin the weekend, however, and returned Sunday to enjoy the rest of the festival.

Some vendors chose to stay despite the rain.  Julia Weber, with Adventures Creation, did not leave until the festival was over Saturday evening. Weber’s booth was full of beautiful jewelry that Weber said she had collected from all over the country. Once the rain passed Saturday, she said, visitors returned to the festival.

“If I can make money, then I am going to stay and enjoy the festival,” Weber said.

One festival visitor, Ashleigh Harden of Lexington, did not let the rain affect her Saturday festival experience. Harden said she loved the small-town feel of Midway, and was surprised to see what the vendors had to offer.

“I was so excited when I saw that one of the vendors was selling succulents,” said Harden. “They were even priced pretty cheap!”

According to Smith, the festival had 127 vendors this year selling crafts and serving food. Smith said some vendors reserved several booth spaces, which extended the festival across Gratz Street next to the United Bank parking lot. The vendors included many new and old faces and products ranging from wreaths, to plants, to pony rides.

About 150 vendor spaces had been reserved, up from 120 last year. One veteran vendor was surprised to see how the festival had grown.  Jo and Sherman Kallin, owners of Down Home Soap from Louisville, were moved from their typical spot because they did not turn register in time. The couple was surprised, but happy to see the festival become more popular.

“We have been coming to the festival for about 20 years, and we’ve never seen vendors by the bank,” Sherman Kallin said.

Several vendors traveled hundreds of miles to be a part of Midway’s community for the weekend.  The Kreole Sisters came all the way from Lafayette, Louisiana, giving festival-goers a chance to experience authentic Cajun food by passing out free samples of pralines and bread pudding. The vendors’ menu included several authentic dishes to visitors such as chicken and sausage gumbo and fried catfish topped with crawfish ettouffee.

R. J. Corman Railroad Co. gave visitors a little taste of Midway history during the festival by having a train on site for people to tour.  Corman set up the train to look like the dinner train that is located in Bardstown. Drew and Gail Costa, from Versailles, were impressed.

“It was nice to actually see inside the train car,” said Drew Costa. “We had thought about doing the dinner, but seeing it made us really want to do it more.”

Even with the downpour of rain Saturday afternoon, the festival was still able to bring in a large crowd of people to Midway. This proved that despite the weather, the festival still a success.