Rick Corman, operator of Midway's rail line, dies after a long battle with cancer; he was a friend to the town

Rick Corman, whose R.J. Corman Railroad Group is a defining fixture of Midway, died today after battling multimple myeloma cancer for 12 years. He was 58. His 40-year-old company is a diversified railroad service firm that operates in more than 21 states.

Corman often sent his "Old Smoky" steam engine to Midway for events, set up a deep red caboose near the old depot building (now the bank) and wanted to establish a dinner train that would run between Lexington and Midway and perhaps on to Frankfort. That plan was thwarted when CSX Transportation, which leases the line to Corman, wouldn't go along. Corman recently started a dinner train on his line to Versailles, which the company owns. The lack of a dinner train in Midway probably scotched Corman's plans to lay a parallel track through town.

The visitation and funeral will be held in Hangar 1 on the company headquarters property at 101 R. J. Corman Drive, Nicholasville. Visitation will be Sunday, Aug. 25 from 1 to 8 p.m.; funeral services will be Monday, Aug. 26 at 4 p.m. The front gate will be open at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, friends may make donations to the Richard Corman Research Fund in Multiple Myeloma, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, PO Box 849168, Boston MA 02284-9168.

Council raises tax rates slightly; majority says revenue base must be protected

The Midway City Council voted tonight to raise taxes slightly, to safeguard the city's future revenue base, after debating whether the small amount of extra money this year was worth the trouble.

The tax on real estate will be 10.6 cents per $100 of value, up from 10.5 cents for the last fiscal year. Personal property will be taxed at 18 cents, up from 16 cents, but the increase is estimated to generate only $214 more than the old rate because the value of personal property on the tax rolls declined this year, to $1,071,970 from last year's $1,205,484.

Woodford County Property Valuation Administrator Gary Gillis was at a loss to say why for sure, but told the Midway Messenger last week that some taxpayers were late in filing their personal-property returns by the May 15 deadline. Versailles reportedly had a similar phenomenon last year.

The value of real estate in Midway also declined, to $96,731,300, from last year's $97,241,400. When property value declines, taxing authorities can levy a compensating rate, which generates roughly the same amount of revenue. Tax rates have only one decimal place, so the amounts are only roughly equal. Based on property valuations, the compensating rate on real estate will generate $103,671, or $1,568 more than last year's $102,103.

"Is that really worth it?" Council Member Bruce Southworth asked, as the real-estate rate came up for a vote. Southworth, who took office in January, cited the slow economy and its effect on jobs. He was the only member to vote against the rate.

Council Member Sharon Turner and Mayor Tom Bozarth said the council usually takes the compensating rate, "to keep our revenues kind of steady," as the mayor put it. Turner said the rate makes up for depreciation of property. Later, they said failure to adopt the rate permanently sacrifices revenue that is available to the city from sticking with the compensating rate.

(The council can set whatever tax rates it wants, but if it wants to increase revenue more than the roughly calculated compensating rate it must hold a public hearing. If it wants a rate that would increase revenue more than 4 percent, citizens can petition for a ballot referendum on the rate.)

Council Member Grayson Vandegrift said he had thought about skipping the compensating increase for this year, but "this one doesn't particularly bother me, it's such a minor increase."

But when the council came to the personal-property rate, Vandegrift voted against it. He said he understands why the city's accountant recommends the compensating rate, to take whatever rate is easily available, but "I just disagree with that philosophy."

Council Member Sara Hicks said the total revenue increase could be used to support civic activities sponsored by Midway College, which sought support at the meeting for its Artists and Lecture Series. Council Member Dan Roller said he would prefer that the council support the city's regular expenses and use windfalls like last year's $2,500 donation from the Iron Horse Marathon to make donations.

Earlier, the council agreed to continue its $1,000 annual support of the Artists and Lecture Series, indicating to college spokeswoman Ellen Gregory that it might increase its support if the college assembled next year's lineup and asked for support while the council is making its next budget.

"I'm very excited" about the 2013-14 schedule," Hicks said. "This is a really valuable service the college offers Midway . . . for the citizens of the town to have access to cultural events."

Gregory said a few parts of the schedule are still being finalized. Among those firmly scheduled are a Constitution Day observance with Deputy Chief Justice Mary Noble, Sep-t. 17 at 7 p.m.; Dr. Clifford Kuhn, The Laugh Doctor, Oct. 17 at 5 p.m.; a Mary Todd Lincoln chautauqua on a date to be determined in March; and Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X. Walker April 1 at 7 p.m.

Among other business, the council accepted a $29,000 bid from Renner & Sons of Lexington to place a cut stone facing and cap on the reconstructed wall on Gratz Street. Bozarth said the other bid, from Bobby Cameron of Mount Vernon, was $32,000. Here's a current photo of the project:

Council set to adopt tax rates, hear other new ordinances at meeting this evening

The Midway City Council is scheduled to adopt property-tax rates and hear first reading of other proposed ordinances, including a change in alcoholic-beverage license fees, at its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. today at City Hall.

The council is also scheduled to hear from Midway College spokeswoman Ellen Gregrory about the school's artists and lecture series and from Kenny Smith of the Midway Merchants Association.

All council meetings are open to the public.

Corman to start Lexington-Versailles dinner train Aug. 14

R.J. Corman Railroad Group formally announced today what the Midway Messenger reported in March, that the company will operate a dinner train from Lexington to Versailles rather than its original plan of a train to Midway and perhaps Frankfort.

The train will run Wednesday through Saturday, with a lunch excursion from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and a dinner excursion from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The first trip will be Aug. 14, the 25th anniversary of the original My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, which Corman operates from Bardstown to the Jim Beam distillery at Clermont. The Versailles train will start at the new Corman station behind Rupp Arena and go through horse farms such as Ashview and Calumet, past Keeneland Race Course and through the Pisgah community, behind The Castle.

"The Lexington Dinner Train continues the tradition of reinvigorating classical train dining for a modern audience," Corman said in a press release. "Along the 15-mile trek from Lexington to Versailles, passengers will enjoy seasonal entrees prepared by renowned chef Gil Logan as well as a scenic tour of locally and historically significant locations." Logan said, "We take some of the freshest foods in Kentucky and put a classical continental twist on them." Tickets are available at www.kydinnertrain.com or at 1-866-801-3463 (number corrected from previous version).

Corman's plans for a train to Midway fell through because the company leases that track from CSX Corp., which did not want passengers on the line, Mayor Tom Bozarth told the Messenger in March.

Property tax rates on council agenda for Monday

Property tax rates for the coming year are on the agenda for the next meeting of the Midway City Council, to be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall. The rates must be set by ordinance, which requires two readings; this will be the first reading.

The council will also consider changes in the city's personnel policy and employee handbook, and hear from John Soper of the Woodford County Economic Development Authority. All council meetings are open to the public.

City council to discuss job classifications, meet with Versailles council at college Wednesday evening

The Midway City Council will hold two special meetings Wednesday at Midway College. The first, at 5:30 p.m., will be to discuss city job classifications. The second, at 7 p.m., will be a joint meeting with the Versailles City Council to discuss matters of mutual interest. All council meetings are open to the public. The joint meeting agenda includes "Questions regarding topics of common interest from the audience."

Elkhorn Creek is a little bit polluted, but it's still a great place to boat, fish and float – or just watch it flow along

An angler wearing waders fishes South Elkhorn Creek near the Moores Mill Road Bridge

By Katie Ledford
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

South Elkhorn Creek, Midway’s defining waterway, is popular with fishers and kayakers and is a beautiful feature of the area, but does not meet the standards for recreation involving contact with the water.

This does not mean that fishing in the stream is unsafe, but anyone with open wounds should avoid contact with the water, experts say.

“I would not recommend swimming in that creek, and that’s probably one of the better ones,” said Lindell Ormsbee, director of the Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute at the University of Kentucky. “I wouldn’t go boating immediately after wet weather events.”

Ormsbee was chief author of a report that showed fecal bacteria in the creek exceeded official limits in 2011, and recent samplings by volunteers of the Kentucky Watershed Watch found similar pollution.

A kayaker at the Margaux Farm bridge along Moores Mill Road

South Elkhorn Creek begins in Fayette County, and flows through Woodford, Scott and Franklin counties; defines the border between Scott and Woodford. Ormsbee’s study found more fecal bacteria the farther you go upstream, from the bridges on Midway Pike (KY 341) to Leestown Road to Payne’s Depot Road.

According to Ormsbee, the main problem is leaky sewer pipes and storm-water overflows in Lexington, which put fecal bacteria into the water.

“Lexington has got a pretty significant problem where these pipes are typically not big enough to carry all of the sewage,” Ormsbee said. “If you have a storm event, these pipes have lots of cracks and leaks in them so when you have a lot of rain the rain soaks in and it flows into these pipes.” If there is an excess amount of water, it will overflow through manholes and flow into the waterways.

Ormsbee’s report says wildlife and livestock sources also contribute to the pollution. Bluegrass Stockyards lies just downstream of the Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant. Midway Station, a failed industrial park, nearly became the new home of Bluegrass Stockyards but was opposed by some because they feared pollution to the creek, which runs nearby.

Straight pipes are also an issue. These are wastewater system pipes that run from a home or business and are directly connected to a receiving body of water. The 2011 report says, “Straight pipes are suspected to exist within the watershed that ultimately discharge into South Elkhorn Creek, although the exact number and location are unknown.”

The latest report from the Kentucky River Watershed Watch, from 2012, says volunteers took samples from 44 locations in in the South Elkhorn watershed, which much more than any other stream in the Kentucky River basin. This could be because it flows through a metropolitan area.

The results of these samples showed that some of the sampling sites in Scott and Woodford counties exceeded the limit for fecal bacteria. Lee’s Branch, 150 yards downstream of Stephens Street in Midway, showed that it exceeded the bacteria limit and was low on dissolved oxygen. The portion of Lee’s Branch that flows in front of Midway College showed even less dissolved oxygen, which is one indicator of a waterway’s ability to support aquatic life.

Farther downstream, half a mile upstream of Midway Pike, the creek exceeded the bacteria limit and did not meet the standard for dissolved oxygen. However, along Moores Mill Road a little bit downstream from the Leestown Road bridge, a sample showed the bacteria and dissolved-oxygen standards were being met.

Weisenberger Mill is the best known site on South Elkhorn Creek

The latter result, which runs contrary to the trend that pollution is greater upstream, could be attributed to the dam at Weisenberger Mill, which aerates the creek. At the same time, that sample showed a relatively high degree of electrical conductivity, which reflects the amount of salts in the water – a factor that is bad for small aquatic organisms.

Though South Elkhorn Creek has fecal bacteria above the limits, many tourists and locals like Gene Slusher of Midway, owner of Lexington Angler, are not discouraged from visiting it.

Slusher laughed when asked about the bacteria in the creek: “I grew up on Elkhorn Creek and have swam in it.” Slusher, who spent a year working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on national water-quality issues, said the amount of bacteria in the creek is not high enough to harm humans.

Slusher said he fishes the creek regularly and considers it an important recreational resource. He fishes South Elkhorn Creek all the time. Smallmouth bass are the most popular; this watershed was once a famous fishery for them. Common carp, sunfish, crayfish and other large invertebrates also live in the creek.

Despite the fact that South Elkhorn Creek has some pollution, it is still is a valuable resource to locals and tourists for many reasons. The creek loops around Equus Run Vineyards between the Leestown Road and Interstate 64 bridges. The vineyard’s owner, Cynthia Bohn, said there is no fencing to separate South Elkhorn Creek from the 38 acres of Equus Run and she didn’t suspect such pollution in the creek.

Cynthia Bohn at Equus Run Vineyards

“I would have never known it’s polluted,” she said. Bohn called the creek a “tremendous asset” for her business. Her customers enjoy fly fishing, kayaking and floating on the creek with inner tubes. She said the creek around her land is about 20 to 24 inches deep, not ideal for swimming. Guests can come into the vineyard office and get a fishing pass to use on the property as well as go picnicking along the creek. Bohn said on a nice Friday, Saturday or Sunday, you might see 10 fishermen out on the creek. She said almost half of the vineyard has direct access to the creek.

“We are right in the middle of the Bluegrass, the horse capital, and we have all these treasures,” including the creek, Bohn said. “I love my Elkhorn Creek. … I am very interested in sustaining it.” She added, “I’m in the tourism business and when my customers have more things to enjoy when they are in the Bluegrass, the better.”

The co-owner of Canoe Kentucky in Frankfort, Mason Detenbrock, said South Elkhorn Creek is a good fishing stream but has very public limited access. “Most people access the creek from private property which, historically, landowners have not minded,” he said.

Detenbrock said his business does some guided canoe tours of the creek. “It’s a beautiful stretch of creek for sure.”

South Elkhorn Creek watershed is marked with red lines on this Kentucky Geological Survey map.
Streams marked in red do not support "assessed uses," such as swimming. Sewage plant outfalls
are marked as pipes spilling red liquid. Numbered squares are public water withdrawal sites.
Number 12 in yellow circle is the site of a photo on the full Kentucky River watershed map.