State Forgives Burgin’s Missing Audits

State Funding Becomes Available For City

Jennifer Marsh

Herald Staff

jmarsh@harrodsburgherald.com

The City of Burgin announced the Commonwealth of Kentucky has forgiven the city’s long overdue audits. Burgin is free to receive state funds that have been withheld and apply for  grants.

“This is a huge accomplishment,” said Mayor Jim Caldwell. “We owe this to our accountant Noel Turner. He went before the state and asked again for us and they approved it.”

The city first asked the state to forgive the old audits back in January but were turned down.

“The law changed as of July 1, 2019,” said Turner. “We were able to be forgiven because the state no longer requires small cities to submit yearly audits.”

Turner said small cities will be on an odd year requirement for audits.

The state has withheld over $112,000 in road rpaving funds due to delinquent audits.

“This is an accomplishment for the city,” said Turner. “Audits are expensive. This new law will help smaller cities with the costs.”

In other business:

• Dell Harris with Kentucky Rural Water addressed the council concerning water loss issues addressed at several previous meetings.

Harris was called into Burgin to assist Wally Bottoms in providing the requested reports.

“It is normal to have some water loss,” said Harris. “Burgin is roughly at an 18 percent loss, system wide.”

Harris said he would continue working with Bottoms to tighten up the system and lower the water loss percentage.

• Chuck Otego came to the council with concerns over speeding. He asked for the speed limit on Main Street to be lowered.

“We cannot lower it,” said Caldwell. “The last administration tried but since it is a state highway we have no jurisdiction.”

• Jonathan Elliott won the bid for the city’s army  truck for $3,500. 

The next meeting of the Burgin City Council will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. Burgin City Hall is located at 117 Maple Street.