City Tables Water Ordinances Again
Approves Street Closures For Downtown Prom On May 14
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com
The Harrodsburg Board of Commissioners tabled a proposed increase in water and sewer tap fees as well as water tap charges and meter costs.
The city commission approved closing streets for the Mercer County Senior High School prom on Saturday, May 14.
This is the third time the ordinances to raise tap fees and meter costs has been tabled. On Jan. 24, the commission gave first reading to ordinance 2022-01, which would increase water and sewer tap fees, and ordinance 2022-02, which would increase water tap charges and meter costs.
The proposed ordinances were tabled on Feb. 14 and Feb. 28.
The commission voted to lower water and sewer tap fees back in 2019, with the rationale that it would spur new construction. However, the original text of the proposed ordinances stated the reduced fees caused “a substantial hardship” for the city in “obtaining supplies for maintaining a water and sewer systems.” According to the ordinance, the city has been “selling taps at a substantial loss,” which is prohibited by the state constitution.
At the Feb. 28 meeting, Commissioner Marvin “Bubby” Isham said the proposed increase would have penalized “everybody” when the city only loses money on a certain percentage of installations. Isham said he understood charging more if the city had to dig and install infrastructure. Installing the infrastructure necessary before a home could be connected has cost the city up to $3,800 in some cases, city officials say.
The commissioners are considering their options, including the need for site evaluations. At their meeting on Monday, March 14, Mayor Billy Whitenack said they were still in the process of revising the ordinances.
At Monday’s meeting, the city commission approved street closures for the Mercer County Senior High School’s prom, which will be held in downtown Harrodsburg on Saturday, May 14, from 8 to 11 p.m.
Stacy Davis, guidance counselor at Mercer Senior High, said they are planning to decorate the downtown similar to the way they do for Oktoberfest, with a DJ close to the courthouse and red carpet set up near the Harrodsburg Baptist Church.
The commission also approved overtime pay for officers from the Harrodsburg Police Department to work the prom.
