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Stanford council reluctant to borrow for fort project

March 05, 2011|By TODD KLEFFMAN

STANFORD — There was a lot of bragging on the progress being made at Logan’s Fort during Thursday’s City Council meeting.

None of the council members, however, were ready to back up that talk with cash.

Mayor Bill Miracle said he’d learned earlier in the day that a $23,000 grant was available for the fort reconstruction project through Bluegrass Area Development District. That money, however, requires a 65 percent match — $41,500 — from the city.

Miracle endorsed borrowing the money to meet the grant’s requirements.

“I’m not as passionate about the fort as others, but I do see some momentum behind this thing and some money coming in from some new places,” Miracle said. “I think it can be paid back by fundraising and other people I think are going to commit to this thing.”

Irene Jaggers, president of Logan’s Fort Foundation and chief fundraiser and cheerleader for the project, told the council that the impressive work completed so far on the fort has created a new buzz. This month’s edition of Kentucky Living magazine features nice photos and a story about the fort, she said.

“The momentum just has to keep going,” Jaggers said.

Councilmembers offered praise for the quality of the project, which recently completed its second section, but no one wanted to add more debt to the city, which has been dealing with financial drain the past few years.

“I’m not wanting to be the death knell on this, but I have a hard time jumping out and borrowing $41,000 after what we went through with the budget last year,” Councilman Mike Southerland said.

The city donated land at the end of Martin Luther King to reconstruct Logan’s Fort near where it originally stood, but has avoided contributing much money to the project.

Finances have fallen to the foundation and grants. Jaggers said about $147,000 of the $650,000 needed to complete the project has been raised so far.

The additional money available through the BGADD grant would allow one-third of the project to be funded and completed by this summer, which would be a boost to future fundraisers planned at the site, Jaggers said.

The idea was tabled until the council’s April meeting. Miracle said he would talk to BGADD officials in hopes of reducing the city’s match requirement and also investigate the possibility to getting a low-interest loan to fund the grant.

In other business, the council awarded the contract to rebuild Logan Avenue to Hilldon Construction of Burkesville.

Hilldon submitted the low bid of $274,000 from among 12 companies who bid on the project. The highest bid was $499,000.

The city initially budgeted and borrowed $350,000 to redo the street. Any leftover funds will be put toward other street projects, Miracle said.

The entire length of Logan Avenue will be reconstructed, including curbing and landscaping, plus some sidewalk repair work.

“It’s going to be a brand new street,” Miracle said.

The project is scheduled to be completed in six months.

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