Fire Protection

HUSTONVILLE - About a dozen residents - and two outside peacekeepers - showed up at Tuesday night's Hustonville City Council meeting with questions about the city's fire protection. The answers they got - and those they didn't - did more to fan the flames of concern than extinguish them. “My feeling is it's a bunch of B.S. That's twice I've asked questions and twice I've been turned away,” said resident Troy Hafley, who owns Hafley's Flowers on Main Street, after the meeting had ended.

Dear Editor, I would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation to the callers that called 911 and the Danville-Boyle County Fire Department crews for their quick response to the smoldering fire in the attic of my sister's home on Friday. They did a great job by being able to contain the fire to the attic and protect the rest of the home from extensive damage. Thanks to Danville-Boyle County for providing the excellent training and equipment that made this possible.

HARRODSBURG - Can 10 flush hydrants supply fire protection to a new subdivision with lots for 92 single and multi-family housing? That question has been asked but still not answered, even after a special meeting where the issue was discussed at some length by members of the Greater Harrodsburg/Mercer County Planning and Zoning Commission. Kendall Wise, representing AGE Engineering of Stanford, was at the meeting Tuesday evening on behalf of the developers of Harrods Glen, a subdivision being built behind Jeff Sachs Auto #2, which is on U.S. 127 north of Harrodsburg.

HARRODSBURG - Water pressure or the lack of it may slow developers of Harrods Glen subdivision. Shawn Moore, executive director of Greater Harrodsburg/Mercer County Planning and Zoning Commission, said city government has asked that plans be tabled until the problem of fire hydrants in the subdivision can be worked out. The subdivision behind Jeff Sachs Auto is served by North Mercer Water District, and engineer Kendal Wise said it is...

STANFORD - Stanford Fire Department will have a familiar face as its new chief in less than a month. Scott Maples, who is currently serving as acting chief in the absence of Chief Kenny McDaniel, will take over the official position Jan. 2, Mayor Bill Miracle said Thursday. Maples is a 20-year veteran firefighter, with much of his experience coming through work as a volunteer with the Stanford department. He also spent two years in the late 2000s serving as the Lincoln County Fire Protection District's assistant chief and training coordinator.

STANFORD - Lincoln County Fiscal Court accepted a bid Tuesday for water line extensions and a pump station on several roads in the county. Garrison Construction of Greensburg received the contract for $194,381, the lowest of the three bids submitted. Judge-Executive Buckwheat Gilbert said he doesn't know exactly when work will begin, but he expects it to be soon. The roads getting the water line extensions are Boone Connector, Will Chancellor, Henry Clay Road, Old Ottenheim Road and Hawkins Branch.

HARRODSBURG - The Greater Harrodsburg/Mercer County Planning and Zoning Commission approved two controversial plans, both of which had been before the panel in months past. The first was the plan to allow the development of a subdivision off U.S. 127 North behind Jeff Sachs Auto. City government asked the panel to table the plan for Harrods Glen last month because there were not enough fire hydrants in the subdivision. Developers decided to add 10 hydrants, and although they are called flush hydrants, they suited the city.

STANFORD - The Stanford Volunteer Fire Department will have a very familiar face as its new permanent chief in less than a month. Scott Maples, who is currently serving as acting chief in the absence of chief Kenny McDaniels, will take over the official position Jan. 2, Mayor Bill Miracle said Thursday. Maples is a 20-year veteran firefighter, with much of his experience coming through work as a volunteer with the Stanford department. He also spent two years in the late 2000s serving as the Lincoln County Fire Protection District's assistant chief and training coordinator.

The Wilmore City Council decided to hold off on making a hasty decision on whether or not to put fire hydrants in the June-Rich Farm subdivision Monday evening. The development, which is located outside the current city limits, already receives water from the city, and wants the hydrants for fire protection. During the meeting, several questions arose about whether or not the city wants to set a precedent in providing this type of service for developments and other residents who live beyond the city's boundaries.

By EMILY BURTON Staff Writer CRAB ORCHARD - Crab Orchard City Commission voted Thursday in favor of a resolution to accept a $190,000 water/wastewater grant from Kentucky Infrastructure Authority. John Kuhn, city water and wastewater supervisor, said the grant will be used to improve erosion control in the sewage lagoon off Cedar Street and loop dead-end water lines, as well as increase the diameter of water lines. "The lines are too small to serve the population there," said Kuhn.

STANFORD - Stanford Fire Department will have a familiar face as its new chief in less than a month. Scott Maples, who is currently serving as acting chief in the absence of Chief Kenny McDaniel, will take over the official position Jan. 2, Mayor Bill Miracle said Thursday. Maples is a 20-year veteran firefighter, with much of his experience coming through work as a volunteer with the Stanford department. He also spent two years in the late 2000s serving as the Lincoln County Fire Protection District's assistant chief and training coordinator.

STANFORD - The Stanford Volunteer Fire Department will have a very familiar face as its new permanent chief in less than a month. Scott Maples, who is currently serving as acting chief in the absence of chief Kenny McDaniels, will take over the official position Jan. 2, Mayor Bill Miracle said Thursday. Maples is a 20-year veteran firefighter, with much of his experience coming through work as a volunteer with the Stanford department. He also spent two years in the late 2000s serving as the Lincoln County Fire Protection District's assistant chief and training coordinator.

HUSTONVILLE - About a dozen residents - and two outside peacekeepers - showed up at Tuesday night's Hustonville City Council meeting with questions about the city's fire protection. The answers they got - and those they didn't - did more to fan the flames of concern than extinguish them. “My feeling is it's a bunch of B.S. That's twice I've asked questions and twice I've been turned away,” said resident Troy Hafley, who owns Hafley's Flowers on Main Street, after the meeting had ended.

Wrong people taking the heat over spending Dear Editor, Over the past several weeks I have read a number of complaints of government waste. While I don't like tax increases any more than anyone else, and agree that there has been quite a bit of waste over a number of years leading up to the current problems, I feel that the wrong people are taking the heat over this. I hear comments like “cradle to the grave” and “government providing all” in reference to city employees as if they are part of a welfare state.

The Winchester-Clark County Planning Commission denied a request for a 16-plat subdivision at the intersection of Jones Nursery Road and Gentry Lane Tuesday evening at the commission’s regular meeting. Property owner David Estill planned to subdivide 74 acres of the 336-acre parent tract, which is currently zoned for agricultural use. Director of Planning and Development Rhonda Cromer recommended that commissioners deny the request because, she said, a subdivision in the area would be incongruent with the 2004 Comprehensive Plan.

Residents of northwest Jessamine County have filed a lawsuit alleging misappropriation of funds by the fire district and seeking refunds of taxes they say were unconstitutional. The lawsuit, filed Friday in Jessamine Circuit Court, references an examination by the state auditor’s office last year that concluded the Jessamine County Fire District had used funds intended for a subdistrict to make purchases for the district as a whole and that the district had not kept separate records for the district and subdistrict accounts.

Dear Editor, I would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks and appreciation to the callers that called 911 and the Danville-Boyle County Fire Department crews for their quick response to the smoldering fire in the attic of my sister's home on Friday. They did a great job by being able to contain the fire to the attic and protect the rest of the home from extensive damage. Thanks to Danville-Boyle County for providing the excellent training and equipment that made this possible.

Stanford Fire Chief Ken McDaniel is building a home in Perryville and will move there when it's completed. The chief said the drive, which he estimated to be about 20 minutes, won't affect his ability to perform his fire department duties. Stanford Mayor Bill Miracle said "there's nothing on the books" that prohibits Chief McDaniel from moving away from the city where he holds the top firefighting job. Stanford requires its volunteer firefighters to live within seven miles of city limits, but Chief McDaniel isn't a volunteer; he's a full-time city employee.