The Leitchfield City Council on Monday night discussed listing a city-owned property as surplus property and voted to allow the mayor to execute an agreement related to the new wastewater treatment plant.
Approximately 10 years ago, the city and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) bought a roughly 10-acre tract of land on Basham Drive in anticipation of Bel Cheese expanding its facility. With the possibility of the factory expanding dropped years ago, the property has been unused.
“There’s really not a lot of use for that property, as far as the city is concerned,” Mayor Harold Miller said, “and we have had an offer on that.”
The city, which owns half the property, with the IDC owning the other half, voted on Monday to place half of the acreage for sale through sealed bids. The IDC has agreed to sell its half of the property, as well.
New wastewater treatment plant
Embry told the council in July that the resolution is only the first step of many in making the new plant a reality. The council unanimously approved the resolution.
The initial plans include acreage for possible future expansion, as the Kentucky Division of Water is considering transitioning to regional wastewater treatment facilities.
“This plant will be built with the capacity to serve the communities around us. That’s part of the big push now with state and federal governments to regionalize things instead of building one (wastewater treatment plants) for every small town,” Miller said on Monday.
The cities of Clarkson and Caneyville, if their city governments choose, could be served by the new plant. Miller also noted that the Big Clifty area is poised to experience growth due to the new BlueOval SK plants in Glendale, and a new, larger wastewater treatment facility could also serve that area.
The city council on Monday voted to allow Miller to execute an agreement between the city of Leitchfield and Kentucky Engineering Group as the next step in the lengthy process of building a new plant.
Leitchfield Utilities previously approved the mayor executing the agreement.
The money for a new plant would likely come from grants and possibly state and/or federal funding.
Miller stated that the “projected timeline” from the start of construction to finish is between five and six years.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
