Somerset —
Officials of Somerset and Burnside have expressed concern about the city of Ferguson’s plan to annex highway corridors that would extend its city limits south to Burnside and east to Rush Branch Road. If annexed, the highways would effectively establish a narrow band of Ferguson around Somerset to the southeast and Burnside to the northeast.
Ferguson City Council has unanimously approved ordinances expressing intent to annex almost all of new four-lane Ky. 1247 as well as Ky. 914 (southeastern bypass) from the current city limits east to Rush Branch Road. North Frank Denham Road, an extension of Gover’s Lane, is included in a third annexation ordinance.
The annexation proposals currently are in a 60-day waiting period before two readings of annexation ordinances could make the highways a part of the Ferguson. Only highway corridors are in the annexation proposals; no businesses or residences are involved.
Mayor Eddie Girdler didn’t say if Somerset will oppose Ferguson’s annexation plan but said there is a concern if smaller cities continue to annex without ability to provide services. The mayor indicated he will discuss the issue with Somerset’s city attorney.
“We try to do all we can to serve the people ... and we all need to work together, said Girdler. Although he didn’t specifically mention Ferguson’s annexation plans, Girdler said “ ... the big problem is in the future.”
Conceding he isn’t totally familiar with Ferguson’s annexation project, Girdler said “It does raise some legal issues.” He said it creates a problem when one city annexes territory where another city has infrastructure.
“Annexation has to serve a public interest,” Girdler continued. “Corridor annexation is legal if public interest is involved and services are available.”
Burnside is also concerned about Ferguson’s move toward the south.
“If Burnside does not move to expand its boundaries, we’re going to be strangled with both Ferguson and Somerset moving south” said Ron Jones, member of Burnside City Council and candidate for mayor. Alluding to Ferguson’s plan to annex Ky. 1247, Jones said Burnside’s southeastern boundary on Ky. 1247 is currently at the railroad crossing just north of John Sherman Cooper Power Station.
In case of an attempted legal intervention by Burnside or Somerset, it would be a determination of the courts if either city has “standing” to oppose Ferguson’s annexation.
The Transportation Cabinet doesn’t protest annexation of highway corridors.
“It doesn’t affect us. It (highway) is still property of the state and the same rules apply,” commented Neal Shoemaker, chief District 8 engineer for the Kentucky Department of Highways.
In a similar case, when a group of Burnside citizens, including two Burnside city councilors, sued to prevent the city of Burnside from annexing up to 14 miles of Lake Cumberland shoreline to take in Lee’s Ford Marina Resort at Nancy, Pulaski Circuit Judge Jeffrey T. Burdette issued a summary judgment in favor of the plaintiffs.
However, Dan Thompson, city attorney for Burnside, pointed out that the Kentucky Court of Appeals reversed Judge Burdette’s order. The Kentucky Supreme Court refused to consider the case, ending the litigation and leaving Lee’s Ford Marina Resort in the city limits of Burnside.
In reversing Pulaski Circuit Court’s order, the Court of Appeals said plaintiffs in the case were neither voters nor owners of real property in the area to be annexed. Also, the corridor annexed by Burnside is owned by the United States Government which consented to its annexation by Burnside.
This ruling sounds favorable to Ferguson’s annexation plan since, as Shoemaker said, “(annexation of highway corridors) doesn’t affect us (Highway Department).” There are no voters or landowners, except the state, in the highway corridors proposed to be annexed.
Local News
Related Photos
-
This Ferguson city limits sign is located on new Ky. 1247 just north of the railroad bridge. A Ferguson annexation plan would take in most of the new four-lane highway to near Burnside, and extend the city’s corporate limits east on Ky. 914 to Rush Branch Road. Location of the city limits sign on Ky. 1247 indicates Ferguson’s corporate limits extends farther south than shown on most available maps of the city. Photo by Bill Mardis
MIFFED
Ferguson annexation draws ‘concern’ from Somerset & Burnside
- Local News
-
- Trial delayed for parents charged with trafficking daughters
-
Wolf Creek Dam renovation on target for Summer 2014 completion date
-
Burnisde may soon move to fourth-class status
-
McGaha didn’t approve farewell letter
-
Refinery to re-open in early summer
- Downtown road work running ahead of schedule
-
Board upholds principal’s demotion
-
Fast-moving blaze guts mobile home off Slate Branch Road
-
Big Bang Theory
Pulaski County is not at war. The booming you may hear at dusk is mock cannon fire to scare away birds.
Stuart Spillman, environmental director for the Lake Cumberland Health Department, said at least three cannons are on loan from the department to residents who want to scare away swarms of starlings and blackbirds settling in to roost.
He said a cannon is being used by a resident on Laura Lane off Ky. 39; another is in the Oak Hill Road area and a third is on Ashurst Street in the eastern part of Somerset.
Spillman said a timer on each cannon allows it to “fire” at whatever frequency is desired. The cannons must be used as the birds circle before going to roost. “After they settle in, nothing will chase them out,” Spillman said.
The Health Department doesn’t operate the cannons unless there is a specific complaint in an area where there are lots of birds, Spillman noted. He said so far this year the birds are not as bad as in the past. -
Boil water advisory is lifted countywide
The water controversy that Pulaski County has been boiling over — so to speak — for the last week is finally over.
At 10 minutes after noon Wednesday, the “boil water” advisory for the Western Pulaski Water District was lifted — almost a full week after the problems began around 1 p.m. last Thursday.
Prior to that, the Somerset Water Service — along with the other water providers in its system, including Science Hill Water, Southeastern Water, and Eubank Water — lifted their advisories, with Somerset on Saturday afternoon and the last, Southeastern, by Monday morning. Western Pulaski was the last in the system to complete sample testing for potential contaminants, due to not being able to access its Pikeville-based testing lab until Monday.
Somerset Mayor Eddie Girdler thanked the public for its patience and understanding during the duration of the boil water advisory — put in place to keep citizens from drinking water that could have been contaminated after an accident last Thursday at the water plant site — and also thanked all the city employees for their hard work during this time.
“The boil water advisory went about as well as would be expected,” said Girdler.
- More Local News Headlines
Lower-hassle Screening to Be Tested at Airports
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Helmet Camera Captures Calif. Fire Rescue
Worker Tells 911: Powell 'exploded the House'
Triple Win: Santorum Takes Minn., Mo., Colo.
Injured Marine Inspired by Homecoming
No Rape Charges Against Son of NYPD Commissioner
Egypt's Ruling Generals Play Risky Game With US
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
