McConnell: Dam repair a priority

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July 4, 2007

Senator says he's aware of economic impact of situation

By BILL MARDIS, Editor Emeritus The Commonwealth Journal Wed Jul 04, 2007, 02:02 PM EDT

Kentucky’s senior United States senator has vowed to make as much money available as necessary to repair Wolf Creek Dam as quickly as possible.

“We are working with the governor’s office, Congressman (Hal) Rogers and the Congress to get the job finished as rapidly as possible,” Sen. Mitch McConnell told the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce.

Speaking Tuesday during the chamber’s July membership meeting, McConnell said “... we are acutely aware of the economic impact with the situation at Wolf Creek Dam. If the water level is taken down too far, it will have further impact.

“We’re trying to help you get through this as rapidly as possible with as little economic impact as possible,” assured McConnell. He said money requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to repair the dam is included in the 2008 national budget.

The Corps announced in August 2005 that Wolf Creek Dam was leaking again. It detailed a seven-year rehabilitation program at a cost of $309 million.

The level of Lake Cumberland was lowered 43 feet this past January to ease pressure on the ailing dam. An accelerated grouting program is under way to reduce seepage, mostly through the earthen section of the dam.

A contract is scheduled to be let in December for a concrete diaphragm. The wall would be four or five feet thick and extend 100 feet into the bedrock below the dam. Lt. Col. Steven J. Roemhildt, commander of the Corps’ Nashville District, told the Commonwealth Journal that the concrete wall should make the dam safe for the remainder of this century.

A concrete roller-compacted dam, essentially to replace the earthen section of the structure, is being studied. However, Corps engineers have said this type of dam is unlikely because of the time involved and the possibility that the lake would be lowered further while this new-type dam was being built. McConnell apparently alluded to this study during his speech but did not elaborate.

A question and answer session following McConnell’s speech basically turned into complaints that the government is not doing enough to help “little people.” “Little people” was the complainers’ designation for small businesses adversely affected by the lower lake level.

McConnell said he would meet with certain lake interests after Tuesday’s chamber session. The meeting was described by a McConnell aide as “private” and said the media would not be allowed to attend.

On the subject of Iraq, McConnell conceded that opinion polls indicate “... people are weary of the war in Iraq and I understand why.”

However, McConnell pointed out that this country after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks “... decided to go on the offense and go after these people where they are to protect us here at home.”

“This (offensive) has been 100 percent successful,” McConnell declared. “We have not had a single attack since then.” McConnell predicted that President Bush will take a different course in Iraq this fall.

McConnell is a veteran Senate leader. He was unanimously elected last November as Republican Leader in the 110th Congress. McConnell is the 15th Republican leader and the first party leader from Kentucky in over half a century. The last leader from Kentucky, Senator Alben Barkley, led the Democrats from 1937 to 1949.

McConnell previously served, again by the unanimous vote of his colleagues, as the Majority Whip in the 108th and 109th Congresses. McConnell also served in leadership as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee during the 1998 and 2000 election cycles.

McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984. He is a native of Louisville.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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