Burnside discusses library’s looks

Local News

Related Photos

An artist’s rendering of what the new Burnside branch library will approximately look like when constructed, as selected by the Burnside City Council. Courtesy of Jerry Wayne Dixon and Farzin Sadr
Burnside City Councilor Dic Gaskin inspects some of the materials proposed for use in the new Burnside branch library, scheduled to be built next summer. Chris Harris photo

August 10, 2007

By CHRIS HARRIS CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Fri Aug 10, 2007, 08:43 AM EDT

Was it the Burnside City Council? Or was it Burnside, Bath and Beyond?

The aesthetics of the new Burnside branch library was a topic of conversation Monday night, as councilors reviewed choices of brick, shingles and the overall look of the building, as offered by architect Farzin Sadr and designer Jerry Wayne Dixon.

Brick choices for the building included a darker, more classic look as well as a lighter, “peach”-colored frosted brick similar to the new downtown library. Councilor Jim Rasnick wasn’t a fan of the second choice, noting that it looked too “pink.” Everyone agreed that the darker brick was a better look, resembling a government building, and “timeless.”

“It’s not something made for show,” said Dixon. “It’s something substantial, something made to last.”

Grayish “pebble” shingles were also selected for the library’s roof.

The discussion was a continuation of the presentation from the June council meeting, when library director Judy Burdine, Sadr and Dixon first showcased the materials they were considering for the Burnside branch library, which is targeted for completion in June of next year, with a price tag of about half a million dollars.

The designers had said at the earlier meeting that they wanted to incorporate elements of “green” buildings into the facility, designed to be economically and environmentally responsible. That includes buying the bricks from regional sources, which saves money on fuel and puts money into the area economy, using fluorescent lights that automatically shut off at night via a sensor, and a porous pavement outside so rain doesn’t turn into runoff but rather goes into the ground. The bricks the architects brought in were all from a plant in Stanford.

In other city council business:

• The ordinance adjusting the pay scale of a number of city employees according to class grade was approved unanimously by the council after a second reading. Employees of a certain numerical grade — such as police chief Eddie Glover, asst. police chief Bruce Blevins, water manager Roger Huff and wastewaster system operator Charles Bryant — can make a certain amount based on a predetermined salary scale. For instance, the police chief, a 7-grade employee prior to the meeting, could make between $21,000 and $34,500 annually. The change in grades effectively gave these city employees a raise.

Later in the meeting, when the potential need to adjust the city’s budget and lay off some employees if Burnside were to lose the ability to serve alcoholic beverages in the upcoming option election was discussed, Rasnick pointed out that the council had just passed this ordinance and if the revenue from the alcohol and restaurant taxes dried up, the city would not likely be able to pay these employees according to the new scale.

• The council unanimously approved a price of $15,400 from Wilson & Company, PSC, to conduct an audit for the city’s budget, including an additional $2,500 fee for auditing the activities of the new sewer department.

• A discussion on adjusting the city’s tax rate was tabled until the September meeting to wait for the outcome of the August 28 option election on alcohol sales. If Burnside were to lose the capacity to sell drinks, the city might need to raise property taxes, interfering with any action the council might have taken.

Text Only

Local News

Local man airlifted after two-vehicle crash
May 25, 2012 1 Photo
Mopar Mania to highlight Cruise
May 25, 2012 1 Photo
‘Dry’ forces concerned about wet signs
May 25, 2012 1 Photo
Visitors rave about beauty of Lake Cumberland in May
May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Pulaski’s Memorial Day weekend to be packed
May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Locally-born Rotary leader Pigman dies at 78
May 24, 2012
Technology summit gets underway
May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Local Democrats diss Obama
May 23, 2012
Floyd edges incumbent in city council run-off
May 23, 2012
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.”

May 22, 2012 1 Photo
More Local News Headlines

Local News

Search Results

Related Photos

Burnside discusses library’s looks

Site Map