Girdler wants city to double in size

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January 1, 2009

By BILL MARDIS, Editor Emeritus The Commonwealth Journal Thu Jan 01, 2009, 06:28 PM EST

Somerset — Somerset is about to embark on an ambitious annexation program that would more than double the city’s population within the next two years.

“We need to be between 20,000 and 25,000,” said Mayor Eddie Girdler. He pointed out that a city’s population is a gauge for federal grants and expressed hope that Somerset can significantly increase its size by the 2010 federal census.

Somerset’s current population is an estimated 12,136. An unofficial estimate says the city’s population increased by 6 percent during the decade of the 1990s. It grew 7 percent between 2000 and 2005.

Pulaski County’s current population is estimated at about 60,000, meaning some 48,000 live outside Somerset. Limited voluntary annexation has been done by Somerset in recent years but the city has not aggressively claimed territory.

Burnside has an active annexation program. The only city on Lake Cumberland recently extended its corporate boundary several miles down the lake to Lee’s Ford Marina Resort, an area in the Nancy voting precinct and considered by many as part of the Nancy community. No official measurement is available but, in land size, Burnside may well be the largest city in Pulaski County.

Ferguson is currently establishing its boundary, obviously for annexation purposes. The 5th class city is boxed in on three sides by Somerset’s corporate limits and the only way Ferguson can expand is south and east to and across Ky. 914 (southeastern bypass).

The way Girdler talks, it appears Somerset’s idea of annexation is voluntary; making county residents want to be part of the city. The mayor says he can prove that “ ... it’s more economical to come into the city than stay out ... that’s why I’m lowering taxes.”

Because Somerset is having to expand its water and sewage treatment plants, Girdler said rates will soon increase for residents and businesses outside the city limits. He estimated water rates for a family outside the city will jump between $5 and $7 a month. Higher rates also will be implemented in the near future for those outside the city attached to the city’s natural gas and sewerage systems.

The mayor didn’t say so, but he left the impression that higher rates wouldn’t apply to those coming into the city where no rate increases are projected. The mayor justifies the higher rates outside the city because he believes county residents, using city services, should share in the cost of necessary expansion projects. Somerset Water Service, for example, serves 100,000 people, not only in Pulaski County but extending into Russell, Casey and Lincoln counties. Use of the city water system is near capacity and expansion is necessary.

“It’s time for everybody in our community to work together,” Girdler commented. He revealed that Somerset currently has a policy for new customers of city services outside the city to sign an agreement to be annexed.

Girdler believes many county residents don’t want to be a part of the city because they think it would add city school taxes to their property tax bill.

“Not so,” emphasized the mayor. “Annexation by the city does not change the boundary of the Somerset Independent School District.” He assured that if a county resident lives in the Pulaski County School District, he or she would remain in the county school district if annexed by Somerset.

“We’re trying to initiate an annexation program,” reiterated Girdler. We need to (have a population) between 20,000 and 25,000 before the 2010 census.” Federal grants are based on population figures set by the U.S. Census Bureau.

“It’s ridiculous that a city our size has a population of only 11,000,” said Girdler, alluding to the 2000 census count of 11,352. He pointed out that Somerset, populationwise, has lagged behind nearby cities.

Richmond has a population of 30,893; Elizabethtown has 24,000; Glasgow, 14,107; and Danville, 15,477.

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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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