Due to timing issue, KDE not accepting the tax rates previously approved by W’burg Ind. Schools

The Williamsburg Independent Board of Education has reversed course on its previously-approved tax rates due to an issue on the timing of their public hearing regarding the setting of the rates.

Anytime a public school district elects to set a tax rate above the 4 percent rate, they are required to hold a public hearing to allow for comments and concerns to be voice to the board. The 4 percent rate is not an increase on the actual rate taxpayers pay, but on the amount of revenue a school district should bring in based on last year’s numbers.

The intent to set those rates and the announcement of the public hearing must be advertised in the local newspaper of record for two consecutive weeks, with the meeting to be held between seven to 10 days from the final publication date.

That information was published in the Sept. 6 and Sept. 13 editions of the News Journal. The hearing was held Sept. 19 just prior to the board’s regular monthly meeting in which the rates were set. At that time, the board unanimously voted to keep both the real estate and personal property tax rates the same at 43.5 cents and 49.9 cents per $100 valuation, respectively.

In keeping the rates the same, the school district was expected to see an increase in total revenue of over $230,000, mostly due to the leap in assessments for the City of Williamsburg over the past year, which climbed by approximately $26 million due to new development.

However, the Kentucky Department of Education will not accept the rates approved during last month’s regular meeting, saying that the public hearing was held one day too early.

According to Superintendent Tabetha Housekeeper, she counted Sept. 13 as the first day of the seven-to-10-day timeline, which would have made the board’s regular meeting date the seventh day after publication.

“The thing that I was unaware of is day one does not count,” said Housekeeper. “I want to be honest and say, this is not an oversight. I actually strategically planned it so that we would have it be at the seven-day mark. And I wanted to have those other days as a buffer in case something happened.”

Board attorney Paul Croley informed the board that, according to the regulatory statute, the clock on such hearings is counted on a 24-hour period, meaning that it does not start on the day itself but when the advertisement for the meeting is published.

The timing of publication can begin at any point it becomes available to the public. In the case of the advertisement on Sept. 13, the News Journal posted legal notices to their website just before 2 a.m. that day.

“If you go back and look when it was posted online, we were about two hours off,” said Croley.

Croley is continuing to look into the issue on behalf of the board to see if there are any ways that they can contest KDE’s decision to not accept the rates, but in the meantime, Housekeeper said that she felt it was best to set a rate that is permissible without a public hearing in hopes of being able to lock it in.

“We don’t want to move forward without going ahead and accepting the next best rate,” said Housekeeper.

The board ultimately voted to set both real estate and personal property tax rates at 39.2 cents per $100 valuation. Both numbers are based on an actual rate of 38.9 cents per $100 valuation with an additional .03 cents from prior year exonerations.

According to an informational flyer provided at the meeting, the new rate would still bring in almost $100,000 more revenue than last year.

It is still up to KDE whether or not to approve the new rate. If they do not, the school district will likely be forced to adopt the compensating rate, which will set both real estate and personal property tax rates at 27.3 cents per $100 valuation, which would still allow for approximately $60,000 in additional revenue over last year.

Future of the Lane Theater uncertain after chaotic public meeting Monday

Things got heated inside the Lane Theater in downtown Williamsburg Monday evening as, for the first time since March of 2022, members of the Williamsburg Action Team came together for a meeting.

Several issues were addressed during the course of the meeting, which was open to the public and saw about 20 concerned citizens attending. Topics covered included whether a current tenant in the building has the right to continue business operations despite being asked recently to vacate the premises, how the group should function moving forward, and ultimately, what plans should be put into motion in order to best utilize the property in the future.

Electronic Edition For 10-4-2023

District Court Records

Editor’s note: The News Journal publishes only the final disposition of district court criminal cases except for those which are waived to a grand jury or dismissed without condition.

Lawsuits

Marriage Licenses

Deeds

London City Council votes to drop lawsuit regarding annexation of territory near Exit 29 in North Corbin

The longstanding battle between the City of Corbin and the City of London regarding the future of Exit 29 came to a sudden and surprising conclusion Monday night following a decision by the London City Council.

During the council’s regular monthly meeting Monday, a closed executive session was held to discuss the lawsuit, which has been ongoing since September 2020 when the Corbin City Commission filed a lawsuit against the City of London in attempt to stop their annexation plans at Exit 29.

Legal Notices for 10-4-2023

PUBLIC NOTICE

A Petition to Close a County Road in part has been presented to the Whitley County Fiscal Court concerning 450 ft of Justin Court. Pursuant to KRS 178.050, the hearing for this road closure, open to all interested parties, is scheduled to convene on October 17, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. during the regular scheduled court meeting. A written report from the two Viewers and the Road Department Supervisor will be presented at the meeting. A review of the map pertaining to the road closure is available for viewing at the Whitley County Judge Executive’s office during regular business hours.

Pat White, Jr., Whitley County Judge Executive

INVITATION TO BID:

The City of Corbin, Kentucky is accepting sealed bids for the construction of a covered awning to extend the length of the front lobby area at the Corbin Arena.

Bids need to include measurements of design and total estimated cost (including labor and materials). Work is expected to be completed by the end of October. For additional information please contact the City Clerk at 606-528-0669 or tori.brock@corbin-ky.gov. Sealed bids shall be received in the office of the City Clerk, located at the Corbin Government Center, 805 South Main Street, Corbin, KY 40701, no later than 10 A.M. Wednesday, October 11, 2023. The bid opening will follow on October 11, at 10:30 A.M. in the upstairs meeting room at the Corbin Government Center. All qualified applicants for this RFQ will receive consideration without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability. The City of Corbin reserves the right to accept or reject any/all bids.

WILLIAMSBURG TOURIST AND

CONVENTION COMMISSION

REQUEST FOR BID

Williamsburg Tourist and Convention Commission will accept written bids for repair and/or installation of a new rubber roofing system to the gym area of the Williamsburg Convention Center (650 South 10th Street) until 4pm Friday, October 13, 2023, at the Williamsburg Convention Center located at 650 South 10th Street, Williamsburg, Ky. 40769.  Questions call 606-549-0530

Mail all bids to ATTN: Williamsburg Tourism Commission, P.O. Box 2, Williamsburg, KY 40769.

The Bid shall address the following:

1. The bid will be for the main gym roof.
2. Bid will reflect the cost of all labor and materials.
3. The bidder must provide proof of liability insurance and workers compensation with the submitted bid proposal.
4. Bidders will be required to remove all existing materials and dispose of said materials at a legally permitted landfill.
5. The Commission will pay the successful bidder upon final completion of the job and proof of legal disposal of all debris.

Bid proposals received by the Commission must be valid for 30 days after bid opening.  Work must be completed within 30 days from the date of beginning of work.

The Williamsburg Tourist and Convention Commission is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

NOTICE OF BOND RELEASE

Permit # 918-0497

In accordance with KRS 350.093, notice is hereby given that Alden Resources LLC, 332 West Cumberland Gap Parkway, Suite 100, Corbin, KY 40701, has filed for a Phase II & III Bond Release on Increment 2 of permit number 918-0497 which was last issued on 06/08/2021. The application covers an area of approximately 145.56 acres located approximately 0.11 miles southwest of KY 779 junction with KY 26 and located 0.15 miles southwest of the confluence of Browns Creek with Watts Creek and 01.5 miles east of Williamsburg in Whitley County Kentucky. The bond now in effect is:

Increment two (2) is a Surety Bond in the amount of $61,100.00. Approximately 100% of the original bond amount of $172,500.00 is included in this application for release.

Reclamation work performed includes: Backfilling, re-grading, topsoil replacement, and drainage control including soil preparation and initial seeding and mulching in accordance with the approved reclamation plan, completed April 2021.

Written comments, objections, and requests for a public hearing of informal conference must be filed with the Director, Division of Field Services, 300 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort, KY 40601, by 11/10/2023.

A public hearing on the application has been scheduled for 11/13/2023 the Department for Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s Middlesboro Regional Office, 1804 East Cumberland Avenue, Middlesboro, KY 40965-1229. The hearing will be cancelled if no request for a hearing or informal conference is received by 11/10/2023.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO MINE

Pursuant to Application Number 918‐0511, NW_1

In accordance with KRS 350.055 notice is hereby given that Alden Resources LLC, 332 West Cumberland Gap Parkway, Suite 100, Corbin, Kentucky 40701 has applied for a new permit (NW) for a surface contour, auger/highwall coal mining and reclamation operation. The new permit encompasses 89.58 acres of surface disturbance and 198.18 acres of Auger/HWM (shadow area). The permit is located approximately 2.0 miles east of Williamsburg in Whitley County.

The proposed operation is approximately 3.75 East of KY Hwy 25 junction with KY 92 and located 0.16 miles North of the confluence of Bradford Branch with the Cumberland River.

The proposed operation is located on the Williamsburg, Saxton and Rockholds, KY 7½ minute quadrangle maps. The operation will use a combination of contour, and auger/highwall miner methods of surface mining. The surface and auger/highwall mining area is owned by J. Andrew Croley and, his wife, Tracy Croley.

The application has been filed for public inspection at the Department for Surface Mining and Reclamation and Enforcement’s, Middlesboro Regional Office, 1804 East Cumberland Avenue, Middlesboro, Kentucky 40965‐1229. Written comments, objections or requests for a permit conference must be filed with the Director, Division of Mine Permits, 300 Sower Boulevard, 2nd Floor Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.

NOTICE OF INTENTION TO MINE

Pursuant to Application Number 918-0509, Operator Revision

In accordance with 405 KAR 8:010, notice is hereby given that Mountainside Coal Co. Inc. 5540 KY 1809 Barbourville, KY 40906 intends to revise permit number 918-0509 to add an operator. The operator presently approved in the permit is the permittee. The operator being added is Marlow Energy, LLC 201 Macedonia London, KY 40747.

The operation is located 1.3 miles north of Faber in Whitley County. The operation is approximately 1 mile west from KY 26’s junction with Eaton Fork Road and located on Eaton Fork. The operation is on the Vox USGS 7 ½ minute quadrangle map.

The application has been filed for public inspection at the Department of Natural Resources Middlesboro Regional Office, 1804 East Cumberland Avenue, Middleboro, KY, 40965-1229. Written comments or objections must be filed with the Director, Division of Permits, 300 Sower Boulevard, Frankfort, KY, 40601. All comments or objections must be received within 15 days of today’s date.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

ENGINEERING SERVICES

The City of Corbin, Kentucky is requesting Statements of Qualifications from professional Engineering Services related to the preparation of a Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Action Plan. The City of Corbin invites design firms to submit their qualifications for engineering services.

Information about the project and a complete Request for Qualifications (RFQ) package can be obtained from the City Clerk, at tori.brock@corbin-ky.gov or 805 S. Main Street, Corbin, KY 40701, Monday-Friday 8AM – 4PM. The submittal shall be clearly labeled City of Corbin Request for Qualifications for SS4A Action Plan.

Applicants shall submit five bound copies and one electronic copy of their proposal to:

City of Corbin

ATTN: Tori Brock, City Clerk

805 South Main St., Suite 217

Corbin, Ky 40701

The RFQ should be kept as concise as possible.

The Request for Qualifications must be received by 3:30 P.M. on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. The opening will follow at 4 P.M. RFQ’s received after that date and time will not be accepted. No RFQ’s will be accepted by oral communication, telephone, electronic mail, or facsimile transmission. Submissions may be withdrawn prior to the above scheduled time set for closing. Anything received after the date and hour specified will be rejected and returned unopened to the submitter. The City of Corbin reserves the right to postpone the date and time for accepting and/or opening the RFQ’s through an addendum.

All qualified applicants for this RFQ will receive consideration without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or disability.

Corbin, W’burg participating in Boone’s Way Yard Sale Oct. 6-7

Do you have a closet or storage building full of unused items? Are you looking for a team or club fundraiser, or just need some extra cash? Look no further, as the Third Annual Kentucky’s Boone Way Yard Sale is coming to the scenic US 25 area Oct. 6-7, and both Corbin and Williamsburg are participating.

Residents and vendors should plan now to take advantage of this free event, and possibly use it as a fund-raising opportunity for their local school teams, clubs and church groups. There are multiple spots along the route who are renting or are allowing free set up spots for vendors. Being set up right on US 25 insures maximum exposure.

This event runs 200 miles from just south of Williamsburg in Whitley County, to the subdivisions just north of Richwood in Boone County. Fayette County is not included in the event.

While exploring the route of over 200 miles, you will find thousands of yard sales and garage sales located on US 25 and more in the subdivisions and along the side roads.

Remember to drive carefully and use a passenger as a “spotter’. Also, bring plenty of $1 bills and pocket change.

If you plan on setting up shop, save your pocket change, some newspaper to wrap up glass items and have plenty of plastic bags. Boldly lettered and bright, carefully and safely located signage ensures plenty of visitors.

Start early and plan for windy conditions and possible rain. Don’t forget to advertise your event yourself in the local newspaper, online and on the local radio stations. Set up safely and securely, only on private property or public areas that are approved. Obey all local laws and ordinances.

For more information, visit the Kentucky’s Boone Way Yard Sale on Facebook.