Money released to logjam bidder

The New Haven Board of Commissioners agreed to release payment in advance to Joe Boone Excavating, which was awarded a bid to remove a logjam in the Rolling Fork River.

Boone, a New Haven resident, approached the council Thursday to ask for the remainder of the grant money allotted for the job.

Minus a $375 attorney fee for writing the contract, commissioners were agreeable to the idea.

“I have no problem if we have our fees paid ahead of time,” Commissioner John Ray Ball said.

Commissioner Freddy Dewitt agreed.

“I don’t have a problem with it," Dewitt said. "That’s what we applied for, that’s what we got."

The jam occurred during the January ice storm and the New Haven Board of Commissioners helped to acquire funds for the cleanup.

The board has $16,000 to spend on the project, $12,000 of which was secured with help from Congressman Brett Guthrie from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, with the remainder from adjoining landowners.

Boone bid $14,800 for the job. The only other bid that was received was significantly higher at $94,240 from Hobbs Excavating.

In other news, New Haven commissioners:

•  Agreed to form a committee to look into the business license ordinance following a complaint by owners of a n tattoo and piercing shop who considered the city’s $1,100 business license fee for tattoo parlors, massage parlors and fortune-tellers excessive. The next highest annual license fee is $250 for businesses selling liquor by the drink. City Clerk Linda Mattingly said about 95 percent of licenses cost $50,

• Heard Kathy and Joe Cissell’s dissatisfaction with a $681 bill from the city to replace a meter that had been covered  and damaged. The meter belongs to a home on a neighboring property and the Cissells do not believe they should pay for it. Because the meter itself is city property, it must be replaced. The Cissells said they would not pay for the meter and would spend the money on a lawyer before they would hand it  to the city.

• Discussed nuisance properties and delinquent taxes.

•  Heard a request from Karl Lusk to approach communications companies to put a cell tower in the town. Currently, the only cell provider with service in New Haven is Bluegrass Cellular, Mattingly said.

• Heard excavation has begun on sewer upgrade and line replacement. • Heard sidewalk repairs will cost about $25,000.