The Cadiz City Council spent a good part of last week’s meeting hearing updates about fire, police and gas services in the community — all important parts of local infrastructure.
Fire Chief Josh Holley noted calls for services were “thankfully, substantially” down this quarter. Of the 12, he said three were for alarms, three were for gas, two were for electrical, two were for mutual aid — including on structure fire — one was for a motor vehicle accident, and the other was for a brushfire.
The Cadiz Volunteer Fire Department also had several grants delivered in the last three months including:
— A team-up from the National Volunteer Fire Council and Anheuser-Busch, bringing one pallet of drinking water to Trigg County. Holley said this equated to 98 cases, or more than 2,300 12-ounce cans, of water, which will be doled out to other local volunteer departments, as well as the Cadiz Police.
— A Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, grant through the state’s fire commission, which will provide three helmets, three pairs of boots, three pairs of gloves and three fire hoods, as well as an additional $3,500 for a set of coats and pants.
— A shipment of 1,000 Drip Drop packets, necessary to provide volunteers with needed electrolytes during difficult assignments.
— And an allocation of state aid monies, which he said went up from $10,500 last year to $15,000 this year. These funds will be allocated for the yearly payment of the fleet’s newest fire tuck.
Holley said he and city officials are still awaiting word on an Assistance to Firefighters grant for new airpacks.
Speaking of Cadiz Police, Chief Tyler Thomas said they answered more than 600 calls for service in September, which included 21 criminal cases investigated, 15 people arrested, 45 citations issued, and seven alarm calls for businesses.
Seven collisions came with no injuries, and Thomas added he and his department are still working through several applications on the last open patrol position — which would bring about a full staff.
Thomas said Assistant Chief Jack Lingenfelter will also be spending the next three months working through the sessions of the Criminal Justice Executive Development program in Richmond.
Lingenfelter should graduate the course during the second week of December.
In other council news:
— Atmos Energy’s Mary Tucker came forward on behalf of the power company, noting their current contract with Cadiz expires November 18. Under a five-year franchise at a 1% tax, she said they want to keep that tax the same, but increase the next franchise from five to 10 years.
She said several cities in west Kentucky have 10- and 20-year franchises, while other municipalities have opted for a higher gas tax. Either way, the City Council will have to begin the franchising process next month.
In 2023, $12,700 was collected and redistributed to Cadiz, and those collections do depend on gas usage in the community.
— City Council members unanimously approved for Public Works Director Craig Oakley to take bids for a new service truck in the sewer department.
