Grandpa, to clarify the softball field turf (and park) is part of a $1.5 million gift from the state to the city of Russellville obtained through a settlement between the state and Rockwell, a long serving industry in Russellville, who released Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the environment. This money is earmarked for the park and can not be used for anything else, even a fire truck. I realize sometimes these gifts and grants get a little confusing; however, usually when you receive a gift or grant it has to be used for the very thing it is specified for. Hope this clears things up.

well I see they have started puting down turf for the softball field but can;t buy a latter truck which is needed for the citizens of russellville this is such a shame

Dear concerned citizen,, you do sound an awful like chief Poole, but he knows information in this letter is far fetched in a lot of areas.

#1.. I too wish to thank all firefighters and support team as well.. you did do an awesome job, especially with the handicap you had.

Secondly, yes, council is aware you need a fire truck, repaired or new, you need a truck.. they are also aware if they agreed to one today, it would be a year before delivery. The parts are available, I understand as generic brands..but available.

Thirdly, and this is how I know you are not an employee of the city...you cannot use grants for ANYTHING except the need of which the grant was applied for.. you cannot use the fire department grant for the remodeling of the shook building for anything other than that purpose. The project on the square is a Main-Street grant.. and for burying those lines underground.. the money cannot be used for anything else..having said that, it looks like it will cost the taxpayers almost $16,000.00 to move it. YOU CANNOT SIT GRANT MONEY ASIDE FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE THAN WHAT IT WAS APPLIED FOR!!!!!!

I certainly agree with you in regard to the safety of all our people, we cannot compromise.

First off, I want to Thank the Russellville City Fire Dept. for the AWESOME job they did this past weekend putting out the fires at the warehouse and the funeral home. I listened to Feedback on the radio and when discussing the issue over the fires and over the new ladder truck, not a single person Thanked the firefighters for the 14 hours of firefighting they did on that night/day. So, 1st I want to say congratulations to the firefighters for a job well done considering the fact a Ladder truck was not used on the funeral home and the fire was maintained with a LOW PRESSURE fire hydrant!

Secondly, I would like to point out about how Council members are all on the fact that the Ladder truck needs to be maintenanced and serviced properly. Considering that all the trucks do get serviced all at the same time and all by the same person, saying that the truck isn't serviced properly is just ignorant. Also, considering that the Ladder truck is 20 YEARS OLD that would explain why there are fuel problems and why it almost didn't pass the pump test at the beginning of the year (which would take it out of service) and why there are electrical problems and why the Ladder drifts when, according to regulations a Ladder truck can only drift so far before it is out of service, and why the firefighters have had to rig some things on the truck to make it work properly. ...but, then you ask why would they rig a part on the truck when they could just replace it?! ....O yea, that's right, THE PARTS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE for LADDER 7 because the Ladder is 20 years old!!!

And thirdly, It's AMAZING how the city gets grant money to help and better the city, but instead of using the money to set aside so much for the fire department in such cases as what has arisen with needing the new ladder truck, the city has used it for the "wants" of the city, instead of the "needs". The "want" of the city was taken into consideration and now a HUGE transformer is sitting in the middle of the HISTORIC TOWN SQUARE because it was a "want" that all the electric poles be taken down. & I am horribly embarrassed when I drive around the square and see that hideous transformer box sitting there. I have lived in this town my whole life and that was the biggest mistake any one human could have decided on because there is nothing HISTORIC about an electric box.

But, I will tell you one thing that will be "HISTORIC", is when one of the firefighters gets injured, or possibly even killed, because of Ladder truck issues and a firefighter's family sues the City until every member of that council is blue in the face because the Fire Dept. has asked for the new Ladder truck 3 different times in the past 3 months and it still has yet to be resolved!

The safety of our City employees (Fire Fighters, Paramedics, EMTs, Police, etc.) should NEVER be compromised over lack of funds!

....& I agree with trucky! -Remember, IT'S ELECTION YEAR! & Right now, it looks as if a WHOLE NEW CITY COUNCIL is in the future for the City of Russellville!

-A very worried Russellville citizen

Trucky and wkufan....I am assuming you are firefighters or family or close friends of the fire department....my advice for what it is worth: Get the ladder truck to a specialist, someone who only deals with diesels or that type of truck. Do not take it to a firetruck company who only want to sell you a new one. Let the specialist give the council the information needed to make a decision. If the truck is beyond repair as you say, then I am sure the council will make a decision to buy a new one. The chief has to get his ducks in a row and justify spending 3/4 of a million dollars. The council needs this info, not just what you think about it. Talk is cheap, but firetrucks cost a lot of money. As it takes a year to build one, and next year we will have a new mayor and at least two new council people, we can look closer at the budget. If it is financed for 60 months, the payment should be 14-15 hundred dollars a month..I can find that in the budget right now. Hopefully next year, the economy will be better and revenue as well. You know I support the Fire department and wish you well.

The firefighters and chief have stepped up and notified the council of the problems regarding the ladder truck. They have done their part!!! The council now needs to do theirs and find a way to pay for one. This is their job! Making tough decisions is part of their job! Do the firefighters just need to give up and stop requesting a truck? I don't think so! Do you think they should just sit back and let someone's property burn or someone lose their life due to inadequate equipment? I don't think so! What if this was you, your family, or your property involved? The fire dept has been their for us, citizens of Russellville! I am sure that they have helped you, a loved one, a fiend, or your neighbor! How bout we be there for them for a change! Be at the next council meeting this tuesday! Voice your opinion, make your voices heard! It is pretty sad that the electric box on the square gets more attention then a piece of equipment that is needed to save a life or property. (Before some of you freak out, I am glad they are moving the box, relax I'm using it as a comparison.) More people have moaned about the square then about this truck. What kind of message are we sending to these brave men who risk their lives for us? Do we have their backs because I am sure that they have ours? Thank you firemen for all that you do! You are the best even with poor equipment! God Bless you all and your loved ones!

Mrs Yassney,

To clear up on my comment, the Firefighters do care, care more about the people and properties in the city than what people think, they do this job because of the type of people they are, but when one of the council makes a comments about them not doing their jobs and not maintaining the equipment, that is what cuts to the bone. I was just trying to use some sarcasism that got read wrong, thats it.

To clear up the other comment, how can thing move forward when there is argument, problems dont get solved that quick, people get mad, feelings get hurt and then people move on or give up, that all i was trying to say.

I was at the meeting because i am one of the guys that does care and do the best with what we have.

Thanks for listening

and the citizens deserve equipment that should

trucky, what did you say?? You are angry at city government because they argue and "push things under the rug" and thats why people move and the city doesn't progress,, I don't agree, but you have a right to your opinion..I believe they said they were looking for a way to repair/purchase a fire truck.. but what baffles me is your statement that the firefighters do not care enough about the people of this town to keep the equipment in working order! I don't think that is true..I think they do the best they can with what they got, but the problems should have been looked at by a specialist from the git-go... Jeff is a good mechanic, but this is specialized equipment and must be looked at my someone who looks at and repairs firetrucks. Don't throw the baby out with the dishwater.

Let me say first of all i was very angry with or city government with the comments that were made at the special called meeting monday night. To think that our fire fighters in the city do not care about the people of this town enough to not keep the fire trucks and ladder truck in good order. To think that all of the members would not even try to find a way to fund something of that importance is just crazy, but they just got mad and wanted to push blame and argue about what and why it happen. this is why Russellville does not grow, this is why people move away. Problems do not get resolved but argued over and "Pushed under the rug". Its not just about a pumper or a ladder is about saving lives and the homes and doing everything we can to make sure that happens.

Issues like this one is what lets people get re elected or NOT!!.

Chief WIlliamson and Chief Poole have said the ladder needed to be replaced, but how many more properties will be lost till then.

Time for change time for an all new council!!

LOL, Buck you should contact the city and see if they will allow the county to become partners as the city has a new ballpark going in with a lot of extras too. Come on county, Squire Carter, the city needs money to complete this project.

To Squire Carter who wants to do something for the youth, I wish you would consider a baseball park. This could be utilized by many families who have children playing sports, and I do believe that more play baseball ( tee ball, softball) than any other sport. If you see the new facilities with four fields surronding a nice concession/restroom bldg. plenty of parking and walking track around the perimeter. This could also be use for car shows, carnivals,concerts, and any other public events. One location could be the old fair grounds or an area next to the extension office near the planned arena. A walking/bike trail connecting the rockwell park, the city/county park and logan park could also be added.

I need to voice my opinion on the tree removal at the Auburn Cemetery. Those trees have been there longer than most Auburn residence! The only problem was someone had to clean up the limbs after a storm! In the article in last weeks paper Mr.Robbins never stated that the Cemetery board had recieved complaints about the trees! He just said he was doing what was in the best interest of the cemetery. The cemetery is also supposed to be half run by the city. However the city was never notified of this until after the trees were cut down! Now Mr. Robbins and the Cemetery board is asking the city to pay half of the $8,000 bill?!!!!! Who hired the people to do the tree cutting? Were they local? Did they bid the job to get the lowest price? Did the mayor ask any of these questions before they agreed to pay $4000? I'm sure this $4000 is not in the new budget that was just passed so where is this money comming from?! I just feel sorry for the families that go to their loved one's grave and have to set in the hot sun without any shade now! Bet they didn't think about them before they cut down the trees. They must not have cared!

AMEN wedeservebetr we do deserve better than this council and mayor. It never ceases to amaze me, people say they want change then vote back in the same people that has been making a mockier of our city government. There are a few excellent choices running for city council, I say give them a chance, one thing for sure they can't do any worse. As far as the enforcement of an ordinance to register all dogs in the city, if the person that enforces this ordinance handles this like they handle all the other ordinances it will be a calamity. They can't even enforce the ordinance that addresses all the applicances sitting in yards all over Russellville, and all the pit bulls as you stated

It's my understanding that the City of Russellville already has an ordinance requiring people to register vicious dogs. It's obvious that is not being enforced by all the pit bulls I see all over the city. So what makes the mayor or anyone else think they can enforce registering all the other dogs?

This mayor, council, and the ones doing the enforcing is a joke.

My, people do get upset over their animals don't they? I would not want to be a dogcatcher, county or city. The law of the state says all dogs in Ky, has to be licensed, so why is there a problem..lol, because the state law can't be enforced and what makes you think the city's will be??? Some would pay, most would not...that is not fair. Mayor, council, this dog ain't gonna hunt, find you another way to raise some money.

Why is the paper not reporting the deed transfers?

I HOPE THE HUMANE SOCIETY CAN KEEP THEIR MONEY. OUR CITY COUNCIL DON'T DO SQUAT BUT MAKE PEOPLE MAD, AND I AM MAD. WHEN PEOPLE WANT CHANGE, WHY DON'T THEY VOTE CHANGE?? SAME OLD PEOPLE GOING BACK INTO OFFICE..YOU SAY WELL THERE WILL BE TWO NEW ONES ON THE COUNCIL NEXT YEAR...LOL,,,A BANKER AND A MOUTHY PERSON WHO IS GIVING UP A BIG PAYING JOB FOR THE FEW DOLLARS THE COUNCIL MAKES??? SEEING AS HOW THE CITY DOES NOTHING BUT BORROW, BB&T WILL BE OUT OF THE RUNNING AS FAR AS HER VOTING ON IT. SHE WILL TRY TO PUSH IT THO, SHE IS ALREADY PUSHING THEIR INSURANCE ON THE CITY. ETHICS, SPECIAL INTERESTS, INCOMPATIABLE OFFICES..

MY NAME IS SELENA DASGUPTA AND I HAVE CHOSEN TO PRESENT A PETITION TO CITY COUNCIL ASKING THEM NOT TO DROP FUNDING TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT THIS AND UNLIKE A RECENT STATEMENT IN LAST FRIDAY'S PAPER, CONSIDER IT TO BE EXTREMELY ESSENTIAL AND MORE DESERVING OF FUNDING THAN ANOTHER PARK THAT IS NOT NECESSARY. ANYONE WANTING TO SIGN MY PETITION CAN GET A HOLD OF ME AT MY EMAIL. selenalane24@yahoo.com I ALSO HAVE AN ONLINE PETITION THE LINK IS http://loganhs.epetitions.net/

I was so disappointed with this years Strawberry Festival! This was the first year ive ever watched as endless politicians passed by over and over. I think there were only 3 floats total, maybe four.....and the rest were politicians begging for votes! Im sure that was no entertainment to our children. So we sat in the hot sun only to see nothing special! Its sad our little town has gown so far down hill. I doubt the festival will ever be anything like it used to be...

Old one...If the city council determines certain property was needed by the city for whatever reason, then the owner of that property would be notified that the city was interested in purchasing it. a property evaluation will be done to insure the city doesn't overpay for it. If the seller is the Mayor or any other person, it doesn't make any difference, as long as the council as a body determines the city needs it and a fair market price is paid for it.