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Business owner asks city to replace clogged culvert; council discusses parks, veterans memorial cleanup
Summary
A Litchfield business owner urged the city to replace a culvert on Commerce Drive that is washing out access to his business; public works staff said the project would take about two to three weeks of city labor and that material costs would be the owner's responsibility. Council also directed staff to survey Firefighter Park for a splash-pad ex
Jimmy Marksbury, who owns a business on Commerce Drive (Exit 107), told the council on Sept. 2 that runoff from a recently opened uphill ditch has overwhelmed a culvert he installed when he developed the property, repeatedly washing out his driveway and creating safety issues.
Marksbury said he has repeatedly added gravel to the washout and has left a traffic cone in place for over a year. "The culvert that we put in will not handle the amount of water that's coming down there," he said. He asked the city to put the issue on an agenda and work cooperatively to replace the culvert.
Public works responded that the city would perform the labor and asked Marksbury to cover tile (pipe) and rock costs. Public works staff member Wesley (last name not specified) told the council, "It's gonna be about a 2 or 3 week project for us to do that," and described the tiles as filled with washed-in rock that will require digging out and replacing two tiles and a catch basin because of the length of pipe needed. Staff said they will visit the site and provide a cost estimate and schedule.
Also during public comment, Kenny Clark raised repeated safety concerns about horse-drawn vehicles and droppings on county and state roads. Clark asked the city to require coverings on those vehicles, saying the material left on roadways is "a lot slicker than grass" and has damaged his tires. Council members and staff explained jurisdictional limits: city code applies only within city limits, county physical court handles county roads, and state law governs state-maintained roads.
A council speaker referenced Kentucky Supreme Court rulings in past cases, noting those courts have determined that laws attempting to prohibit certain horse-related conduct on roads were challenged on the grounds that the animals were a mode of transportation. The speaker advised that any local remedy might require action from the state legislature rather than a city ordinance.
In council business related to parks and memorials, councilmembers directed the city's engineer/surveyor to inspect Firefighter Park to measure available space for a splash-pad expansion and additional playground equipment. Councilmember Terry said the splash pad was the top priority for park improvements; staff were asked to arrange a site visit and report back so planners can include the project in the next budget cycle.
Council members also described a plan to have a contractor professionally clean, regrout, add lighting and seal the Veterans Memorial. The mayor and staff said they expect to start work by early fall and to enter a quarterly maintenance contract to keep the memorial in good condition.
No formal council action (ordinance or appropriation) to fund the culvert replacement, splash-pad expansion, or memorial work was recorded at the meeting; staff were directed to inspect, estimate costs and bring proposals back to the council for any required approvals.
