Princeton City Council approved a budget amendment to transfer more funding to the tornado recovery effort, and they approved a contract with ER Assist, Incorporated to take over management of the disaster response.
City Council unanimously approved the budget amendment allocating $250,000 on the first reading. Mayor Kota Young explained this is in addition to the $500,000 the council allocated and approved during an emergency meeting on December 13th.
Council also unanimously approved a contract with ER Assist out of Arkansas. Director of Finance Stacy Boone explained that Amanda Davenport, executive director of the Lake Barkley Partnership for Economic Development, had put them in touch with ER Assist to help the City with all of the FEMA filings and what costs are reimbursable. Boone added she believes using ER Assist will provide more reimbursement for the City.
Boone said she had talked to several counties in eastern Kentucky that had used ER Assist in the past and the company was highly recommended.
Mayor Young also recommended the Council reject a stand-alone bid for the landfill operation and a joint bid for home demolitions and storm debris removal and put out a joint bid.
In other new business, the city council unanimously approved financing bids from Planters Bank for a loan in the amount of $747,834 with a fixed rate of 2.50% for a term of 15-years for the purchase of a Ferrara fire pumper fire truck, along with a loan in the amount of $877,400 for a term of 25-years with a fixed rate of 3.00% for the Princeton Police facility renovation project.
City Council also unanimously declared 28 air packs as surplus to be donated to other agencies.
Mayor Young also asked the Council to declare scrap metal debris as surplus in order for the City to accept bids.
The next regular City Council meeting will be Tuesday, January 18, at 5:00 p.m. due to the MLK Jr. holiday.
