CORBIN — By Jeff Noble, Staff Writer

A request for a Woodbine convenience store to be annexed into the City of Corbin was denied Monday during the Corbin City Commission’s first meeting of the new year.

The owner of New Friendly Food Mart made the request to the commission to consider annexing the store, located at 40 Highway 6, across the railroad tracks from the intersection of KY 6 and KY 26. City officials said the store is roughly two miles from Corbin.

City Attorney Bob Hammons told the commission and the audience he could see no legal or feasible reason to annex the store without breaking the law.

“Legally it is not possible because it is not contiguous to the City of Corbin. I can’t find any municipal purposes in it.”

After the meeting, Hammons compared the difference in the Woodbine store’s request and an earlier annexation by the city of property on 5th Street that was not in Corbin at the time.

“If there were sewer lines, water lines and city infrastructure along the road to protect the property (in Woodbine), it can be done. But there’s not. We had infrastructure in place when we did 5th Street.”

The store’s manager, Nick Patel, wanted the annexation in order to sell beer by the package, which is allowed in Corbin after voters approved the sale of alcoholic beverages by the package last February. Woodbine is unincorporated, and lies in Whitley County, which is “dry.”

The store’s attorney, Dan Clifford, said at the session, “We feel it is a growth issue and we wanted to ask the commission.”

After a motion was made, Mayor Willard McBurney and the commissioners voted “no” on the annexation request.

In a separate action, the commission voted by a 3-2 margin to approve authorizing Hammons to draw up an ordinance for no parking in the Oaklawn Subdivision from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The subdivision is located off Barton Mill Road. City Manager Marlon Sams said the request came because of safety concerns.

“We’ve had numerous complaints from school bus drivers going in and out in the mornings and afternoons, as well as from mothers of kids in the area.”

When the audience was asked about any problems in the area due to parking, one resident noted, “I’ve lived there for 35 years, and it’s a problem.”

The vote to draw up the ordinance was 3-2, with McBurney and commissioners Ed Tye and Bruce Hodge voting “yes,” while commissioners Joe Shelton and Suzie Razmus voted “no.”

Second readings of ordinances establishing two stop signs in one part of town near West 4th Street were approved. The first puts a stop sign at the intersection of Cloverbrook Lane and Covey Trail, while the other puts a stop sign at the intersection of Covey Trail and Setters Point. After legal publication, the ordinances become law.

Approval was also given to fill some vacancies on city boards. The commission appointed J. Bill Bosh to the Corbin Industrial Development Board to fill the unexpired term of Dell Sams, who resigned in December. John Manon was named to the city’s Code Enforcement Board to replace Hodge. Hodge resigned to devote his duties on the city commission after he was elected last November. Reappointed to the London/Corbin Airport Board was attorney Thor Bahrman, while new city commissioner Razmus was appointed Mayor Pro-Tem. The vote was 4-0, with Razmus abstaining.

Like Hodge, Razmus was elected to the commission during the Nov. 6 general election. It was the first commission meeting for both, as they joined incumbents Joe Shelton and Ed Tye at City Hall Monday evening.

Approval was also given to a garbage refund of $234 to A Plus Thrift Store. Officials said the store had been charged for six months, but had no trash to be picked up.

In addition, the commission approved authorizing Sams to advertise for sealed bids for cassion drilling for construction and renovating at the Corbin Fire Department on Main Street. McBurney said eight cassions would be drilled, with each one being 12 feet. When asked by Shelton how much it cost for the renovations, Sams pointed out the cost was at $150,000. Sams was also authorized to get information on leasing three new vehicles for the police department, as well as apply for a crumb rubber grant for the Corbin Recreation Department’s playgrounds. The grant is for $28,890 and is a 75/25 money match.

Also approved was $5,500 to the Main Street Program for a proposal to study designing and putting in 30-35 miles of bike lanes and cycling paths, as part of a bike master plan done by the landscaping architectural firm of Carman Architects. The total cost is $11,000 for the study, with Main Street Corbin and the Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission splitting the bill. Earlier on Monday, the tourism commission voted their approval to the study.

Approval was given to purchase a new water pump for the city’s Public Works Department, which will be put at the underpass on Roy Kidd Avenue to alleviate flooding problems. The 800-pound pump costs $7,675 plus shipping, with public works crews picking up the pump in Ohio.

Also, the contract between the city and the Corbin Board of Education for the management of the Corbin Center of Technology was renewed by the commission. Hammons said the contract has to be changed from year to year, and was the same terms as the one last year.

The commission voted to take under advisement a motion to accept the bid from Eubanks Electrical of $22,060 for five lights to be used downtown. The action came after the bids for the lighting were closed, with Eubanks being the only bidder.

In his City Manager’s report, Sams noted Hammons was working on drawing up easements for the city’s Bacon Creek Trail project, and that Public Works Department crews were continuing concrete work on sections of town such as Engineer Street and Gordon Hill Pike. He commended Director Gary Kelly and the crews for doing a fine job. And Fire Chief Barry McDonald pointed out the fire department’s ladder truck will be out for a couple of weeks, due to some work being done of the truck. He added the truck is being painted by a company in Northern Kentucky, and will not cost the city a dime since it’s under warranty.

At the start of the session, before the regular meeting began, officers for the City Hall Public Corporation were elected. McBurney was elected president, with Razmus named vice-president and Shelton voted in as secretary-treasurer.