Pioneer Village to upgrade phone service for city; will save money

City clerk Michelle McCauley informed the council that service at Becknell Hall was limited, allowing just four phone lines and 20 megabits per second (mbps). Both the city offices and the police department, located within the building, were impacted.

Four proposals were provided by Spectrum, the city’s current provider, which included an upgrade to 300 mbps. They included three-year and five-year contracts featuring either coax or fiber, plus installation fees.

A three-year coax contract would cost $526 monthly, plus $899 for installation. The five-year coax plan was $503 monthly. Fiber plans included $787 monthly over three years or $704 over five years, with installation fees of $800.

Without a WiFi security firewall, installation fees dropped to $298 for coax, while fiber plans decreased to $623 for three years and $560 for five.

A second company, BrownKoat, provided a bid for equipment, installation and configuration, totaling $900, with no monthly fees. McCauley mentioned that BrownKoat provided security cameras at Becknell Hall and the City of Hebron Estates Community Center.

Council member Mike Exton asked if the city was okay with the coax it already had or if it should upgrade to fiber. McCauley said she didn’t think a switchover to fiber was necessary.

Exton said the best situation for the city appeared to be agreeing to installation by BrownKoat at $900, while having monthly service provided by Spectrum, without the firewall, which would run $298 each month.

Council member Jim Burke mentioned that the city was currently paying $289 monthly for what Spectrum was providing.

The council approved the BrownKoat installation and the Spectrum monthly service by a 5-0 vote (council member John Mast was absent).

In other business:

- Mayor Gary Hatcher said bids were received for improvements at the Hebron Woods subdivision entrance.

Members of the Hebron Woods Homeowners Association previously requested assistance from the city to improve landscaping at the entrance and to remove a nearby dead tree.

Three landscape estimates were provided, including Trinity Lawn Care ($7,260), Flex Lawn Care LLC ($5,050), and Casper Lawn Care ($4,500).

Two tree removal estimates included Tree Contractors LLC ($800) and Crocker Tree Service ($650).

Exton said the tree should be the city’s responsibility. He suggested the city pay the Crocker Tree Service bid.

Meanwhile, Hatcher asked council members for a donation amount the city would want to provide as a courtesy gesture to the Hebron Woods HOA for landscaping assistance. Council members agreed on a $1,500 donation.

Therefore, the council voted 5-0 on the tree service bid and the landscaping donation, totaling $2,150.

Hebron Woods HOA representative Cecil Julian thanked the city for the assistance. He then mentioned that the HOA would also need a water source to maintain the new landscaping.

Hatcher said that would require a meter from Louisville Water Company. City attorney Mark Edison mentioned that LWC would charge a monthly fee even when the city was not using it.

The mayor said there was a nearby fire hydrant and he suggested the HOA contact Zoneton Fire to see if anything could be worked out.

HOA members also asked the city to consider repaving the neighborhood streets and investigating a pothole.

- McCauley said the city had 16 delinquent tax bills as of the February business meeting, totaling $661.

She said three of the bills had been delinquent in previous years.

Certified letters will be distributed to all delinquent bills not paid by March 4. From there, liens will be placed on each bill.

- Police chief D.J. Reynolds reminded everyone to keep vehicle doors locked as weather became warmer to discourage juveniles from breaking into them.

- The next Pioneer Village City Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 26, 7 pm, at Becknell Hall on Summitt Drive. The public is invited to attend.