AFD hopes to get brush truck

Aaron Snyder, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
Updated ·2 min read

Jan. 26—ASHLAND — The Ashland Fire Department hopes to receive a 4-by-4 brush truck after Ashland's commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to authorize Mayor Matt Perkins to submit an application to FEMA for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant for $350,000.

The vehicle would help firefighters navigate rough terrain to reach brush fires.

"We don't currently have any capabilities to get to some of these areas," said Ashland Fire Chief Greg Ray. "This would be a big addition."

If AFD is awarded the grant for the truck, it will "give us an opportunity to get water up there rather than hike up the hill and beat it with brooms and rakes," Ray said of combating brush fires.

The commissioners also approved the mayor executing a letter of support to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet regarding the Winchester Avenue improvements (including roundabouts) and streetscaping project.

Aside from a rather lively discussion regarding parks (see separate story), the following are a few more notable commission actions from Thursday's meeting:

—Authorized Perkins to execute an agreement with Safe Harbor of Northeast Kentucky, Inc., the sub-recipient of $20,000 for operating costs from the 2022 program year CDBG (community development block grant) and $33,044.21 for employment/education case management from the CDBG. Perkins abstained from the vote since his mother is Safe Harbor's director. They did the same with CAReS, the sub-recipient of $49,186 from CDBG.

—Directing Perkins to execute a ticket reseller agreement between the city and Flixbus Inc, designating the City of Ashland as its non-exclusive agent allowing the city to sell bus tickets at the Ashland Transportation Center.

—Giving the go-ahead for a contract between the city and Boyd County Sanitary Landfill, Inc (Rumpke) for a suitable landfill location for the receipt and disposal of compacted garbage and refuse, rubble and rubbish collected by Ashland for one year in an amount not to exceed $19.74 per ton for the sanitation department.

—Approved a highway safety grant application which, if awarded, would reimburse overtime payment for traffic enforcement. The award amount is not yet known.

—Approved a change order between the city and Southern Ohio Trenching & Excavating, Inc., decreasing the contract for a waterline replacement project by $203,979.37.

Also, Michelle Webb was appointed to the Ashland Park Board.

(606) 326-2664 — asnyder@dailyindependent.com