SALYERSVILLE – The Salyersville City Council met in regular session on Monday, July 18, holding the second reading of the budget and discussing a couple of upcoming events.
The city council held the second reading of the 2022/2023 fiscal year budget, which remains nearly the same as recent years at approximately $1.7 million. Salyersville Mayor James “Pete” Shepherd explained to the council the budget hasn’t varied much in the past 11 years he’s been mayor, noting that FEMA projects and the American Relief Fund being the only major variances. The council unanimously approved the second reading of the budget in a roll-call vote, passing the ordinance into effect.
The council also agreed to keep the $50,000 line of credit through Salyersville National Bank, which Shepherd explained they have taken out every year for the last five years, but only used once, and the credit allows them a buffer for the budget when they are still waiting for tax revenue to come in at certain times of the year.
They approved Chris Coleman and Anthony Lindon as electrical inspectors in the city, with residential electrical inspections not to exceed $100. Two more applications were tabled until the next meeting to give them time to verify qualifications and make sure the paperwork is properly filled out.
Mayor Shepherd said he received a call from PVA Becky Allen, reminding him he needs to appoint someone as the PVA accessor for the city, which will sit on the review board that meets annually if there are any complaints or requests made about the property valuation assessments. Bill Montgomery has served two terms on the board, which is the max, so Shepherd appointed Wayne Johnson to the position, noting he lives in Dixie and knows the area well.
Councilman Paul Montgomery updated the council on the horse show that was held last weekend as a fundraiser for the fallen officers in Floyd County. Montgomery said they had around 500 people at the Magoffin County Horse Park on July 16, raising $4,090 for the police officers involved in the recent shooting in the Allen Community, which killed three officers and one K-9 unit and injured several others. Montgomery said they will be delivering that donation to Prestonsburg Mayor Les Stapleton this week.
Shepherd said the Fourth of July festivities went well in the city, with good music, plenty of activities, a large parade and excellent fireworks display. As it stands right now, Community Day is slated for August 20, with more information expected to be released on it next week.
Founders Day will be held Labor Day weekend, with the schedule roughly as it has been in past years, with the addition of fireworks.
Mayor Shepherd also noted that they will be having the community sprayed for mosquitos this week.
He asked that people be patient with the city and county as work continues at Ramey Memorial Park to install lights, build a shelter, add batting cages and more, and noted that if people want to use the ball fields they should contact Salyersville City Hall, at 606-349-2409, so they can have it mowed, explaining that since little league has ended for the season, they are not mowing it as often unless a group is needing to use it.
“A phone call is worth a million words on social media to me,” Shepherd said. “You don’t have to take to Facebook. We will mow it, but just let us know.”
Shepherd also updated the council on the sidewalk project along Rt. 40, noting that the project is not dead, with preliminary surveys still continuing and officials hoping to get it on the next state budget.
The Restaurant Row beautification project, which will be paid out of tourism funding already allocated, is set to begin by the end of this month, with surveyors in the city assessing the projects they plan to do, which will extend along Restaurant Row and along a portion of Parkway Drive.
The next regularly scheduled Salyersville City Council meeting is tentatively slated for August 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Salyersville City Hall.
