Lewisport awarded additional $2M for regional water plant; holiday events set

The Lewisport City Council met Thursday, Nov. 20, and Mayor Chad Gregory announced that the city has been awarded an additional $2 million from Congressman Brett Guthrie’s office toward construction of the new regionalized water plant.

Gregory said the city has secured $24 million in total funding for the regional water project and aims to pay off the remaining balance within 10 years.

“We almost have it paid for,” the mayor said. “We’re still searching for more funding.”

The sister cities of Hancock County, Lewisport and Hawesville, signed an initial agreement for the regional plant that will be constructed in Lewisport, which will serve the entire county. The Kentucky Infrastructure Authority provided an $8 million loan to Lewisport, with about $6 million expected to be forgiven as principal. The additional $2 million in federal funding could be matched by state funds, potentially increasing the overall grant amount. KIA required the two cities to make a firm commitment to collaborate on the project before approving the loan.

Councilwoman Mary Margaret Hawkins proposed adding a plaque on the small building where the original water tank was located.

“It needs to be painted and fixed up a little bit,” Hawkins said.

City Administrator Jason Roberts noted that City Clerk Carrie Dixon suggested creating a display for the water plant by collecting and framing pictures of all three original tanks to include on a large plaque to hang up.

Lewisport Superintendent R.J. Simpson said, “Everything is going well. We’ve had some good weather in order to get the decorations and lights up. The new dump truck was delivered. It works well and everyone likes it. We went to our service orders all going by iPad now (per the city’s new upgraded system), and that’s all going well. We had a little bit of a learning curve with that. Everything is taken care of there. We had to repair an eight-inch water main on Highway 60, last week on our first cold day while it was snowing. That was eventful, but it all came together. We put a couple of services in. We do have 1,200-foot service cable for next week to put in. A couple of us have a trip scheduled with Bluegrass Engineering to Centralia, Illinois to tour the factory that is going to build some of our buildings for our wellhouses for the new water plant, on Dec. 3 and Dec. 4. Pam Hubbard has decided to retire. She said her last day is going to be Dec. 26, so we’re going to be losing her then.”

Council members discussed an infrastructure challenge. A concrete drain tile, likely original and made of an older material no longer in use, has collapsed, Roberts said. Simpson said the tile has probably broken apart, but its exact condition won’t be known until it is excavated. The site, federally regulated, is marked with orange cones and caution tape around a roughly six-foot void extending into the pedestrian area near repaved sections and close to the roadway. Gregory said Congressman Guthrie’s office must be contacted to begin the federal process. Officials have emailed the lead engineer to explore repair options. A nearby business owner is working to keep access open for customers.

Lewisport Police Chief Greg Linn reported, “Things are going well. Since the last meeting, we’ve had approximately 115 calls for service to the department. We are staying consistently busy.”

The Lewisport Volunteer Fire Department monthly financial statement was approved by the council.

The department is hosting an “In Memory of” ornament fundraiser for First Responder Day 2026. The ornaments are 3.15-inch (80 mm) flat round glass discs featuring white feathers in the background. A suggested donation of $20 is requested. Photos for the ornaments must be in JPG or PNG format and emailed to [email protected].

Ornaments may be picked up at the station at 590 Old Mill Road in Lewisport on the following dates: Nov. 30 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Dec. 4 and Dec. 11, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pickup can also be arranged every Friday from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., as needed. Questions about orders or pickup can be directed to the same email address.

Orders will be accepted through Dec. 31 with an expected turnaround time of three to five days. Donations may be made in cash, by check payable to Lewisport Vol. Fire Dept., or via Venmo to Hancock County Emergency Services Association @ HCESA. All proceeds will go to the Emergency Services Association for the 2026 First Responder Day in Hancock County.

Lewisport Volunteer Fire Department, Hawesville Volunteer Fire Department and Dukes Volunteer Fire Department responded to a house fire last week at the corner of Poplar Grove Road and 657. Poplar Grove Road was closed during the response. No further details are confirmed.

The Lewisport department advises residents to keep space heaters and all heating equipment at least three feet away from clothes, blankets, furniture, and anything that could catch fire, in order to reduce fire risk.

The fire department is recruiting new members. Applications can be picked up at the station or downloaded from the pinned post on the Lewisport Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page. Completed applications may be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to: P.O. Box 22, Lewisport, KY 42351. Volunteer firefighters must complete at least 20 hours of training every year.

The Junior Firefighter Program is open to ages 15-17. Program details and the application link are posted on the department’s Facebook page.

City Attorney Charles Kamuf Jr. completed the second reading of Ordinance No. 25-10. The ordinance proposes a monthly meter fee for all residential and commercial gas customers.

Mayor Gregory explained at last month’s meeting that the city faced financial challenges after losing major revenue from Dal-Tile and the delayed impact of an insurance tax. Inflation also increased costs unexpectedly, creating a cash flow crunch that could have required nearly a 20 percent gas rate hike.

To avoid that, he proposed a $15 monthly fee per residential gas meter and $40 for commercial and industrial meter, with plans to re-evaluate the fee in three years.

Gregory emphasized the fee is necessary due to rising expenses, including high utility bills and inflation. He clarified the fee is unrelated to the water plant cost or city debt.

He noted other utilities like Louisville Gas & Electric (LG&E) and Atmos Energy have similar fees. With around 1,200 gas customers, the fee is essential to maintain financial stability, especially during low-usage summer months.

The ordinance is set to take effect in December.

“Every year, we provide incentive pay to employees at the end of the year,” Gregory said. “I’d like to continue it this year with the council’s approval. It will remain the same as last year—nothing has changed.”

The council unanimously approved the annual incentive pay, an additional compensation awarded to employees for meeting specific performance goals or completing certain tasks. It is designed to motivate workers to improve productivity, efficiency, or service quality beyond their regular duties. Incentive pay can include bonuses, merit pay, or other financial rewards tied to individual or team achievements.

The annual Christmas in the Park celebration will be held Friday, Dec. 5, at Chapman Park in downtown Lewisport from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The traditional tree-lighting ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Activities include inflatables, train rides, visits with Santa and other characters, food vendors, a craft market, a scavenger hunt for adults and children, and an opportunity to send a letter to the North Pole.

The Lewisport Christmas parade is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, with lineup starting at 3 p.m. A toy giveaway will follow the parade. The Hawesville parade will begin at 1 p.m., with lineup at noon. The theme of the 2025 Hancock County Christmas parades is “A Christmas Story.”

Tina Snyder was selected as grand marshal of the Lewisport parade. Bruce L. Pryor Jr. will be honored as grand marshal at the Hawesville parade.

The next Lewisport City Council meeting has been rescheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11.