Lewisport City Council hears winter service updates; House District 14 candidate Wes Pate attends meeting

The Lewisport City Council met Thursday, Feb. 19, hearing updates on snow removal, utility leaks and ongoing gas line safety inspections. Hancock County native and Kentucky House District 14 candidate Wes Pate attended the meeting as a visitor.

In Superintendent R.J. Simpson’s absence, City Administrator Jason Roberts reported, “The guys have been busy taking care of the roads with the snow. It was one of the bigger snows we’ve had in a while, probably since the 2015 snow. Then we also had the cold snap and several service leaks. It wasn’t on our side, but a lot of customers were affected. Most will see that their bills are going to be a little higher from dripping faucets.”

Roberts said the city has started its annual gas leak survey, in which crews inspect 20% of the 1,500 service lines each year so the entire system is checked over five years. They inspect all service lines and mains using a newer sensor that detects only natural gas, unlike the old device that also registered car exhaust, butane and other fumes, he noted.

When the new sensor was first introduced, some thought it was too sensitive, he said, but it only responds to natural gas. Testing must be done when it is not too windy. Roberts added that some newer models now use infrared technology to detect leaks through fences or inside walls, but the city does not yet have that equipment.

Councilman Kelly Vanover said the crew did an excellent job on the snow removal.

Lewisport Police Chief Greg Linn reported, “Since the last meeting, we’ve had 73 CAD (computer-aided dispatch) calls for the department. That doesn’t include general attempts to locate and other things we hear, but most of those don’t involve us directly because they’re in other jurisdictions, like Owensboro. To echo the sentiments on the roads and the Public Works crew, they did an excellent job clearing the streets. I have close friends who live in Owensboro, and their schools were out for two weeks — it was bad. Everything is going well otherwise.”

Linn also said he and Officer Nick Jarboe will complete their first firearms qualification of the year the week of Feb. 23, as part of the annual marksmanship standard required for certified peace officers under Kentucky Law Enforcement Council rules.

The Lewisport Volunteer Fire Department’s financial statements were reviewed by the council and unanimously approved.

The department is recruiting new members. Applications are available at the station or can be 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 each year.
Junior Firefighter Program
The Junior Firefighter Program is open to youth age 15 to 17. Program details and the application link are posted on the department’s Facebook page.

“Next month, we will probably be putting Lewisport Heritage Festival updates on the agenda. Between now and the next meeting, we’re going to look at some budget workshops,” Lewisport Mayor Chad Gregory said.

Pate, who served eight years on the Lewisport City Council, is a candidate for the Kentucky House District 14 seat in the May 19 primary. State Rep. Scott Lewis, who has represented District 14 since 2019, is not seeking reelection. The district includes all of Hancock and Ohio counties and part of Daviess County.

Pate is a registered nurse at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, where he serves as sepsis clinical program specialist. He is president of the Lewisport Cemetery Association. He and his wife, Holly, have four children. She is a registered nurse at Heartland Villa Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lewisport. The couple volunteer with a medical mission that spreads the Gospel each year in Honduras through the Honduras Baptist Dental Mission.

For more information or to get involved, contact Pate’s campaign at [email protected], visit wespateforky.com or follow Wes Pate, for KY State Representative District 14 on Facebook.

The Lewisport City Council typically meets on the third Thursday of each month. The next council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at Lewisport City Hall.