GLASGOW – City residents can expect their water bills to increase in January, Mayor Harold Armstrong said at the Glasgow City Council’s meeting Monday.

The council approved a rate increase six years ago when Glasgow Water Co. officials asked to be allowed to increase water rates by as much as 3% five times in a six-year period.

“On the average water bill, that is about 44 cents on the lower part of the water bill,” Armstrong said.

The water company has increased water rates one other time since the council approved the increase six years ago. The six-year window for increasing rates expires in January.

“As you know, (Glasgow Water is) about to finish the last of the transmission line, the secondary line from down at the lake into the city. They are on the last leg of it,” Armstrong said. “I think it’s something like a $14 million expansion.”

The mayor said Glasgow Water representatives have said they are willing to come to a future council meeting and answer any questions about the rate increase.

Armstrong also announced that because of Gov. Andy Beshear’s coronavirus orders, City Hall was closed Nov. 23 to walk-in traffic.

Citing the governor’s order, Councilman Joe Trigg questioned the status of the city’s small businesses, restaurants and bars.

“What are we doing in Glasgow? Have you heard? And then if those small businesses decide to participate, in other words if they close down, what are we going to do to try to help those small businesses?” Trigg asked.

Armstrong said the council needs to help promote restaurants in Glasgow being open for carry-out orders.

As far as helping restaurants, bars or any other small business monetarily, Armstrong said the city has no funds to help in that way.

“All we can do is try to patronize them like we’ve done in the past. You know, make call-in orders and go pick up your food. As far as the bars, there’s not a way to promote them, so they are just at the mercy of the pandemic,” he said.

Additional funding may be available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act that can help small businesses.

“If there is any kind of federal or state funding that we can apply for to help, I can assure you we will apply for that money so we can help them,” Armstrong said. “But at this point right now, the only thing we can do to help is to try to promote their businesses.”

Trigg also asked what the city would do about businesses that have chosen to remain open despite the governor’s order.

“That’s not up to us,” Armstrong said, noting that the health department is in charge of enforcing the governor’s orders.

He said if the city receives any complaints about gatherings or bars and restaurants remaining open, the health department is notified.

Councilman Patrick Gaunce asked if cities had to be of a certain classification to receive CARES Act or any other funding.

“In Bowling Green and Franklin, they are getting them. They are getting loans or grants,” Gaunce said.

Armstrong suggested Gaunce contact Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office and check to see if any such funding is available for Glasgow. The city contacted McConnell’s office in the past about such funding but was told the office will get back in touch with the city and that the funding is not yet available, he said.

In other business, the council:

• tabled action on the second reading of an ordinance amending the Glasgow Police Department’s standard operating procedures in regard to internal affairs and citizen complaints.
• approved the appointment of Ben Rogers to the Glasgow Code of Ethics Board to fill the unexpired three-year term of the late Benny Dickinson, with the term expiring in August 2021.
• appointed Joe Trigg to the Fort Williams Restoration Commission to fill the unexpired four-year term of Dickinson, with the term expiring Sept. 30, 2023.
• agreed to apply for a Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services Compensation Safety Grant.