Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift announced that the Midway Fire & Rescue Department has room for additional firefighters at the Feb. 16 Midway City Council meeting.

The force is essentially volunteer, with firefighters being paid a stipend for runs and training.

Vandegrift said though the current roster exceeds the state minimum of 15 to qualify for state funding, it would be particularly helpful if there were more Midway or Midway area firefighters in the department.

Vandegrift said neither Midway nor Woodford County residency is a requirement to be a firefighter, noting there are members from Scott and Jessamine counties.

“Local people and having more firefighters would be great,” he said. “We even have a new, first-class facility we just opened.”

Charles Logan mourned

Native and lifelong Midwegian Charles Logan died last week. A beloved figure, several councilmembers and Vandegrift gave thanks for a wonderful life well-lived.

“Charles was a lifelong Midwegian, and one of the nicest people I’ve ever met,” Vandegrift told the Sun after the meeting. “Always a smile on his face. I never heard anyone say a bad word about him.”

FEMA relief

Vandegrift reported to the City Council that the “public assistance” sought by the City of Midway as part of President Donald Trump’s declaration that the April floods were a federal disaster has been approved. He explained this meant the two impacts of the flood in Midway, which required construction projects totaling about $20,000, will be paid by the federal government and not the taxpayers of Midway.

The two projects involve repairing a water line near Winter Street that was knocked down by debris and damage to Newton Street.

Vandegrift said that despite Storm Fern being declared a federal disaster, the primary cost to the city— snow removal costs—is not eligible for reimbursement. The city spent $20,000 of its $25,000 budgeted amount for snow/ice response and removal.

Vandegrift explained that there is enough salt to handle two more snows, but if more is needed, there are sufficient unbudgeted funds that could be used.

Odd Fellows building

Councilmember Kaye Nita Gallagher reported she had received citizen complaints about siding falling off the side of the historic Odd Fellows building, which has been the subject of years of dispute between the city and the owner, which could be a public safety issue. Gallagher said she had looked over the building herself and could confirm the problems.

Councilmember Steve Simoff confirmed Gallagher’s reports and echoed the frustration that the building continues to present ongoing issues.

Vandegrift, while agreeing, said the city is limited in what it can practically do. He reported there were three current code violation fines, one relating to the facade, that the owner appealed to the Midway Code Enforcement, which denied all three.

“I encourage people to call code enforcement and the Planning Commission to report violations,” he said. “We don’t have the ability to make (the owner) finish the building. You would think he would want to earn revenue off of it, but we can’t make him. We will continue to cite him for violations, which code enforcement officers cite him for.”