A representative from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was on hand at last week's Vanceburg Renaissance Committee meeting to explain the process for getting informational road signs on the AA Highway.

Angie Wolf said there are several different signage programs available but the one that would best suit the community's purposes is the brown on white "Cultural and Recreational" sign.

The signs are placed on state right-of-way on conventional state routes. On the AA Highway, a four-pane sign would measure 18 inches tall by 72 inches wide with six-inch high lettering and directional arrows on each panel. There can be up to four panels per sign assembly. On a 45 MPH or less state route, such as Ky.Rt. 59, the signs are smaller with four-inch lettering.

Wolf explained that the larger signs could be used to direct travelers to certain attractions, such as a visitor information center, a historic district, fair grounds, etc.

In Vanceburg, for example, signs could direct visitors to the Veterans Memorial Park, the Union Monument, the Depot Museum and the Thomas House, which is envisioned as an information center when renovations are completed.

"It's a permit process," Wolf said. She supplied copies of the permit application and regulations, explaining the application process. Any location featured on the signs must be open to the public at least eight hours a day, fives days a week (including either a Saturday or Sunday).

The cost of the signs now is $180 per panel and $250 per post. For a full four-panel sign, the total cost is $1,300. Wolf said those process will most likely be higher when the contract is re-bid in the near future. 

However, she said a state grant program will pay 50 percent on applications by city or county governments, tourism commissions and other local governing bodies.

In other business, Mayor William T. Cooper gave updates on the progress of the Streetscape and George Morgan Thomas House projects.

Plans are to remove the utility poles and wires on Main Street from the Depot Museum to Veterans Memorial Park and place those lines underground. The same changes are planned later for Phase II, which will cover Second Street to the courthouse.

Cooper also said an old photo of the Carter Hotel (the current Avery Stanley Building), at Main and Second Streets, has been found. It shows a streetlamp from that period. He envisions duplicating that period street lighting.

As for the Thomas House, Cooper said there are two carpenters working on the project but more laborers are needed. He said he will talk with Jailer Tim Underwood about getting more inmates to help.

He said the building will not be painted this year due to weather conditions. Painting will wait until warmer, dryer weather so there will e a better chance of a successful painting job. Cooper noted problems with the roof painting, saying he is holding back payments for the job until the painters fix the unacceptable work.

Interior electrical work has been completed and glass was expected to be delivered on Friday to replace broken windows.

The Renaissance Committee tabled its regular business until a special meeting n Thursday, November 3. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 17, at 3:00 p.m.

Meeting in special session last Tuesday night, October 25 the Electric Plant Board heard William M. Lewis of William M. Lewis and Associates, Inc., Portsmouth, Ohio, explain the complicated process used by power providers to set the rates for electricity.

The local Utility Company invited 12 companies to submit proposals and received responses from four. The proposals are from American Electric Power Service Corporation, Cincinnati Gas & Electric Company, East Kentucky Power Cooperative and AEP of Kentucky.

Smith told the board that things aren’t like they were ten years ago. Since deregulation the company is no longer under the umbrella of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Back then the power providers generated and transmitted their own power but now the transmission is under the auspices of Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO). This area’s transmission is provided by PJM from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland.

Smith said that in the four proposals are a number of sub-proposals. Of the four proposals three are market based proposals and one is a cost based proposal. The current contract that expires this December 31 is cost based.

Smith explained that some risk is involved in all the proposals, but under the cost based proposal if the company uses more power that it pays for under the contract the new rates when changed will be retroactive and reflect that increase of use. However, if the company does not use as much power as purchased then the excess power can be sold to the RTO at the same rate the company would have had to pay for excess power.

Regardless of how things turn out electric rates will increase, and the longest contract proposed is for five years rather than ten like the current one.

The board took no action on the proposals during the special session, but Plant Board superintendent Phil Kennedy said that he would come back at the December session with a recommendation regarding what company should be the new power supplier.

By Tracy McGuire

Once again the Lewis County Primary Care Center (LCPCC), Lewis County Board of Education, the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and the Kentucky Department of Public Health Oral Health Program teamed up to help the children of Lewis County maintain happy, healthy smiles.

On October 17 and 18, the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and affiliates set up their equipment at the Lewis County Middle School to conduct their free dental sealant program. Dr. James Cecil, UK staff, and approximately 14 dental students worked diligently for two days to examine, seal, and educate the children on proper dental hygiene.

The "Seal Kentucky" program was first brought to Lewis County in the fall of 2003 and proved to be very successful. As a statewide program that examines over 2,000 teeth within a single year. This year, in Lewis County alone, approximately 147 students from Central, the Middle School, and Garrison were seen with over 554 teeth being sealed. That number is a 33% increase from the 2004 sealants with an additional 23 children being seen compared to last year. With the past and present success of the program both LCPCC and the Board of Education plan to work hard to keep the program coming back year after year.

A dental sealant is a plastic coating that protects the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, helping to prevent cavities. Research shows that dental sealants are currently the most effective method to prevent cavities. 

The examinations are painless and require no drilling or shots. 

Although they were a little timid at first, seeing the smiles on the majority of the children’s faces after having the sealants proved they were painless -- or maybe it was the goody bag they received after their examination was complete that kept them smiling.

Whichever the case may be LCPCC is honored to have been able to help these children! To thank the children for their good behavior and participation, each child’s name was entered into a drawing for a chance to win a University of Kentucky basketball autographed by Tubby Smith. The winner was Central Elementary’s Dalton Thurman.

It has been another successful year for the dental sealant program. Everyone involved played an instrumental role in getting the program underway. Lori McCane, Health Educator for LCPCC, stated “Everyone throughout the county—parents, teacher, providers, the school board, bus drivers, etc-- have worked together to make the dental sealant program successful and bring better dental health to our children.”

An apology is to be extended to the students, parents, and teachers of Garrison Elementary who were not able to be seen. The staff and students of UK worked hard to see as many students as possible, unfortunately time was limited. Again we are sorry for any inconvenience. Keeping the children of Lewis County healthy and smiling is the goal of LCPCC and the dental sealant program. Thanks again to all those involved, your time and support is appreciated.