New Mayor focusing on community development
An interview by Andy McDonald

McDonald: You’ve been mayor of Berea for one month. How are you finding the mayor’s job so far?
Connelly: “It’s a different tempo. It’s hectic, interesting, and exciting. A lot is going on. You get a hint of that when you’re on council, but you get the full feeling of it when you’re sitting up there.”

Berea Mayor - Steven Connelly

What has been the most challenging aspect of making the transition from councilman to mayor? “Personnel issues. It’s something that as a council person you really don’t experience that directly. It’s kind of tangential. But those are the most complicated and difficult. They involve personal dynamics.” With regard to personnel issues, you and the city council will soon choose from Dwayne Brumley, Jerry Combs and Rick Bates the next chief of police. How is that going? “It’s something that we’re working on. We’ve got good people interviewing Tuesday, and that just makes the choice that much harder. Either way, we’re going to be hiring someone sooner rather than later.”

Some residents have expressed a desire for a new skateboard park. Is the city doing anything to pursue that further?
“We’ve had staff members who have visited other operations to see what’s going on. They’ve gotten material and information. I think that the city is committed to building a skateboard park if it is still felt that it could be useful to the citizens. It could be a multipurpose type of construction so that, if interest ever wanes, we could convert it over into something else. We need to make sure the intended beneficiaries are involved in this process so they will use what is built, rather than building something that they don’t like. It’s probably not moving ahead as quickly as it could. We’re not trying to avoid it, but there’s just more work to be done.”

Are there efforts under way to recruit more industry to the city, and is the city seeking to expand the size of the industrial park?
“We haven’t spoken with any new prospects. We have a good economic base, but we can’t sit still. We’re very vulnerable because of our dependence on so few industrial job providers. We’re doing two things: The city is going to try to make the remaining land in our industrial park more desirable for sale. That probably will mean building another road, acquiring some adjacent parcels. We are going to consider whether there are other things we can do in the industrial park like building a daycare facility, another fire station, and possibly a spec building that could be sold or leased out to provide services to the industries. Those are just possibilities. In addition, the Industrial Authority is interested in possibly acquiring another industrial park site.”

If the city were to try to create another industrial park, how much acreage would you need?
“It would depend on what’s available and where it is, but I would just guess 200 acres. I’m not sure but that seems to me to be roughly the size of the current industrial park.”

Would it be located near Interstate 75?
“I imagine near the interchanges or the bypass. Accessibility to the Interstate would be a factor, I would think.”

On the subject of developing other aspects of Berea’s economy, Mayor Connelly added:
“Not too many weeks ago there was an article in the Lexington Herald about a combination movie theater/bowling alley in Mt. Sterling. We contacted them (the entrepreneurs who built it) because in the article, they said they were interested in looking at other places in central Kentucky. We’re going to go up and visit and they are somewhat interested in Berea. We’ve sent them statistics about where we draw from. And we’ve explained why, just because we’re fifteen miles from Richmond, we shouldn’t be disqualified from consideration. We’re going to make an attempt to sell this as a location for them to expand to.”

Further commenting on the city’s economic prospects, Connelly expressed hope for new developments concerning Berea Hospital.
“I’m holding my breath for the hospital. I think it would be a tremendous shot in the arm for Berea to have St. Joseph South – for them to open up in Berea. Nothing against Berea Hospital, but the aura of the St. Joseph name would be great for this area. It looks like that’s the way we’re moving. I hope and pray that it comes and that it is a success for Catholic Health Initiatives, and I’m sure it will be a success for our community. The city looks on that with great hope.”

What is the status of the Berea Bypass? Will it be fully funded despite the current budget crisis in Frankfort?
“I’ve heard a rumor that the General Assembly is looking very closely at using the Road Fund to balance the budget. We wouldn’t want that, and we’re trying to communicate that to our representatives. We’ve got great county and state representatives that will be working for us to keep that project. But it’s (cutting funding for the bypass) always a possibility.”

When is the city going to name the bypass? Are there any suggestions regarding that?
“I haven’t heard any, but I’ve got my own opinion. The early planning for this bypass, if not conceived by Mayor C.C. Hensley, was certainly supported by him. I would think it would be appropriate to name the connector after our former mayor.”

Some citizens hope the issue of green space and control of development would be addressed in your administration. What is the city currently doing in that regard?
“I think a significant tool that we’ve started is our strategic plan. It was designed by Glenn Jennings and it is very usable. It addresses greenspace and development and a concern for what makes Berea unique. Our annexation plan also reflects a concern about growth and green space. The annexation plan is largely prompted by the concern for the location of the Berea Connector. To annex the areas that we’re talking about would bring them within our control and allow us, as a city, to protect adjacent landowners from unregulated inappropriate growth. It would allow us to guarantee the limited access nature of the road, and plan and implement green space concepts, trails, bike paths that could be very valuable along this developed corridor.

“Another thing I think is vital is the concept of annual renewal of our Comprehensive Plan. I absolutely do not think that the Comprehensive Plan procedure works the way it is now where you have a legal requirement where you’re supposed to rewrite it every five years. If you let it all build up then try to do it all it one large session, I don’t think we’ve achieved a tailor made plan. I’m disappointed with our effort the last time.”

How will you address that issue?
“I really think the way to do it is to have the Planning Commission look back each year and identify three or four of the most significant issues that they’ve faced. It might be the corridor. It might be commercial development on (U.S.) 25, or it might be consistent regulation enforcement within the one-mile area. We should continuously keep it up to date and have a very workable document. I think we are long overdue for having a comprehensive green space study where Berea tries to get out ahead of development rather than just reacting to the decisions and desires of the developers. We need to try to look ahead and plan.”

The city of Berea put a lot of money and effort into negotiating a better cable deal with Adelphia, even hiring an attorney who specializes in cable franchise law. Still, there have been some complaints about service and concerns about a rate hike. Was hiring the attorney a good investment, and what’s the city doing to insure that citizens have good cable service?
“I don’t think you can go wrong when you hire an attorney,” Connelly quipped. “Our council has been interested over a period of time in having a responsive corporate office in Adelphia. They have largely promised a lot and delivered very little. In fact, at our last work session with them, when they asked for their $1.1 million bond to be released because they had completed the upgrade, we indicated we wouldn’t do that until we had more information. It’s subsequently been supplied. But I think the bottom line with cable service is that Congress deregulated it, there’s very little that we have control over in terms of programming, rates, or information. It’s made even harder by the Adelphia bankruptcy. It’s just one of those areas where Congress will have to reverse the trend to give municipalities more control.”

How has Adelphia’s bankruptcy affected its relationship with the city of Berea?
“I think it’s removed certain decisions up to headquarters. It may mean that some issues of service may suffer though we’re not sure yet. Service seems to be the biggest complaint. I don’t think that situation is helped by Adelphia’s bankruptcy.”

There’s been a suggestion that Berea should have a performing arts center near Jefferson Street – an idea floated by folks from the Boys and Girls Club of Madison County. Is that idea being actively considered?
“It’s a nice concept, but I don’t see it going anywhere for now. There doesn’t appear to be federal money for it. I’m afraid it will have to wait until better economic times.”