The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Jenkins getting grocery, pizza firm





Hunt Brothers Pizza is said to be moving its local distribution from Mayking to Jenkins with an eye on future expansion at the new location. Gateway Industrial Park is located at the intersection of U.S. 119 and U.S. 23.

Hunt Brothers Pizza is said to be moving its local distribution from Mayking to Jenkins with an eye on future expansion at the new location. Gateway Industrial Park is located at the intersection of U.S. 119 and U.S. 23.

Jenkins residents are closer to once again having a full-service grocery store after several months of living without one.

At the August meeting of the Jenkins City Council Monday night, Mayor Todd Depriest announced that work is finally underway in the old Stallard grocery building to convert it into a Save-a-Lot store. Depriest told the council that interior demolition is underway to remove concrete floor slabs to expose pipe work for plumbing contractors. The lights inside the store were on Monday evening.

In a related matter, Depriest also said that Hunt Brothers Pizza is working with the city, county other necessary agencies to move its distribution center now located at Mayking to the Gateway Industrial Park in Jenkins.

A source involved in the negotiations with Hunt Brothers told The Mountain Eagle recently that the new facility would be built in a manner that would allow it to expand easily should it become necessary. Gateway Park is located at the intersection of U.S. Highways 23 and 119.

Since its founding in 1991, Nashville-based Hunt Brothers now sells its pizza and other food products in more than 7,300 convenience stores and country stores in 28 states. It is also the official pizza of Rupp Arena in Lexington. The company’s roots trace back to 1962, when brothers Don, Lonnie, Jim and Charlie Hunt began selling their Pepe’s Pizza to restaurants, bowling alleys and bars in the Evansville, Indiana area.

In other business at Monday’s meeting, the city council learned that preparations are well underway for the Jenkins Homecoming Festival, which will take place August 24-26. Festival Committee member Debbie Chavis said the festival’s theme this year is “It’s Home to Me.” She said Pikeville band Exit 23 will headline the Saturday evening shows, with all the festival’s entertainment this year being locally and regionally based. She also said there will be several new food booths and other new vendors as well.

In other business, the council voted unanimously to leave tax rates for city property, motor vehicles, and tangible property unchanged. Real and tangible property will remain at 34.99 cents per $100 and the rate for motor vehicles will remain at 42.19 cents per $100.

The council voted unanimously to accept the Letcher County Solid Waste Management Plan. The fiveyear plan was developed by the Letcher County Fiscal Court to comply with state laws that require counties to present a new solid waste management plan every five years. The council also conducted the first reading of Budget Amendment 248-A, allowing it to accept $156,000 for the sale of property and $228,234 from an insurance loan from Community Trust Bank. The city received $70,171 in unanticipated receipts in water revenue and $49,740 through solid waste receipts. No action was taken as this was the first reading.

Depriest reported that the state Division of Abandoned Mine Lands is examining a proposal from the city to look at the possibility of extending water lines in Marshall’s Branch to areas not currently served by city water. The city continues to wait for a decision from the Kentucky Department of Transportation regarding approval for an in-kind match for the sidewalk project on Lakeside.

The council opened two bids for self-contained breathing apparatus for the Jenkins Volunteer Fire Department. Each bid was for 24 new systems and Fire Chief Rick Corbett asked the council to table a decision until he has a chance to go over each bid in detail. He said the grant to pay for the equipment is flexible in its time frame and the delay will not be a problem.

Depriest asked the council to approve the fire department’s request to purchase an all-wheel drive rescue vehicle. He said the department sold its old rescue vehicle for $25,000 and will be capable of handling the financing on its own. However, the fire department will need the council’s approval to enter into a loan agreement with Community Trust Bank for the purchase. The vote to approve was unanimous.

The council voted to declare several sites of blighted and deteriorated property as surplus and advertise them for sale. Structures on the properties have been removed. The Fleming Electric Property at East Jenkins, the Short Property at Rocky Hollow, and the Johnson Property at Number Four Hollow were all declared surplus and will be advertised for bid. The Bryant Property at Rocky Hollow will be sold at a private sale. The council went into a brief executive session to negotiate another property sale, but reached no decision.

Depriest reminded everyone that school starts next Wednesday in the Jenkins Independent Schools System and asked drivers to use particular caution when driving in school zones. He added that in general, speed on city side streets is excessive and the city will instruct police officers to begin using the radar speed detection in their cruisers to slow people down.

The council passed a resolution honoring several city veterans, including Medal of Honor recipient Darwin Kyle, who was killed in action in Korea in February

1952. Kyle is also a recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. Also honored are late Korean War veteran Carlos Mullins, and three brothers, Carl “Jake” Gallion, Charles “Slick” Gallion, and Thurman Gallion.

Councilmember Rebecca Amburgey reported attending the SOAR Meeting in Pikeville last week and said it was a very productive session. Depriest agreed and said he had been in a number of discussions with state and federal officials at the meeting concerning funding for various city projects.

City Attorney Randall Tackett told the council that the “Tales of the Cumberlands” storytelling convention will take place at the Breaks Interstate Park September 21-24 and a portion of the event will focus on Jenkins. He added that a bus will run from the park to Jenkins on Sunday for a cemetery tour and lunch.

The Jenkins Police Department responded to 115 complaints in July and issued 11 citations and 40 verbal warnings. Most of the warnings were for traffic violations. The department made 10 arrests, six for warrants and one that was drug related. The rest were for minor offenses.

The city produced 12,729,000 gallons of treated water in July and sold 9,502,000, for a difference of 3,227,000 gallons or 25 percent. Of that amount, 25,000 gallons were used by the fire department, leaving an unaccounted loss of 3,202,000 gallons, still 25 percent.


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