Good cop, bye cop

Council briefs

Berea Police Captain Ken Puckett, who is retiring at the end of the month, was the man of the hour during Tuesday night’s regularly scheduled City Council meeting, which concluded in less than 17 minutes beginning with its opening moment of silence led by John Payne.

Jason Hayes, Berea’s chief of police, addressed Mayor Bruce Fraley and the Council during the department heads report section of the meeting, to announce Puckett’s retirement and to thank him for his service. Hayes said he’d asked Puckett to attend the meeting so he could be thanked publicly, but Puckett declined.

Hayes recounted Puckett’s 25-year career with the department, which ranged from being a DARE officer, a bike patrolman, and a field training officer at the start, to eventually moving up the ranks to become first a lieutenant, then a captain, to eventually becoming an administrative captain who oversaw multiple divisions, including detectives, street crimes and narcotics, according to Hayes. The outgoing law man also supervised the command staff while he was a captain, and influenced the direction of that department, Hayes added.

“Ken is one of those guys with very high integrity, very high character,” Hayes said. “I looked up to him as a patrol officer in my early career. We’re going to miss him. We thank [Ken] for his service.”

During their respective comment sections of the meeting, the city administrator, the mayor, and councilmembers also expressed their gratitude and congratulations. Fraley said that Puckett was the “poster child of how a policeman and how they should behave.” Sandlin agreed.

Ordinance

Council passed ordinance 13-2025, setting the procurement standards per state law for the use of a Kentucky community block grant monies for construction of the Berea Farristown Community Center project. The ordinance, also per state law, requires purchases for the Center be made by Council on behalf of the project.

A unanimous voice vote in favor of the ordinance was passed by all present members, Ronnie Terrill, Cora Jane Wilson, Steve Caudill, Teresa Scenters, Katie Startzman, and John Payne.

City administrator’s report

Sandlin shared with Council that the Berea Craft Festival, held July 11-13 this year, was a success, despite attendance numbers being down slightly. Preliminary numbers are that just under 6,000 attended the festival, according to Nancy Conley, director of Tourism, who spoke with The Edge about the event in a phone interview. A final count is due in a report next week, Conley said.

Sandlin thanked all city workers, including the Tourism Commission staff, for their help in making it a success. Sandlin name checked Dani Gift, former interim director of Tourism, now the community liaison at City Hall, for having been the primary organizer of this year’s event.

Sandlin said he also had volunteered as a shuttle driver for the event, and noted how many attendees to the event expressed appreciation for the shuttle service. He also said that there were 28 new craft vendors this year, a full 25 percent of the 107 craft vendors who attended this year. There were also seven food vendors, he said.

Mayor and Council comments

Mayor

Fraley also spoke of the craft festival, calling it one of Berea’s “signature events” and recalling how the lines for admission were long and had formed quickly, but that those in line were eager yet patient to receive admission.

Fraley also said that he personally welcomed each of the new vendors to thank them for participating. He likes to do this every annually, he said, because in meeting new talent, he gets a sense of how the event evolves from year to year.

The mayor also reported he and all available leadership at City Hall recently gave Ryan Neaves, PhD, the new superintendent of Berea Independent Schools, a tour of City hall and welcomed him to Berea. Fraley said he would like to invite Neaves and Randy Neely, superintendent of Madison County Schools, to speak to Council sometime after August 1 of this year.

Council

The only members to offer comment are as follows:

Cora Jane Wilson said Puckett is a good person.

Katie Startzman congratulated the White House Clinic for the opening of its new pediatric clinic at 202 Kidd Drive and remarked that it was surprising but good news that White House serves a full 20% of the Berea population with health services.

Startzman also mentioned she was impressed with the work of the Berea Pollinator Gardens volunteers who have built at least three gardens in town, and which is hosting a free concert in one of the gardens on Friday, July 18, from 4PM to 7PM, featuring local musicians.

Ronnie Terrill said he wished to “brag on” the Crafts Festival for being among the safest in memory and that the festival equipment was cleared as soon as the. Monday morning after.

John Payne, who chairs the Parks Committee, noted that there is a Summer Swifty Social in Memorial Park from 5PM to 7PM on Thursday, July 17. The event will feature cats for adoption, and a pop-up library, among other activities. Payne also encouraged citizens to utilize the Summer Reading programs at the library system, which includes live animals on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2PM.

Council meets every first and third Tuesday of the month at the City Hall Annex, 304 Chestnut Street at 6:30 PM. You can also attend remotely by watching the City’s YouTube channel.

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