BEREA—The City's sewer has demonstrated an impressive capacity to handle excess water flow, but not without incurring costs, the municipal utilities' top official has reported.

During Council's first regularly scheduled meeting of the month, Kevin Howard, general manager of Berea Municipal Utilities, cited the manhole located at the intersection of Miracle Drive and Big Hill Road as a case study in the sewer's capacity to withstand heavy rain. The inflow to this particular manhole comes from streets around Big Hill Road, including Peachbloom Hill, Bratcher Lane, and the area east of Silver Creek, Howard said.

Between June 27 and June 28 when federal data indicate 5 inches of rain fell in Berea, Howard said there was an eight-hour period when the manhole went from receiving about 50 gallons per minute to receiving 600 gallons per minute, a 1,200% increase. Following the surge, it took nearly five full days for the flow rate to return to normal, he said.

These statistics are important because they not only show the sewer's capacity, the data also indicate stressors on the system that lead to damaged pipes, according to Howard.

"It's one of the biggest contributors to treatment costs, pump costs, it's an uphill battle," he said. "That's just one manhole in the whole system." Howard added that there are about 105 miles of sewer pipes in the City.

At the sewer plant during the same period of heavy rain in June, the base effluent flow went from 2.7 million gallons of water to 14 million gallons of water in a six hour period, or 9,800 gallons per minute, a 511% increase. Howard said it took an additional six days for the flow at the plant to return to normal. Back up pumps kick on once the flow at the plant surpasses 7,000 gallons per minute, according to Howard. When this happens, he said it puts wear and tear on all the pump motors and raises demand charges.

Howard gave his report during the department head report section of the meeting.

Public comment

The Berea Dolphins swim club vice president Jamie Morris told Council the club had taken first place in this year's Bluegrass swim conference. It was the first full season back at Community Pool for the club, following the pool's closure for repairs over the 2025 season. Morris thanked the entire parks department for their hard work in helping to host the large swim conference last month. She also thanked the Tourism Commission for supporting the pool and the club.

Proclamation

Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken turns 40 years old under the ownership of the Carter family. In their honor, Mayor Bruce Fraley proclaimed August 4, 2026 as Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken Day in Berea. The family accepted the proclamation. Fraley commended the local franchise for having supporting multiple community programs, including its own Pay It Forward program where patrons pay half and Lee's pays the other half on meals that are then distributed to families in need.

A ribbon cutting on the remodeled Lee's location at 339 Paint Lick Road in Berea will be on August 12 at 11:30. A celebration will be held the same day from 11am until 2pm.

During the Council comment section of the meeting, Lee's was roundly congratulated by Councilmembers for its success, thanked for its community involvement, and complimented for its tasty catering of a high percentage of events held in Berea.

Ordinances

Ordinance 12-2026 regulating overage charges levied by the City's trash hauler, Waste Connections, was to have received its first reading, but was tabled pending an amendment to the contract as discussed in a work session that preceded the Council meeting.

During the work session, City Administrator Shawn Sandlin told Council that many commercial customers of the hauler had already begun receiving refund checks following an earlier rash of overage fees the hauler had levied on multiple customers for perceived infractions of their trash containers. The City had determined these fees were unauthorized, as they did not fall within the specifications of the contract between the hauler and the City, and asked the hauler to refund all customers who'd been charged.

Waster Connections had been charging $100 per infraction, typically for Dumpster lids that were not fully closed. Going forward, Sandlin said the new charge will be $25 per infraction, but all perceived violations first will be reviewed by AI-powered cameras affixed to the trash trucks, and customers will be notified before being fined.

Ordinance 13-2026 ceding the right of way at 150 and 171 76 Boulevard to Todd and Erin Holbrook, received its first reading at the meeting. This right of way will no longer be open to the city, in exchange for a new road to be built onto Nandino Circle by Jarod and Amanda Hembree, who are purchasing both addresses from the Holbrooks in order to build a luxury RV park and water theme park on the combined 18 acres.

City administrator report

Sandlin thanked Council for its spirited discussion about how to move forward with the contract amendment needed for Waste Connections. He also reminded the public that the pool will close this weekend, Saturday, August 8. Sandlin also welcomed back Virgil Burnside, who was tapped by Council to fill the seat vacated last month by Ronnie Terrill.

Mayor's comments

Fraley also welcomed Burnside back to the bench, remarking on his previous service as an elected official, 17 years in all. Fraley also noted that construction on Astemo's second plant is apace as an additional 300,000 feet are being added to the company's location in the industrial park.

Fraley also announced there will be a Bereans Helping Bereans event on Monday, August 6, from 6pm to 8pm, at the Acton Folk Center on Jefferson Street. The focus will be on community services available to residents 55 years and older.

Council comments

Although Councilmember Jerry Little had no comment, the rest all congratulated the Carter family on their Lee's 40th anniversary, and welcomed Burnside back. Councilmember Steve Caudill was absent.

Burnside thanked everyone, said that he will be as he has always been--collaborative, pragmatic, and willing to listen. Burnside previously was an elected member of Council from 1997 until 2014.