Maysville officials are monitoring speed limits along West Second Street and hope to persuade KYTC officials to extend the 25 mph limit to Germantown Road along Kentucky 8.

Maysville officials are monitoring speed limits along West Second Street and hope to persuade KYTC officials to extend the 25 mph limit to Germantown Road along Kentucky 8.

Maysville City Commissioners gave City Manager Matt Wallingford the go-ahead Thursday to petition the state to lower the speed limit on West Second Street, which is also Kentucky 8.

Wallingford said concerns over the speed limit on the street were brought to his attention by citizens. Commissioner Ann Brammer echoed those concerns.

Wallingford said he has been in contact with state Transportation Cabinet officials who have the ultimate authority on establishing speed limits on the state route. And while signs were recently placed marking a 25 miles per hour zone from Wall Street to Rosemary Clooney Street, Wallingford suggested the city request that the speed zone stretch to Germantown Road, where it is now 35 miles per hour.

Commissioner Andrew Wood questioned the effectiveness of a reduced speed limit and said he would be more in favor of adding stop signs along the route. But Wallingford said the city stands a better chance of getting the state to agree to a reduced speed limit than it does of having the state add stop signs.

After a brief discussion, commissioners agreed that Wallingford should move forward with a speed reduction request to the state.

Commissioners also held the first reading on an ordinance establishing uniform pricing for tow charges when a vehicle is towed at the Maysville Police Department’s request.

The move came after Police Chief Jared Muse said he had received some complaints that in some cases charges were excessive after a car was towed.

Wallingford said the amendment would establish a price for normal towing services and would allow for operators to request a higher charge if extraordinary measures were required.

The price guidelines would only apply to towing services requested by the city or police and would not impact any private calls for those services, officials said.

“We’re not trying to keep them from making money,” Muse said. But, he added, there needs to be some consistency.

The list, once established, will be distributed to tow operators, Wallingford said.

Operation of the city’s river park was also addressed with Wallingford asking if commissioners would like to revisit a discussion from a few years ago to allow the annual contract for operation to be renewed for a period of up to five seasons, which runs from April 1-Oct. 31. Both the city and whomever is contracted to operate the park could cancel the agreement with 30 days notice.

Other changes in the park contract, which traditionally is opened for bids, would require a $7,500 minimum bid to cover the city’s costs for maintenance of equipment and clean-up during flood season and ups the required insurance from $500,000 to $1 million. The winning bidder is also required to pay $15,000 by May 1 for utilities with any unused balance returned at the end of the season.

Other changes at the park include the installation of keypad entry locks for restrooms which are open to the public from 9 a.m.-9 p.m but require the key code from campers after those hours.

In other business, commissioners agreed on committee assignments for the coming year with Commissioners Brammer and Wood on the I.N. Foster committee; and Mayor Charles Cotterill and Wood on the audit committee. Commissioners serving the inter-local committees include Victor McKay on the Landfill committee, Brammer on the Recreation Park committee, David Cartmell on the Communication Committee and Cotterill on the Ambulance committee.

Commissioners met in executive session to discuss pending or proposed litigation with Cartmell excluded on the advice of the Kentucky League of Cities. Not further information was given.