A small town mayor is asking for some big help.

Evarts mayor Burl Fee wants road improvements for his community...
it might be a small town, but it's a big connector for coal trucks.

"The coal trucks just beat these roads. I've asked for money to upkeep these roads," said Fee.

Coal trucks use three major roads throughout the city of Evarts.

Mayor Burl Fee says the city just doesn't have the money to fix the damage from so much coal traffic.

"They are going to tear streets up. in a little city like Evarts we do not have funds to do half of the streets," said Fee.

The city gets about 15 hundred dollars a month for road maintenance.
The mayor says after he pays the bills, that leaves about 300 dollars left over.

He says he needs about 100 hundred thousand bucks to fix these roads.

The mayor went to county officials for help, but they don't have the extra funds.

"The reality is, in 2009, all budgets are tight. We have to step back and say, 'can we get some?' and address the worst streets," said Harlan County Judge Executive Joe Grieshop.

The mayor then contacted state officials along with congressman Hal Rogers.

He received a letter saying the Transportation Cabinet cannot grant the request due to the poor fiscal condition of the state.

Fee is hoping coal severance money can help.

"I think with coal severance money sometimes they should keep money back instead of spend it on other things to the little cities like us," said Fee.

state officials did tell fee they might be able to help in three years.