May 2007 Newsletter
SANITATION & RECYCLING
Several residents’ trash, leaves & limbs have been missed lately. If Rumpke fails to pick up your items, please call me at 491-8446. If you don’t have a garbage can with wheels & a lid, they are available.
Special Project: The area between Hurstbourne Circle & Bunsen Parkway that was cleaned out of invasive bushes, branches & limbs has been raked of small brush, leaves, cans, bottles & other debris. Over 120 contractor bags were filled with this debris, then the area was seeded & strawed. If the rabbits & birds don’t eat all the grass seed, it will look nice shortly. There is still a small amount of pick up needed.
Jim Lynch, Commissioner
CITY-WIDE YARD SALE
Saturday June 9
8 am – 2 pm
Information: Betty Hardin 491-6142
Minutes April 12, 2007
The regular meeting of the City Commission was called to order at 7:30 pm on April 12, 2007 at the meeting room of the Hurstbourne Acres City Hall/Police Department, 1940 S. Hurstbourne Parkway, Louisville, Kentucky, with the following persons present:
Sean Fore, Mayor
Marty Dunn, Commissioner
Brent O. Hardin, Commissioner
Jim Lynch, Commissioner
Donna Nichols, Commissioner
John Price, Treasurer
Chris Redman, Police Chief
Stephen Emery, Attorney
Michael Bolten, City Clerk
Deborah Godshall, Landscape Architect
Norma & Charles Pennington, Residents
Don Smith, Resident
Kathy Linares, & Jessica
Frank & Debbie Bates, Residents
Cliff Ashborner
Jeri Heck, Resident
Pearlie Woods, Resident
Heather Borntraeger, Resident
Laura Seigle, Resident
Sally Price, Resident
Hazel Mays, Resident
Janie Blair, Resident
Margaret Carter, Resident
Ella Crump, Resident
Danny & Sandy Ashley, Residents
A special meeting was held on March 27, 2007 at 7:30 pm to approve the minutes. In attendance were Mayor Fore, Commissioners Dunn, Hardin, and Nichols, and Police Chief Redman. Commissioner Dunn made a motion to approve as read. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Nichols. The motion carried unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
John Price read the treasurer’s report for March, 2007 and copies were made available for all people in attendance. Commissioner Dunn then made a motion to approve as read, which was seconded by Commissioner Nichols. The motion passed without opposition.
Warrants
The warrants for March, 2007 were then read by John Price, and copies were made available for all people in attendance. Commissioner Dunn made a motion to approve payment of the warrants, which was seconded by Commissioner Lynch and passed without opposition.
Police Report
Police Chief Redman reported the following:
-217 coverage hours from 3/16/07 to 4/12/07,
-162 police & public contacts,
-No arrests,
-1 citation & 9 traffic stops,
-2 reports (criminal attempt burglary & car break-in),
-2 accidents,
-11 suspicious-person runs,
-Free internet service from Insight for the Police Department soon,
-Survey completed regarding speed humps for Hurstbourne Lane,
-Standard operating procedures for the Hurstbourne Acres Police Department should be received this month from the Kentucky League of Cities,
-Block Watch Captains meeting was held on 4/12/07 at 6:00 pm. It was noted that there is still no Block Watch Captain for either Wesley or Cardwell,
-Shield was installed on the police vehicle,
-Mileage on the police car is now 5,897 miles.
Attorney’s Report
Attorney Emery reported that a docket has been assigned concerning the development of the property at 501 S. Hurstbourne Parkway (Lowe’s Home Improvement). The plan is going to be submitted and the case will be before the Development Review Committee on 4/18/07 at 1:00 pm at the old jail building, 514 W. Liberty Street.
In other news, action has been filed to collect the two remaining delinquent property taxes. In a question about the doctor’s office at Taylorhurst and the MRI trailer, Attorney Emery confirmed that the office is now empty, and the trailer has been towed away.
Old Sears Building Presentation
Three representatives for the developers of the old Sears building on Bunsen Way presented the plan for the conversion to an office building and improvements to the entire lot. The proposed tenant, who is in the healthcare business, is interested in locating their corporate office.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Police Commissioner
Commissioner Dunn reported that he and Police Chief Redman have continued to work extensively on the schedule to provide as much coverage as possible with the resources available. It was noted that Chief Redman has been very accommodating in varying his schedule as needed and has averaged 54 hours per week for the past month. In a related issue, to address the confusion that some residents have regarding our city’s designated police officer, Commissioner Dunn and Mayor Fore met with the Forest Hills Police Chief. A decision was made to restrict his policing of our city, and he should only come into the city on personal business. Other reasons offered for this decision were of a legal and practical nature. The Forest Hills Police Chief has no jurisdiction outside his city, and the city’s liability insurance would not provide coverage for his actions.
Sanitation Commissioner
Commissioner Lynch advised that there have been several complaints about missed pickups, including back door pickups. Also, a couple of residents at the meeting said that some of the workers have been walking through their yards instead of using the street, driveway, or walkway. Since many of the garbage truck workers do not speak English, communication between them and the residents is difficult. Commissioner Lynch said that he would contact Rumpke to resolve these issues. Concerning a mention in the meeting about a resident who fails to bring in the empty dumpster/garbage can in a reasonable time, Mayor Fore said that he would talk to this person. A report was also presented for the cleanup behind Hurstbourne Circle. Some work remains, and there is about $600 left from the original $5,000 budget.
Roads Commissioner
Regarding the proposed speed humps on Hurstbourne Lane, the results of the informal poll conducted by Police Chief Redman were as follows: of the 20 residents, 7 were in favor, 7 were opposed, 2 had no opinion, and 4 could not be contacted. It was stressed that no decision has been made, but that any decision will consider the safety needs of the entire city. Since the other initial location for speed humps is Blowing Tree Road, Mayor Fore has requested that all residents on Blowing Tree be contacted by next month’s meeting, and a decision will be made at that time.
In other news, it was pointed out that the fire lane markings in front of the first two houses on either end of Hurstbourne Circle have still not been painted out. Also, in a letter from a resident, Commissioner Nichols confirmed that the streets are going to be repaved and will address the concern about corners where streets intersect. Paving corners would help alleviate standing water, and unseen holes. Finally, Commissioner Lynch mentioned a concern he has about a portion of the island on Bunsen Way that sticks up. Mayor Fore advised that that is not maintained by our city and has been in that condition for at least 10 years.
Parks
Commissioner Hardin advised that he met with Butch Harned at ‘StumpBusters’ regarding the new grass cutting contract. The contract has been offered at the same price per cutting as last year with no other changes. Commissioner Hardin recommended that the contract be accepted and signed. The commissioners unanimously agreed to the new contract, and Mayor Fore said it would be signed and returned to Commissioner Hardin. Other news included the need to repair the picnic tables, the observation that there are several dead trees in the park, and further consideration for the construction and year-round landscaping of a walking path. Further information about the walking path will be presented later in the meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
Ad Valorem Tax
After a discussion about the tax rate for next fiscal year, the decision was made to leave the property tax rate at $.16 per $100 of valuation. Commissioner Dunn made a motion to have the first reading of Ordinance #2, Series 2007, establishing the Ad Valorem Tax Rate for the fiscal year from 7/1/07 to 6/30/08. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hardin, which passed unopposed. The reading was then completed by Mayor Fore.
New Fiscal Budget
Mayor Fore developed some preliminary budget numbers for each area, which were distributed to all of the commissioners. The individual budget areas were discussed, and the commissioners asked to make final recommendation at next month’s meeting. A special meeting will be held at 6:30 pm on 4/19/07 to approve the minutes from the April meeting and complete the first reading of Ordinance #3, Series 2007 establishing he budget for the next fiscal year.
There were several budget items of particular interest that resulted in additional discussion. First, in order to complete the cleanup behind Hurstbourne Circle, including the purchase and planting of replacement trees on the berm, Commissioner Lynch had a request to add an additional $2,500 to the ‘Roads’ budget overseen by Commissioner Nichols. This request was granted. Secondly, Mayor Fore recommended that the sanitation contract be re-bid this year. Attorney Emery will provide the correct wording to the Mayor who will forward it on to Commissioner Lynch. Thirdly, Commissioner Dunn made a recommendation to budget a 5% salary increase for the city treasurer and clerk. A vote was taken, with 3 commissioners opposed and 1 in favor. It was also suggested that a raise be considered for the commissioners, but no increase was included in the budget at this meeting. Lastly, since it was determined that the city needs more police coverage hours, and Police Chief Redman has been averaging 54 hours per week for the past month, Commissioner Dunn proposed an increase in the budget for the Police Chief’s salary. The salary increase would simply be compensation for the additional hours worked and/or required. There was also expressed support for paying for the Police Chief’s health insurance and incorporating that into the budget.
Walking Path Presentation
Landscape Architect Deborah Godshall presented to the Commission two options for the construction of a walking path in the city. The options with any necessary modifications were projected to cost from $50,000 to $80,000. The ad hoc committee stressed that this was only the first look, and that no decision had been made. In November, 2006, $300 was authorized to pay for the preliminary proposal, but the architect’s fee is $500. Therefore, Commissioner Dunn made a motion to authorize an additional $200 towards the fee. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Hardin, which passed unopposed.
Miscellaneous
Sally Price, publisher of the city newsletter, suggested that since neither Commissioner Hardin nor Lynch has e-mail addresses, they can be contacted through the city’s e-mail address. Both commissioners agreed to check at the city hall periodically as needed.
There being no further business or discussion, the meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Michael Bolten, City Clerk
Like to get some fresh air and exercise? The entire “figure-8” of our interior city is 1 mile; e.g., if you start at any point on Haviland, Wesley, Bristol or Addington and return to that starting point by going back & forth on Woodfield (a figure eight), that’s one mile!
Pam Pedometer
CITY-WIDE YARD SALE
Saturday June 9
8 am – 2 pm
Information: Betty Hardin 491-6142