CITY OF PROSPECT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
February 15, 2010

(A complete transcript of this meeting is available at City Hall and on the City's Web Site, http://www.prospectky.com )

ATTENDANCE:                                                                                                                    

Present:    Mayor Todd Eberle; Council Members Loretta Ertel, Sandra Leonard, Stuart Miles, Mike Scott, Alan Simon, and Sandra Tucci; City Attorney Grover Potts; City Administrator Ann Simms; Police Chief Marvin Wilson; Recording Secretary Debra Skaggs; Court Reporter Rose Mary Kithcart.

Mayor Eberle called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.  

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Council Member Loretta Ertel moved approval of the minutes of the regular City Council Meeting of January 11, 2010; Council Member Alan Simon seconded; passed unanimously.

SPECIAL ORDER:

Louisville Metro Mayoral Candidate Greg Fischer asked to address the Council concerning his candidacy for Metro Mayor in the May 18, 2010 primary election.   He thanked the Council for the opportunity to speak and outlined his reasons for running for Mayor of Louisville / Jefferson County Metro Government.

MAYOR'S REPORT:

Mayor Eberle observed that the winter months have included numerous days and nights requiring snow removal and winter storm street preparation efforts on the part of the city.   He has received several unsolicited communications expressing appreciation for the job the city has done this winter.   He thanked the Prospect Police Department, Police Chief Wilson, and Bob Kirzinger of Edwards Landscaping and Snow Removal for their excellent work in monitoring storm conditions and keeping streets open for safe travel twenty-four hours a day.

Accountant's financial reports and internal budgetary analyses for the end of January were distributed.   Revenues from property taxes have exceeded budgetary expectations, though insurance premium tax proceeds are currently short of budgetary expectations.   The overall financial picture is positive with roughly 76% of budgeted revenues received and 50% of budgeted expenditures disbursed at the close of seven months of operations.   On a final financial note, Mayor Eberle advised the Council that he was pleased to have recently received a voluntary contribution in the form of a check made out to the City from a resident who expressed appreciation for all that city government does to assure the beauty of Prospect.      

Ethics Commission annual disclosure forms have been sent to all elected and appointed officials as well as all city employees and members of ordinance-established boards or commissions.   Mayor Eberle noted that the forms should be completed and returned to Ethics Commission Chair Susan Nicholson on or before March 4 th .

The Forestation Board is active with various activities.   A large stand of invasive "tree of heaven" has been identified in a forested area of city land along Harrods Creek.   The Kentucky Division of Forestry, through urban forester Peter Barber, has agreed to conduct removal at no cost to the city.   The Board is also investigating treatment methods to prevent loss of ash trees to the emerald ash borer.   The insect has been detected in Jefferson County and proposals are being solicited to assess and treat the city's roughly 110 public ash trees identified by the city's tree inventories conducted in 2008 and 2009.   The Board is also working on revisions to the city's recommended tree listing and the city's 2010 Forestation Plan, both of which are scheduled to be submitted to the Council at the April 19 th meeting.   

The Putney Pond and Woodlands Advisory Committee is planning an "Open House" at the Putney Pond and Woodlands property on Saturday, May 8 th .   Members of the Committee will be available to guide individuals and families along the trails.   Plans are being made to secure funding for a stone stairway descending from the hiking trail to a traditional gathering area as well as a wooden bridge spanning a ravine along a trail near the Fox Valley Drive entrance to the property.   Council Member Stuart Miles, liaison to the Committee, distributed a depiction of the project area provided by Qk4 Engineering and advised the Council that private donations are being solicited for the construction of the stone stairway and wooden bridge.   Mayor Eberle noted that a biological inventory of the property will be conducted in the coming months.   The inventory is a requirement of the grant from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund which provided funding for purchase of the natural area.   It will provide a baseline for monitoring and protection of flora and fauna in the future.

The Library Committee has developed a summary of operations and procedures which will be published in the February Prospect Newsletter.   Council Member Sandra Leonard, liaison to the Committee, noted that the library has already received an unusually large number of book donations for the May 14 & 15 Spring Book Sale, including a significant gift from Barnes and Noble Booksellers.   Residents are encouraged to bring additional donations to City Hall.   Receipts are provided for those wishing to claim tax deductions.  

The City of Prospect hosted the River Road Scenic Byway Corridor Management Study Group on Saturday, February 13.   The all-day meeting was attended by City Administrator Ann Simms.   She noted that the group has continually been pleased with the support received for the goals of the Study by the City of Prospect.    

POLICE REPORT:

The Police Report was presented by Chief Marvin Wilson.   Monthly statistics were noted which reflected an increase in house watches as well as an increase in automobile accidents compared to statistics for January 2009.   He noted that the Department is continuing with enhancements to officer training activities beyond the state-required forty hours of annual training.   Recent trainings have included courses attended by officers on Internet predators and identity theft.   The materials from specialized trainings will be used to develop programs which can be taught in the community.   Additional training efforts include expanded "roll call training" in which Chief Wilson and Lieutenant Wine develop materials for short training sessions on specific skills during "roll call" when officers meet at City Hall during shift changes.    

SPECIAL ORDER:

Mayor Eberle announced that the Prospect Comprehensive Transportation Study, also known as "The Prospect Mobility Study," has been completed.   A final report containing 21 recommendations for connectivity and alternative transportation projects for the city was published earlier this month.   Copies of the full Final Report of the Prospect Mobility Study were distributed to members of the Council.   Copies of the Executive Summary are available to the public on request.   Mayor Eberle noted that the Study was made possible by a grant from the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency and was conducted by the Qk4 consulting engineering firm based in Louisville.   A slide presentation has been prepared by Qk4 and it is hoped that a presentation could be made to the full Council at an upcoming monthly meeting.   A newspaper article on the Study will be published in the Wednesday, March 3 rd Louisville Courier- Journal.  

COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS:

Prospect resident Scott Potter addressed the Council requesting better control of speeding traffic at the bottom of a steep hill in the lower Deep Creek Drive area.   He suggested a stop sign or a speed hump to slow traffic.   Prospect resident Nick Nicholson noted a need for better control of speeding in the Fox Harbor neighborhood.   Mayor Eberle and Chief Wilson suggested that a traffic analysis of the areas be conducted by the Police Department in order to determine how best to handle the problem.   Council Member Simon also voiced concern over speeding and other traffic problems in the lower Deep Creek Drive area and expressed appreciation for signs prohibiting parking on the steep hill which were put in place about a year ago.   Simon also noted that the City had looked into speed humps several years ago and identified the existence of significant liability issues.   Mayor Eberle noted that speed bumps and speed humps are easily damaged by snow removal equipment and pose maintenance cost problems for the city.   It was hoped that added signage and/or increased police patrols could reduce speeding problems.       

NEW BUSINESS:

Mayor Eberle noted that he had received a request for a street name change from a resident on Gunpowder Lane.   It was the consensus of the Council that any recommendation for change of street names would need to be accompanied by evidence of broad-based support from residents.   Any actions would also need to be cleared through Louisville Metro Government planning agencies, the United States Postal Service and possible other sources.    

ADJOURNMENT:

Council Member Alan Simon moved to adjourn; Council Member Sandra Leonard seconded; passed unanimously.   Mayor Eberle declared the meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m.    

Respectfully submitted,
Debra Skaggs
Recording Secretary

Approved:
Todd B. Eberle
Mayor

ATTEST:
Ann R. Simms
City Clerk