Tuesday's Internet Edition, July 08, 2008.
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Mike Organ proposed, on behalf of the Lexington Community Enterprises (LCE), that the City take title to the Park Building. Along with the Building itself, the LCE wants to give to the City all equipment, including about $13,000 in funds the LCE now has. Organ explained that underlying this request is the inability of the LCE to solicit or secure any grant money. Organ told the Council that the building is in need of extensive repair, and the funds to do this are simply not available.
Concern was expressed by the Mayor that the City did not have the funds to make the extensive repairs that Organ had mentioned. Organ pointed out that unless funds could be found from some source such as grants, the building will soon be unusable due to continuing deterioration. At the suggestion of the Mayor, the Council voted to have the Mayor appoint a Citizens Committee to study the matter and report back in the very near future.
In other business, the Council heard from Ruth Buckingham who made a request for a variance from the City Ordinances to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages at her restaurant, Paloma’s. This item was preceded by comments in favor of the variance from two community residents during the Citizen Input period on the agenda.
Virtually the only discussion on the matter by the Council was that the method of measuring distance from the front door of Paloma’s to the two churches located nearby had changed since the time that one of the previous operators had had an alcoholic license. Since there was no motion in favor of the variance, the matter was dropped.
Tim Kleinschmidt spoke to the Council on behalf of his client, Kelley Brown, concerning the interpretation of a City Ordinance covering use of the City Square for dogs. This was item number “5” on the City Council agenda, which read: “Kelley Brown has asked to speak with the Council concerning Animal Control Officer and Police Chief harassing her dog and declining to allow her to chain her dog on the City Square.”
Some weeks ago, Brown tethered her dog to a tree on the Square. She had been warned in the past for letting her dog run loose, which is against the City Animal Ordinance. Brown was asked by the Animal Control Officer to take her dog off the Square.
It was stated that there were no outstanding citations for Brown at this time. The Mayor has appointed a Committee to study the issue to resolve any misunderstandings about the interpretation of the Ordinance.
On behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, Cindy Gibson brought the Council up to date on the planned locations of loud speakers proposed to be installed on the Square, which would enhance communication around the Square during events.
The existing City Ordnance on outside burning was discussed. After considerable discussion, the Council voted to amend the Ordinance to match the State’s Outdoor Burning Rule, with the addition of adding a request that anyone planning to burn outdoors should first notify some City Official or the County Emergency Center so as to prevent calling the Fire Department unnecessarily. This passed 5-0. The Council also heard a report from Council members Poston and Lewis on planned drainage at Margaret Bexley’s property.