Published: April 09, 2008 08:20 am      

Evans offers apologies to commission

Richmond City Manager David Evans used time toward the end of Tuesday’s meeting to express his sympathies to city commissioners because of “ …all this turmoil and everything that’s happened.”

Evans was referring to the backlash that occurred among community members after the city adopted an order awarding a contract to turn Camp Catalpa into an RV park.

The order was accepted with no prior announcements inviting public input before the decision was made.

“Save Camp Catalpa” formed, as well as “Support Lakeview RV Park.”

The commission recently reversed its decision to develop the RV park, which was in favor to those wanting to conserve the land – but upset those who were supporting the idea of an RV Park.

“I know you (commissioners) do the very best you can,” Evans said. “And in anything that I do, I want to do the best. I give my heart to this city. When my 16-year-old nephew passed away in a car crash, I was here. When my wife’s father passed away, I was here.

When my own father passed away, I was here. I want to do my best and I know every one of you want to do your best.”

Commissioners Robert Blythe, Kay Cosby Jones and Mike Brewer all expressed their support for Evans and the job he performs as Richmond’s city manager.

“You give of yourself to this community in exceptional ways,” Blythe said. “You are in a position that at times is targeted, but you do what’s right. It’s easy for folks to say what they would have done, but they don’t understand what’s in front of you. I would not want to leave this meeting without saying thank you.”

In other business:

• Dan Lichty, the city’s aquatic center consultant, announced the winners of the city’s pool naming and pool logo contests.

Brooklyn Hymer, a seventh-grader at Foley Middle School and Daniel Dalton, a ninth-grader at Madison Central High School were each given an award certificate and a pair of swimming goggles.

One came up with Paradise Island and another came up with Paradise Pool, and so the selection committee latched on to those things,” Lichty said. “They worked on it and came up with Paradise Cove. We have asked these youngsters if we could embellish it.”

The facility’s logo can be seen at www.pool.richmond.ky.us.

• The commission passed an ordinance concerning a zone change of land at Golden Leaf Farm at the new intersection of Duncannon Lane and Corporate Way. The ordinance changes the land’s zoning classification from industrial park use to highway business use.

• An ordinance was passed that annexes into city limits 3.88 acres of land on KY 388 belonging to Hillcrest Nursery.

• An ordinance was passed that changes the zoning classification for 1.44 acres of land owned by KK & RR LLC from single-family residential to business.

• The commission heard the first reading of an ordinance to change the zoning classification of land on Ramsey Lane owned by Spangler Apartments LLC from industrial use to business use. No votes are taken on an ordinance’s first reading. The final vote comes after the second reading, which will be at the next city commission meeting at noon Tuesday, April 22, in the commission chamber of City Hall.

• Commissioner Bill Strong encouraged the city’s parks and recreation department to take action toward cleaning up Camp Catalpa. The 15-acre area that lies on the opposite shore of Lake Reba is used as a park, bird sanctuary and a disc golf course, but could use some major “straightening,” he said.

• He suggested that the department coordinate an event similar to the state’s annual River Sweep where volunteers gather to collect trash from riverbanks and end the day with a picnic.

•“Someone needs to be put in charge of clean-up operations,” he said.

• An audit of the city’s Section 8 Program office was awarded to Baldwin and Associates for the amount of $10,500. The audit will be for fiscal year 2008.

• The commission accepted the resignation of Cory Erdmann from the Citizens Police Advisory Board; Earl Ray Neal, a member of the city’s Ethics Board; Joey Vorbeck of the Richmond Fire Department; and Claude Hudson Jr. from the Richmond Police Department.

• Andrew Baines and Jared Kiser were hired as seasonal employees for Gibson Bay Golf Course; Marion Randal Caudill, Joshua Ray Cole and Randall Webb were hired as seasonal employees for the city’s parks and recreation department; Joshua A. Thomas was hired as a temporary parks security employee; and Jason Blaine McCoy was hired as an employee of the city parks and recreation department.

• Richmond Police Officer Jason Curry was promoted to the rank of senior patrol.

• Letitia Winkler was promoted to serve as the assistant communications supervisor for the Richmond Communications Center.

• Brooke Bowman was appointed to the city’s Ethics Board; Meena Mohanty was appointed as the legal profession representative for the Citizens Police Advisory Board; Nancy Roberts was reappointed to the Richmond Tourism and Convention Commission; Mark Edward and Jon McChesney were appointed to the city’s parks and recreation board; Gary Abney, Robert Locker and Henry Combs were appointed to the Richmond Utility Board; Brian Adams and Charlie Horn were appointed to the city’s ordinance enforcement board; and Robert Moody, Cecile Schubert and Susan Vanstone were appointed to the city’s Ethics Board.

• The city recently has applied for several grants to assist with various projects, including: a land and water conservation grant that would help with the construction of a handicap accessible playground; a transportation enhancement grant to help construct pedestrian trails from Kit Carson Drive to S. Keeneland Drive; and a Safe Route to School grant that is to improve sidewalks near Daniel Boone Elementary and Madison Middle School.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.