Richmond Mayor Connie Lawson began her state of the city address Thursday night by tackling the one issue that has been a year-long topic — the city’s financial status.
“A year-and-a-half to two years ago, something just happened,” Lawson said. “Jobs went away and the revenue started leaving, and everybody started trying to pick up the pieces. We, as every other city, faced that challenge. I’m not tacking the blame to anyone, but I will say that in 2008-2009 I feel we will have probably lost about $3 million. We’ll get this $3 million back. It won’t come overnight, but we are going to get it.”
Several factors went into the city’s deficit, she said, citing the January 2009 ice storm, the May 2009 tornado and approximately 50 inches of rain during the summer.
“Of course the golf course and pool (revenue) was down,” she said. “We recognize where the deficits have come from. We won’t know everything for sure until the final audit. I’ve been in touch with the auditors, and I believe we will get our final report the second week in February.
“I’m prepared for this audit more than any audit we’ve ever had.”
Lawson touched on the possibility of layoffs and furloughs for city employees during her address.
“I don’t think our employees are overpaid,” Lawson said. “We do have a few positions that we may have to eliminate. I fully expect that we’ll have to do some furloughing.”
Lawson said she had been approached by city employees who would rather take furlough days to save their jobs.
When it comes to searching for more city revenue, Lawson said she has taken it upon herself to make sure all city net-profit taxes are being collected.
“We are going to find revenue we did not realize was there,” she said.
Other cost-saving measures Lawson mentioned included the city’s recent merge with the county/Berea E-911 dispatching system; the creation of the city’s new finance committee that reviews expenditures and revenues on a regular basis; implementing a slight increase in fees for the Gibson Bay Golf Course and the Paradise Cove Aquatic Center; and many others.
Earlier this year, each city department was asked to reduce costs as much as possible, and doing this already is saving the city about $125,000 a month, Lawson said.
Lawson also mentioned the financial benefits that could come from combining the city and county tourism efforts with the Richmond Chamber of Commerce, and touched on virtually all city departments and “the good work they do,” giving praise to all those in the city’s police and fire departments, GIS, codes enforcement, planning and zoning, tourism and parks and recreation.
Lawson’s state of the city address, which was hosted by the League of Women Voters of Berea and Madison County, can be viewed in its entirety on Richmond’s public access Channel 12, Jan. 29 through Feb. 4, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 a.m., 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
Local News
‘We’ll get this $3 million back’
Lawson gives ‘State of City,’ focuses on finances
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Friday at library : Lecturer to portray founder of Berea
John G. Fee, abolitionist and founder of both Berea and Berea College, will be portrayed Friday night by performer Obadiah Ewing-Roush as part of Kentucky Humanities Council Chautauqua performance series at the Madison County Public Library. There is no charge to attend the 7 p.m. event.
As the son of a slave-holding father, Fee witnessed firsthand the benefits of having slaves and the profits that could be made from their labor. When he graduated from college and enrolled in Lane Theological Seminary, he began to understand the inherent wrong and destructiveness of slavery. -
Berea woman dies Tuesday in Laurel County crash
A Berea woman, Tommie Johnson, 60, died Tuesday evening in a Laurel County crash, according to the the Laurel Sheriff’s Office.
The accident took place about 7 p.m. at the junction of Maple Grove Road and KY 363 south of London, as Johnson was attempting to turn onto the state highway.
Laurel County Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore said Johnson’s Chevrolet Cavalier pulled out in front of a Dodge Durango driven by Charles Joseph, 19, that was traveling south on KY 363.
After being extricated from her vehicle, Johnson was transported to St. Joseph-London hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Joseph also was transported to the hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries, according to the accident report. -
Finally February
Ian Rosser, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Lexington, clears snow from his car parked on campus Wednesday
morning after about an inch of snow fell in Richmond. Temperatures are forcast to be in the upper 40s today. Kentucky has seen a lot of rain in the past few months, as was predicted by the Farmer's Almanac, but very little snow has fallen. -
Volunteers needed for equine therapy
The Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center will be hosting two, one-day volunteer training workshops for those interested in helping others with special needs.
The volunteer orientation days will be Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but only one day of training is required, according to Mark Martin who co-owns Appalachian Foothills Therapeutic Equestrian Center (AFTEC) with his wife Cheryl.
The all-volunteer organization, which is based in Jackson County, uses horses to help humans deal with physical and emotional challenges. -
Man accused of holding samurai sword to girlfriend’s throat
A Madison grand jury will hear the case of a man accused of threatening to cut his girlfriend’s head off, and attacking her father with a samurai sword.
Russell M. Masters, 42, of Richmond, is charged with two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment, which is a Class D felony, and fourth-degree assault (domestic violence with minor injury) and resisting arrest, which both are Class A misdemeanors. Masters could receive one to five years in prison on each wanton endangerment charge, and the misdemeanors both carry a maximum sentence of one year in jail. -
Arrest made in connection with stolen jewelry, computer
Richmond police have made an arrest in connection with property stolen from two homes last fall.
A woman reported to police Monday that she had discovered several items that were missing from her home on South Killarney Drive and her grandmother’s home on Raintree Drive, according to Richmond Police Chief Larry Brock. The items were a set of gold hoop earrings, a white Sony Vaio laptop, a yellow gold heart pendant, a gold tennis bracelet and a ladies’ wedding band with a diamond setting.
The complainant said the belongings had gone missing sometime between August and October. -
US 25 business owners scared of five-lane plan
Voices of Berea business owners upset about upcoming construction on US 25 will be taken to the state level, according to city administrator Randy Stone.
Several people operating businesses along a section of US 25 gave comments Tuesday to the Berea City Council, asking them reconsider plans to widen the road to five lanes.
The design is a five-lane highway with a center turn lane and a 10-foot shared use path on one side and a 5-foot sidewalk on the other side. -
Grand jury to hear copper theft case
The attorney for a man accused of stealing copper from a handful of electric poles questioned his identification as the same person who took copper from 32 poles two days earlier.
Public defender Meena Mohanty questioned Richmond police officer Nicholas Duvall during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Madison District Court. Her client, Jeffrey W. Nester, 46, of Fourth Street, was arrested in connection with a Jan. 23 copper theft. He is charged with second-degree criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. These charges are all misdemeanors that, at most, carry a sentence of one year in prison. -
Judge weighs constitutionality of legislative redistricting
Kentucky’s deadline for filing to run for legislative seats was in flux on Monday because a judge did not immediately rule on a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of newly redrawn district boundaries.
Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said he expects to enter a ruling in the case by mid-week.
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Couple recovering from injuries suffered in weekend house fire
A couple was hospitalized after their home was set ablaze Sunday by a spark from a cigar, according to a county fire official.
County Fire Chief Jim Cox said the city and county fire departments were called to the home at 111 Concord Road in the early afternoon. Waco Volunteer Fire Department and the Richmond Fire Department also responded.
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