CITY OF PROSPECT
CITY COUNCIL MEETING
December 7, 1998

PRESENT:
Mayor Lonnie Falk; Council Members Harold Smith, Raymond Burse, Alan Simon, Lee Zimmerman, Sandra Tucci; City Attorney John Evans; City Administrator Ann Simms; Chief Mike Day; Recording Secretary Phyllis A. O’Donnell.

Mayor Falk called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.

Mayor Falk handed out ballots to the Council Members for the 1999 Beach Craigmyle Award to be filled out and returned at the end of the meeting.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
Council Member Smith moved approval of the minutes of the regular City Council Meeting of November 16, 1998; Council Member Zimmerman seconded; passed unanimously.

COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS:
Mr. Phillip Grauman, owner of the Woodlands Condo Development in the Landings, addressed the Council, requesting a permit to repair and landscape the hillside near the Woodlands. Mr. Grauman is unhappy with the City’s hesitation to grant him permission for construction. Mayor Falk explained that the hillside was inherently unstable and at risk, and that the City would not accept the liability for work done that was not guaranteed by a soil engineer and the engineering company doing the project; he also reminded Mr. Grauman that it is the City’s responsibility to protect its residents and that if the hillside fails in the future, the City would not be doing its job. Council Member Burse suggested that Mr. Grauman have the engineering company write a letter stating that the method proposed to repair the hillside will address the problem, fix the erosion situation and guarantee that their solution will work. After further investigation, a document will be prepared by the City and presented to Mr. Grauman

Mr. Grauman also has requested that he be allowed to place a permanent “Woodlands” sign at the corner of Timber Ridge Drive and Timber Crest. Mayor Falk stated that the sign was against the City Sign Ordinance since it was an off-premise sign and the ordinance did not allow for a variance. Mr. Grauman questioned the ordinance and was told by Mayor Falk that the only way to change the ordinance was to amend the ordinance and that Mr. Grauman could present an amendment for the Council’s consideration.

Residents from the Wolf Pen Branch area were in attendance, expecting to hear representatives from the company which is planning a mixed use development at Wolf Pen Branch Road and U.S. 42. Mayor Falk told the residents the developers were not expected at this evening’s meeting and he would be happy to contact them when a definite date is established.

FINANCIAL REPORT
There was no financial report presented

POLICE REPORT
Chief Mike Day presented the monthly police report. In addition, he reported that Sgt. Larry Johnson has been promoted to Lieutenant and that Officer Troy Cammack has successfully completed his training period.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was no unfinished business

NEW BUSINESS
There was no new business.

EXECUTIVE SESSION
Council Member Burse moved the Council to meet in Executive Session for the purpose of litigation and potential litigation; seconded by Council Member Milliman. The Council met in Executive Session from 8:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Council Member Burse criticized the Courier-Journal for recent articles regarding the City of Prospect and MSD saying that the articles were not based on true and actual facts.

ADJOURNMENT
Council Member Burse moved adjournment; Council Member Milliman seconded; passed unanimously. Mayor Falk declared the meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m.