Lexington’s Urban County Council awoke to find one seat at the horseshoe empty Monday. Veteran 12th district council member and local business leader Ed Lane passed away Sunday.
Speaking with friends and colleagues of Lane, a picture emerges of a reliably upbeat man who always kept an eye on the bottom line. Lexington CAO Sally Hamilton remembers the Lane Report founder as a budget hawk with a kind touch.
"He was a real guardian of the taxpayer's dollars. That was his mantra," she says. "He wanted to make sure that the money that was spent really did some good or produced something worthwhile."
An entrepreneur who relocated to Lexington in the early 80s, Lane started a real estate brokerage firm and, bucking the advice of consultants who told him the market was too small to support a business magazine, launched The Lane Report. Later elected to the council in 2005, Lane could often be seen challenging city officials on financial assumptions and arguing for conservative fiscal principles.
"Urban County Government is losing a strong, focused voice in their policymaking that will reflect the perspective of the business community," Lane Communications Group editorial director Mark Green adds.
Unbeknownst to coworkers, Lane had been diagnosed with cancer more than two years ago. He passed away quietly Sunday night surrounded by family. As for the businesses he leaves behind, Green says they will continue to follow the path charted by their founder.
"We'll miss him, but... his legacy is going to live on for a long time," Green assures readers. "The Lane Report is not going anywhere."
Update from the Mayor's Office: Mayor Jim Gray has 30 days to appoint a new council member for the 12th District. The council has 15 days after the appointment to disapprove the choice. Disapproval requires a 2/3rd vote of the council.
