Mayor Jim Gray’s $22 million dollar budgeting recommendation for repairs to Lexington’s increasingly fragile former Fayette County Courthouse survived an Urban County Council vote Tuesday.
Discussion about the proposed renovation forced council members to weigh financial worries about the limited utility of the courthouse against the historic significance of the century-old building, which often serves as an emblem of the city.
During Tuesday’s lengthy budget talks, councilman Ed Lane warned his colleagues that, with the courthouse containing only a small amount of usable or rentable space, the lion’s share of upkeep costs would fall back on the city.
"It's one thing just to build it, but then you've got the ongoing maintenance and operating expenses that you'll be paying out year after year," he cautioned.
Lane guessed that yearly cost could be close to $600,000.
But Mayor Gray defended the spending, arguing the building’s value isn’t just a matter of dollars and cents.
"I don't think you'd put a squire footage number on the Washington Monument. I don't think we could put a square footage number on the Statue of Liberty," he said. "For our city this represents so much of that legacy, so much of that history."
The council ultimately sided with Gray, okaying the funding request. Final approval will allow the city to apply for a historic tax credit, which could add another $12 million to project funding. The total cost for rehabilitating the old courthouse is estimated at $38 million.
Raises On The Way
Lexington city employees are set to receive a four percent raise starting July 1st.
The council voted last week to up the three percent raise suggested in the mayor’s budget by another one percent, though the increase will mean cuts to fire hydrants and nuisance abatement.
Council member Richard Moloney once again urged his colleagues to reward employees for hunkering down during tight recession-year budgets.
"We've got a surplus for the last two years and it's all because of what these employees have done, and I commend them for doing it," the at-large councilman said.
Meanwhile, the council is considering a separate measure to increase the minimum wage for all city workers.
Body Cameras On Pause
The council elected to hold off on funding for police body cameras Tuesday, dropping $600,000 earmarked for the technology with an eye toward resuming the funding in the fall. The move didn’t sit well with 4th district council member Susan Lamb.
"I think that this is a complicated issue and I have concerns with us waiting until October for discussion," she said.
Public Safety Commissioner Ronnie Bastin responded with a caveat against rushing the process as the department examines an increasingly long list of camera, software, and storage options.
"I know people want to move forward very quickly, but this is one that's going to have significant expense from now on. So it's imperative that we choose the right system as we go into this," Bastin replied. "It's not to slow down the process at all. It's try to give us the best system for this community."
About a hundred Louisville police officers began wearing body cameras this month.
