The Leitchfield City Council on Monday night heard the second and final reading of two ordinances related to the composition of the Leitchfield Planning Commission, and stipends for Leitchfield Code Enforcement Board members.
The amended Planning Commission ordinance contains new clauses as well as amended clauses to the existing ordinance, which was initially passed in 1999. The major proposed changes in the ordinance are related to where Planning Commission members reside and/or own a business or property.
The amended ordinance contains the following clauses (amended wordings are represented by underlines, new clauses are in italics):
- There shall be seven members approved by the City Council and appointed by the Mayor for four years.
- Terms shall be staggered so that the terms of no more than two members expire in a year.
- Vacancies on the Planning Commission shall be filled within 60 days. If the vacancy is not filled within that time, the commission shall fill the vacancy according to its bylaws.
- Planning Commission members must meet a minimum of one of the following; (1) Reside within the corporate limits of the city; (2) Own and/or operate a business for profit within the corporate limits of the city and shall reside within Grayson County; (3) Own real estate within the corporate limits of the city and shall reside within Grayson County.
- At least two-thirds of the members of the Planning Commission shall reside within the corporate limits of the city.
- Officers of the Planning Commission shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairman and secretary-treasurer only one of which can be a non-Leitchfield resident.
The ordinance was unanimously approved by the council.
Code Enforcement stipend
The Leitchfield Code Enforcement Board was established in November 2021 in response to several properties, both residences and businesses, within the city limits that had become eyesores due to visible garbage on the property, high grass, dilapidation, etc.
The board is charged with “issuing remedial orders and imposing civil fines as a method of enforcing city ordinances when a violation of the ordinance has been classified as a civil offense.”
The amended ordinance stipulates a monthly stipend for board members as well as the board chair. The amended ordinance reads as follows (new wording and a new clause are underlined):
- Members of the code enforcement board shall be reimbursed for actual expenses shown by proof and compensated in the amount of $50 per month.
- The chairman of the board shall be compensated an additional $50 per month for their service as chair of the board.
The City Council unanimously approved the ordinance.
Garbage rate freeze
Following a lengthy discussion, the council voted to freeze garbage rates until July 2024. During the interim, the council will explore the possibility of privatizing garbage pickup for city customers.
While privatizing garbage pickup could be less expensive than city workers picking up garbage, Councilman Billy Dallas noted that the council would have to “get someone real reputable,” because once a private company becomes responsible for pickup the city “loses control” as it relates to rates and pickup times, among other concerns. Dallas also expressed an interest in how many local jobs would be lost by switching to a private contractor.
Request for zoning change
The City Council, following the recommendation of the Planning Commission, agreed to reclassify 407 to 409 Mill Street a C1 (highway commercial) property from R1 (single-family low density).
Crawford reappointed
Robert Crawford, longtime chair of the Leitchfield Utilities Commission, was reappointed to another four-year term. The new term will run from March 1, 2023, to February 28, 2027.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
