Questions for Steve Connelly

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For Steve Connelly: You know Mayor, that was a good question. A slide that needed a liitle repair and BAM a new one. Am I paying an extra tax for that? All this money spent on the parks with not much question about it. Seems like one of the biggest things on yours and the councils minds is putting more money in the park. Can cuts in the park budget pay for other things the city needs. Does our park director really need an assistant? I see alot of people from Berea in Richmond playing ball. Answer: You raise a fundamental question that every government should continually ask itself: can expedndit... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mayor, your answer that its not black and white on the worthwhile commitment of hazardous duty is something I dont think you could possibly believe yourself. Where did you percieve this to be even a legitimate answer to a great question. These officers/ and firemen deserve to be treated with respect to their intelligence also. Its a shame that noone has mentioned raising some sort of tax on other projects I read about in the papers. Please respond to that worthwhile question one more time and look at it from their standpoint. Why does it appear that they will wind up having to beg for hazardous duty benefits. I dont think they will.. Answer: Police and fire personnel deserve respect and admiration. They get that from Berea city government a... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mayor, Why does our parks department refuse to make the effort to work up our baseball and softball fields when it rains the night before a game? Twice in one week the Richmond kids have played and the Berea games have been cancelled. Saturday and Wednesday. I want a parks department that makes the effort to play games. I have never seen our Parks Director or her Assistant with a rake in her hand or riding a mower. I suppose it's not in their job description. Give us a Parks Dept. that like to work outside and makes an effort to play the games. We don't need a Parks Dept. that stays huddled up in their office all day! Answer: The parks deparment cancels games based upon safety factors. A secondary consideration would be dama... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mayor Connelly, I have a question concerning the plans to re-align the intersection of Boone, Chestnut and Fee Streets. I think I saw at one time that the city plans to spend some major grant funds to re-align Boone and Fee Streets. Is that a good plan for those dollars? And want a simple alternating traffic signal take care any traffic problems at that intersection? Answer: The state transportation department will pay the cost of the new traffic signal. Most of the $500,00... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mayor Connelly I have been reading all the answers that you have given to the questions on Hazardous durty retirment and I am wondering why the issue of raising taxes has come up. Is it a scare tactic? Seems that they was plenty of money for the millions of dollars used for the park system and it is mostly used by out of town people.I believe that if you would listen to the police officers and firemen and try to understand that after 20 years of this job riding in cars with 20 pounds of equipment on their belts as well other factors such as physical strenth that you would want younger physically fit officers to be working the streets. These officers have given up holidays days off and gone through stressful situations that you could never imagine. I think they deserve this and by the way I am a citizen not a officer or fireman and I do not know any of them personally. I think they are to be commended for working under the conditions that this city has put them in.God Bless them all Answer: The linking of hazardous retirement to raising taxes is not a scare tactic; it is reality. It would ... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mayor Connelly, What are the determining factors in whether Berea is a 4th class or a 3rd class city and what effects would there be to our current city council positions if Berea became a 3rd class city? Answer: Ky. Const. Section 156a, amended in 1994, provides that the General Assembly shall create classifica... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mr. Mayor isn't the hazardous duty commitment a worthwhile commitment? Answer: I personally believe that hazardous retirment is, to use your words, "a worthwhile commitment." Howe... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mr. Mayor why must you impose a tax increase to pay for hazardous duty, why don't you just request that Berea to become a third class city? Answer: I am not sure I understand your question. Being a particular class city does not generate revenue. W... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mr. Mayor I have been reading this site and I have to say I am concern with our fire and police personel. I think it is of number one priorty to give these men and women what they need. In fact they are the ones who take care of us when we sleep. Being a concerned citizen I think you should address this issue at the next council meeting and give these people what they need after all these people not only representing me they represent you also. Answer: Thank you for your comment. I invite you to come to our next council meeting which will be held at 6... Read Full Answer
For Steve Connelly: Mr. Mayor what would someone need to do to get the issue of hazardous duty looked at by the city? I can tell from looking at this website that it is a very big issue that the city needs to address. If I were an employee of the city hazardous duty retirement would me more important to me than a pay raise. Answer: One way would be to make a written request for hazardous retirement as part of the budget process no... Read Full Answer