City of St. Matthews3940 Grandview AvenueP.O. Box 7097St. Matthews, KY 40257-0097Hours: M-Th 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

F 7:30 -11:30 a.m.

FEBRUARY 2013

With nearly 40 years combinedexperience working for the City of St.Matthews, Ann Cleary, Doris Fisher andPam Topping can answer almost anyquestion about property andoccupational taxes and businesslicenses. All three ladies enjoy theirroles as public servants. “I like helpingpeople find the information they arelooking for,” said Cleary, the City’sProperty Tax Specialist. “And any of usare happy to take care of peoplecoming to the window or calling on thetelephone.” Cleary’s job includes billing, collectingand maintaining records for propertytaxes. Property taxes are based on anassessment St. Matthews receives fromthe Jefferson County Property ValuationAdministration. Tax bills are mailed outOct. 1 and must be paid by Dec. 31;however, the City gives a 40% discountif the property taxes are paid by Oct.31. When she’s not at the office, Clearyenjoys traveling with her daughter whoexhibits Chinese Shar-Pei in dog showsacross the eastern U.S. Fisher, whose work experience goesback so far she can remember being onthe job when President Kennedy wasassassinated, is the City’s BusinessLicense Clerk. Anyone who owns abusiness in St. Matthews needs alicense. Most license fees are based on

the gross receipts the business earnedthe previous year. A few businesses,such as attorneys, doctors and realestate brokers, pay a flat fee. Businesslicense fees paid by April 30 will bediscounted by 50%. The business license discount is justone of many great things about living inSt. Matthews, according to Fisher. “Idon’t live in St.Matthews, and Inot only payhigher propertytaxes, but I stillhave to pay tohave mygarbageremoved,” shesaid. Fisher enjoyseating out andtalking with herfamily, whichincludes sixgrandchildren. Topping, theCity’sOccupational TaxClerk, has worked for St. Matthews forfive years. Before that, she was with theProperty Valuation Office for 22 years.Occupational taxes are collectedquarterly and are based on theemployees’ gross wages. “Most peopleunderstand the process very well,” said

Topping, “and if there are anymisunderstandings, I help them withrefunds or show them the properamount to pay.” While she and her husband don’ttravel a great deal, Topping says theyenjoy going to wine festivals or just aSaturday road trip. She also likes towork in her yard and stays busy pruning

bushes and planting flowers. All three ladies grew up in Louisville,share a love of reading and have funworking together. “Come see us or giveus a call at 895-9444 any time,” saidTopping. “We’ll be glad to talk withyou.”

(l to r) Pam Topping, Doris Fisher and Ann Cleary enjoy workingtogether to help St. Matthews residents with their taxes and licenses.

Experience, desire to help equal good service

A Message From

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Trinity champs three times running

Easy Being GreenWatch out for that tree!!Planting and pruning trees is a great way tocontribute positively to the environment and toyour neighborhood. Some practical advice willhelp you on your way. Trees that get too large should be pruned by acertified arborist who understands tree structure.A professional pruning will encourage a strongcentral leader and discourage heavy sidebranches that may break off, possibly causinginjury or damage. Always have dead branches,know as “widow makers,” safely removed. When planting trees, envision how they willlook fully grown and place them so they will notinterfere with public ways or utilities. Avoidplanting fast growing or brittle trees like Bradfordpear, silver maple, water maple or willow in aright-of-way. If planting or removing trees inright-of-way, call St. Matthews Public Works firstfor suggestions and approval.

Greening-up At a property owner’s request, the Citywill “green up” a vehicle pull-off areapreviously installed in the easement area infront of a residential property. To have thisFREE green up performed, the propertyowner must put the request in writing andsubmit it to the attention of City EngineerJim Birch at City Hall.  Once the request isreceived, a review of the site will be made,and the city engineer will contact theproperty owner to arrange for the work tobe done. Green upwork is done ascrews are availableand during grassgrowing season.Questions may bedirected to Jim Birchat 899-2518.

As your St. Matthews Cityofficials, we would like to thankyou for allowing us to serve youfor another year. In 2012, the City providedmany services including newdrainage ditches and sidewalks,leaf and garbage removal, newcontainers for recycling, railroadquiet zones, park restoration,

street treatments in foulweather, and holidaycelebrations in our parks. Our Police Department hasprovided free house watcheswhile you were away fromhome, a presence in our schoolsfor the security of our childrenand streets and neighborhoodsthat are safe.

St. Matthews City personnelhave been busy answering yourquestions from their offices andhave come to your homes tohelp assess issues of concern. We look forward to servingyou well in 2013 and to workingalongside you to make St.Matthews a great place to liveand work.

St. Matthews’ own Trinity Highhas won its 10�� state footballtitle in 12 years and its 22ⁿ�overall. In a 61-7 rout overPleasure Ridge Park, Trinitywas declared the champion on

Dec. 1 for the third year in arow. At right, Principal DanZoeller, Councilwoman Mary JoNay and Coach Bob Beattyproudly show their colors.

FEBRUARY 2013

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Windsong takes pride in neighborhoodNo magic wand was wielded nor a“bibbity-bobbity-boo” pronouncedto turn crumbling bricks andovergrown plants into the invitingentryway that now graces theWindsong neighborhood off RudyLane. Mary Rita McDevitt, amember of the WindsongNeighborhood Association, said thebeautiful entrance was the result ofmany people joining together todonate funds and elbow grease toget the job done. The project had been discussedfor a number of years beforeMcDevitt, along with Sue Spencer,Emily Pruett, Jan Mester and GailPoe, decided to take action. LastMarch, the group asked Windy HillsCity Council for funds, but since theentrance to Windsong lies in St.Matthews, Windy Hills was unableto help. The group went to St. MatthewsCity Council with a three-fold plan:

cut down trees,renovate the entranceand add plants alongRudy Lane. Though St.Matthews could notfund the project, theydid agree to help within-kind labor. “St.Matthews helped ustake down crumblingbrickwork, pull out oldplants and refurbishthe ground, amongother things,” saidMcDevitt. The councilalso agreed to mowthe grass along the road, and theWindsong group used those savingsto purchase plants with the City’sdiscounted rate. Since beginning to work in the fall,the group has taken down some ofthe columns and old latticeworkwhile refurbishing some columnsand adding caps to them and

aluminum work between themwith the help of neighbor andcontractor Chris Boehnlein. Thecolumns have been painted, newplants added and a fence put in.The signs were repainted by theoriginal artist, 90-year-old

FurryfriendsRememberto pick upafter yourpets andkeep themon a leash.Also, if you

have a dog that barksincessantly at night or early inthe day, take steps to silencehim for the sake of yourneighbors.

Street lightsLet’s remember our youngercitizens who are crossing streets andwaiting on corners for school busesin darkening hours. To report an outof service street light or one thatburns all day, phone the Call St.Matthews line at 638-4STM (4786)and select option 2, then option 4.

Turn off your car Don’t leave your car running whileyou’re not in it. It’s not only illegal,but it wastes precious fuel and

pollutes the air along with making iteasy for a thief to steal.

Garbage/recycling cansGarbage cans should not be setout until the day before pickup.Cans should be put away the sameday they are emptied. Goodneighbors don’t leave them out fordays. Rumpke will pick up yourrecycling on the weeks beginningwith the following dates: Feb. 3,17; Mar. 3, 17, 31; Apr. 14, 28.

Good Neighboring

Gail Poe (left) and Emily Pruett paint the columns thatmake up the entrance to the Windsong subdivision.

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Police Beat

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St. Matthews Police:Keeping our schools safe

The tragedy in Newtown, CT,has left many people searchingfor answers regarding how toensure the safety of children andteachers in schools. While wedon’t have all the answers, theSt. Matthews Police Departmenthas been an active partner inworking with our schools tomaintain a safe and secureeducational environment.The SMPD has gained areputation as a lawenforcement leader for itsproactive approach toaddressing school safetyissues and for itspreparation and training torespond to an incident likethe one in Newtown. As far back as 1996, theSMPD began enhancingits school safety programwhen Chief Norm Mayernoticed a nationwide trendof increasing crime involvingjuveniles. To prevent juvenilecrime from encroaching on ourschools, Chief Mayer, inpartnership with Waggener HighSchool, became the first inKentucky to adopt the SchoolResource Officer Program. Thisnationally known programinvolves placing a speciallytrained police officer in a schoolon a full-time basis. School resource officers havethree main functions: lawenforcement, guest speaking andadvisement. First and foremost,the SRO is a police officer, andthe school campus is his or herbeat. The SRO answers calls forservice, takes offense andaccident reports, conducts

investigations and makes arrestsor issues citations whennecessary. In its secondary roles,the SRO conducts classroompresentations on lawenforcement topics and offerslaw-related advice to studentsand staff, as well as acting as amentor and role model foradolescents. The SMPD’s SRO programhas had a direct impact on thesafety and security of Waggener

High School. Over the years,police have received informationthat has led to the prevention ofcrime in the school, as well ashelping solve crimes in St.Matthews and the LouisvilleMetro area. The SRO programhas cultivated an atmospherewhere students feel obligated toreport criminal activity to policeor adults in the school. Because of its success, theSMPD has been recognized as a“Model Agency” for other SROprograms across the nation andhas trained more than 400 policeofficers through its affiliationwith the National Association ofSchool Resource Officers.Today, there are more than 240officers assigned as SROs in

Kentucky. Because of hisleadership in SRO programs,Chief Mayer received the FBIDirector’s CommunityLeadership Award in 2011. TheFBI noted that “one of the mostimportant contributions thatChief Mayer has made to the St.Matthews community is one thathas also been importantthroughout Kentucky and itsimpact may be felt forgenerations to come.”

Not only has the SMPDfostered school safetythrough its SRO program,but, in 2007, it established aSpecial Response Team totake on incidents involvingactive shooters, assaults orother violence where largegroups are at risk. SaidChief Mayer, “Our missionis to respond to the scene asquickly as possible and stopthe attack. No police officerwill stand idly by whilechildren, teachers and staff

are being assaulted or killed.” Under the leadership of Lt.Lewis Christopher, the SRT iscomposed of specially trainedand highly motivated patrolofficers who will respond to

St. Matthews Police Department’s Special ResponseTeam trains after hours in a local school.

SMPD Anonymous Tip LineIf you have seen someoneor something that seemssuspicious, you can givethe police a heads upanonymously by calling498-CLUE ( 2583), Option1. To notify the police ofan action in progress,please telephone theSMPD directly at 893-9000. You do not have togive your name.

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Hot Off the Press

Code Words

FEBRUARY 2013

Windsongcontinued from page 3

Windsong residentBud Kamer. A lighton the old signs wastoo bright and shonein the windows ofsome of theresidents. It wasreplaced with asmaller light on atimer.

“None of this couldhave been donewithout the fundsraised fromneighbors,” saidMcDevitt. During acampaign dubbed“Rewind Windsong”,$5,115 wascollected from 51%

of the residentsbetween Septemberand December. Theentrance committeeplans to use theremainder of themoney to purchaseplants to enhanceRudy Lane thisspring.

So you arrive home late fromwork and someone has taken theparking spot you usually use. Youknow you can’t park next to the firehydrant, but you ask yourself if itwould be OK to park next to thestop sign. Not sure? Allow the CodeEnforcement Department to explainthe proper placement of parkedvehicles. If you don’t have a driveway,you’ll want to know that no vehiclemay be parked in the grass in frontof a house. This is prohibited by the

zoning regulations and is consistentwith other cities throughoutJefferson County. As for parking on the street, avehicle parked along a road musthave its right-hand side toward thecurb or edge of pavement. Thismeans that a vehicle may not beplaced perpendicularly or at an angleto the roadway. In addition, no vehicle may beplaced on a sidewalk, in front of apublic or private driveway or within30 feet (on either side of the

roadway) approaching a stop sign.This means that no portion of thevehicle may extend over, above orinto these locations. The Code EnforcementDepartment receives one or twocomplaints each month regardingparking issues. There are a fewplaces in St. Matthews where streetparking is not allowed at all. So ifyou’re unsure whether you areparking legally, feel free to contactthe City of St Matthews and set yourmind at ease.

Safe cookingWhen choosing the rightequipment for cooking, always usecooking equipment tested andapproved by a recognized testingfacility. Plug microwave ovensand other cooking appliancesdirectly into a wall outlet. Neveruse an extension cord for acooking appliance – it canoverload the circuit and cause afire.

Watch what you heatThe leading cause of fires in thekitchen is unattended cooking.Stay in the kitchen when you arefrying, grilling or broiling food.If you leave the kitchen, even fora short period of time, turn offthe stove.

Clothing on fireIf your clothes catch fire,remember to Stop, Drop and

Roll. Stop immediately, dropto the ground and cover yourface with your hands. Rollover and over or back andforth to put out the fire.Immediately cover the burnwith cool water for three tofive minutes and cover with aclean, dry cloth. Don't applycreams, ointments, sprays orother home remedies. Seekmedical attention.

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Historical St. Matthews

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active shooter incidents atschools, malls and hospitalswithin the community. As theSRT’s training and expertisewas developed, its roleexpanded to respond tosituations involving barricadedpersons and hostages and toserving dangerous search orarrest warrants. The SRT isspecially equipped with rifles,ballistic shields, tactical armor,helmets, tear gas launchers andbreaching tools for enteringbuildings. SRT Training CoordinatorTony Cobaugh, a formerSWAT commander withLMPD, regularly conducts

exercises in schoolsthroughout St. Matthews.Many of these exercisesincorporate school personnel,ensuring a cohesive responseto emergency situations. The St. Matthews PoliceDepartment is currentlyestablishing another campaignto enhance school safety. Withthis initiative, officers willvisit schools on their beats andwill be available for lawenforcement-related classroompresentations. The presence ofpolice officers on campus willenhance the sense of securityand help build rapport amongstudents, staff and police.

Additionally, the visits willenable police officers tobecome familiar with thepeople who make up and areassociated with the schoolcommunity. The SMPD continues to beproactive, partnering withschool administrators in theireffort to improve the safetyand security of our schools.Chief Mayer assures thecommunity that the men andwomen of the St. MatthewsPolice Department arededicated to keeping schoolsas places “…where teachersfeel safe to teach and studentsfeel safe to learn.”

Police beatcontinued from page 4

Check It OutAt St. Matthews/Eline library, there areprograms for everyone. There are Storytimes forbabies, toddlers and preschoolers. Youngerchildren might enjoy the Elephant and PiggieParty while older children can learn about GreatArtists. Teens and adults can find anything from

a lecture on hiking or movie discussion groups tocomputer classes or tutoring sessions. Withdozens of programs, there’s something foreveryone. To learn more, visit the St. Matthewspage at www.lfpl.org and click on Programs atSt. Matthews or call them at 574-1771.

Historical Society programs areheld the second Sunday of themonth at 2 p.m. at St.Matthews City Hall. There is nomeeting in May. Upcomingprograms are as follows:

March 10Pete Browning: LouisvilleSluggerMike Zanone will interpret thelife of Louisville native PeteBrowning. Browning was animportant figure in baseball'shistory and is probably best

remembered today as theinspiration behind the Hillerich& Bradsby  company's popular"Louisville Slugger" line ofbaseball bats.

April 14A Sally Keith Memorial LectureJim Holmberg, curator of specialcollections at the FilsonHistorical Society, will presentan original, commissionedlecture exploring the Lyman C.Draper Manuscripts. The talkwill encompass research into

this vast historical collectionwith emphasis on Draper’saccumulation from Kentuckyand the Beargrass area.

AHHS MeetingsThe Alexander HamiltonHistorical Society of Kentuckymeets on the third Saturday ofeach month at 10:30 a.m. onthe second floor of St.Matthews City Hall. For moreinformation regardingprograms, call Lynn Olympia at897-0585.

FEBRUARY 2013Park PlaceLetter from your Parks CommitteeThe St. Matthews Parks Committee would like to assurecitizens that there is a sound plan for the future of thecommunity’s four main parks (Brown, Community,Draut & Warwick). In March of 2008 the City asked for help from thestate of Kentucky to see what direction it should take tohelp our park system. We worked with them toimplement a “Forest Stewardship Plan” that was draftedby the State of Kentucky Department of Forestry andthe State of Kentucky Department of Wildlife. This plan identified the overabundance of many non-native plant species, especially bush honeysuckle. Theseinvasive species take sunlight, nutrients and water fromthe native trees and plants, hindering their growth. Thebush honeysuckle has taken over most of the forestfloor leaving minimal room for native species. Othernon-native species identified were Chinese privet,Japanese honeysuckle, multiflora rose and wintercreeper. The City decided to eradicate the non-nativespecies in each park over several years. Removing thenon-native species will help to stimulate growth fromthe native understory containing spice bush, coral berry,dogwood and redbud trees.

Non-native plant eradication is now complete inWarwick Park, Community Park and, most recentlyin 2012, Brown Park. The Brown Park project notonly removed the non-native species but includedplanting over 150 new trees and major work toimprove Beargrass Creek. The City is currentlybeginning a three-phase removal and replanting inDraut Park on Bowling Boulevard. Some of the City’s newest residents, a family ofbeavers, are having their affect on the plan. Thebeavers’ lodge and dam are located in thewetlands area of Draut Park along BowlingBoulevard. The City has painted some trees in thepark with a paint designed to discourage thebeavers from damaging the trees. Several wildlifeprofessionals have been consulted to try and find asolution short of relocating them. Mayor Bowling and the City Council believe theefforts the City of St. Matthews is currently makingwill greatly improve the future of our parks.

Stuart MonohanCommittee Chairman

Your Works at Work

PotholesUse the Call St. Matthews system toreport any potholes at 638-4STM(4786), Opt 2, Opt. 2.

Snow removalThe city of St. Matthews operates acomprehensive snow removalprogram. Naturally, main streets

will be cleared first and thenresidential areas. During thesetimes, residents are asked topark vehicles off the roadway toallow snow plows and otherequipment to maneuver safely.

Tree plantingHomeowners who request theCity to plant a tree along aright-of-way will be responsiblefor its maintenance. The species

of the tree to be planted is not thechoice of the homeowner but isselected with the advice of anarborist. For more information, callCity Hall at 895-9444.

ImprovementsYour tax dollars continue toimprove the neighborhoods of St.

Matthews. Following is a list ofsome of the improvements recentlymade.● The drainage work on Ridgeway

and Westport, including new pipeand catch basins, is completeexcept for a few ditches. Theseare scheduled to be finished inthe spring.

● The project to rebuild theplayground at Community CenterPark is progressing and will becompleted when all materialsarrive.

● The drainage improvement onBriarwood Road is progressingwith the installation of the mainpipe. Yard drains are to followwith expected completion at theend of April.

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City of St. Matthews3940 Grandview AvenueP.O. Box 7097St. Matthews, KY 40257-0097

STD PRSTU.S. Postage

PAIDLouisville, KYPermit #976

Your Elected Officials forthe City of St. Matthews:

Mayor Bernard F. Bowling

City CouncilArthur K. Draut

Frank Flynn

Stuart Monohan

Mary Jo Nay

Martha Schade

Richard Tonini

Tony Weiter

Patrick Wissing

Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. onthe second and fourth Tuesday ofeach month.

City Council meeting minutes areonline at www.stmatthews.org.

Government AccessCity Hall Office: 895-9444

Code Enforcement: 899-2512

Police Department: 893-9000

City Engineer: 899-2518

Property Taxes: 899-2511

Police Records: 899-2537

Anonymous Tip Line:498-CLUE

(2583)

Emergency: 911

Need to know?Call St. Matthews

Automated Service

24/7 Information Line

638-4STM (4786)Administration Press 1

Services Press 2

News Press 3

Police Press 4

E-CONNECTIONTo submit your email address toreceive important St. Matthewsupdates, visit the city website atwww.stmatthews.org or call city

offices. Email addresses will not beshared with other parties.