Comments on: Lexington’s Government Plays Russian Roulette with Students’ Lives http://www.bluebluegrass.com/2009/12/10/lexingtons-government-plays-russian-roulette-with-students-lives/ Kentucky Politics - An Honest, Unpurchased View Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:58:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Important Business in Lexington’s Urban County Council: Stopping the Destruction of Neighborhoods by Student Housing Slumlords http://www.bluebluegrass.com/2009/12/10/lexingtons-government-plays-russian-roulette-with-students-lives/comment-page-1/#comment-1141 Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Important Business in Lexington’s Urban County Council: Stopping the Destruction of Neighborhoods by Student Housing Slumlords Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:01:47 +0000 http://www.bluebluegrass.com/?p=2335#comment-1141 [...] It was just in December that seven Lexington students cheated death in a slumlord firetrap. As was pointed out at the time, evidently the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government is willing to gamble that no students will actually die from the government’s conduct, or at least hopefully they won’t die before next year’s elections. [...] [...] It was just in December that seven Lexington students cheated death in a slumlord firetrap. As was pointed out at the time, evidently the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government is willing to gamble that no students will actually die from the government’s conduct, or at least hopefully they won’t die before next year’s elections. [...]

]]> By: Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Would Anyone Like for A Fraternity to Move In Next Door? http://www.bluebluegrass.com/2009/12/10/lexingtons-government-plays-russian-roulette-with-students-lives/comment-page-1/#comment-1009 Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Would Anyone Like for A Fraternity to Move In Next Door? Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:08:18 +0000 http://www.bluebluegrass.com/?p=2335#comment-1009 [...] Of course not. Yet that’s exactly the nightmare of some wonderful established residential neighborhoods with adjacent properties being turned into 9-bedroom fraternity boarding houses near the University of Kentucky. These are the same sort of deathtraps that frequently are heated by space heaters, waiting to burst into flames fr... [...] [...] Of course not. Yet that’s exactly the nightmare of some wonderful established residential neighborhoods with adjacent properties being turned into 9-bedroom fraternity boarding houses near the University of Kentucky. These are the same sort of deathtraps that frequently are heated by space heaters, waiting to burst into flames fr… [...]

]]> By: Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Lexington Fire Station Closures Endangering the Public http://www.bluebluegrass.com/2009/12/10/lexingtons-government-plays-russian-roulette-with-students-lives/comment-page-1/#comment-651 Blue Bluegrass » Blog Archive » Lexington Fire Station Closures Endangering the Public Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:00:04 +0000 http://www.bluebluegrass.com/?p=2335#comment-651 [...] willing to endanger all citizens near the fire stations that have had temporary closures adopted. Two weeks ago, when their substandard rental housing heated by space heaters caught fire, the first responders on the scene were from Lexington’s Fourth Street Fire Station—one [...] [...] willing to endanger all citizens near the fire stations that have had temporary closures adopted. Two weeks ago, when their substandard rental housing heated by space heaters caught fire, the first responders on the scene were from Lexington’s Fourth Street Fire Station—one [...]

]]> By: Bob Layton http://www.bluebluegrass.com/2009/12/10/lexingtons-government-plays-russian-roulette-with-students-lives/comment-page-1/#comment-547 Bob Layton Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:45:57 +0000 http://www.bluebluegrass.com/?p=2335#comment-547 Jon, I don't know if you ever read "All The King's Men", by Robert Penn Warren. It of course was loosely based on Huey Long of Louisiana, but it also said a lot about Kentucky politics. In that story, a school that was built with cheaper materials was audited. The auditor found the danger, identified it, but nothing happened. Until 3 children died when the stairwell collapsed. I am convinced there will be a catastrophic loss of life soon, and even then I'm not sure if the city's leadership will respond with any protection. Jon, I don’t know if you ever read “All The King’s Men”, by Robert Penn Warren. It of course was loosely based on Huey Long of Louisiana, but it also said a lot about Kentucky politics. In that story, a school that was built with cheaper materials was audited. The auditor found the danger, identified it, but nothing happened. Until 3 children died when the stairwell collapsed.

I am convinced there will be a catastrophic loss of life soon, and even then I’m not sure if the city’s leadership will respond with any protection.

]]> By: Jon Marsh http://www.bluebluegrass.com/2009/12/10/lexingtons-government-plays-russian-roulette-with-students-lives/comment-page-1/#comment-535 Jon Marsh Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:51:00 +0000 http://www.bluebluegrass.com/?p=2335#comment-535 The LFUCG need take total reponsibility for lack of interest towards public safety in this case. The recommendation they made that a "voluntary property inspection program" be implemented is at best total ignorance. Code enforcement should require annual inspections of dorm style rental housing.Whatsmore, Minimal standards should be placed on the rental units requiring smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguisher placement. Construction or remodeling building permits should require the installation of fire sprinkler systems no if an's or but's about it. LFUCG officials whether elected or appointed need to look outside the box they have their heads in. If anyone had died in this home as a result of fire, imagine the enormous pain and loss the families of those who lived in the house would be enduring, imagine the risk you submit Lexington firefighters to in these uninspected landlord delights, and look at what the cost would be to the city...It would have been in the millions,and millions if a life or lives were lost or if a firefighter was injured or worse-killed because of public officials complacency and ignorance of what public safety is all about. The LFUCG need take total reponsibility for lack of interest towards public safety in this case. The recommendation they made that a “voluntary property inspection program” be implemented is at best total ignorance. Code enforcement should require annual inspections of dorm style rental housing.Whatsmore, Minimal standards should be placed on the rental units requiring smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and fire extinguisher placement. Construction or remodeling building permits should require the installation of fire sprinkler systems no if an’s or but’s about it. LFUCG officials whether elected or appointed need to look outside the box they have their heads in. If anyone had died in this home as a result of fire, imagine the enormous pain and loss the families of those who lived in the house would be enduring, imagine the risk you submit Lexington firefighters to in these uninspected landlord delights, and look at what the cost would be to the city…It would have been in the millions,and millions if a life or lives were lost or if a firefighter was injured or worse-killed because of public officials complacency and ignorance of what public safety is all about.

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