Lexington, KY - The office of Lexington Mayor Jim Gray sought to calm concerns about any disruption in the city's compliance with a major EPA settlement in the wake of the abrupt departure of Environmental Quality and Public Works Commissioner Cheryl Taylor. However, the mayor's spokesperson would not comment on allegations in a letter written by Taylor to her employees that she was the target of an unjust investigation related to her husband's contract work for the city.
Like many cities across the nation, Lexington was ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency to bring its aged sanitary and storm water systems into compliance with the U.S. Clean Water Act.
A Consent Decree, signed by the city, the state and the EPA in 2008 settled lawsuits over Lexington's violations of the Act, relating largely to releases of raw sewage into the city's streams and waterways.
In her position as Commissioner of Environmental Quality and Public Works, Taylor was responsible for overseeing implementation of the city's plans to bring the sewage systems into compliance with federal law. The agreement requires Lexington to spend an estimated $250 million to $300 million in sanitary and storm sewer improvements over the next decade.
"We are moving ahead with the hiring process for a new Commissioner, and the consent decree is an on-going project managed by Charlie Martin, Director, Division of Water Quality. It will continue to be led by Mr. Martin," said the mayor's spokeswoman, Susan Straub.
Last Thursday evening it was revealed that Taylor, one of Mayor Gray's earliest nominees for a position in his administration, had been asked to resign. When asked on Friday why Taylor had been asked to step down, the Office of the Mayor declined to respond, other than to say through spokeswoman Straub, "She resigned. We wish the situation were different. We wish her well."
letter
In a
to her staff, however, Taylor said "Although I was never accused of wrong-doing and no reason was given for my dismissal, I can only guess that this process is the end result of the administration's lack of trust in me from the beginning."
Suggesting a philosophical falling out over policy, Taylor wrote, "I have found that my basis for decisions was not aligned with those of the administration, and asking me to resign was the easiest way to avoid uncomfortable debate."
Asked to explain the nature of any philosophical or policy differences that led to Taylor's forced resignation, the Mayor's representative, Straub, declined to respond.
Addressing questions as to whether Taylor's departure impacts the momentum of Consent Decree compliance, Straub said, "Consent Decree implementation began in early 2008. Cheryl Taylor was the commissioner at the time," Straub said. "She left the city in April 2010 and returned in January 2011. While she was away, Charlie Martin continued to implement the Consent Decree. No deadlines were missed. Susan Bush was Acting Commissioner of Environmental Quality between April 2010 and January 2011. Today she is Acting Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works. She has assisted Charlie in the Consent Decree implementation."
Straub noted that the City has met all of 35 milestones in the project's EPA and state approved schedule.

Straub added that due to the complexities and scope of the project, "at Mayor Gray's encouragement, the City will retain cost control experts as the project goes into the detailed design and construction phase."
Taylor, who also has declined to comment publicly since resigning, stated in her letter that she had learned in early November that the city's commissioners of law and public safety and a member of the mayor's staff were investigating her for allegedly "inappropriately trying to steer funds to (her) husband's business."
Taylor's husband, Bobby Taylor, a semi-retired electrical contractor, was hired to perform contract work for LFUCG's Division of Waste Management shortly after Taylor left the Newberry Administration for the position of production manager at Kentucky American Water in April of 2010.
"The reason for leaving (LFUCG) was financial and stemmed from the illnesses of both my daughter and my father and my need to help with those situations," her letter stated.
During the period when she was employed by the water company, Taylor's husband was offered a part-time job with the city in lieu of continuing to perform work under contract.
According to the letter, creating the part-time position was approved by the Urban County Council. This was occurring at the same time Taylor had been asked to return and work for the Gray Administration to oversee the implementation of the agreement with the EPA. She states that she informed Gray administration officials and council of her husband's work with LFUCG.
"I was advised that my husband could only finish out the contract and could no longer be considered for the part-time position created," she said.
Once her husband's contract with the city expired in May, Taylor stated that he no longer worked for LFUCG but would upon request from Division employees assist them without charge on small, urgent electric issues.
"As you might imagine," her letter continues, "I was very disturbed that I was being investigated and that neither the CAO (Chief Administrative Officer Richard Moloney) nor I were informed of the concern. Although it makes me angry to be accused unjustly, what makes me truly sad is that other people were questioned and now I know that rumors are spreading about me as a result."
Mayor Gray and his spokeswoman have declined to comment on these issues.
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Members of the Urban County Council have told that the matter likely will be discussed in today's weekly council work session.