CAO outlines immediate snow-response plan; mayor says plows will be ordered tonight

Lexington Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Hamilton told the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council on Jan. 16 that the city has developed an immediate plan to bolster neighborhood snow and ice response after last week’s prolonged winter event.

Hamilton said the administration will redeploy eight Parks & Recreation snowplows into neighborhoods, convert five available municipal trucks by adding plows and salt bins (three of those bins were available immediately), and pursue purchase of three brine/tanker trucks to reduce ice formation. He told council the plow bins and attachments would cost about $75,000 and that tankers run about $220,000 apiece and have an approximately eight-month delivery lead time.

Why it matters: Council members described widespread neighborhood frustration after prolonged icy conditions. Hamilton framed the plan as a short‑term, immediately actionable approach while the city examines longer-term equipment and route changes.

Hamilton said the steps are intended to put smaller plow units into neighborhoods so the city’s larger trucks can focus on ranked arterial routes. He also recommended pursuing an emergency contract for private contractors “to have somebody that can get out in those neighborhoods right on call,” and said staff will seek to expand coordination with Fayette County Schools on bus-route priorities.

“I woke up to a very pleasant conversation this morning when the mayor said fix this,” Hamilton told council as he outlined the actions staff recommended taking immediately and the longer procurement timeline for tankers.

Mayor Linda Gorton acknowledged the CAO’s recommendations and told council, “Well, we’re gonna order those plows tonight.” The mayor also said the administration will send the full plan to council members and that staff would present more detailed route and after‑action information at a scheduled presentation next Tuesday.

Council members asked several operational questions. Council member Reynolds asked whether the additional neighborhood plows would focus on unranked roads or on roads currently assigned a lower priority; Hamilton said staff intends to deploy the park and converted fleet vehicles to take over some rank‑4 roads and bus‑route streets that staff have begun calling “rank 5” (roads not previously on the ranked clearance list). Hamilton cautioned that clearing ice has different equipment and cost implications than clearing fresh snow and said full clearance of every street would require a much larger budget and different operational posture.

Council members repeated requests that staff clarify which streets are included in each ranking, provide cost estimates for broader coverage, and present possible adjustments to ranked route lists. Hamilton said staff would return with more detailed route reviews after the presentation from Commissioner Nancy Albright on Tuesday.

Discussion vs. direction vs. decision: Council discussion focused on immediate redeployment and near‑term purchases. The mayor and CAO presented direction to proceed with ordering neighborhood plow attachments and to pursue an emergency contract and tanker purchases; no formal ordinance or budget appropriation vote occurred at the Jan. 16 meeting.

What’s next: Staff will send the full debrief and cost estimates to council members, Commissioner Nancy Albright will present a more detailed update next Tuesday, and the administration will return with any budget requests needed to implement larger changes.

Speakers quoted were present in council chamber and included CAO Hamilton and Mayor Linda Gorton; no formal vote was required to begin the near‑term purchases, though council members asked for follow‑up briefings and cost details.