A decision regarding an ethics complaint against Louisville Metro Councilwoman Donna Purvis has been delayed following a hearing Monday.
The complaint, filed by Varble Avenue resident Michael Allen, claims Purvis deliberately acted to put speed bumps on Garland Avenue, where Purvis owns property or lives, instead of his street despite a safety study showing the speed inhibitors were recommended for public safety.
Deborah Myers, the officer who oversaw the hearing at the Main Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library, said she would allow both sides 30 days to submit arguments, which she will use to make a recommendation to the Louisville Ethics Commission.
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What is the ethics complaint filed against Councilwoman Donna Purvis?
During her testimony, Purvis denied the allegation, saying she could not approve the speed humps herself because that power belongs to Metro Public Works.
Allen said speed humps were not placed on his street despite a Public Works traffic study showing Varble Avenue was at a greater risk for vehicle collisions caused by speeding when compared to nearby Garland Avenue, where speed humps were installed last year. Allen said because his street goes a long distance without drivers having to come to a stop, cars can pose a danger to the community.
“There are times when drivers pick up (their speed) when they get past where I live,” Allen said during his testimony. “The speed is a problem and it has been periodically through time.”
Purvis said she did not call for speed humps on Varble Avenue because she’d heard from multiple residents who said they did not want them. She also said she had not heard from Allen, who she considered to be a former friend, “about anything” related to speed humps until the complaint was filed.
An effort to put speed humps on Garland Avenue was made because of speeding concerns, and how that might harm people and animals, Purvis said, adding she had called for a traffic study at Varble Avenue because she had witnessed speeding there herself and knew that it is often used by drivers to travel through the neighborhood.
“When I went to talk to some of the neighbors on Varble about needing help getting signatures for the speed humps, I met opposition,” Purvis said. “I said, ‘Are you sure? I have done a study on Varble for speed humps.’ And they said, ‘We don’t want them.'”
For speed humps to be placed, 70% of the affected property owners would need to agree to the installation, according to guidelines from Metro Public Works, which also approves the installation of speed humps.
Meyers, the hearing officer, said the ethics commission will make a determination in the case after she submits her recommendation.
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Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Donna Purvis ethics complaint: No verdict reached in speed humps case