Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on August 18, 2009, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting included 13 agenda items, of which 9 were action items and 4 were informational presentations. The Council took 14 votes during the session and heard 1 public comment.

The Council approved a wide range of items, including a salary increase for a civil service employee, an amendment to the 2009 Consolidated Plan, acceptance of a donation from Galls®, a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Kentucky, a State and Local Task Force Agreement with the DEA, amendments to two sections of the Code of Ordinances (Sections 21-5 and 5-76), an amendment to an agreement with Commonwealth Inspection Bureau, Inc., and a Software Product License Agreement with Granicus, Inc. In addition to the action items, the Council received informational updates on the Services Committee, an Ad Valorem Tax Report, a Division of Engineering Internal Audit, and the Urban Services Fund & Waste Management Plan.

Attendance

The following members were present at the August 18, 2009 Council meeting:

• Mayor Newberry
• CM McChord
• CM Blues
• CM Crosbie
• CM Stinnett
• CM James
• CM Ellinger
• CM Gorton
• CM Myers
• CM Lawless
• CM Henson
• CM Feigel
• CM Gordon
• CM Lane
• CM Crosby

Absent: VM Gray and CM Beard were not in attendance. No members were recorded as arriving late.

Votes and Decisions

All 14 motions brought before the Council on August 18, 2009 passed unanimously (except where noted as a voice vote). No roll call vote breakdowns were recorded.

• Approval of the amended summary of 8/11/09 — Moved by CM Blues, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed unanimously. 11:35

• Approval of new business items A–J — Moved by CM Stinnett, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed unanimously.

• Move forward with the draft ordinance on taxicab special permits — Moved by CM Ellinger, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed unanimously.

• Remove the issue of golf carts on public roads from committee — Moved by CM Ellinger, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed unanimously.

• Move the issue of underground utilities subdivision regulations as drafted forward — Moved by CM Ellinger, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed unanimously.

• Enter into closed session — Moved by CM Myers, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed unanimously.

• Enter back into open session — Moved by CM Lawless, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed unanimously.

• Extend speaker time by 4 minutes — Moved by CM James, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed unanimously.

• Ask the Departments of Law and Human Resources to Bluesheet the issue of taking the 2009 fund balance to fix inversion — Moved by CM Myers, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed unanimously.

• Ask for a written report on the inversions — Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM Myers. Passed unanimously.

• Refer to the Inter Governmental Committee the review of the Citizen's Advocate program — Moved by CM Lawless, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed by voice vote.

• Approve the NDF list — Moved by CM Henson, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed unanimously.

• Place into the Services Committee the issue of loading and unloading in downtown — Moved by CM James, seconded by CM Blues. Passed unanimously.

• Adjourn work session — Moved by CM Stinnett, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed unanimously.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period.

• Lewis Cobb spoke on the topics of racial equality and community involvement. Cobb emphasized the importance of recognizing and respecting the contributions of Black individuals to the community. He called for change and highlighted the role of Black individuals in transforming the city, urging the broader community to acknowledge these contributions.

No transcript timestamp was available for this comment.

Contested Items

Two items generated notable disagreement during the August 18, 2009 Council meeting.

Urban Services Fund & Waste Management Plan

A heated discussion arose over a proposal to reduce the waste management portion of the urban services fund by 20% over a two-year period. The debate centered on concerns about the long-term implications of the reduction, particularly regarding future capital investments and the efficiency of ongoing waste management services. The structured data does not identify the specific individuals involved in the exchange or record a final outcome from the discussion.

Citizen's Advocate Program

The Citizen's Advocate Program also drew opposition, specifically around a planned two-hour mediation training intended for neighborhood leaders. Concerns were raised that the training, as structured, could place participating citizens in a dangerous situation. The nature of the opposition suggests community-level apprehension about the program's design and the potential risks it might create for those involved. As with the waste management discussion, the available data does not specify which council members or community representatives voiced these concerns, nor does it record a definitive outcome or resolution reached during the meeting.

Authorization for Approval of Salary Increase of a Civil Service Employee

The Council considered a resolution authorizing salary increases for civil service employees under specific sections of the Code of Ordinances within various departments.

• Speaker: O'Mara led the discussion on this item.
• Substance: The resolution addressed the authorization of salary increases for civil service employees, with the increases governed by the applicable provisions of the Code of Ordinances. The item covered employees across multiple departments, though specific department names, employee names, and salary figures were not detailed in the available record.
• Outcome: The resolution was approved by the Council.

No specific concerns or debate are reflected in the available record for this item.

Authorization to Amend the 2009 Consolidated Plan

The Council considered a resolution to amend the 2009 Consolidated Plan in order to establish a new HOME Investment Partnerships Program project.

Key Speakers: P. King and O'Mara participated in the discussion of this item.

Discussion: The resolution centered on modifying the existing 2009 Consolidated Plan to incorporate a new project under the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program is a federal funding mechanism, and the amendment would update the city's planning document to reflect the addition of this new project within that program framework.

Outcome: The Council approved the resolution authorizing the amendment to the 2009 Consolidated Plan.

*Note: Specific details regarding the nature of the new HOME Investment Partnerships Program project, the funding amounts involved, and the substance of any debate or concerns raised during discussion are not available in the source materials for this item.*

Authorization to Accept a Donation from Galls®

The Council considered a resolution authorizing the acceptance of a donation from Galls® on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police.

The item was presented and discussed by key speakers Bastin and Bennett. The resolution was brought forward to formally authorize the city to receive the donation from Galls®, a company that provides equipment and supplies to public safety agencies.

The Council approved the resolution.

Authorization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Kentucky

The Council considered a resolution to authorize a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Kentucky, Department of Athletics, to be entered into on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police.

Speakers Bastin and Bennett were identified as key participants in the discussion of this agenda item. The resolution centered on formalizing the relationship between the city's public safety division and the University of Kentucky's athletic department through the MOU framework.

The Council approved the resolution.

*Note: Detailed transcript timestamps and specifics regarding the content of the debate, any concerns raised, or the precise terms of the MOU are not available in the source materials for this agenda item.*

Authorization of a State and Local Task Force Agreement with the DEA

The Council considered a resolution authorizing a State and Local Task Force Agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on behalf of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police.

Key speakers on this item included Bastin and Bennett. The resolution was brought forward to formalize the cooperative relationship between the local police division and the DEA through an official task force agreement, a common arrangement that allows local law enforcement personnel to work alongside federal agents on drug enforcement efforts.

The Council approved the resolution.

*Note: Detailed discussion points, specific concerns raised, and additional context from the meeting transcript are not available in the source data for this item.*

Authorization to Amend Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances

The Council took up a resolution authorizing an amendment to Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances, falling under the Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Environmental Policy.

Key Speakers: - Allen - Taylor

The discussion involved Allen and Taylor, who addressed the proposed changes to Section 21-5. The resolution centered on modifications within the Department of Environmental Quality's Division of Environmental Policy, though the specific nature of the amendments was not detailed in the available record.

Outcome: - The resolution was approved by the Council.

*Note: No transcript timestamp is available for this agenda item.*

Authorization to Amend Section 5-76 of the Code of Ordinances

The Council considered a resolution to amend Section 5-76 of the Code of Ordinances on behalf of the Department of Public Works and Development, Division of Building Inspection. The amendment pertained to electrical fees administered by that division.

Key speakers on this item were Crowe and Webb, who participated in the discussion before the Council. The resolution was ultimately approved.

No additional details regarding specific fee amounts, the nature of the proposed changes, concerns raised during debate, or the vote tally are available in the record for this item.

Authorization to Amend Agreement with Commonwealth Inspection Bureau, Inc.

The Council considered a resolution authorizing an amendment to an existing agreement with Commonwealth Inspection Bureau, Inc., on behalf of the Department of Public Works and Development's Division of Building Inspection. The amendment pertained to electrical inspection services provided to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG).

Key speakers on this item included Crowe and Webb, who participated in the discussion before the Council. The resolution was ultimately approved.

No additional details regarding the specific terms of the amendment, the financial scope of the agreement, concerns raised during debate, or the nature of any changes to the original contract are available from the meeting record.

Authorization of a Software Product License Agreement with Granicus, Inc.

The Council considered a resolution to authorize a Software Product License Agreement with Granicus, Inc., related to the Council Chambers Voting System.

Key speakers on this item included Lamb and Dhuwaraha, who participated in the discussion surrounding the proposed agreement. The item centered on formalizing a licensing arrangement with Granicus, Inc. for software associated with the voting system used in the Council Chambers.

No additional details regarding specific concerns raised, the financial terms of the agreement, or the substance of the debate are available from the meeting record. The Council ultimately approved the resolution authorizing the Software Product License Agreement with Granicus, Inc.

Services Committee Meeting Update

CM Ellinger provided the Council with an update from the Services Committee's recent meeting. The committee addressed several topics during their session, covering a range of municipal service and infrastructure issues.

Key items discussed at the Services Committee meeting included:

• Taxicab Special Permits — The committee reviewed matters related to taxicab special permits, though specific details of any motions or decisions were not detailed in the update.
• Golf Carts on Public Roads — The committee took up the issue of golf carts operating on public roads, a topic that has regulatory and safety implications for the community.
• Underground Utilities — The committee also discussed underground utilities, which may relate to infrastructure planning or policy considerations within the city.

The update was presented to the full Council as an informational item, with no votes or binding decisions required at this meeting as a result of the report. No additional speakers were noted in connection with this agenda item.

Ad Valorem Tax Report

Bill O'Mara and Mary Fister presented a report to the Council on the Ad Valorem Tax, providing an overview of its current status. The presentation was informational in nature, intended to update Council members on where matters stood with the tax.

As part of the discussion, a public forum was scheduled to allow for further community input and deliberation on the topic. No final decisions or votes were taken as a result of this agenda item; the presentation served as a briefing to keep the Council informed ahead of that broader public engagement process.

No additional details regarding specific figures, contested points, or individual Council member responses are available from the meeting record for this item.

Division of Engineering Internal Audit

Bruce Sahli presented an internal audit of the Division of Engineering to the Council. The presentation was informational in nature, covering findings from the audit along with recommendations for improvement within the division.

No transcript timestamp is available for this agenda item, and the structured data does not include the specific findings, recommendations, or any debate or concerns raised during the discussion. The item was received as informational, with no recorded vote or formal action taken by the Council.

Urban Services Fund & Waste Management Plan

Commissioner Cheryl Taylor delivered a presentation to the Council on the Urban Services Fund and Waste Management Plan. The presentation covered current trends, challenges facing the fund and waste management operations, and plans for the future.

The item was informational in nature, meaning no formal vote or binding decision was required from the Council at this meeting. No additional speakers are noted in the available record for this agenda item.

No further details regarding the specific figures, policy proposals, or concerns raised during the presentation are available in the meeting record.