Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on September 3, 2009, at 7:00 PM in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Jim Newberry presiding. The meeting addressed 2 agenda items, including a zoning ordinance and a new ordinance creation. The Council took 2 votes during the session and heard 2 public comments. Among the outcomes, one ordinance changing a zone from Light Industrial to Planned Neighborhood Residential was approved, while a second ordinance creating Section 5-29.3 of the Code of Ordinances received its first reading.

Attendance

The following members were present at the September 3, 2009 Council meeting:

• Jim Newberry
• Gray
• Henson
• James
• Lane
• Lawless
• Martin
• McChord
• Myers
• Stinnett
• Beard
• Crosbie
• Ellinger
• Feigel
• Gorton

Absent: Blues

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

Two votes were taken during the September 3, 2009 Council meeting.

• Approval of Minutes 0:02: A motion by Stinnett, seconded by Henson, to approve the minutes of August 13, 2009 passed unanimously.

• Ordinance 0130-26 1:24:05: A motion by Lawless, seconded by James, on an ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes for Fiscal Year July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 failed by a roll call vote of 4 ayes to 10 nays.
• Voting in favor (4): Lawless, James, Feigel, Gorton
• Voting against (10): Gray, Henson, Lane, Martin, McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Crosbie, Ellinger

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed two financial items during the September 3, 2009 meeting, covering a major service contract and an incoming grant award.

• Waste Management Routing Software Contract (Resolution 0073-26): The Council considered Resolution 0073-26 authorizing a contract with Gershman, Brickner & Bratton, Inc. for waste management routing software and implementation services. The contract is valued at $1,655,596. This represents the largest financial action taken at the meeting.

• Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice Grant: The Council also addressed a grant award of $15,275 from the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. No resolution number or specific recipient department was identified in the meeting record for this item.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period.

Dr. Melinda Roe — H1N1 Update 2:10:37

Dr. Roe brought the Council's attention to a significant public health development, informing members that Kentucky had recorded its first H1N1-associated death. She used her time to underscore the seriousness of the ongoing H1N1 situation and emphasized the importance of residents obtaining seasonal flu shots as a precautionary measure.

Cathy Franklin — Neighborhood Issues 2:13:15

Ms. Franklin addressed the Council to voice frustration regarding conditions in her neighborhood. Her comments centered on what she described as a lack of enforcement related to building permits, and she expressed concern over the broader deterioration of her neighborhood. Her remarks reflected a desire for stronger oversight and follow-through from the relevant authorities.

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These two comments covered distinct but pressing community concerns — one focused on public health preparedness in light of a statewide H1N1 fatality, and the other on local code enforcement and neighborhood quality of life.

Appointments

The Council took action on two appointments during the September 3, 2009 meeting.

• Cyndra Brown was appointed to the role of Administrative Specialist Pr.
• Guy Green was appointed to the role of Police Lieutenant

Contested Items

Two items generated notable disagreement during the September 3, 2009 Council meeting.

Moratorium on Building Permits

Residents voiced frustration over what they described as a lack of enforcement related to building expansions in their neighborhoods. Community members expressed concern that unchecked construction activity was contributing to the rapid deterioration of their neighborhoods. The opposition centered on the absence of meaningful action to address these expansions, with residents pressing the Council on enforcement measures. No outcome details are available from the record.

Ad Valorem Tax Ordinance

The Council was divided over a proposed ordinance concerning the refuse collection tax. Specifically, the disagreement centered on whether to restore the refuse collection tax to its original rate. The split among Council members was significant enough that a motion on the matter failed. No further breakdown of the vote or the specific positions of individual members is recorded in the available data.

Ordinance changing the zone from Light Industrial to Planned Neighborhood Residential

11:08

The Council took up an ordinance to rezone the property located at 1700 Leestown Rd. from Light Industrial to Planned Neighborhood Residential.

• Dennis Anderson was the key speaker on this agenda item, presenting the case for the zoning change.
• The ordinance sought to formally reclassify the designated use of the Leestown Road property, shifting it from an industrial designation to one intended for planned neighborhood residential development.

The Council considered the item and ultimately approved the ordinance.

*Note: The available record identifies the agenda item, the property address, the speaker, and the outcome, but does not include detailed documentation of specific arguments made, concerns raised, or vote tallies from the discussion.*

Ordinance creating Section 5-29.3 of the Code of Ordinances

1:19:36

The Council took up Agenda Item 16, an ordinance to create Section 5-29.3 of the Code of Ordinances. The ordinance is designed to establish additional fees for work commenced before the issuance of necessary permits.

No key speakers are recorded in the available data for this item, and no specific debate, presentations, or concerns raised during discussion are documented in the source materials. The item advanced through its first reading at this meeting.