Urban County Council Meeting

November 19, 2009 · Council · 8,642 words

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Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on November 19, 2009, at 7:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting addressed 12 agenda items, all of which were approved, with business focused heavily on authorizing grant acceptances and applications across multiple city departments, including public safety, law enforcement, and parks. The Council recorded 3 motions and votes during the session and heard 1 public comment. No presentations were noted for this meeting.

Attendance

The following members were present at the November 19, 2009 Council meeting:

McChord
Myers
Stinnett
Blues
Crosbie
Ellinger
Feigel
Gorton
Gray
Henson
James
Lane
Lawless
Martin

Absent: Beard

No members were recorded as late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were in attendance out of 15.

Votes and Decisions

Three roll call votes were taken during the November 19, 2009 Council meeting, all of which passed.

Approval of Ordinances Given Second Reading 8:11: Motioned by Lane and seconded by Ellinger, the Council voted to approve ordinances given second reading. The motion passed 14–0. All 14 members voted in favor: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gorton, Gray, Henson, James, Lane, Lawless, and Martin. No members voted against.

Approval of Resolutions Given Second Reading 21:14: Motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Stinnett, the Council voted to approve resolutions given second reading. The motion passed 14–0. All 14 members voted in favor: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gorton, Gray, Henson, James, Lane, Lawless, and Martin. No members voted against.

Approval of FY10 Purchase of Service Agreement with Commerce Lexington, Inc. 40:02: Motioned by Crosbie and seconded by Myers, the Council voted to approve the FY10 Purchase of Service Agreement with Commerce Lexington, Inc. The motion passed 13–1. Voting in favor were McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gorton, Gray, Henson, Lane, Lawless, and Martin. James cast the sole dissenting vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed two contract items during the November 19, 2009 meeting.

West Hickman Trail Project: The Council considered a contract with Claunch Construction, LLC in the amount of $407,605.70 for work on the West Hickman Trail Project. No resolution identifier was included in the available record.

Purchase of Service Agreement – Economic Development: The Council also took up a Purchase of Service Agreement with Commerce Lexington, Inc. valued at $522,170 to support economic development activities. As with the trail project contract, no resolution number was recorded in the available data.

No additional budget amendments, appropriations, or financial resolutions were reflected in the meeting record. Resolution numbers were not available for either item.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period at the November 19, 2009 meeting.

Pam Brandenburg spoke regarding the proposed healthcare package for 2010 47:36. Brandenburg raised concerns that the new healthcare package would effectively negate the minimal pay increase that had been proposed for non-collective bargaining personnel. In her view, the added cost burden of the healthcare package would offset any wage gains, resulting in what would amount to a net reduction in take-home pay for those employees.

Brandenburg's comments highlighted the financial impact the 2010 healthcare plan could have on a specific category of city workers — those not covered by collective bargaining agreements — who would have limited recourse to negotiate alternative terms.

Contested Items

Healthcare Package for 2010: The proposed healthcare package for 2010 drew opposition from community member Pam Brandenburg, who argued that the plan would effectively cancel out the minimal pay increase that had been proposed for non-collective bargaining personnel. Brandenburg's concern centered on the net impact to affected employees — that any wage gains would be offset by increased healthcare costs, leaving those workers no better off financially. No outcome or Council response to this objection is recorded in the available data.

Ordinance authorizing grant acceptance from Ky. Justice and Public Safety Cabinet

2:07

The Council considered an ordinance authorizing the acceptance of a $75,000 grant from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. The grant requires a local match of $18,750 from the city.

Key speakers on this item included Lane and Ellinger. The ordinance was presented to the Council for consideration, with discussion focused on the terms of the grant acceptance and the associated local funding commitment required to secure the state dollars.

The Council approved the ordinance.

Ordinance Authorizing Grant Acceptance from U.S. Dept. of Justice

2:42

The Council considered an ordinance to authorize the acceptance of a $181,107 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice under the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). The grant is designated for reimbursement of incarceration costs.

Key speakers on this item included Lane and Ellinger. The ordinance was presented as a straightforward grant acceptance, with the funds intended to offset costs associated with incarcerating criminal aliens.

The Council approved the ordinance.