Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on March 11, 2010, at 7:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting included 3 agenda items: an invocation, a proclamation for Hill on Wheels, and a set of ordinances entitled to second reading. Both the proclamation and the ordinances were approved during the course of the meeting. In total, 4 votes were taken, 1 public comment was heard, and the council addressed all items on the agenda.

Attendance

All members were present at the March 11, 2010 Council meeting. The following 16 individuals were in attendance:

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

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The Council considered four items requiring formal action during the March 11, 2010 meeting.

• Approval of Minutes 0:02: A motion by Beard, seconded by Crosbie, to approve the minutes from the February 11 and February 25, 2010 meetings passed unanimously.

• Proclamation for Hill on Wheels 0:03: The Council approved a proclamation of congratulations to the Hill on Wheels wheelchair basketball team.

• Ordinances Entitled to Second Reading 0:21: A motion by Martin, seconded by Lane, to approve ordinances entitled to second reading passed on a 15–0 roll call vote. All members voted in favor: Gray, Henson, James, Lane, Lawless, Martin, McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, and Gorton.

• Amendment Regarding Gravel Resurfacing Permit Fee 0:24: A motion by Myers, seconded by McChord, to amend an ordinance regarding the gravel resurfacing permit fee passed on an 11–4 roll call vote. Voting in favor were Gray, Henson, James, Lawless, Martin, McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, and Crosbie. Voting against were Lane, Ellinger, Feigel, and Gorton.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed three financial items at the March 11, 2010 meeting, covering contracts and contract amendments related to infrastructure and capital projects.

• Resolution 0077-2010 authorized a contract with Cover-All of Wisconsin, LLC in the amount of $305,500 for a Tensioned Fabric Structure at the Recycling Center. This represented the largest single financial commitment approved at the meeting.

• Resolution 0078-2010 approved a contract with Landmark Sprinkler, Inc. in the amount of $26,800 for design and construction services for a Dry Pipe Sprinkler system, also located at the Recycling Center. Together with Resolution 0077-2010, the Council committed a combined $332,300 toward Recycling Center improvements.

• Resolution 0081-2010 approved Change Order No. Three to the existing contract with Strand Associates, Inc. for the Legacy Trail Project, in the amount of $208,100. As a change order amendment, this action modified the terms of a previously established contract rather than initiating a new agreement.

In total, the three financial actions approved at this meeting amounted to $540,400 in contracted expenditures and amendments.

Public Comment

During the public comment period of the March 11, 2010 Council meeting, one comment was recorded on the topic of the Creative City Summit. 1:42:58

• A speaker addressed the Council regarding the upcoming Creative City Summit and its significance for Lexington. The specific details of the speaker's remarks, including their name and the particular points raised, are not available in the meeting record.

No additional public comments were recorded during this portion of the meeting.

Appointments

The Council approved the following appointments during the March 11, 2010 meeting:

• Barry Holmes was appointed to the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors.
• James Aristizabal was appointed to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board.
• Sherry L. Coles was appointed to the Social Services Advisory Board.
• Matthew Salyer was appointed to the Town and Gown Commission.

Contested Items

Two items generated notable debate during the March 11, 2010 council meeting.

Gravel Resurfacing Permit Fee

The council debated the appropriateness of a $50 permit fee associated with gravel resurfacing. Discussion centered on the potential impact this fee would have on residents, with council members divided over whether the fee was reasonable or posed an undue burden. The item was decided by a split vote, though the specific vote tally and individual positions of council members are not detailed in the available record.

Kentucky American Water Company Rate Increase

The council engaged in a heated discussion regarding Kentucky American Water Company and a proposed rate increase. Council members raised concerns about the need for the company to provide a clear explanation of the rate increase and to report on progress made in marketing water services to other municipalities. The discussion reflected broader questions about accountability and transparency from the utility provider. No final resolution is recorded in the available data for this item.

Invocation

1:07

Dr. Mark Johnson, Senior Pastor at Central Baptist Church, delivered the invocation to open the Council meeting.

Proclamation for Hill on Wheels

3:43

The Council presented a proclamation to the Hill on Wheels wheelchair basketball team in recognition of their victory at the Bluegrass Invitational Tournament. Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included Ellinger, Henson, and Cindy Jacobelli.

The proclamation was approved by the Council.

Ordinances entitled to second reading

21:23

Several ordinances came before the Council for their second reading during this portion of the meeting. According to the record, the ordinances considered included zoning changes and budget amendments.

Key speakers during this agenda item were Martin and Lane. The ordinances were read for the second time as required by Council procedure before a final vote could be taken.

The outcome of this agenda item was approval — the ordinances entitled to second reading were passed by the Council.

*Note: The available record does not include further detail on the specific ordinance numbers, the precise nature of each zoning change or budget amendment, the vote tally, or the specific arguments or concerns raised by individual speakers during deliberation. Readers seeking additional detail are encouraged to consult the full meeting transcript or official ordinance records from the March 11, 2010 Council meeting.*