Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on March 25, 2010, at 7:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting included three agenda items: an invocation, a presentation by Friends of the Dog Park, and a public hearing on the Turfland Town Center Development Plan. Over the course of the meeting, the Council heard 2 public comments, received 1 formal presentation, and conducted 3 votes. All agenda items were informational in nature, reflecting a session focused on community engagement and development planning.

Attendance

The following 14 members were present at the March 25, 2010 Council meeting:

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

Absent: Myers

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

Three votes were taken during the March 25, 2010 Council meeting.

• Table ordinance regarding gravel resurfacing permit 11:21: Motioned by Stinnett, seconded by Crosbie. The motion to table passed unanimously, 14–0. Voting in favor: Henson, James, Lane, Lawless, Martin, McChord, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gorton, and Gray.

• Approve ordinances 1 and 3 through 6 19:18: Motioned by Beard, seconded by Blues. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 13–1. Voting in favor: Henson, Lane, Lawless, Martin, McChord, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gorton, and Gray. Voting against: James.

• Approve resolution for Lexington Downtown Streetscape Phase One Improvements 31:58: Motioned by Blues, seconded by Ellinger. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 13–1. Voting in favor: Henson, James, Lane, Lawless, McChord, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gorton, and Gray. Voting against: Martin.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved several contracts and purchases at the March 25, 2010 meeting, covering infrastructure, equipment, and technology needs.

• Conduit Installation – Sir Barton Way: The Council approved a contract with Arrow Electrical Contractors in the amount of $87,996 for conduit installation along Sir Barton Way.

• Tandem Axle Cab & Chassis: A contract was approved with Worldwide Equipment for the purchase of a tandem axle cab and chassis at a cost of $114,134.

• Dictaphone System: The Council authorized a purchase from DictationProducts.com for a Dictaphone system totaling $39,345.

• Lexington Downtown Streetscape Phase One Improvements: The largest financial action of the meeting was a contract awarded to Marrillia Design and Construction for $1,639,925.81 to carry out Phase One improvements to the Lexington Downtown Streetscape.

No resolution numbers were recorded in the available meeting data for these items. Combined, the four actions represent a total Council commitment of approximately $1,881,400 across infrastructure, vehicle, and technology expenditures.

Public Comment

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

• John Tucker 1:18:03 spoke about flooding issues on Chilesburg Road, expressing concern that nearby development had created or worsened flooding conditions affecting his property. He requested that the city intervene to address the problem.

• Mr. McCarthy 1:22:11 urged the Council not to shortchange library funding. He also criticized the city's spending priorities, arguing that money directed toward streetscape projects would be better spent on road repairs.

Appointments

The Council took the following appointment action during the meeting:

• Helen Kendall was appointed to the Ethics Commission.

Contested Items

Two items on the March 25, 2010 Council agenda were passed by split votes rather than unanimously.

• Outdoor Cafe Permits Ordinance: The Council passed an ordinance regarding outdoor cafe permits by a vote of 13-1. Councilmember James cast the sole dissenting vote. No additional detail on the specific grounds for James's opposition is available from the meeting record.

• Lexington Downtown Streetscape Phase One Improvements: The Council approved a resolution for the Lexington Downtown Streetscape Phase One Improvements, also by a 13-1 vote. Councilmember Martin was the lone vote against the resolution, citing concerns about prioritizing streetscape improvements over road repairs. Martin's opposition reflected a disagreement over how infrastructure spending should be ordered, with road repairs seen as a more pressing need.

In both cases, the measures passed comfortably despite the dissent, with 13 members voting in favor.

Invocation

1:01

Reverend Steven Monhollen from the Lexington Theological Seminary delivered the invocation to open the Council meeting.

Friends of the Dog Park Presentation

2:34

Janet Cowen, President of Friends of the Dog Park, appeared before the Council to present a donation of fencing to the city. The donated fencing was valued at $18,775.

This item was informational in nature, with no vote or further action taken by the Council.

Public Hearing on Turfland Town Center Development Plan

9:45

The Council held a public hearing on the development plan for Turfland Town Center. No citizens came forward to speak during the hearing, and no Council members or staff are recorded as having presented testimony or debate on the item during this portion of the meeting. The hearing was informational in nature, and with no public comment offered, it concluded without discussion.