Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on June 10, 2010, at 7:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Newberry presiding over the session. The meeting addressed two agenda items, both of which were approved by the Council. During the meeting, 2 votes were taken and 2 public comments were heard. The Council approved an ordinance amending Article I of the Zoning Ordinance, as well as an ordinance authorizing an Occupational License Fee Amnesty Program.

Attendance

All 15 council members were present at the June 10, 2010 meeting. No members were recorded as absent or late.

Members Present: - Beard - Blues - Crosbie - Ellinger - Feigel - Gorton - Gray - Henson - James - Lane - Lawless - Martin - McChord - Myers - Stinnett

Votes and Decisions

Two roll call votes were taken during the June 10, 2010 Council meeting.

• Approval of Ordinances on Second Reading 0:03: Motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Martin, the Council voted to approve ordinances given second reading. The motion passed unanimously, 14–0. Voting in favor were: Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Feigel, Gorton, Henson, James, Lane, Lawless, Martin, McChord, Myers, and Stinnett. No members voted against.

• Resolution on Mayor's Proposed Fee Increases for Golf Courses and Swimming Pools 0:06: Motioned by Blues and seconded by Ellinger, the Council considered a resolution accepting the Mayor's proposed fee increase for golf courses while rejecting the Mayor's proposed fee increase for swimming pools. The motion passed 9–6. Voting in favor were: Beard, Blues, Feigel, Gray, Henson, James, Lane, McChord, and Stinnett. Voting against were: Crosbie, Ellinger, Gorton, Lawless, Martin, and Myers.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed two contract items at the June 10, 2010 meeting, authorizing expenditures for municipal equipment and facility repairs.

• Refuse Vehicle Purchase ($250,954): The Council approved a contract with Municipal Equipment, Inc. for the purchase of a 2011 International 4300 Series Cab & Chassis equipped with an 11-yard rear loading refuse body. The total contract amount was $250,954.

• Garage Repairs – Annex and Transit Center ($77,090): The Council authorized a contract with The Marr Co., Inc. in the amount of $77,090 to perform garage repairs at both the Annex and Transit Center facilities.

No resolution numbers were recorded in the available meeting data for either contract action. Combined, the two contracts represent a total Council-approved expenditure of $328,044.

Public Comment

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

• Mr. McCarthy 1:00:03 spoke about street maintenance priorities, expressing concern that city funds should be directed toward street lengthening, widening, and general maintenance rather than streetscaping projects, which he characterized as a waste of resources.

• Greg Kujawski 1:01:43, co-owner of Mr. Taxi, urged the Council to enforce existing city ordinances against unlicensed "gypsy cabs" operating in Lexington. He called on the Council to take action against these unlicensed operators who he indicated were competing with licensed taxi services in the city.

Contested Items

One item generated significant division among council members during the June 10, 2010 meeting.

• Fee Increases at Golf Courses and Swimming Pools: The council considered a proposal to raise fees at both golf courses and swimming pools. Members were not in agreement on the measure as a whole, ultimately splitting their decision along facility lines. The council approved the fee increase for golf courses but declined to extend the same increase to swimming pools. The vote was closely contested, with the final tally standing at 9-6, reflecting a near-even divide among the council's members.

No additional details regarding the specific arguments made by individual council members for or against the fee increases, or the amounts by which fees would have changed, are available in the meeting record.

Ordinance amending Article I of the Zoning Ordinance

3:16

The Council took up an ordinance amending Article I of the Zoning Ordinance, addressing updates to zoning definitions and processes related to boarding houses, families, and fraternity/sorority houses.

• Key speaker: Madam Clerk presented the item before the Council.
• Substance: The ordinance focused on amendments to definitions and procedural elements within Article I of the Zoning Ordinance, specifically as they pertain to boarding houses, the definition of families, and fraternity/sorority houses.
• Outcome: The ordinance was approved by the Council.

No additional speakers, debate, or concerns are reflected in the available record for this agenda item.

Ordinance authorizing Occupational License Fee Amnesty Program

3:50

The Council took up Agenda Item 2, an ordinance authorizing a one-time Occupational License Fee Amnesty Program. The measure was presented by Madam Clerk and centered on the implementation of a program that would waive penalties and interest for businesses or individuals carrying delinquent occupational license fees.

The amnesty program was described as a one-time opportunity, designed to encourage those with outstanding occupational license fee obligations to come into compliance without facing the additional financial burden of accumulated penalties and interest. No additional speakers, debates, or concerns are reflected in the available record for this item.

The ordinance was approved by the Council.