Council General Government Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government Committee met on February 1, 2011, at 1:00 p.m., with Ed Lane presiding. The committee addressed four agenda items during the meeting, hearing six public comments and taking two votes. Two items—Utility Franchises and an Update on Internal Audit Board Members, Charter, Bylaws, and State Auditor Report—were deferred for future consideration. The committee received an informational presentation on Employee Wellness Programs and conducted a first reading on New Business Items.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on January 24, 2011:

• Ed Lane
• Jay McChord
• Steve Kay
• Chris Ford
• K. C. Crosbie
• Doug Martin
• George Myers
• Jerry Southers
• Scott Seymour
• Dave Barbary
• Bruce Shelley
• Jennifer Massadi
• Jennifer Burke
• Richard Maloney
• Rebecca Langston

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Motion on Utility Franchise Negotiations Follow-up 33:15

A motion was made by Ed Lane and seconded by K. C. Crosbie to have David Barbary and Jennifer Massadi return on March 22nd with a follow-up report on utility franchise negotiations. The motion passed by voice vote. Those voting in favor were Ed Lane, Jay McChord, Steve Kay, Chris Ford, K. C. Crosbie, Doug Martin, and George Myers.

Motion on Internal Audit Board Ordinance Amendment 51:04

A motion was made by K. C. Crosbie and seconded by Steve Kay to refer the Internal Audit Board ordinance amendment to the General Government Committee for consideration. This motion was withdrawn.

Public Comment

Council members raised several topics during the meeting:

Utility Franchise Renegotiation

Council Member Beard inquired about franchise processes used in other jurisdictions and whether they align with IRS requirements 12:48. He clarified that there is no legal requirement for coterminity and that franchises are negotiated independently.

Council Member Martin suggested benchmarking against other cities during franchise renegotiation 21:53. He recommended reviewing agreements from cities like Louisville and Cincinnati to avoid duplicating work already completed elsewhere.

Employee Wellness Programs

Council Member Ellinger shared findings from a USA Today article about Oakland County, Michigan 14:41. The article highlighted a wellness program that reduced health insurance costs by nearly 12% over two years through risk assessments and preventive care initiatives.

Council Member McCord proposed an ambitious goal for the city 1:07:33. He suggested making Lexington Fayette Urban County government the healthiest public sector workforce in America within five years, emphasizing the importance of culture change and prevention strategies.

Council Member Beard recommended researching Ashland Oil's on-site gym facility 1:18:51. He noted potential benefits of workplace fitness facilities while acknowledging challenges with employee retention of gym memberships.

Internal Audit Board Bylaws

Council Member Crosby raised a concern about information sharing 38:08. He asked whether external audit reports should be shared with the Internal Audit Board, noting a discrepancy between 32 audits completed and only a few known to the board.

Appointments

The following appointments to the Internal Audit Board were made:

• Richard Maloney was appointed to the Internal Audit Board
• Rebecca Langston was appointed to the Internal Audit Board

Contested Items

Internal Audit Board Ordinance Amendment

A procedural dispute arose regarding an ordinance amendment related to the Internal Audit Board. The disagreement centered on whether the committee should proceed with action on the amendment without conducting a full review.

Concerns were raised about the lack of prior committee consideration of the ordinance amendment and the incomplete information available to members at the time of discussion. These issues prompted questions about the appropriateness of moving forward with a vote under those circumstances.

Following discussion of these concerns, the motion was withdrawn.

Utility Franchises

4:30

Dave Barbary provided a briefing on utility franchises, covering the legal framework governing these agreements, current franchise terms, and the negotiation process for their renewal and modification.

Key Topics Discussed

Barbary explained the structure and requirements of utility franchises, with particular attention to franchise duration and fee rates. He noted that current franchise fees are set at 3%, with the potential for these rates to increase to 5%. A significant focus of the presentation was the need to update older franchises, specifically those covering water and cable services, which require modernization to reflect current conditions and standards.

Outcome

The committee deferred further action on this item and agreed to receive a follow-up report scheduled for March 22nd. This timeline allows for additional analysis and preparation before the next discussion.

Update on Internal Audit Board - Members/Charter/Bylaws/State Auditor Report

34:26

Bruce Shelley provided an update on the Internal Audit Board's current status and organizational matters. The board is operating with two vacancies that require attention before proceeding with certain governance actions.

Key Issues Discussed:

• Vacancies: The Internal Audit Board currently has two open positions that need to be filled.

• Bylaws Adoption: The board has delayed adopting bylaws until it is fully constituted with all members in place.

• Ordinance Amendment: The committee discussed the need to approve an ordinance amendment to add two new community members to the board. This action was necessary to address the existing vacancies.

Outcome:

The motion to approve the ordinance amendment was withdrawn pending further review. The committee deferred action on this item, indicating that additional consideration or information is needed before moving forward with the proposed changes.

Jennifer Burke participated in the discussion alongside Bruce Shelley.

Employee Wellness Programs

Council Member McCord introduced a proposal to transform the city's workforce into the healthiest public sector workforce in America within five years. The discussion centered on the financial and cultural benefits of implementing comprehensive wellness initiatives for city employees.

Key Speakers and Support

Council Member McCord led the discussion, with support from Council Members Ellinger, Crosby, and Beard. Multiple council members expressed backing for the wellness proposal during the meeting.

Proposal Highlights

The proposal emphasized both the health and economic advantages of employee wellness programs. Council members referenced examples from Oakland County, Michigan, as a model for successful wellness initiatives in the public sector.

Outcome

The agenda item was presented as informational, with no formal vote or binding decision recorded. The discussion served to introduce the wellness proposal to the council and gather input from members.

1:07:33

New Business Items

1:24:30

The council addressed two new business matters during this portion of the meeting.

Council Member Myers referred a matter concerning facilities occupancy policy for consideration. Council Member Martin proposed legislation to establish electronic public access to government data.

The key speakers on these items included Ed Lane, Doug Martin, George Myers, and Chris Ford.

In response to both proposals, the council agreed to form work groups to address each item. This approach would allow for detailed examination and development of recommendations before further action.

The outcome of this discussion was a first reading of the proposed legislation.