Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council met on April 28, 2011, at 6:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting included three agenda items, all of which were informational in nature. The council heard an invocation, received a commemoration for Public Health Heroes, and received information about the Mayor's Task Force on Wellness. During the meeting, the council took three motions and votes and heard one public comment.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on April 28, 2011:

• Mayor Gray
• Beard
• Blues
• Crosbie
• Ellinger
• Farmer
• Ford
• Gorton
• Henson
• Kay
• Lane
• Lawless
• Martin
• McChord
• Myers
• Stinnett

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Approval of Minutes 4:29

The meeting minutes from January 25 and February 8, 2011 were approved by voice vote. The motion was made by Ellinger and seconded by Gorton.

2011 Consolidated Plan/Grant Application Ordinance 23:17

An ordinance authorizing the Mayor to execute and submit the 2011 Consolidated Plan/Grant Application passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes and 0 nays. The motion was made by Gorton and seconded by Lawless.

Voting in favor: Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Farmer, Gorton, Henson, Kay, Lane, Lawless, Martin, McChord, Myers, and Stinnett.

Constitution and Berry Hill Pools Ordinance 2:10:07

An ordinance to keep Constitution and Berry Hill pools open for the 2011 season passed by roll call vote with 9 ayes and 6 nays. The motion was made by Stinnett and seconded by Myers.

Voting in favor: Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Farmer, Ford, Gorton, Henson, and Kay.

Voting against: Lane, Lawless, Martin, McChord, Myers, and Stinnett.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting approved two grants for Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government:

Community Development Block Grant - Amount: $3,641,000 - Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Program: Community Development Block Grant Program - Identifier: BS 121-11

S. Limestone Streetscape Transportation Enhancement Project Grant - Amount: $750,000 - Source: Kentucky Transportation Cabinet - Project: S. Limestone Streetscape Transportation Enhancement Project - Identifier: BS 129-11

These two grants totaled $4,391,000 in funding for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.

Public Comment

Mr. McCarthy addressed the board during public comment, raising concerns about two interconnected issues: potential layoffs and a proposal to replace security guards with a private contractor. 2:33:33

Mr. McCarthy expressed opposition to the security staffing change, citing security risks associated with transitioning from in-house security personnel to private contractor services. He connected this proposal to broader concerns about potential layoffs that could result from the reorganization.

Contested Items

Keeping Constitution and Berry Hill Pools Open

The council debated whether to keep the Constitution and Berry Hill pools open. The discussion centered on balancing budget impacts against community benefits. Council members expressed concerns about the financial implications of maintaining both facilities while also considering the value these pools provide to residents. The disagreement reflected broader tensions between fiscal constraints and community services.

The debate resulted in a split vote, indicating that council members were divided on the issue and could not reach consensus on whether to proceed with keeping both pools operational.

Invocation

Reverend Dalene Vasbinder from Woodland Christian Church delivered the invocation for the meeting. 1:03

Commemoration for Public Health Heroes

Dr. Rice Leach and Kevin Hall presented a commemoration recognizing Public Health Heroes for their contributions to public health. 5:02

The presentation honored individuals including Jill Chenault-Wilson and Dr. Malkanthie McCormick for their work in the public health field. This was an informational presentation with no formal debate or concerns raised during the agenda item.

Mayor's Task Force on Wellness

Tish Clayborn presented on the Mayor's Task Force on Wellness, outlining the mission and goals of the initiative 10:16. The presentation was informational in nature, aimed at introducing council members to the task force's work and inviting their collaboration on health initiatives.

The presentation covered the task force's mission and objectives, though specific details of those goals were not documented in the meeting record. Clayborn's remarks were designed to engage council members and encourage their participation in supporting the wellness initiatives being undertaken by the task force.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational, with no formal action or decision required from the council at this time.