Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council met on September 13, 2011, under the presiding of the Mayor. During the meeting, the Council took 11 votes and heard 5 public comments. The Council addressed 9 agenda items, including rezoning requests and docket approval, budget amendments, and new business, all of which were approved. Additional informational items included continuing business, the Facilities Use Policy, Council reports, the Mayor's report, public comment, and a closed session.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on September 13, 2011:

• Council Member Stennett
• Council Member Stanton
• Council Member Farmer
• Council Member Myers
• Council Member Ellinger
• Council Member Beard
• Council Member Henson
• Council Member Martin
• Council Member Lane
• Council Member McCord
• Council Member Blues
• Council Member Gordon
• Council Member Lawless
• Council Member Hanson
• Vice Mayor Gordon
• Mayor

No council members were absent or late for this meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council took the following actions during the meeting:

• Motion to put item number seven on the docket without a public hearing 0:38
• Moved by Council Member Stanton, seconded by Council Member Farmer
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to approve the docket 1:46
• Moved by Council Member Farmer, seconded by Council Member Myers
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to approve budget amendments 2:59
• Moved by Council Member Ellinger, seconded by Council Member Beard
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to approve new business items 3:29
• Moved by Council Member Beard, seconded by Council Member Ellinger
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to substitute a new memo for item S, approving the vendor only and not the contract 7:16
• Moved by Council Member Stennett, seconded by Council Member Henson
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to amend the deadline for blue sheets to close of business on Tuesday instead of Thursday 54:42
• Moved by Council Member Stennett, seconded by Council Member McCord
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to place consideration of health and active lifestyle design guidelines into the planning committee 1:01:29
• Moved by Council Member McCord, seconded by Council Member Farmer
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to place possible revisions of Section 17-2 (addressing ordinance) into the planning committee 1:07:33
• Moved by Council Member Farmer, seconded by Vice Mayor Gordon
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to approve NDF requests 1:06:57
• Moved by Council Member Farmer, seconded by Council Member Lane
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to approve the mayor's report 1:14:05
• Moved by Vice Mayor Gordon, seconded by Council Member Ellinger
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

• Motion to go into closed session for pending litigation 1:14:37
• Moved by Vice Mayor Gordon, seconded by Council Member Kay
• Outcome: Passed by voice vote

All motions passed by voice vote with no recorded abstentions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included authorization for the following financial actions:

Contract Authorization - A one-year agreement with Mr. Sabatini was authorized. No specific dollar amount was documented for this contract.

Brownfield Grants - The Division of Environmental Policy received $200,000 in brownfield grants designated for hazardous substance properties.

Public Comment

Several council members and the Vice Mayor addressed the meeting with updates and policy concerns.

Childhood Obesity and Joint Use Agreements 1:00:02 Council Member McCord emphasized the urgency of addressing childhood obesity in Lexington and advocated for bold policy changes. McCord specifically recommended leveraging joint use agreements with Fayette County Schools to improve access to facilities for youth.

Facility Use Policy and Transparency 41:01 Council Member Henson requested a comprehensive list of city facility occupants, their relationships to the government, and the services they provide. Henson expressed support for the proposed policy to improve transparency and accountability in facility management.

Neighborhood Meetings 46:04 Council Member Blues announced two upcoming neighborhood meetings. The first will be held for the Meadowthorpe Neighborhood Association to discuss the use of tennis courts, and the second for the Greenburn Neighborhood Association.

Old YWCA Property and Community Corrections 1:08:08 Council Member Hanson shared updates on the redevelopment of the old YWCA property and praised community corrections for their environmental cleanup efforts. Hanson urged continued public awareness of these initiatives.

City Events and Dog Paddle Fundraiser 1:11:22 Vice Mayor Gordon highlighted the city's 9/11 commemoration ceremony and reported on the success of the 11th annual dog paddle fundraiser. The event raised private funds for dog parks through a public-private partnership.

Appointments

Leslie Jarvis was appointed to the position of Council Administrator.

Contested Items

The September 13, 2011 meeting included three areas of substantive disagreement among council members.

Facilities Use Policy and Lease Terms

Council members engaged in a heated discussion regarding the city's facilities use policy and lease arrangements with nonprofits. The central dispute involved the fairness of subsidizing nonprofit organizations through city facilities. Council members called for a numerical valuation of indirect contributions made by the city to these organizations, recognizing that current arrangements lacked clear financial accounting. The debate also addressed a proposed transition plan for existing tenants occupying city facilities. Members emphasized the need for a legal ordinance to formally enforce the facilities use policy, rather than relying on informal arrangements. This discussion reflected broader concerns about fiscal responsibility and the need for transparent, standardized terms governing nonprofit use of municipal resources.

Blue Sheet Deadlines and Workflow

Council Member Stennett raised procedural concerns about the late submission of blue sheets—documents used in the council's workflow process. The late submissions were creating challenges for staff preparation and meeting efficiency. In response, a motion was introduced to establish a deadline for blue sheet submission by close of business on Tuesday. This initial motion was subsequently amended before being passed. The amendment reflected an effort to balance the council's need for timely information with practical constraints on member schedules, ultimately improving the timeline for staff preparation.

Council Involvement in Redistricting

The mayor questioned the appropriate level of council member participation in redistricting meetings. This procedural dispute centered on whether council members should attend such meetings at all. The discussion clarified an established rule: council members may attend redistricting meetings but are not permitted to speak or attempt to influence precinct movements. This distinction between attendance and active participation was important to maintaining the integrity of the redistricting process while allowing members to remain informed.

Rezoning requests and docket approval

0:38

The council discussed and approved the docket during this agenda item. Council Members Stennett, Stanton, and Farmer participated in the discussion.

The council took the following actions:

• Authorized a one-year agreement with Mr. Sabatini
• Voted to place item number seven on the docket without a public hearing

The docket was approved by the council.

Budget amendments

The council approved budget amendments during this agenda item. Council Member Ellinger moved to approve the amendments, and Council Member Beard seconded the motion 2:59. The council voted to approve the amendments with no discussion.

Outcome: The budget amendments were approved.

New business

The council reviewed several new business items during this portion of the meeting. 3:29

Items Discussed

The council considered three main matters:

• Internal advertisement of vacant positions
• A proposed vendor agreement with Humana
• Interlocal cooperation with Jessamine County Police

Key Action

Council Member Stennett moved to substitute a new memo for item S, proposing approval of the vendor agreement only, rather than approving all items together.

Participants

The discussion involved Vice Mayor Gordon, Council Member Henson, Council Member Stanton, Council Member Martin, and Commissioner Graham.

Outcome

The new business items were approved.

Continuing business

The Budget and Finance Committee provided an informational report on several financial matters affecting the organization. 24:23

Topics Covered

The Committee addressed four main areas:

• Monthly budget review
• Revenue forecasting model
• Banking RFP (Request for Proposal)
• Preliminary reduction plans

Additionally, the Committee discussed the CAFRA schedule and the management letter received as part of the audit process.

Key Participants

Council Member Ellinger, Commissioner Driscoll, and Commissioner Diskell led the discussion on these financial matters.

Goals and Next Steps

The Committee identified a goal to complete the audit fund balance review earlier than previously scheduled, indicating an effort to accelerate the audit timeline and financial reporting process.

Outcome

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes, with no formal action or decision required at this meeting.

Facilities Use Policy

Jamshid Baradaran presented the proposed Facilities Use Policy to the council at approximately 27 minutes into the meeting. The policy aims to standardize lease terms, improve transparency, and establish a five-year lease limit with a phased transition for existing tenants.

Key Discussion Points

Council members participated in the discussion, including Council Member Stennett, Council Member Lane, Vice Mayor Gordon, and Council Member Henson. The council identified the need for a legal ordinance to support the implementation of the proposed policy.

Outcome

The agenda item was presented as informational, with no final action taken at this meeting.

Council reports

Vice Mayor Gordon provided updates on several matters of council business. He discussed upcoming committee meetings and provided information on the redistricting committee's work. Vice Mayor Gordon also addressed the status of the citizen advocate position.

Council Member Blues announced that neighborhood meetings would be held, though specific details about timing, location, or topics were not included in the available information.

Council Member Lane raised a request for an updated report on supplemental pay for IT employees.

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken. 43:45

Mayor's report

The Mayor provided updates on several city matters during this informational report segment 56:32.

City Events

The Mayor discussed the recent 9/11 ceremony and provided an update on the dog paddle fundraiser. He also highlighted an upcoming deadline for the Stormwater Quality Project Incentive Grant.

Redistricting Concerns

The Mayor raised concerns regarding council members' attendance at redistricting meetings, though specific details about these concerns were not elaborated in the available information.

Outcome

This segment was informational in nature, with no formal action or decision required.

Public comment

1:14:37

The council opened the floor for public comment on issues not on the agenda. No members of the public spoke during this portion of the meeting.

Closed session

The council moved into closed session under KRS 61.810.1C to discuss pending litigation 1:14:37. Vice Mayor Gordon and Council Member Kay were present during this portion of the meeting.

No public discussion took place during the closed session. The session was held in accordance with Kentucky Revised Statutes 61.810.1C, which permits public bodies to meet in closed session for matters involving pending or threatened litigation.