Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on January 17, 2012, at the Council Chambers located at 200 E. Main St, with the Mayor presiding. During the meeting, the Council addressed nine agenda items, including rezoning requests, budget amendments, and various presentations. The Council took four motions to a vote and heard six public comments from members of the community. Two items were approved: a conditional lease offer at 913 Georgetown Street and a proclamation recognizing Archives Month. One item was deferred for further consideration. The meeting also included an informational presentation on the Living Arts and Science Center Capital Project, along with reports from the Public Safety Committee and individual Council members.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on January 17, 2012:

Council Members: - Council Member Farmer - Council Member Ellinger - Council Member Beard - Council Member Ford - Council Member Lane - Council Member Crosby - Council Member Lawless - Council Member Blues - Council Member Pinson - Council Member Wallace - Council Member McCord - Council Member Henson

Leadership: - Vice Mayor Gordon

Commissioners: - Commissioner Mason - Commissioner Mills

Staff and Other Attendees: - Mr. Maloney - Mr. North - Mr. Birch - Mr. Reed - Paul Schoeniger - Rick Curtis - Detective Beavers - Ms. Pat Duggar - Heather Lyons - Phil Hollebeck - Gloria Singletary - Marnie Hollebeck - Susan Lamb - Roger Hamperian - Michelle Long

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The council took four votes during this meeting, all of which passed by voice vote.

Work Session Summary Approval 1:33 Council Member Ellinger moved to approve the summary of the work session, seconded by Council Member Farmer. The motion passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Conditional Lease Offer at 913 Georgetown Street 15:56 Council Member Beard moved to approve new business items related to a conditional lease offer at 913 Georgetown Street, seconded by Council Member Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote with no abstentions. This approval is conditional on meeting CAC relocation requirements and HRSA approval, with no lease to be executed until these conditions are satisfied.

Public Safety Committee Report Continuation 16:28 Council Member Crosby moved to continue the Public Safety Committee report on community corrections management, seconded by Council Member Lane. The motion passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Adjournment 1:15:09 Council Member McCord moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Council Member Crosby. The motion passed by voice vote with no abstentions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included approval of two significant financial items:

Living Arts and Science Center Expansion A $5,000,000 grant was approved to support a capital campaign for the Living Arts and Science Center expansion.

Primary Health Care Grant and Property Lease A conditional lease offer for property located at 913 Georgetown Street was approved to support a primary health care grant valued at $11,700,000. This item, identified as Business Item G, involves Health First Bluegrass (HRSA) as the recipient.

Public Comment

Council members raised several concerns during the meeting regarding projects, communication, and departmental staffing.

Community Action Council Relocation

Council Member Ford expressed support for the health care project, contingent on assurance that the Community Action Council would be reasonably relocated. He cited federal grant requirements and the need for comparable space. 2:36 Vice Mayor Gordon echoed these concerns, stating his support was also contingent on resolving the Community Action Council's relocation needs and requesting clarity on timelines. 6:04

Real Estate Communication

Council Member Lane criticized the administration for poor communication regarding real estate deals. He stated that he only learned of the 913 Georgetown property deal through the newspaper rather than through official channels. 9:19

Living Arts and Science Center Funding

Council Member Beard inquired about the geographic distribution of funding for the $5 million capital campaign for the Living Arts and Science Center, emphasizing the need for broad regional support beyond Fayette County. 43:46

Manchester Bidwell Center Context

Council Member McCord requested a brief explanation of Bill Strickland's impact in Pittsburgh to provide context for the Living Arts and Science Center's vision for community transformation. 55:11

Police and Fire Staffing

Council Member Henson raised concerns about current staffing levels in the police and fire departments. He requested a presentation to assess coverage plans before new recruits arrive. 1:12:53

Contested Items

The January 17, 2012 meeting included two significant areas of disagreement among council members and administration.

Community Action Council Relocation

Council Member Ford and Vice Mayor Gordon raised concerns about the proposed relocation of the Community Action Council. Both officials made their support for the measure contingent upon resolving outstanding relocation needs. Their primary concerns centered on federal grant compliance and ensuring equitable space provision for the organization. The disagreement resulted in a split vote on this item.

Communication on Real Estate Transactions

Council Member Lane initiated a heated discussion regarding the administration's communication practices on real estate matters. Lane specifically criticized the administration for failing to inform the council about the 913 Georgetown lease prior to the meeting. Lane characterized this as poor communication and a breach of transparency, expressing concern about the council's ability to exercise proper oversight when major real estate transactions were not disclosed in advance.

Public Comment

No members of the public signed up to speak during the public comment period. As a result, this agenda item was not discussed, and the meeting proceeded to the next item on the agenda.

Rezoning Requests and Dock Approval

1:02

No zoning requests were presented during this agenda item. The council proceeded without discussion on this matter.

Budget Amendments

No budget amendments were presented during this agenda item. The council approved the new business items without discussion. 2:04

New Business: Conditional Lease Offer at 913 Georgetown Street

2:36

The council discussed a conditional lease offer for the property at 913 Georgetown Street, which would support a $11.7 million federal grant for a primary health care center.

Key Participants

The discussion involved Council Member Ford, Vice Mayor Gordon, Council Member Lane, Mr. Maloney, Mr. North, and Mr. Birch.

Presentation and Discussion

The lease offer was presented as contingent on meeting federal requirements and receiving HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) approval. The proposal aims to establish a primary health care center at the Georgetown Street location through the federal grant funding.

Concerns Raised

A significant concern addressed during the discussion was the relocation of the Community Action Council. The council needed to ensure that comparable space would be available for the Community Action Council as a result of this lease arrangement.

Outcome

The conditional lease offer at 913 Georgetown Street was approved.

Continuing Business and Presentations

16:28

During this agenda item, the council addressed a Public Safety Committee report concerning community corrections management. Council Member Lawless participated in the discussion of this matter.

The council approved a motion to continue consideration of the Public Safety Committee report rather than conclude it at this meeting. The report will be revisited at a future date in March, allowing for additional time to address the topic of community corrections management.

The outcome of this agenda item was a deferral, meaning the matter was postponed for further discussion and action at the scheduled March meeting.

Public Safety Committee Report

The Public Safety Committee presented findings on community corrections management during this informational agenda item 17:03.

Presentation and Discussion

Council Member Lawless, Paul Schoeniger, Sheriff Witt, Ray Sabatini, Chris Frost, and Commissioners Driscoll, Graham, and Mason participated in the discussion. The committee examined options for oversight of community corrections management, presenting three potential governance structures: oversight by the sheriff, oversight by a director, or oversight by an elected jailer.

Outcome

No motions were made during the presentation. The item was deferred, meaning the committee did not reach a final decision or recommendation at this time. The discussion remained informational, allowing the committee to present its findings without taking formal action.

Presentation: Living Arts and Science Center Capital Project

20:17

Heather Lyons and Phil Hollebeck presented a $5 million capital campaign for the expansion of the Living Arts and Science Center. The project encompasses several new facilities and features designed to enhance the center's educational and community offerings.

Project Components

The capital project includes the following additions:

• A planetarium
• Digital media studio
• Recording art studio
• Children's gallery
• Teaching kitchen

Design Approach

The expansion was designed by De Leon and Primer Architecture Workshop. The design emphasizes three key principles:

• Sustainability
• Community involvement
• A juxtaposition of historic and modern architecture

Speakers and Participants

In addition to the primary presenters Heather Lyons and Phil Hollebeck, Gloria Singletary and Marnie Hollebeck participated in the presentation.

Outcome

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes.

Proclamation: Archives Month

The council proclaimed January 2012 as Archives Month in Lexington and Fayette County. 57:52

Presentation and Key Speakers

Council Clerk Susan Lamb presented a digitized 1858 City of Lexington Act book during the discussion. The presentation highlighted historical ordinances and records management practices from the city's archives. Key speakers on this agenda item included Susan Lamb, Roger Hamperian, Michelle Long, and Council Member Beard.

Outcome

The proclamation was approved.

Council Reports

During the Council Reports section, two matters were addressed by council members.

Council Member McCoy offered congratulations to the University of Kentucky cheerleaders for winning their 19th national championship.

Council Member Henson raised concerns about police and fire staffing levels and requested that a presentation on this topic be provided to the council. The request was made due to concerns about coverage in these departments.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken.