Urban County Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on November 27, 2007, at 3:00 PM with Vice Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting focused primarily on informational presentations and reports, with three main agenda items covering planning matters, economic development, and a presentation involving Dr. Rowe and Lexmark.

During the session, the Council heard two public comments from citizens and conducted six motions and votes on various matters. The agenda included a Planning Committee Report, a presentation from Commerce Lexington, and a presentation by Dr. Rowe related to Lexmark. All three primary agenda items were informational in nature, indicating the meeting served largely as a briefing and update session for Council members rather than focusing on legislative action items requiring formal decisions or policy changes.

Attendance

The Council meeting on November 27, 2007 was presided over by Vice Mayor Gray, with 12 council members present and 3 absent.

Present: • Vice Mayor Gray • CM Blevins • CM Ellinger • CM Stevens • CM Gorton • CM James • CM Myers • CM Stinnett • CM McChord • CM Blues • CM Maloney • CM DeCamp

Absent: • CM Beard • CM Crosbie • CM Lane

No council members arrived late to the meeting. With 12 members present, the council had sufficient attendance to conduct official business.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took action on six motions during the November 27, 2007 meeting.

Meeting Minutes Approval 0:30 CM Blevins moved to approve the summary from the November 20, 2007 meeting, seconded by CM Ellinger. The motion passed unanimously.

New Business Items 1:00 CM DeCamp moved to approve new business items A through O, seconded by CM Stevens. The motion passed by voice vote with one abstention. CM Blevins recused himself from item K.

Student Housing Task Force 2:00 CM Gorton moved to form a task force regarding student housing, seconded by CM James. The motion passed unanimously.

Police Chief Nomination 3:00 CM Gorton moved to place on the December 6 docket the approval of nominee Assistant Chief Bastin for the LPD Chief position, seconded by CM Stevens. The motion passed unanimously.

Water Supply Letter 4:00 CM Stevens moved to send a letter to the PSC regarding water supply solutions. The motion passed by voice vote with the condition that the letter would be signed by individual council members rather than as an official council communication.

Traffic Control Installation 5:00 CM Blues moved to install a 3-way stop at Masterson Station Drive and Jacquelyn Lane, seconded by CM Blevins. The motion passed by voice vote.

All motions that came to a vote were approved, with the Council demonstrating broad consensus on the items presented. The only recusal occurred when CM Blevins abstained from voting on item K of the new business items due to an unspecified conflict of interest.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved several significant contracts and agreements totaling over $554,000 during the November 27, 2007 meeting.

Police Education Partnership Resolution 647-07 authorized a $60,000 Purchase of Service Agreement with Midway College to provide police officers with the opportunity to earn an Associate of Arts degree. This educational partnership represents an investment in professional development for the city's law enforcement personnel.

Infrastructure Improvements The Council approved Resolution 646-07, establishing a $60,000 Engineering Services Agreement with Fuller Mossbarger Scott and May Engineers, Inc. for the Loch Lomond Drive Stormwater Improvements Project. This contract will provide engineering services to address stormwater management issues in the area.

Public Art Initiative Resolution 649-07 approved a $14,000 Memorandum of Agreement with Art in Motion, Inc. for an Artistic Transit Shelter. This relatively modest investment will enhance the aesthetic appeal of public transportation infrastructure.

Youth Services Program A substantial $75,691 agreement was authorized through Resolution 651-07 with Partners for Youth Foundation, Inc. to operate a Truancy Assessment Center. This program represents the city's commitment to addressing youth truancy issues through specialized services.

Technology Upgrade The largest financial commitment of the meeting was Resolution 657-07, approving a $344,800 Client Engagement Agreement with Metaformers, Inc. This contract will implement a PeopleSoft EPM (Enterprise Performance Management) Module for the city's STARS system, representing a significant investment in municipal technology infrastructure.

These approved expenditures span multiple city departments and priorities, from police training and infrastructure improvements to youth services and technology modernization.

Public Comment

The Council meeting on November 27, 2007 included two designated public comment periods, but no members of the public spoke during either session.

Issues on Agenda 0:10 • No public comments were received regarding items on the meeting agenda

Issues Not on Agenda 6:00 • No public comments were received regarding issues not on the meeting agenda

Both public comment periods proceeded without any speakers, allowing the Council to move forward with the scheduled agenda items without public input or concerns to address.

Appointments

The Council took action on two key appointments during the November 27, 2007 meeting.

Police Department Leadership • Ronnie Bastin was appointed as Chief of Police

Internal Audit Department • Chris Ensslin was appointed as Deputy Director of Internal Audit

These appointments represent important staffing decisions for critical city departments, with the Police Chief position being a key public safety leadership role and the Deputy Director of Internal Audit position supporting the city's financial oversight functions.

Contested Items

The Council meeting on November 27, 2007, featured one significant area of disagreement among members regarding water supply solutions.

Water Supply Solutions Letter to PSC

Council members engaged in a heated discussion about whether to send a letter to the Public Service Commission (PSC) concerning water supply solutions. The debate centered on concerns about both the timing of such correspondence and the cost-effectiveness of the proposals being considered.

The disagreement involved multiple council members, though the specific participants and their individual positions are not detailed in the available meeting records. The nature of the discussion suggests there were differing views on the appropriate approach to addressing water supply issues through PSC engagement.

Key points of contention included: - Whether the timing was appropriate for sending correspondence to the PSC - Questions about the cost-effectiveness of the water supply solutions under consideration - The proper role of the Council in communicating with the PSC on this matter

The outcome of this contested discussion is not specified in the available meeting documentation, leaving unclear whether the Council ultimately decided to proceed with sending the letter to the PSC or chose an alternative course of action.

This water supply discussion represents the primary area where Council members expressed significant disagreement during the November 27, 2007 meeting, highlighting the complexity of municipal water infrastructure decisions and the various considerations that factor into such policy discussions.

Planning Committee Report

2:30 CM Gorton presented the Planning Committee report to the Council, providing an update on recent committee activities and discussions.

The report focused on two primary areas of committee consideration. CM Gorton discussed the UK housing issue that had been under review by the Planning Committee, though specific details about the nature of this housing matter were not elaborated upon in the presentation.

Additionally, CM Gorton reported on committee discussions regarding a proposal related to housing ordinances. The committee had been examining potential changes or additions to existing housing regulations, though the specific provisions or scope of the proposed ordinance modifications were not detailed during this brief report.

The Planning Committee report served as an informational update to the full Council, keeping members apprised of ongoing planning and development matters under committee review. No formal action was taken by the Council on the items discussed in the committee report, as this was presented for informational purposes only.

The report reflects the Planning Committee's continued work on housing-related issues and regulatory matters within the city's planning framework.

Commerce Lexington Presentation

3:30

Anthony Wright and Guy Huguelet from Commerce Lexington delivered a presentation to the Council on the organization's economic development efforts and achievements. The presentation focused on Commerce Lexington's role in promoting business growth and attraction within the Lexington area.

The speakers shared success stories and key metrics demonstrating the organization's impact on the local economy. Wright and Huguelet outlined various initiatives and programs that Commerce Lexington has implemented to support existing businesses and attract new companies to the region.

The presentation was informational in nature, providing Council members with an overview of Commerce Lexington's activities and their contribution to the city's economic development goals. The speakers highlighted specific achievements and provided data on their economic development efforts.

This agenda item served as an update to keep the Council informed about the work being conducted by Commerce Lexington and its partnership with the city in promoting economic growth and business development in the Lexington area.

Presentation by Dr. Rowe to Lexmark

4:30

Dr. Rowe made a brief presentation to recognize Lexmark for their support of the community flu shot clinic. During this agenda item, Dr. Rowe presented a token of appreciation to representatives from Lexmark in acknowledgment of the company's assistance with the flu vaccination program.

The presentation was informational in nature, serving as a formal recognition of Lexmark's community partnership and contribution to public health efforts. No discussion or debate occurred during this agenda item, as it was solely focused on expressing gratitude for the company's involvement in the flu shot clinic initiative.

The outcome was the successful presentation of the appreciation token to Lexmark representatives, formally recognizing their role in supporting the community health program.