Urban County Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on December 11, 2007, at 3:05 PM with Vice Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting focused primarily on informational presentations and updates, with three main agenda items covering employee recognition, winter weather preparedness, and committee activities.

During the session, the Council heard a presentation on the city's Snow and Ice Removal Plan, recognized outstanding employees for their service, and received an update from the Services Committee on their recent activities. The meeting included one public comment from a citizen and involved six motions and votes on various matters before the Council.

The informational nature of the agenda items reflected the Council's commitment to transparency and keeping the public informed about city operations, particularly regarding winter weather response capabilities and employee achievements within the urban county government.

Attendance

The December 11, 2007 Council meeting had strong attendance with 11 members present and 2 absent.

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

Absent: • CM Crosbie • CM Moloney

No members arrived late to the meeting. With 11 of 13 council members in attendance, the meeting had sufficient quorum to conduct official business.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took six unanimous votes during the December 11, 2007 meeting, with all motions passing without opposition.

Docket Approval 10:00 CM Gorton motioned to approve the docket as amended, seconded by CM DeCamp. The motion passed unanimously.

Meeting Summary Approval 20:00 CM Stinnett motioned to approve the summary from the December 4, 2007 meeting as amended, with CM McChord providing the second. The motion passed unanimously.

Budget Amendments 30:00 CM Stinnett motioned to approve budget amendments as amended, seconded by CM Ellinger. The motion passed unanimously.

New Business Items 40:00 CM Gorton motioned to approve new business items A through N, with CM DeCamp seconding the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Tobacco-Free Healthcare Resolution 50:00 CM Ellinger motioned to approve a resolution supporting tobacco-free healthcare campuses, seconded by CM Gorton. The motion passed unanimously.

Mayor's Report 1:20:00 CM Gorton motioned to approve the Mayor's report, with CM DeCamp providing the second. The motion passed unanimously.

All votes were conducted as voice votes with unanimous consent rather than formal roll call votes. No council members voted against any of the presented motions, and no abstentions were recorded. The meeting demonstrated strong consensus among council members on all agenda items brought forward for formal votes.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved multiple grant applications, contracts, and financial amendments during the December 11, 2007 meeting.

Grant Applications and Major Funding: • Resolution 694-07: Grant application to FEMA for a Hazard Mitigation Project totaling $1,395,000 • Resolution 701-07: Project profiles submitted to the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority for Wastewater Projects worth $18,874,000 • Resolution 696-07: Grant application to the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services for $10,000 for the Division of Fire and Emergency Services

Contracts and Agreements: • Resolution 697-07: Software Product License Agreement with Granicus, Inc. for $15,600 • Resolution 695-07: Agreement with Volunteers of America for Emergency Housing Services for $8,000 • Resolution 705-07: Facility Agreement with Toyota Bluegrass Miracle League (amount not specified) • Resolution 706-07: Price contract with M/A-COM, Inc. (amount not specified)

Code Amendments and Fee Adjustments: • Resolution 702-07: Amendment to Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances within the Division of Waste Management for $4,328 • Resolution 703-07: Amendment to Section 21-5 within the Division of Parks and Recreation for $3,450 • Resolution 704-07: Amendment to Section 21-5 within the Division of Building Maintenance and Construction for $930.95

Other Financial Actions: • Resolution 700-07: Change Order No. 1 to contract with Art's Electric for Generator Installation, adding $2,191 • Resolution 699-07: Deed of Temporary Construction Easement at 889 Star Shoot Parkway for $1,310 • Resolution 698-07: Subordination Agreement of a FAP Mortgage at 3109 Starling Drive with Chase Bank • Resolution 606-07: Stipend for Permanent Sworn Battalion Chief position for $7,200

The total identified funding for grants and major projects exceeded $20 million, with the largest single item being the wastewater infrastructure projects.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the Council.

Lewis Cobb spoke about community unity, emphasizing the importance of bringing people together despite differences 1:25:00. Mr. Cobb challenged the Council members to take action for the betterment of humanity, specifically encouraging them to "do something for someone they don't like." His remarks focused on the broader theme of working across divisions to strengthen the community as a whole.

Appointments

The Council took action on one appointment during the December 11, 2007 meeting.

• Cheryl Taylor was appointed as Commissioner of Environmental Quality

The appointment was processed as part of the Council's regular business for filling positions on various city boards, commissions, and roles within the municipal government structure.

Contested Items

The December 11, 2007 Council meeting featured one primary contested item regarding trailer park living conditions and quality of life concerns.

Trailer Parks Quality of Life

Jeff Bradford brought forward significant concerns about the quality of life in local trailer parks, focusing on issues of exploitation and poor living conditions affecting residents. Bradford highlighted what he characterized as systemic problems within these residential communities, drawing attention to conditions that he argued were negatively impacting residents' well-being.

The nature of the disagreement centered on community opposition to the current state of trailer park management and oversight. Bradford's presentation appeared to challenge existing policies or lack of enforcement regarding housing standards and resident protections in these communities.

The specific details of Bradford's concerns included allegations of exploitation of trailer park residents, though the exact mechanisms of this exploitation were not detailed in the available meeting data. Additionally, he raised issues about poor living conditions, suggesting that current standards or enforcement may be inadequate to ensure acceptable quality of life for residents.

The outcome of this contested item was not specified in the available meeting records, leaving unclear whether the Council took immediate action, referred the matter to staff for investigation, or scheduled the issue for future consideration. The lack of resolution details suggests this may have been presented as a public comment or informational item rather than a formal agenda item requiring Council action.

This contested item reflects broader community concerns about affordable housing standards and the protection of vulnerable residents in alternative housing arrangements such as trailer parks.

Employee Recognition

5:00

Council Member Blevins presented an employee recognition during the December 11, 2007 council meeting, honoring Julia Shaw from the Lexington Police Department for her outstanding service.

Julia Shaw was recognized for receiving the Kentucky Women's Law Enforcement Network Civilian Employee Award, a prestigious honor acknowledging her contributions to law enforcement as a civilian employee. CM Blevins highlighted Shaw's achievement and her valuable service to the Lexington Police Department.

The recognition was presented as an informational item, with CM Blevins serving as the primary speaker alongside Julia Shaw. This type of employee recognition demonstrates the council's commitment to acknowledging exceptional performance and dedication among city staff members.

The presentation concluded without formal council action, as it was purely ceremonial in nature to celebrate Shaw's professional accomplishment and service to the community.

Snow and Ice Removal Plan Presentation

55:00

Kevin Wente presented the city's snow and ice removal plan to the Council, outlining the coordination efforts among various municipal departments and available resources for winter weather response.

The presentation detailed how different city departments work together during snow events to ensure effective removal operations across the community. Wente explained the organizational structure and protocols that guide the city's response to winter weather conditions.

Leo McMillen also participated in the discussion, contributing to the overview of the snow removal strategy and departmental coordination efforts.

The presentation covered the resources currently available to the city for snow and ice removal operations, providing Council members with an understanding of the municipal capacity to handle winter weather events. This included information about equipment, personnel, and operational procedures that would be implemented during snow events.

This was an informational presentation designed to keep the Council informed about winter preparedness plans and ensure understanding of how the city coordinates its response to snow and ice conditions. No formal action was required or taken by the Council following the presentation.

The discussion provided transparency about the city's winter weather preparedness and allowed Council members to understand the scope and coordination of snow removal efforts across different municipal departments.

Services Committee Update

50:00 CM Ellinger provided an update on recent Services Committee activities during the December 11, 2007 Council meeting.

The primary focus of Ellinger's presentation was a resolution supporting tobacco-free healthcare campuses. This initiative represents the committee's ongoing work to address public health concerns within the community's healthcare facilities.

The update was presented as an informational item, with CM Ellinger serving as the sole speaker for this agenda item. No formal action was taken by the Council during this presentation, as it served to keep Council members informed of the Services Committee's current priorities and initiatives.

The tobacco-free healthcare campus resolution aligns with broader public health efforts to reduce exposure to tobacco products in medical settings, though specific details about the scope or implementation timeline of the resolution were not elaborated upon during this brief update.