Council Economic Development COW

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Special Economic Development Committee of the Whole met on April 23, 2013, at 2:00 p.m., with Beard presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the session, including approval of the Committee Summary from March 7, 2013, and four informational presentations. One motion was voted on during the meeting, and one public comment was heard. The committee received updates on food truck regulations from Akers, discussed median salary data presented by Kay, and heard a quarterly report from Stinnett on behalf of Commerce Lexington. The committee also reviewed 40 items that had been referred to the committee for consideration.

Attendance

Present: Beard, Stinnett, Gorton, Ellinger, Kay, Ford, Akers, Lawless, Scutchfield, Mossotti, Clarke, Henson, and Lane

Absent: Myers and Farmer

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included one vote on the formation of a new Agricultural Commission.

Approval of Agricultural Commission Concept

A motion to approve the concept of forming an Agricultural Commission was made by Gorton and seconded by Mossotti 2:09. The motion passed unanimously with no abstentions or opposing votes.

Public Comment

Ralph Ruschell addressed the board regarding agricultural economic impact 2:09. Ruschell disputed the findings of a study presented to the board, asserting that agriculture contributes no more than 5% to Fayette County's economy. He also discussed rural crime statistics as part of his remarks on the topic.

Contested Items

Agricultural Commission Formation

The formation of an Agricultural Commission was approved unanimously by the body. However, the path to this approval revealed underlying disagreements among participants regarding the economic role of agriculture.

During earlier discussions, members debated the findings presented in a study related to agricultural economics. These discussions also encompassed differing perspectives on the potential impacts of agritourism and hemp production on the local agricultural sector.

Despite these divergent views on specific agricultural issues and economic priorities, the disagreement did not prevent the commission's establishment. The unanimous approval of the Agricultural Commission formation indicates that while participants held different positions on certain agricultural matters, they reached consensus on the need for the commission itself.

Committee Summary 3.7.13 (1-3)

The summary of the March 7, 2013 meeting was presented to the committee 0:00. Following the presentation, the committee voted on approval of the summary.

Outcome

The summary was approved unanimously. The approval was made on a motion by Gorton and a second by Mossotti.

Food Truck Update — Akers

15:26

Akers provided an update on the food truck initiative during this agenda item. Council Member Hanson referenced a visit to Northwest Christian, where he observed a large crowd in attendance. No action was taken on this item, and the discussion remained informational in nature.

Median Salary Discussion — Kay

2:09

Kay raised a request for the inclusion of median hourly wage and average total hourly compensation data in incentive program reports.

Stinnett addressed this request, confirming that Commerce Lexington would collect this data independently. Stinnett noted that the state does not currently provide median salary information, making it necessary for Commerce Lexington to gather the data themselves to fulfill the reporting requirement.

The discussion concluded as informational, with no further action items identified. The outcome confirmed that the requested data would be made available through Commerce Lexington's independent collection efforts.

Commerce Lexington Quarterly Report — Stinnett

3:49

Stinnett presented the first quarter 2013 report for Commerce Lexington, highlighting several positive developments for the organization.

Key Highlights

The report noted strong growth in client visits during the quarter. Stinnett announced several new business commitments to the region:

• Bingham McCutcheon
• Transposagen
• Smuckers
• Hummingbird Nano

Upcoming Activities

The presentation included information about upcoming trade shows that Commerce Lexington plans to participate in during the coming months.

Discussion Items

Jenna Greathouse participated in the discussion alongside Stinnett. The team addressed two substantive matters:

• Updating the economic impact model to reflect current conditions and projections
• Land constraints affecting development in Bluegrass Business Park

Outcome

This agenda item was presented as informational, providing the body with an update on Commerce Lexington's quarterly activities and current business development efforts.

Items Referred to Committee (40)

15:26

During this agenda item, the committee engaged in an informational discussion regarding matters that had been referred to committee. Council Member Hanson participated in the discussion.

The committee addressed two primary topics: the food truck situation and the housing trust fund. Council Member Hanson referenced a large turnout at a community event during the discussion, indicating significant public interest in these matters.

No formal action was taken on these items during this portion of the meeting. The discussion remained informational in nature, allowing the committee to review and consider the referred items without proceeding to a vote or formal resolution at this time.