Council General Government Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government Committee met on June 4, 2013 at 11:00am, presided over by Steve Kay. The committee addressed four agenda items during the meeting, including approval of the summary and items in committee, both of which were approved. Two informational presentations were also delivered: one on the relationship with the BGADD and another providing an update on procedures for underwriting or sponsoring facilities or parks. The committee took four motions to a vote during the meeting and heard from seven members of the public who offered comments.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on June 2, 2013:

• Linda Gorton
• Steve Kay
• Chris Ford
• Shevawn Akers
• Diane Lawless
• Julian Beard
• Jennifer Scutchfield
• George Myers
• Harry Clarke
• Ed Lane

No members were absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included four unanimous votes, all of which passed.

Approval of May 7, 2013 Meeting Summary 0:00 The summary from the May 7, 2013 meeting was approved by unanimous vote. Linda Gorton moved the approval, and Harry Clarke seconded the motion.

MECU Leases and MOA Referral to Full Council 1:06 A motion to move the MECU Leases and Memorandum of Agreement to the full Council passed unanimously. Julian Beard made the motion, with Linda Gorton providing the second.

Building Inspection and Code Enforcement Restructuring Referral to Full Council 1:06 A motion to move the restructuring of Building Inspection and Code Enforcement under the Commissioner of Planning to the full Council passed unanimously. Diane Lawless moved the motion, and Ed Lane seconded it.

Removal of Items from Public Safety's Referred List 1:06 A motion to remove three items from Public Safety's referred list passed unanimously. The items removed were CAO Policy #3 Vehicle Use and Assignment, MECU Leases and MOA, and Government Restructuring. Harry Clarke made the motion, with Linda Gorton providing the second.

Public Comment

Seven speakers addressed the council on topics related to workforce development, regional cooperation, and council involvement in legislative advocacy.

Workforce Investment and Data Collection

18:16 Shevawn Akers commended the city's data collection efforts as essential for determining community needs. She emphasized the importance of collaboration between employers, unemployed individuals, and city departments to align skills with available job opportunities.

Regional Economic Development

8:41 George Myers questioned how the city could proactively reach unemployed and underemployed residents across different demographics. He advocated for council involvement in shaping the regional fly-in agenda.

23:07 Harry Clarke expressed concern that Fayette County has not focused sufficiently on regional development. He questioned why efforts to coordinate with surrounding counties have been ineffective.

Council Inclusion in Legislative Advocacy

32:21 Jennifer Scutchfield urged the administration to include council members in discussions about federal initiatives, particularly the upcoming fly-in to Washington, to ensure shared priorities are represented.

49:39 Linda Gorton supported having a council member on the regional policy group and emphasized the importance of unified messaging between city and county leadership.

54:34 Julian Beard suggested including council members in the fly-in delegation and criticized the lack of formal communication between city departments and the council.

Minority Business Support

43:55 Shevawn Akers asked about efforts to support minority business ownership and stressed the need for improved communication between the city and council regarding legislative priorities.

Contested Items

Council Representation in Regional Advocacy

Council members raised concerns about the city's regional priorities being established without their input, particularly regarding an upcoming fly-in to Washington. Multiple council members advocated for formal inclusion in this process. The disagreement centered on whether council representation should be guaranteed in regional advocacy efforts and how decisions about the city's priorities at the regional level should be made. This item resulted in a split vote among council members, indicating that consensus was not reached on the appropriate level of council involvement in regional advocacy activities.

Inter-departmental Communication

Council members engaged in a heated discussion about insufficient communication between the first and fifth floors of city government. The core complaint was that important decisions—especially those related to federal advocacy and regional development—were being made without council awareness or input. This communication gap was presented as a systemic problem affecting the council's ability to effectively represent constituent interests and participate in strategic planning. The heated nature of this discussion underscores the frustration council members felt about being excluded from decision-making processes on significant matters affecting the city's direction and federal relationships.

Approval of Summary

The committee approved the summary of the May 7, 2013 meeting without dissent 0:00. Vice Mayor Linda Gorton made the motion to approve, and Harry Clarke seconded it.

The summary was approved unanimously.

Relationship with the BGADD

Sally Hamilton and Beth Mills presented on the city's efforts to re-engage with the Bluegrass Area Development District (BGADD) 1:40.

The presentation covered several key initiatives:

• Central Kentucky Job Center: The city is becoming a managing partner of the Central Kentucky Job Center as part of its collaboration with BGADD.

• Partnership Structure: Monthly partner meetings have been established to facilitate ongoing coordination.

• Data Collection: The city is implementing kiosks for data collection efforts related to workforce development.

• Workforce Initiatives: The presentation highlighted two specific programs:
• Micro-lending opportunities
• Job fairs

The committee discussion identified the need for council input on two important matters:

• Regional priorities that should guide the partnership
• Federal advocacy positions and strategies

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes, with no formal action taken.

Procedure for Underwriting or Sponsoring One of Our Facilities or Parks (UPDATE)

Geoff Reed presented an update on draft guidelines for underwriting or sponsoring city facilities or parks 58:19. He characterized the document as a working draft that continues to evolve from previous versions.

The presentation was introductory in nature, focused on informing the body about the current state of the guidelines rather than seeking approval or action. No vote was taken on the matter.

This agenda item served as an informational update to keep the meeting participants apprised of ongoing work related to facility and park sponsorship procedures.

Items in Committee

The committee discussed future meeting dates and took action on several items from Public Safety's referred list. 1:06

Key Speakers

Harry Clarke and Linda Gorton led the discussion on this agenda item.

Items Approved for Council

The committee approved the removal of several items from Public Safety's referred list, clearing them to move forward to the full Council:

• CAO Policy #3
• MECU leases
• Government restructuring

Outcome

The committee approved these actions, allowing the items to proceed to the full Council for further consideration.