Economic Development Committee of the Whole

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Economic Development Committee of the Whole met on February 4, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., with Beard presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the session, taking four votes and hearing one public comment.

The committee approved the October 15, 2013 Committee Meeting Summary. Two items were deferred for future consideration: a Food Truck Review and a JOBS Program Review. The committee also received informational presentations on the Economic Development Quarterly Reporting System and Items Referred to Committee.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on February 4, 2014:

• Beard
• Stinnett
• Gorton
• Ellinger
• Kay
• Ford
• Blues
• Lawless
• Farmer
• Crosbie
• Myers
• McChord
• Martin
• Henson
• Lane

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Motion to extend the food truck pilot program to December 31, 2014 1:23:58

Motion by Lane, seconded by Henson. This motion was withdrawn.

Motion to reconsider the vote on extending the food truck pilot program 1:28:04

Motion by Lane, seconded by Henson. This motion passed by voice vote with 7 ayes and 2 nays.

Voted in favor: Beard, Stinnett, Gorton, Ellinger, Kay, Ford, Blues

Voted against: Lawless, Farmer

Motion to table the motion to extend the food truck pilot program until February 20, 2014 1:31:28

Motion by Myers, seconded by Henson. This motion passed by voice vote with 7 ayes and 0 nays.

Voted in favor: Beard, Stinnett, Gorton, Ellinger, Kay, Ford, Blues

Motion to move the JOBS Fund review out of committee to the full council 1:39:21

Motion by Clark, seconded by Stinnett. This motion failed by voice vote with 5 ayes and 2 nays.

Voted in favor: Beard, Gorton, Ellinger, Kay, Ford

Voted against: Blues, Lawless

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included one financial action regarding fund capitalization:

• Lexington Jobs Fund Capitalization: An appropriation of $1,000,000 was made to capitalize the Lexington Jobs Fund using prior year fund balance.

Public Comment

4:11

Andrew Stuthers, representing Gastronomes LLC, spoke in support of the food truck pilot program. Stuthers emphasized the importance of allowing multiple food trucks to operate within pilot zones, arguing that having several trucks would increase customer draw and improve the overall success of the program. He noted that nine food trucks were currently in development. Stuthers urged the committee to solicit public input before finalizing any extension of the pilot program.

Appointments

Renee Jackson was appointed to the Downtown Management District.

Contested Items

Food Truck Pilot Program Extension

A procedural dispute emerged regarding the extension of the food truck pilot program. The disagreement centered on whether the council should proceed with extending the program without first obtaining public input. [timestamp: not available] A motion was introduced to extend the program, but it was withdrawn after a council member recognized that public feedback had already been scheduled for a future meeting. This procedural correction ensured that community input would be gathered before a final decision was made on the program's extension.

JOBS Fund Guidelines and Transparency

Council members were divided over the adequacy of transparency in the JOBS Fund guidelines and whether the fund's oversight should be elevated to the full council. [timestamp: not available] The disagreement reflected concerns about specific provisions within the fund's structure. Some members expressed particular concern about the "but-for" clause and questioned whether the fund was subject to sufficient public scrutiny. The split vote indicated that council members held differing views on whether the current guidelines provided adequate transparency and accountability for the fund's operations and whether moving the fund to full council oversight would address these concerns.

October 15, 2013 Committee Meeting Summary

2:30

The committee reviewed and approved the summary from the October 15, 2013 meeting. Key speakers during this agenda item included Greathouse, Tyra, and Akers.

The summary covered quarterly activities and accomplishments of Commerce Lexington, including:

• Site visits conducted during the quarter
• Job creation initiatives and results
• Awards received for economic development initiatives

The summary was approved unanimously by the committee, with no concerns or objections raised during the discussion.

Food Truck Review

3:37

The committee discussed the food truck pilot program during this agenda item. Key speakers included Henson, Stuthers, Myers, and Lane.

Andrew Stuthers provided public input on the matter. During the discussion, concerns were raised about extending the pilot program without adequate public feedback and community input.

A motion to extend the food truck pilot program was initially proposed but was subsequently withdrawn. Rather than proceeding with the extension, the committee voted to table the matter until a special meeting scheduled for February 20, 2014. This deferral was intended to allow time for community input before making a final decision on the program's extension.

The outcome of this agenda item was deferred pending the special meeting.

JOBS Program Review

Wes Holbrook and Kevin Atkins presented the Lexington Jobs Fund policies and guidelines 21:28. The program is designed to support high-wage job creation through a combination of grants and loans to eligible businesses.

Program Structure and Protections

The presenters outlined several taxpayer protection mechanisms built into the program:

• Clawback provisions to recover funds if performance targets are not met
• Annual reporting requirements for accountability
• A "but-for" clause to ensure that funded projects would not have occurred without the program's financial support

Committee Response

The committee, which included members Mazzotti, Lane, Ford, and Clark, engaged with the presenters on the proposal. Rather than approving the program immediately, committee members requested revisions to the policies and guidelines before moving forward.

Outcome

Final action on the JOBS Program Review was deferred, allowing time for the requested modifications to be made and for further consideration at a subsequent meeting.

Economic Development Quarterly Reporting System

General Services Link presented an overview of the quarterly reporting system for economic development during this agenda item. The system is designed to track key metrics including job creation, investment, and business activity.

The committee discussed the system's role in monitoring program effectiveness and ensuring transparency in economic development initiatives. This discussion focused on how the quarterly reporting framework serves as an accountability mechanism for tracking the outcomes and impact of economic development programs.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational in nature, with the presentation providing the committee with details about the reporting system's structure and function.

Items Referred to Committee

1:41:00

The committee reviewed items referred to it during this portion of the meeting, with discussion focusing on the courthouse redevelopment project.

Project Overview

The committee examined the status of the courthouse redevelopment initiative, which involved multiple technical and financial considerations.

Key Discussion Topics

The following matters were addressed:

• Environmental remediation status and requirements
• Structural analysis of the courthouse
• Potential funding sources for the project, including historic tax credits

Key Speakers

Jeff and John led the discussion on the referred items.

Outcome

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