Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council met on April 22, 2014, at 3:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the 2nd Floor of the Government Center, with Mayor Gray presiding. The council addressed nine agenda items during the meeting, including public comment periods, rezoning requests, budget matters, and various reports. The body took 10 votes and heard 5 public comments from members of the community. Among the items approved were requested rezonings and docket approvals, a summary approval, budget amendments, new business items, continuing business and presentations, and council reports. Two informational items—the Mayor's Report and public comment on issues not on the agenda—were also included in the meeting proceedings.

Attendance

The following 33 individuals were present at the meeting on April 22, 2014:

• Linda Gorton
• George Myers
• Chris Ford
• Peggy Henson
• John Kay
• Linda Ellinger
• Dennis Stinnett
• Dennis Scutchfield
• Linda Beard
• John Akers
• Linda Lawless
• Linda Mossotti
• Linda Lane
• Frank Butler
• Irene Gooding
• David Barbary
• Jeff Martin
• Charlie Graham
• Sally Hamilton
• Larry Roberts
• Bill O'Mara
• Tom Howard
• John Farris
• Geoff Reed
• Laura Hatfield
• Sergeant Andrew Daugherty
• Captain Ron Watson
• Chris Cooperrider
• Tyler Scott
• Hilary Angelucci
• Tiffany Tatum
• Bill Ambrose
• James Lima

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

All motions during the April 22, 2014 meeting were decided by voice vote and passed unanimously.

Resolution 56 1:00:00 — Council Member Ford moved to amend the Rupp Arena design project deadline to June 30, 2016, seconded by Council Member Akers. The resolution passed with no additional funds required beyond the previously approved budget; funds are to be used only for reimbursable design costs.

Motion to Approve Docket of Rezonings and Ordinances 1:00:36 — Council Member K moved to approve the docket, seconded by Vice Mayor Gorton. The motion passed and includes Ordinance 7, 8, and 6 without public hearing.

Motion to Amend Meeting Date 1:08:08 — Council Member Kay moved to change the special budget and finance meeting date from August 25 to June 23, seconded by Council Member Ellinger. The motion passed; the meeting will be held on June 23 at 6:00 p.m.

Motion to Approve April 8, 2014 Work Session Summary 1:09:40 — Council Member Farmer moved to approve the summary, seconded by Council Member Scutchfield. The motion passed.

Motion to Approve Budget Amendments 1:14:26 — Council Member Beard moved to approve budget amendments for reallocation and fund corrections, seconded by Council Member Scutchfield. The motion passed and includes $396,000 in corrections for LexServe billing system costs.

Motion to Approve New Business Items 1:35:08 — Council Member Beard moved to approve new business items including budget amendments and grants, seconded by Council Member Myers. The motion passed and includes $1.198 million for Accela Civic Platform Phase II.

Motion to Approve Neighborhood Development Funds 1:37:20 — Vice Mayor Gorton moved to approve Neighborhood Development Funds for 2014, seconded by Council Member Kay. The motion passed with funds reallocated from neighborhood associations to streets and roads for Mintel Park.

Motion to Refer Neighborhood Parks Task Force Recommendations 1:46:07 — Council Member Henson moved to refer recommendations to the General Government Committee, seconded by Council Member Clark. The motion passed; recommendations include Barring Policy, Opportunity Parks Plan, SAFE Parks, and a pilot program.

Motion to Endorse Bluegrass Workforce Investment Board 1:56:12 — Council Member Ford moved to endorse the Board's move to independence and new fiscal agent, seconded by Council Member Myers. The motion passed with unanimous endorsement by the Social Services & Community Development Committee.

Motion to Adjourn 2:02:16 — Council Member Ellinger moved to adjourn, seconded by Vice Mayor Gorton. The motion passed.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included approval of the following financial actions:

Technology and Infrastructure Amendments

• Accela Civic Platform Phase II Implementation (L0353-14): $1,198,788.20 amendment to Accela for implementation of the Civic Platform Phase II for Planning, Building Inspection, and New Development services.

Grants and Awards

• Brownfields Cleanup Grant (L0354-14): $50,000 request to the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet for cleanup of the Fayette County Courthouse Property.

• Home Network Project Award (L0363-14): $483,586 acceptance from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department for the Home Network Project at Family Care Center.

State Funding and Property Acquisitions

• House Bill 301 State Match Repayment: $2,500,000 request to the Kentucky Department of Local Government for state match repayment under House Bill 301.

• Wilderness Road/Woodward Lane Sanitary Sewer Project (L0365-14): $3,000 acceptance of a deed of easement from the owner of record of 737 Woodward Lane.

Fund Reallocations

• Affordable Housing Fund (JOURNAL 77212-13): $3,500,000 reallocation from General Fund.

• Capital Projects Fund (JOURNAL 77210-11): $6,500,250 reallocation from General Fund.

• General Fund (JOURNAL TBD): $10,155,185 reallocation from General Service District Fund for special election and capital projects.

• Lexington Jobs Fund (JOURNAL 77003): $1,000,000 transfer from FY 2013 Fund Balance.

Public Comment

Council members raised several significant concerns during the meeting on April 22, 2014.

Rupp Arena Project

Council Member Stinnett requested a public meeting before July 1 to allow community input on the Rupp Arena project, emphasizing the need for transparency and community engagement 1:43:42.

Council Member Lane expressed concern about the city's financial exposure regarding the Rupp Arena, specifically noting that the city could be required to repay $2.5 million while lacking control over the source of state funds 1:48:24.

Courthouse Renovation

Council Member Beard questioned the wisdom of spending millions on courthouse renovations, suggesting it might be more cost-effective to declare the building a monument and drain the pipes 1:26:06.

Council Member Wallace stressed that the deteriorating courthouse sends a negative message to potential investors and undermines downtown revitalization efforts 1:33:26.

Parks Department

Council Member Myers suggested delaying action on the Neighborhood Parks Task Force recommendations until the new parks director arrives to assess the situation 1:46:07.

Appointments

The following individuals were appointed to the Neighborhood Parks Task Force:

• Peggy Henson
• Chris Ford
• George Myers
• Geoff Reed
• Laura Hatfield
• Sergeant Andrew Daugherty
• Captain Ron Watson
• Chris Cooperrider
• Tyler Scott

Contested Items

The April 22, 2014 meeting included three significant areas of disagreement among council members.

Rupp Arena Project Financing and Repayment

Council members engaged in heated discussion regarding the city's financial obligation to repay $2.5 million in state funds under House Bill 301. The debate centered on whether the city was legally required to repay these funds and the implications of doing so. Council members raised concerns about the city's financial exposure and expressed frustration about lacking control over the funding source, creating uncertainty about the city's liability and budgetary impact.

Neighborhood Parks Task Force Recommendations

The council was divided on how to proceed with recommendations from the Neighborhood Parks Task Force. Some members advocated for delaying action until the arrival of the new parks director, while others pushed for immediate implementation. Those supporting prompt action emphasized urgent safety concerns that they believed could not wait for the director's arrival. This split reflected differing priorities between allowing time for new leadership input and addressing pressing safety issues in neighborhood parks.

Courthouse Renovation and Public Investment

Council members expressed significant skepticism about the proposed expenditure of millions of dollars on courthouse renovation. During the heated discussion, some members suggested an alternative approach: declaring the courthouse a monument as a means to avoid incurring further renovation costs. This proposal reflected concerns about the scale of public investment being requested for the project and represented an attempt to find a cost-containment solution.

Public Comment – Issues on Agenda

11:47

Council members invited members of the public to comment on items listed on the agenda. No public speakers signed up to address the council during this portion of the meeting.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

12:19

The Council approved the docket for several rezonings during this agenda item. The approved rezonings included Ordinance 7, Ordinance 8, and Ordinance 6, all of which proceeded without public hearings.

Council Members Kay, Henson, and Stinnett participated in the discussion of this item.

A motion to refer the Design Excellence Task Force rezoning to the Planning Committee was withdrawn during the proceedings.

The Council voted to approve the requested rezonings and docket as presented.

Approval of Summary

The April 8, 2014 work session summary was presented for approval 1:09:40. Council Member Farmer and Council Member Scutchfield participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

The summary was approved without dissent.

Budget Amendments

The council approved budget amendments to reallocate funds across multiple accounts. 1:10:10

Key Speakers

Vice Mayor Gordon and Bill O'Mara led the discussion on this agenda item.

Amendments Approved

The amendments included two significant reallocations:

• $396,000 for LexServe billing corrections
• $3.5 million to the Affordable Housing Fund

Outcome

The budget amendments were approved.

New Business

1:35:08

The council addressed several new business items, which were approved during this portion of the meeting. Key speakers included Council Member Beard, Council Member Scutchfield, Commissioner Paulsen, and Jeff Martin.

The new business agenda encompassed grants, budget amendments, and technology implementation initiatives. Two significant items were highlighted:

• Accela Civic Platform Phase II — A technology implementation project that was presented and approved
• Brownfields Grant Application — A grant application that was brought before the council for approval

All new business items presented were approved by the council.

Continuing Business/Presentations

During this agenda item, the council addressed neighborhood development initiatives and parks planning. 1:37:55

Neighborhood Development Funds

The council approved Neighborhood Development Funds as part of its continuing business.

Neighborhood Parks Task Force Report

The Neighborhood Parks Task Force presented its final report, which included several key recommendations:

• A Barring Policy
• An Opportunity Parks Plan
• SAFE Parks initiative
• A pilot program

Key Participants

Council Member Henson, Council Member Ford, and Council Member Myers were the primary speakers during this discussion.

Outcome

The items presented were approved by the council.

Council Reports

During this agenda item, council members provided updates on various neighborhood activities and committee matters. 1:53:28

Updates and Activities

Council members reported on neighborhood events, cleanup efforts, and ongoing committee activities. The following council members participated in the discussion: Council Member A. Creasy, Council Member Clark, Council Member Lawless, Council Member Henson, and Council Member Scutchfield.

Motion on Bluegrass Workforce Investment Board

A motion to endorse the Bluegrass Workforce Investment Board's independence was presented and discussed during this segment.

Outcome

The motion was approved.

Mayor's Report

2:02:16

No formal report was presented during this agenda item. Mayor Gray provided a brief informal update regarding Councilmember Massadi's recovery from surgery. The item was informational in nature and did not involve debate or the raising of concerns.

Public Comment – Issues Not on Agenda

2:02:16

Public comment was opened for issues not on the agenda. No members of the public signed up to speak during this portion of the meeting.