Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on August 28, 2014, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers located at 200 E. Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507. Mayor Gray presided over the session, which included 11 agenda items and resulted in 58 motions and votes. The council approved the minutes from previous meetings, advanced ordinances through second reading, and considered resolutions and communications from the mayor. The meeting also featured a presentation recognizing Kentucky's Rose of Tralee and included three public comments from attendees. First reading was given to new ordinances for future consideration.

Attendance

Present: - Mayor Gray - Council Member Lane - Council Member Lawless - Council Member Mossotti - Council Member Myers - Council Member Scutchfield - Council Member Stinnett - Council Member Akers - Council Member Beard - Council Member Clark - Council Member Ellinger - Council Member Farmer - Council Member Ford - Council Member Gorton - Council Member Henson

Absent: - Council Member Kay

Late: None reported

Votes and Decisions

The council held 51 roll call votes on August 28, 2014, with all measures passing unanimously or with minimal opposition.

Tax Levies

Ordinance 0827-14, an ad valorem tax levy for municipal purposes for FY 2014-2015, passed 14-0 17:25. The motion was made by Ms. Henson and seconded by Ms. Akers, with all 14 council members voting in favor.

Ordinance 0830-14, an ad valorem tax levy for the Soil and Water Conservation District for FY 2014-2015, passed 11-3 17:25. Ms. Henson moved and Ms. Akers seconded. Myers, Scutchfield, and Ellinger voted against the measure, while Lane, Lawless, Mossotti, Stinnett, Akers, Beard, Clarke, Farmer, Ford, Gorton, and Henson voted in favor.

Zoning and Development

Ordinance 0824-14, changing zoning from Neighborhood Business (B-1) to Planned Shopping Center (B-6p) for property at 1590, 1600, and 1610 Leestown Road, passed 14-0 37:22. Vice Mayor Gordon moved and Council Member Masati seconded.

Housing and Homelessness Initiatives

Four ordinances addressing affordable housing and homelessness passed unanimously 14-0 37:22: - Ordinance 0815-14: Creation of Affordable Housing Governing Board and Fund - Ordinance 0816-14: Creation of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board and Fund - Ordinance 0817-14: Authorization of $2 million annually for Affordable Housing Fund and $750,000 annually for Homelessness Fund starting FY 2016 - Ordinance 0818-14: Ad valorem tax on abandoned urban property at $1 per $100 assessed value

Bonds and Contracts

Ordinance 0819-14, authorizing $14.55 million in Industrial Building Revenue Bonds for Transylvania University dormitories, passed 14-0 37:22.

Resolutions

The council approved 36 resolutions addressing vendor contracts, bid acceptances, grant authorizations, and personnel matters, all passing 14-0 38:27. These included custodial services contracts, equipment rentals, engineering services, and civil service appointments.

Late Motions

Resolution 0768-14 (amendment to Bush & Burchett contract) passed 14-0 48:17, moved by Council Member Lane and seconded by Vice Mayor Gordon.

Resolution 079-14 (Change Order for Dreamland Skate Parks at Berry Hill Park) passed 14-0 through three separate votes: initial authorization 1:29:39, suspension of rules for second reading 1:29:39, and second reading 1:33:03.

Administrative Approvals

The council approved communications from the mayor, committee restructuring, and personnel positions, all passing 14-0 [timestamps: 01:34:05 through 01:35:55].

Budget and Financial Actions

Tax Levies for FY 2014-2015

The meeting approved four ad valorem tax levies:

• Municipal purposes tax (Ordinance 0827-14): $0.0880 per $100 assessed value on motor vehicles and watercraft
• Special public health tax (Ordinance 0828-14): $0.028 per $100 assessed value
• Agricultural Extension Office support (Ordinance 0829-14): $0.0032 per $100 assessed value on motor vehicles and watercraft
• Soil and Water Conservation District support (Ordinance 0830-14): $0.0005 per $100 assessed value

Bond Issue

Ordinance 0819-14 authorized $14,550,000 in Industrial Building Revenue Bonds for Transylvania University dormitory construction.

Custodial Services Contracts

The meeting accepted bids for custodial services from multiple vendors:

• Classic Clean Pro, LLC: Operations and Administration Center and Recycling Center (Resolutions 0739-14, 0741-14)
• Lynette Bartholomew d/b/a Key to Cleaning: General Services, Day Treatment Center, and Waste Management (Resolutions 0750-14, 0751-14, 0752-14)
• DellaValle Management, Inc.: Coroner's Office (Resolution 0753-14)

Infrastructure and Equipment Contracts

• Layne Inliner, LLC: Wolf Run Trunk A Rehabilitation, $388,690 (Resolution 0767-14)
• Bush & Burchett, Inc.: Change Order No. 2 for Grimes Mill Road Bridge, $38,576.40 (Resolution 0768-14)
• Dreamland Skate Parks, LLC: Change Order No. 1 for Berry Hill Park, $75,000 (Resolution 079-14)
• Wilson Equipment Co., Jack Doheny Companies, Inc., and ABCO-Bramer Louisville, LLC: Equipment rental (Resolution 0744-14)

Professional Services and Supplies

• Computer Services Corp.: RiskMaster software migration, $43,125 (Resolution 0784-14)
• VeBridge: Document imaging services, $70,000 (Resolution 0762-14)
• Cavanaugh Macdonald Consulting, LLC: OPEB study, $17,000 (Resolution 0763-14)
• Integrated Engineering, PLLC: Engineering design services, $110,500 (Resolution 0764-14)
• Hach Co.: Chemical kits for HACH DR5000 Spectrometer, $27,041.04 (Resolution 0766-14)

Utilities and Facility Services

• Centerpoint Energy Services, Inc.: Natural gas to Detention Center, $245,470 (Resolution 0754-14)
• Time Warner Cable Enterprises, LLC: Multi-year service agreement, $32,801.64 (Resolution 0747-14)

Grants and Community Partnerships

• HUD grant for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program, $1,398,704, administered through AIDS Volunteers, Inc. (Resolution 0785-14)
• Lexington Fayette Animal Care and Control LLC: Animal control services, $1,165,150 (Resolution 071)

Additional Contracts

• Kroger Limited Partnership: Flu vaccine and administration at $21.00 per employee (Resolution 0779-14)
• Emergency Response Diving International: Diving instruction, $22,500 (Resolution 069)
• Northeast Christian Church: Testing rooms for police assessments, $1,800 (Resolution 078)

Public Comment

Three speakers addressed the council during the public comment period, focusing primarily on affordable housing issues.

Christian Torp 1:46:44 expressed gratitude for the council's action on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. He urged that the fund benefit the most marginalized residents and warned against using it to subsidize landlords.

Belinda Sneed 1:48:23 spoke in solidarity with thousands of Lexington families struggling to afford rent. She urged the council to pass the Affordable Housing Fund and pledged to return on September 11 to celebrate its passage.

Bernard McCarthy 1:50:00 addressed both housing and traffic issues. He advocated for developers to pay impact fees for new roads and suggested that subsidizing home ownership would be more effective than subsidizing rent in helping low-income residents.

Appointments

The following individuals were appointed to positions across various city divisions:

Government Communications and Administration - Tammy Rose, Customer Service Specialist, Div. of Government Communications - Lauren Blanchard, Administrative Specialist, Dept. of General Services

Water Quality and Environmental Services - Dennis Freeman, Electrician, Div. of Water Quality - Sean Holman, Treatment Plant Operator Apprentice, Div. of Water Quality - John Cornett, Environmental Enforcement Specialist, Div. of Environmental Policy - Susan Plueger, Director, Div. of Environmental Policy

Waste Management and Facilities - Mark Mabson, Safety Specialist, Div. of Waste Management - Eric Wheeler, Public Service Supervisor, Div. of Waste Management - William Crowders, Public Service Worker, Div. of Facilities and Fleet Management - Travis Noel, Heavy Equipment Technician, Div. of Facilities and Fleet Management - Joshua Toomey, Heavy Equipment Technician, Div. of Facilities and Fleet Management - Amanda Nakampa, Security Officer Part-Time, Div. of Facilities and Fleet Management

Parks and Recreation - Melinda Stone, Recreation Supervisor, Div. of Parks and Recreation - Stephanie Bowling, Recreation Supervisor, Div. of Parks and Recreation

Traffic Engineering - Bryan Radabaugh, Traffic Engineer Manager, Div. of Traffic Engineering

Police Division - Michael Cook, Property and Evidence Technician - Rebecca Gooch, Information Systems Specialist Sr. - Christopher Woodyard, Staff Assistant Sr. - Jesse Harris, Police Lieutenant - William Powers, Police Sergeant - Kevin Hale, Telecommunicator (demoted)

Fire and Emergency Services - Curtis Works, Fire Major - Justin Halsaver, Fire Captain - Daniel Case, Fire Captain - Nathan Vanderhof, Fire Lieutenant - Shannon Poynter, Fire Lieutenant

Streets and Roads - Lonzo Ballou, Equipment Operator Sr. - Daniel Peterson, Equipment Operator Sr. - Victor Johnson, Public Service Worker Sr. - Michael Jordan, Public Service Worker Sr.

Family Services and Youth Services - Elisabeth Strong, Early Child Care Teacher, Div. of Family Services - Kikoko Lusewe, Custodial Worker, Div. of Family Services - Mary Alshus, Child Care Program Aid Part-Time, Div. of Youth Services

Planning and Development - Richard McQuady, Affordable Housing Manager, Dept. of Planning, Preservation, and Development

Adult Services - Trina Burnett, Eligibility Counselor, Div. of Adult Services

One personnel action involved a demotion: Kevin Hale, Telecommunicator, Div. of Police.

Contested Items

Budget Amendment for Berry Hill Skate Park

Council members disputed a $75,000 budget amendment for the Berry Hill Skate Park project. The contention centered on procedural concerns rather than the project itself. Members raised objections about the last-minute nature of the amendment, the absence of Parks Department representation at the meeting to address questions, and questions about whether proper procedures were being followed. Despite these procedural fairness concerns, the amendment moved forward for consideration.

Second Reading of Skate Park Change Order

A motion to suspend rules and grant second reading of the skate park change order generated a split vote among council members. Concerns persisted about the timing of the action and the process being followed. However, the motion ultimately passed unanimously, allowing the change order to proceed to its second reading despite the earlier reservations about how the matter was being handled.

Public Comment on Affordable Housing Fund

Community members provided public comment expressing concerns about the affordable housing fund. Speakers urged the council to ensure that the fund's benefits reached the most marginalized members of the community. Public commenters specifically warned against using the fund in ways that would primarily subsidize landlords rather than directly benefit those most in need of affordable housing assistance.

Roll Call

5:00

Deputy Clerk Martha Allen conducted the roll call for the meeting. All council members were present except for Council Member Kay, who was absent.

Invocation

Chaplain Elaine Greer delivered the invocation for the meeting 6:02. The prayer focused on themes of guidance and justice as the meeting convened.

Minutes of the Previous Meetings

The council reviewed and approved the minutes from three previous meetings held on June 19, July 1, and August 14, 2014. 6:35

Vice Mayor Gordon and Council Member Myers were the key speakers during this agenda item.

The minutes from all three meetings were approved by unanimous vote, with no objections or concerns raised during the discussion.

Presentation: Recognizing Kentucky's Rose of Tralee

8:49

Mayor Gray recognized Claire Curran, Kentucky's first Rose of Tralee, during this presentation. The mayor proclaimed August 28, 2014, as Claire Curran Day in Lexington.

The presentation was informational in nature, with Mayor Gray and Claire Curran as the key speakers. The recognition honored Curran's achievement as Kentucky's representative in the Rose of Tralee competition, a significant cultural distinction.

Ordinances – Second Reading

11:55

Several ordinances underwent second reading and were approved during this portion of the meeting. Mayor Gray presided over the discussion of ad valorem tax levy ordinances covering multiple municipal purposes.

The ordinances addressed tax levies for the following areas:

• Municipal purposes
• Public health
• Agricultural extension
• Soil and water conservation

All ordinances presented during second reading were approved.

Ordinances – First Reading

18:28

Multiple ordinances were introduced for first reading during this agenda item. The ordinances addressed several policy areas, including zoning changes, the creation of housing and homelessness boards, and budget amendments.

Council Member Myers, Council Member Farmer, and Council Member Henson participated in the discussion of these measures. The ordinances proceeded through first reading, the initial step in the legislative process that allows for introduction and preliminary consideration before further debate and voting.

The specific details of individual ordinances, concerns raised by council members, and the rationale for each measure were discussed during this portion of the meeting. First reading establishes the formal record of these proposed ordinances and allows them to move forward in the council's legislative process for subsequent readings and potential adoption.

Resolutions – Second Reading

38:27

During the second reading of resolutions, numerous items were approved by the body. The resolutions encompassed contract awards, grant acceptances, and property deed authorizations.

Ms. Gorton and Ms. Lawless were the key speakers during this agenda item discussion.

The resolutions were approved.

Communications from the Mayor

The mayor's communications were presented during this agenda item 1:34:05. Vice Mayor Gordon and Council Member Myers participated in the discussion.

The communications were approved by unanimous vote.

Reports

Reports were presented during this agenda item with no action required. The discussion was informational in nature, occurring approximately 1 hour and 34 minutes into the meeting.

No specific details regarding the content of the reports, presenting speakers, or topics covered were documented in the available meeting materials.

Announcements

During the announcements section of the meeting, council members made several announcements regarding committee motions 1:34:42. The announcements covered three main personnel and organizational matters:

Key Speakers: - Vice Mayor Gordon - Council Member Farmer - Council Member Henson - Council Member Lawless

Announcements Made:

Council members announced committee motions related to: - Filling a budget analyst position - Filling a receptionist position - Restructuring the budget committee

Outcome:

The announcements were approved.

Public Comments

During the public comment period, several community members addressed the body regarding affordable housing issues 1:46:44.

Speakers and Positions

Three members of the public provided remarks:

• Christian Torp
• Belinda Sneed
• Bernard McCarthy

Key Themes

The public speakers expressed support for the Affordable Housing Fund. Additionally, commenters raised concerns about the current housing crisis affecting the community.

Outcome

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken.