Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on February 12, 2015, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting addressed three agenda items, including one informational presentation and two items requiring council action. The council conducted four votes during the session and heard no public comments from citizens.

The meeting began with a presentation recognizing local science fair participants, providing an informational update to the council and attendees. The council then proceeded to consider two substantive matters requiring formal action: an ordinance amending municipal budgets and a resolution to accept a bid from Crown Castle NG Central, LLC. Both items received approval from the council following deliberation and voting.

Overall, the session demonstrated efficient handling of both ceremonial and administrative business, with the council successfully advancing two key municipal matters while also taking time to acknowledge student achievements in science education. The absence of public comments allowed for a streamlined meeting focused on the scheduled agenda items.

Attendance

The following members were present at the February 12, 2015 meeting:

Present: • Mayor Gray • Evans • Farmer • Ford • Gibbs • Henson • Kay • Lamb • Lane • Moloney • Mossotti • Scutchfield • Stinnett • Akers • Bledsoe • Brown

All members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded for this meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council voted on four items during the February 12, 2015 meeting, with all measures passing.

Ordinance 0134-15 passed by roll call vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays. Ms. Henson motioned and Mr. Kay seconded the ordinance amending certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriating funds under Schedule No. 42. All 15 council members voted in favor: Evans, Farmer, Ford, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Lane, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, and Brown.

Resolution 0201-15 passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. Ms. Henson motioned and Mr. Kay seconded the resolution authorizing the Division of Human Resources to make conditional offers to various Probationary Civil Service Appointments. All council members supported the measure.

Resolution 0151-15 passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. Ms. Henson motioned and Ms. Evans seconded the resolution authorizing a three-year agreement with NAMI - Lexington for the Mental Health Court Project. The resolution received full council support.

Resolution 0106-15 passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. Mr. Farmer motioned and Mr. Ford seconded the resolution authorizing the purchase of property at 2401 Richmond Road for a wet weather storage facility. The resolution was amended to lower the purchase amount from $2,020,000 to $1,820,000. Fourteen council members voted in favor: Evans, Farmer, Ford, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Lane, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, and Brown. One member abstained from voting, though the abstaining member was not identified in the available records.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial items totaling over $2.3 million in expenditures and contracts.

Equipment and Vehicle Purchases: - Resolution 0063-15 authorized the purchase of an air compressor for the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management from Air Technologies for $27,020.00 - Resolution 0068-15 approved the acquisition of a 2015 Ford Focus for the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management from Paul Miller Ford for $18,533.64 - Resolution 0102-15 authorized the purchase of Legacy Trail flag poles for the Division of Engineering from Kalamazoo Flag Co. for $64,085.00

Infrastructure and Contract Actions: - Resolution 0012-15 approved Change Order No. 1 for the Town Branch Waste Water Treatment Plant Vactor Truck Unloading Station Project with Smith Contractors, Inc. for $81,998.00 - Resolution 0106-15 authorized the purchase of property at 2401 Richmond Road for a wet weather storage facility for $1,820,000, representing the largest single expenditure of the meeting

Community Programs: - Resolution 0151-15 approved a $300,000 contract with NAMI - Lexington for the Mental Health Court Project

The property acquisition at 2401 Richmond Road accounted for approximately 77% of the total financial commitments made during the meeting, indicating a significant investment in water infrastructure improvements. The remaining items represented routine operational purchases and ongoing project modifications across multiple city divisions.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments to various city boards and commissions. Five individuals were appointed to serve on different municipal bodies.

Susan Lamb was appointed to the City Employees' Pension Fund Board. This board oversees the pension fund for city employees and makes decisions regarding fund management and benefits administration.

Carla Johnson received an appointment to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities. This commission works to address issues affecting residents with disabilities and advises the city on accessibility and accommodation matters.

Jennifer Scutchfield was appointed to serve on the Domestic Violence Prevention Board. This board focuses on developing strategies and programs to prevent domestic violence and support survivors within the community.

Angela Evans was appointed to the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board. This board works on initiatives to prevent homelessness and provide intervention services for individuals and families experiencing housing instability.

James Dickinson received an appointment to the Human Rights Commission. This commission investigates discrimination complaints and works to promote equal rights and opportunities for all residents.

All five appointments were approved during the meeting, filling important volunteer positions on boards that provide oversight and guidance on critical city services and social issues.

Presentation - Science Fair Recognition

Mayor Gray presented agenda item 0181-15, recognizing student achievements at the Kentucky American Water Science Fair. The presentation highlighted the accomplishments of local students from various schools who participated in the science fair competition.

The Mayor spoke about the importance of the Kentucky American Water Science Fair in promoting scientific education and encouraging student participation in STEM fields. The recognition ceremony acknowledged students who demonstrated excellence in their scientific projects and research.

Key participants in the presentation included: - Mayor Gray, who led the recognition ceremony - Cheryl Norton - Susan Lancho - David Helm

The presentation served as an informational item to celebrate student achievements and highlight the community's commitment to supporting educational excellence in the sciences. Students from multiple schools were recognized for their participation and accomplishments in the science fair competition.

This agenda item was purely ceremonial in nature, with no action items or decisions required from the council. The presentation emphasized the value of scientific education and the importance of recognizing young people's achievements in academic competitions that promote learning and innovation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The Kentucky American Water Science Fair recognition demonstrates the community's ongoing support for educational initiatives that encourage student engagement in scientific inquiry and research projects.

Ordinance amending Budgets

The council considered Ordinance 0134-15, which proposed amendments to certain municipal budgets to reflect current requirements for expenditures and to appropriate and re-appropriate funds as needed.

Ms. Henson and Mr. Kay served as the key speakers during the discussion of this budget amendment ordinance. The ordinance was designed to adjust existing budget allocations to better align with the city's current operational and expenditure needs.

The proposed amendments would allow the municipality to reallocate funds between different budget categories and make new appropriations where necessary to meet current municipal requirements. This type of budget adjustment ordinance is typically used to address changing priorities, unexpected expenses, or to optimize the allocation of available resources during the fiscal year.

The council ultimately approved Ordinance 0134-15, allowing the budget amendments to take effect. This approval enables the city to proceed with the revised budget allocations and fund appropriations as outlined in the ordinance.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*

Resolution accepting bid of Crown Castle NG Central, LLC

The council considered Resolution 0038-15, which would accept the bid of Crown Castle NG Central, LLC for a short-term franchise to operate a telecommunications system.

Ms. Henson and Mr. Farmer served as the key speakers during the discussion of this agenda item. The resolution involved granting Crown Castle NG Central, LLC the rights to establish and maintain telecommunications infrastructure within the jurisdiction through a franchise agreement.

The proposal was structured as a short-term franchise arrangement, which would allow the telecommunications company to provide services while operating under the terms and conditions set forth by the local government. This type of franchise agreement typically includes provisions for infrastructure deployment, service standards, and regulatory compliance.

The council ultimately approved the resolution, formally accepting Crown Castle NG Central, LLC's bid for the telecommunications franchise. This approval enables the company to move forward with their telecommunications system operations under the agreed-upon franchise terms.

Crown Castle NG Central, LLC is part of Crown Castle International Corp., a major provider of shared wireless infrastructure in the United States. The company specializes in owning, operating, and leasing wireless infrastructure including cell towers and small cells to wireless carriers.

The approval of this resolution represents the completion of a competitive bidding process and establishes the framework for Crown Castle NG Central, LLC to provide telecommunications services within the community under municipal oversight and regulation.