Council Work Session
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Summary
Meeting Overview
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council met on May 5, 2015, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber located at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gray presiding. The council addressed five agenda items during the session, including public comment, requested rezonings, budget amendments, new business, and continuing business with presentations. The council took six motions and votes throughout the meeting and heard two public comments on issues on the agenda. All substantive agenda items—Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval, Budget Amendments, New Business, and Continuing Business/Presentations—were approved by the council.
Attendance
Present: Kay, Stinnett, Moloney, J. Brown, Akers, Gibbs, Lamb, Farmer, Evans, Scutchfield, F. Brown, Bledsoe, Henson, and Lane
Absent: Mossotti
Late: None
Votes and Decisions
The council took six votes during this meeting, all of which passed unanimously.
Approval of the April 30, 2015 Council Meeting Docket 0:00 Motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Bledsoe. Passed unanimously.
Budget Amendment for Reallocation of General Fund Budget 0:00 Motion by Stinnett, seconded by Gibbs. This amendment addressed the reallocation of General Fund budget for various projects. Passed unanimously.
Approval of Budget Amendments 3:50 Motion by Henson, seconded by Kay. Passed unanimously.
Approval of New Business 4:51 Motion by Farmer, seconded by Kay. Passed unanimously.
Approval of Neighborhood Development Funds 14:35 Motion by Henson, seconded by Lane. Passed unanimously.
Motion to Adjourn 45:10 Motion by Farmer, seconded by Scutchfield. Passed unanimously.
Budget and Financial Actions
The meeting included authorization for two financial actions:
Neighborhood Sustainability Grant Program
The body authorized awarding funds totaling $45,488 for proposed projects under the Neighborhood Sustainability Grant program (L0482-15). These funds were designated for various neighborhood projects.
EOP Architecture Contract Modification
Authorization was granted to execute Change Order #4 with EOP Architecture (L0529-15) in the amount of $4,600.
Public Comment
Two council members provided comments during the meeting.
Council Member Farmer 16:12 expressed concern about the council's involvement in decision-making processes. Farmer stated that the council was being left out of discussions and decisions, particularly regarding the Centerpoint issue.
Council Member Lane 21:41 addressed the Downtown Lexington Management District, opposing the proposed new tax for the district. Lane suggested that the city fund the district from the surplus instead of implementing a new tax.
Contested Items
Centerpoint Issue
Council Member Farmer raised concerns about the council's exclusion from discussions and decisions regarding the Centerpoint issue. Farmer expressed that the council had been left out of the process, indicating a procedural dispute over how decisions were being made and communicated to council members.
Downtown Lexington Management District
Council Member Lane opposed the proposed new tax for the Downtown Lexington Management District. Lane suggested an alternative approach, proposing that the city fund the district from the existing surplus rather than implementing a new tax on constituents.
Public Comment - Issues on Agenda
No public comments were made on issues on the agenda during this portion of the meeting.
Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval
The docket for the April 30, 2015 council meeting was approved during this agenda item. 0:00
Key speakers on this matter included Scutchfield and Bledsoe.
The item resulted in an approved outcome.
Budget Amendments
Budget amendments were presented and approved during this portion of the meeting. 3:50
Key Speakers
Henson and Kay led the discussion on this agenda item.
Outcome
The budget amendments were approved, with reallocations authorized for various projects.
New Business
The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting. Key speakers Farmer and Kay presented and discussed several matters requiring approval.
The new business items included various authorizations and contracts that were brought before the council for consideration. Following discussion and review, all new business items were approved.
Continuing Business/Presentations
Neighborhood development funds were presented and approved during this agenda item. 14:35
Key Speakers
Henson and Lane led the discussion on this matter.
Outcome
The neighborhood development funds were approved.
Decisions
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve the docket for the May 7, 2015 Council meeting
- Motion — passed (0-0): place on the docket for the Thursday, May 7, 2015 Council meeting a resolution authorizing the issuance of up to $4.5 million of Educational Building Revenue Refunding Bonds to be issued by Clark County, Kentucky, the proceeds of which shall be loaned to Sayre School to finance the cost of refunding previously issued Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Educational Building Revenue Refunding and Improvement bonds. This resolution is required by the IRS Code because the Project is located in Fayette County, and the Economic Development Investment Board unanimously approved this bond issuance at its meeting earlier today. The required public hearing has already been scheduled by Council to take place at 6 p.m. on May 7, 2015
- Motion — passed (0-0): schedule a public hearing for the issuance of Industrial Revenue Bonds by Scott County for the YMCA at the Council meeting on May 28, 2015 at 6:00pm. The LFUCG is required to provide a resolution of public support because the project is in Lexington
- Motion — passed (0-0): place on the docket for the May 7, 2015 Council Meeting an ordinance defining a retail e-cigarette store and exempting qualifying e-cigarette stores from enforcement of the indoor smoking ordinance
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve the April 28, 2015 work session summary
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve budget amendments
- Motion — passed (0-0): the list of Budget Amendments on page 3 of the Work Session packet. This budget amendment reallocates funds within the grant fund to meet the needs of the program
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve new business
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve neighborhood development funds
- Motion — passed (0-0): place on the docket for the May 7, 2015 Council meeting an ordinance amending section 1 of Ordinance No. 166-2014, which amended and established the schedule of meetings for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council for the calendar year 2015, to change the dates of the Council meetings scheduled for June 23 and June 25 to June 16 and June 18, with the first reading of the FY16 budget occurring at the council meeting on June 16 and second reading of the budget on June 18
- Motion — passed (0-0): enter closed session pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(c) for the purpose of discussing potential litigation
- Motion — passed (0-0): return from closed session
- Motion — passed (0-0): adjourn at 5:31pm