Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on May 12, 2015, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting addressed 10 agenda items covering routine council business including budget amendments, rezoning matters, and various reports from council members and the mayor. The council conducted 13 votes throughout the session, approving items such as meeting summaries, new business matters, and the final adjournment. No public comments were recorded during either of the designated public comment periods for issues on the agenda or issues not on the agenda. The meeting followed a standard format with informational presentations and reports comprising the majority of the agenda items, while formal approval actions were limited to procedural matters and new business items.

Attendance

All members were present for the meeting on May 12, 2015.

Present: • Mayor Gray • Akers • Kay • Stinnett • Lane • Scutchfield • Bledsoe • Farmer • Gibbs • Lamb • Evans • F. Brown • Mossotti • Henson • J. Brown

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted 13 votes during the May 12, 2015 meeting, with most items passing unanimously.

Routine Business Items The Council unanimously approved several routine matters: • Motion by Akers, seconded by Kay, to approve the docket for the May 7, 2015 Council meeting • Motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Akers, to approve the April 28, 2015 work session summary • Motion by Stinnett, seconded by Scutchfield, to approve budget amendments • Motion by Bledsoe, seconded by Lane, to add a budget amendment for the Therapeutic Recreation project

Financial Matters The Council unanimously approved financial items including: • Motion by Stinnett, seconded by Lane, to authorize issuance of up to $4.5 million of Educational Building Revenue Refunding Bonds • Motion by Stinnett, seconded by Scutchfield, to approve neighborhood development funds • Motion by Stinnett, seconded by Scutchfield, to schedule a public hearing for the issuance of Industrial Revenue Bonds by Scott County for the YMCA

New Business and Ordinances Several items related to new business passed unanimously: • Motion by Stinnett, seconded by Akers, to approve new business (Gibbs recused on item A) • Motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Akers, to place on the docket an ordinance defining a retail e-cigarette store

Roll Call Votes Two items required roll call votes with some opposition: • Motion by Kay, seconded by Henson, to place on the docket an ordinance amending section 1 of Ordinance No. 166-2014 passed 13-1, with Farmer voting against • Motion by Kay, seconded by Lamb, to enter closed session pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(c) for discussing potential litigation passed 13-2, with Stinnett and Farmer voting against

The Council unanimously approved motions by Mossotti (seconded by Scutchfield) to return from closed session and by Bledsoe (seconded by Scutchfield) to adjourn the meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council addressed several significant financial items totaling over $2.1 million in contracts and grants during the May 12, 2015 meeting.

Major Infrastructure Projects

The largest expenditure was Amendment #16 to the agreement with Stantec for the Newtown Pike Extension Project, totaling $1,109,906 (L0579-15). Additionally, the council approved Change Order #5 for the Town Branch and West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant Project with Smith Contractors, Inc. for $67,542.29 (L0545-15).

Transportation and Technology Improvements

The council accepted a $480,000 grant from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the ITS/CMS Traffic Improvements Project for FY 2016 (L0584-15). A maintenance agreement with Unique Security for the security electronics system was approved for $142,355 (L0505-15).

Professional Services

Two contracts were awarded to Strothman and Company: a $145,000 agreement for the financial audit of all LFUCG funds for fiscal year 2015 (L0582-15) and a $7,500 contract for the Sheriff's Settlement for the 2014 Property Tax year (L0583-15).

Grant Awards and Community Programs

The council approved several grant-related items, including a $36,000 grant to LexArts for the Livestream Project under the EcoART Program (L0551-15). They also accepted a $95,000 award from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund for the Local Food Coordinator Project (L0559-15) and approved participation in the Child Care Food Program at the Family Care Center, involving $79,000 from the Kentucky Department of Education (L0574-15).

These financial actions demonstrate the council's commitment to infrastructure development, community programming, and maintaining essential city services through strategic partnerships with state agencies and private contractors.

Contested Items

Two items during the May 12, 2015 meeting generated divided votes among council members, breaking from the typical unanimous decisions.

Ordinance Amendment

The council considered an ordinance amending section 1 of Ordinance No. 166-2014. While the specific details of the amendment were not provided in the available materials, the motion to approve the amendment resulted in a split vote. The measure ultimately passed with strong support by a margin of 13-1, with only Farmer casting the dissenting vote. The nature of Farmer's objection to the ordinance amendment was not detailed in the meeting records.

Closed Session Motion

The second contested item involved a motion to enter closed session for the purpose of discussing potential litigation. This procedural motion, which would have moved the council into private deliberations away from public view, faced more opposition than the ordinance amendment. The motion passed by a vote of 13-2, with both Stinnett and Farmer voting against entering the closed session.

The opposition from Stinnett and Farmer suggests potential concerns about the necessity or appropriateness of conducting discussions about litigation matters in private, though their specific reasoning for the negative votes was not recorded in the available meeting materials.

Both contested items ultimately passed despite the dissenting votes, indicating that while there was some disagreement among council members, the majority supported both the ordinance amendment and the decision to discuss potential litigation matters in closed session.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

The meeting included a designated period for public comment on issues listed on the agenda. This agenda item provided an opportunity for members of the public to address the governing body regarding any matters scheduled for discussion during the meeting.

No specific speakers or comments were recorded for this public comment period. The item was structured as an informational session, allowing community members to share their perspectives on agenda topics before formal deliberations began.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational, serving as a standard procedural element to ensure public participation in the meeting process. No specific actions or decisions resulted from this public comment period.

Requested Rezonings/ Docket Approval

No requested rezonings or docket approvals were discussed during this portion of the meeting. This agenda item was informational in nature, with no active rezoning applications or docket items requiring board consideration at this time.

Approval of Summary

The board reviewed and approved the summary of the May 5, 2015 work session during this agenda item. The approval was completed without recorded discussion or debate from board members.

The summary was formally approved as presented, allowing the record of the previous work session to be finalized and entered into the official meeting records.

Budget Amendments

No budget amendments were discussed during this agenda item. The meeting proceeded without any proposed changes to the current budget or requests for budget modifications.

New Business

The meeting addressed new business items during this portion of the proceedings. According to the meeting records, the new business items that were presented were discussed by the board and ultimately received approval.

The specific details of what new business items were considered, the nature of the discussions that took place, and which board members participated in the deliberations were not captured in the available meeting documentation. Additionally, no transcript timestamps are available for this portion of the meeting.

The outcome of the new business discussion was that the items presented were approved by the board.

Continuing Business/ Presentations

During the continuing business portion of the May 12, 2015 meeting, two key presentations were delivered to provide updates on ongoing municipal matters.

The first presentation focused on Neighborhood Development Funds, providing an overview of the program's current status and activities. This presentation offered council members and the public information about how these funds are being allocated and utilized within the community.

The second presentation consisted of a summary from the Planning & Public Safety Committee. This summary covered recent committee activities, decisions, and recommendations that had been developed for consideration by the full council.

Both presentations were informational in nature, designed to keep council members and the public informed about ongoing city business and committee work. No formal action was taken on either presentation, as they served primarily as status updates and information sharing rather than items requiring council decisions or votes.

The presentations represent part of the city's regular practice of providing transparency and keeping elected officials informed about various departmental activities and committee proceedings that impact municipal operations and community development initiatives.

Council Reports

Council reports were presented during this portion of the meeting. The agenda item was informational in nature, with council members providing updates on their respective activities and responsibilities.

No specific transcript timestamps, key speakers, or detailed content from the council reports were available in the provided meeting materials. The reports served as a regular opportunity for council members to share information with their colleagues and the public regarding ongoing municipal matters, committee work, and community engagement activities.

This agenda item concluded without requiring any formal action or votes from the council.

Mayor's Report

No mayor's report was presented during this meeting. This agenda item was listed but no discussion or presentation took place.

Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda

The meeting included a designated period for public comments on issues not listed on the agenda. This agenda item provided an opportunity for community members to address the governing body on matters of local concern outside of the formal agenda items.

No specific transcript timestamp or detailed information about individual speakers or topics discussed during this public comment period was available in the meeting records. The item was categorized as informational, indicating that no formal action was taken by the governing body in response to the comments received.

This type of public comment period is a standard component of government meetings, allowing for community input and ensuring public participation in the governmental process. The absence of detailed records suggests either no members of the public spoke during this portion of the meeting, or the specific content of any comments made was not captured in the available meeting documentation.

The outcome was informational only, meaning any comments received were heard by the governing body but did not result in immediate policy changes or formal responses during this meeting.

Adjournment

The meeting was formally adjourned at 5:31 PM. No additional discussion or procedural matters were addressed during the adjournment process, and the motion to adjourn was approved without debate.