General Government & Social Services Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The General Government & Social Services Committee met on July 7, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., with Lamb presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the session, taking seven votes and hearing six public comments.

The committee approved the Committee Summary and an update on Workforce Investment & Training. One item—Ordinance 271-2009 regarding the Oath of Office for Boards, Agencies & Commissions—was postponed for further consideration. Two agenda items, including Cell Towers – Location Approval & Revenue and Items in Committee, were removed from the agenda.

Attendance

Present: Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Gibbs, Henson, Moloney, Scutchfield, Lamb, Evans

Absent: Stinnett, Kay

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

Resolution 0073-26: Interlocal Cooperative Agreement for Workforce Development 47:04

A motion by Gibbs, seconded by Henson, to approve the draft resolution authorizing the mayor to sign the interlocal cooperative agreement for workforce development passed by voice vote.

Resolution 0073-26: Work Session Reporting 47:37

A motion by Fred Brown, seconded by Akers, to report the resolution out at work session for placement on the 6 p.m. docket passed by voice vote.

Ordinance 271-2009: Board and Commission Oath 1:18:38

A motion by Akers, seconded by Henson, regarding approval of recommendations to amend Ordinance 271-2009 regarding the Board and Commission Oath was postponed.

Ordinance 271-2009: Postponement to September 1, 2015 1:30:48

A motion by Gibbs, seconded by Bledsoe, to postpone discussion of Ordinance 271-2009 until September 1, 2015 passed by voice vote.

Workforce Investment Training Item Removal 2:04:20

A motion by Henson, seconded by Moloney, to remove the workforce investment training item from the committee agenda passed by voice vote.

Cell Towers Item Removal 2:05:54

A motion by Evans, seconded by Scutchfield, to remove the cell towers item from the committee agenda passed by voice vote.

Adjournment 2:06:26

A motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Akers, to adjourn the meeting passed by voice vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting on July 7, 2015 included two financial actions:

Emergency Medical Transport Assistance Program

Resolution 0073-26 appropriated $50,000 in funding for the Emergency Medical Transport Assistance Program. The Department of Social Services was designated as the recipient of this appropriation.

Bluegrass International Center

Ordinance 0073-26 approved a grant for the Bluegrass International Center. The Mayor's International Affairs Advisory Commission was identified in connection with this action. The specific dollar amount for this grant was not specified in the meeting materials.

Public Comment

Several council members raised concerns about the structure, transparency, and accountability of the LFUCG's boards and commissions during this meeting.

Council Member Fred Brown 59:20 asked about the total number of boards and commissions under LFUCG responsibility and whether they are organized by importance or legal status. He suggested that improved transparency and accountability measures were needed.

Council Member Scutchfield 1:07:08 proposed requesting quarterly reports on board vacancies and meeting frequency to enhance public knowledge and transparency regarding board operations.

Council Member Maloney 1:10:16 questioned why the previous practice of distributing board vacancy lists to council members had been discontinued. He suggested reinstating this practice to improve public access and participation in the board appointment process.

Council Member Bledsoe 1:15:50 raised questions about the enforceability of oath requirements for board members, specifically asking whether individuals who have not completed the oath can participate in meetings or vote, and whether they should be removed from their positions.

Council Member Evans 1:25:00 expressed concern that removing oath requirements might undermine accountability. He emphasized the importance of implementing mandatory training for board members.

Council Member Scutchfield 1:28:04 suggested delaying a decision on the oath ordinance until the next meeting to allow for a comprehensive historical review and discussion of the board appointment process.

Contested Items

Enforceability and Necessity of the Board and Commission Oath

Council members were divided on whether to keep, amend, or repeal the oath requirement for board and commission members. The disagreement centered on practical concerns about compliance, transparency, and administrative burden. Specifically, council members raised concerns about the burden this requirement placed on the council clerk to manage and enforce. The vote was split, indicating no clear consensus on the best path forward regarding this oath requirement.

Public Input and Transparency in Board Appointments

A heated discussion arose over the lack of public access to information about board vacancies. Several council members expressed frustration with the current process and called for reinstating the previous practice of distributing vacancy lists to council members. This debate reflected broader concerns about transparency in the board appointment process and ensuring that council members had adequate information to make informed decisions about appointments.

Approval of Committee Summary

The committee voted to approve the summary of the May 5, 2015 meeting. 12:02

Evans presented the item to the committee. No discussion took place regarding the summary, and the motion to approve passed without dissent.

Outcome: The May 5, 2015 meeting summary was approved.

Workforce Investment & Training -- Update

12:44

A presentation on workforce development was delivered by Kevin Atkins and Jay Massadi, focusing on a new interlocal agreement designed to address previous audit concerns and implement governance reforms.

Key Issues Addressed

The presentation centered on establishing a new interlocal agreement for workforce investment and training. The agreement was developed in response to audit findings and included provisions for governance improvements and competitive procurement processes.

Outcome

The committee approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign the interlocal agreement. This action moved forward the workforce development initiative following the presentation and discussion of the proposed terms and reforms.

Ord. 271-2009 – Oath of Office for Boards, Agencies & Commissions

48:48

The committee discussed Ordinance 271-2009, which addresses the oath of office requirement for members of boards, agencies, and commissions. The discussion focused on the effectiveness and enforceability of this oath requirement.

Key Speakers and Concerns

Meredith Nelson and Keith Horn led the discussion, raising several concerns about the current implementation of the oath requirement:

• Compliance issues: Questions were raised about whether board and commission members were consistently taking and adhering to the oath requirement
• Transparency: Concerns were expressed regarding the transparency of the oath process and its visibility to the public
• Training needs: The committee identified a need for better training to ensure board and commission members understood their obligations under the oath

Outcome

Rather than reaching a resolution during this meeting, the committee determined that further discussion was necessary. The discussion on Ordinance 271-2009 was postponed until September 1, 2015, allowing additional time to address the identified concerns and develop potential improvements to the oath requirement process.

Cell Towers – Location Approval & Revenue

1:31:22

A presentation on cell tower location approval and revenue was scheduled as Agenda Item IV but was removed from the agenda before discussion.

Presenters and Participants

The presentation was to be led by Damon and Barb Rikers.

Planned Content

The presentation was intended to cover the process for approving cell towers on public property, including:

• The role of General Services in the approval process
• Planning requirements for cell tower installations
• Public notification procedures

Outcome

This agenda item was removed from the meeting agenda and was not discussed.

Items in Committee

During this agenda item, the committee voted to remove several items from the consideration. The speakers involved in this discussion included Henson, Akers, and Scutchfield. 2:04:20

The items removed from the agenda were:

• EMS fees
• Inclusion of veterans as DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises)
• Masterson Station Park Master Plan Update

The outcome of the committee's action was the removal of these items from further consideration at this meeting.