Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on September 10, 2015, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. During this meeting, the council addressed two agenda items and conducted official business on municipal matters affecting the urban county.

The council took action on two legislative measures during the session. Ordinance 0975-15 was considered and approved by the council members. Additionally, Resolution 1118-15 was presented and also received approval from the governing body.

The meeting included participation from the public, with two citizens providing comments during the designated public comment period. The council conducted a total of two formal votes on the agenda items presented. Both legislative measures that came before the council received favorable action, indicating consensus among the council members on the items under consideration.

This session represents routine legislative business for the Urban County Council, with the successful passage of both an ordinance and a resolution addressing local government matters for the Lexington community.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on September 10, 2015:

Present: • Gibbs • Hensley • Henson • Kay • Lamb • Moloney • Mossotti • Scutchfield • Stinnett • Akers • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown • Evans • Farmer

All 15 members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the September 10, 2015 meeting.

Ordinance 0975-15 - Amending Article 17: Construction Screening Signage & Identification Signs was brought forward by Ms. Henson and seconded by Mr. Gibbs. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention.

Council members voting in favor were: Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Farmer. No council members voted against the ordinance.

Resolution 1118-15 - Transfer of property to Catholic Church Diocese of Lexington was motioned by Ms. Evans and seconded by Mr. Farmer. This resolution passed by a narrower margin with 11 ayes, 3 nays, and 1 abstention.

Council members supporting the property transfer were: Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Stinnett, Akers, F. Brown, and J. Brown.

Three council members voted against the resolution: Scutchfield, Evans, and Farmer. Notably, Ms. Evans voted against her own motion, and Mr. Farmer, who seconded the motion, also voted against it.

Both items were decided by roll call votes, providing a clear record of each council member's position on the matters. The signage ordinance received unanimous support from those voting, while the property transfer resolution generated more debate and division among council members.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial matters totaling over $33 million in municipal funding and fundraising activities.

Bond Issuance The council considered Ordinance 1030-15 authorizing the issuance of Various Purpose General Obligation Bonds, Series 2015B in the amount of $33,000,000. This substantial bond issuance represents a major capital financing initiative for the municipality.

Town Branch Commons Project Fundraising Resolution 1051-15 addressed fundraising efforts for The Town Branch Commons Project, establishing a $180,000 contract with Blue Grass Community Foundation. This resolution formalizes the partnership with the foundation to support fundraising activities for the community development project.

The two financial actions represent different approaches to municipal funding - direct bond financing for capital needs and collaborative fundraising through a community foundation partnership for a specific development initiative.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period, both speaking in support of Resolution 1118-15.

Mr. Bernard McCarthy spoke about his hopes for Resolution 1118-15, expressing optimism that the resolution would help resolve ongoing lawsuits and provide stable housing solutions for the homeless population.

Ms. Laura Babbage also addressed Resolution 1118-15, thanking the Council members for their work on this issue.

Both speakers focused their comments on the same agenda item, indicating community interest and support for the Council's efforts regarding Resolution 1118-15 and its potential impact on homelessness and related legal matters.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available for these public comments.*

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to city boards and committees.

New Appointments: • Sheila Simpson was appointed to the Black & Williams Neighborhood Community Center Board

Reappointments: • Jeffrey Violette was reappointed to the Emergency Medical Advisory Board

These appointments represent the city's ongoing efforts to maintain active participation on various municipal boards and advisory committees that support city operations and community services.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item that generated significant debate and public input.

Resolution 1118-15 - Property Transfer to Catholic Church Diocese

Resolution 1118-15, which proposed transferring property to the Catholic Church Diocese of Lexington, proved to be the most contentious issue of the meeting. The resolution resulted in a split vote among council members, indicating divided opinions on the proposed property transfer.

The item drew public participation from both sides of the issue, with citizens speaking both in favor of and in opposition to the resolution during the public comment period. The nature of the disagreements and specific arguments presented by speakers were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The split vote outcome demonstrates that the council was not unanimous in their decision regarding this property transfer, though the final vote tally and which specific council members voted for or against the resolution was not specified in the meeting documentation.

This resolution represents a significant municipal decision involving the transfer of public property to a religious organization, which likely contributed to the public interest and debate surrounding the item.

Ordinance 0975-15

The council considered Ordinance 0975-15, which would amend Article 17 to permit identification signs on large commercial or industrial developments. This ordinance addresses signage regulations for substantial commercial and industrial properties within the municipality.

Ms. Henson and Mr. Gibbs served as the key speakers during the discussion of this agenda item. The ordinance specifically targets large-scale commercial or industrial developments, providing them with the ability to install identification signage that would help with wayfinding and business identification purposes.

The proposed amendment to Article 17 represents a modification to existing zoning or development regulations, allowing for more flexibility in signage requirements for qualifying large commercial and industrial properties. This type of ordinance typically addresses the practical needs of substantial business developments that may require prominent identification signage to serve customers, visitors, and delivery services.

The council ultimately approved Ordinance 0975-15, indicating that the proposed changes to the signage regulations met the standards and requirements for municipal approval. The approval suggests that council members found the amendment appropriate for addressing the signage needs of large commercial and industrial developments while maintaining compliance with overall municipal development standards.

This ordinance reflects the ongoing balance municipalities must strike between allowing businesses adequate signage for identification and wayfinding purposes while maintaining aesthetic and regulatory standards within the community.

Resolution 1118-15

Resolution 1118-15 addressed the transfer of property to the Catholic Church Diocese of Lexington as part of a settlement to resolve ongoing litigation related to the Community Inn.

Ms. Evans and Mr. Farmer served as the key speakers during the discussion of this resolution. The resolution was presented as a means to settle legal disputes involving the Community Inn property through a property transfer arrangement with the Catholic Church Diocese of Lexington.

The resolution was approved by the governing body, indicating that the proposed property transfer was accepted as the preferred method to resolve the litigation matter. This action would effectively conclude the legal proceedings related to the Community Inn while transferring ownership of the specified property to the Diocese.

The approval of Resolution 1118-15 represents the completion of negotiations between the parties involved in the litigation and provides a resolution that avoids continued legal proceedings. The property transfer to the Catholic Church Diocese of Lexington appears to have been deemed an acceptable solution by all parties to settle the Community Inn-related legal matters.