Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on November 17, 2015, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting addressed nine agenda items covering a range of municipal business including budget amendments, zoning matters, and both new and continuing business items. Council members took nine votes during the session, with several items receiving approval including the meeting summary, new business items, and continuing business/presentations. The meeting included one public comment period for issues on the agenda, along with opportunities for public input on matters not on the agenda, council reports, and the mayor's report.

Attendance

All council members were present for the November 17, 2015 meeting.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted nine votes during the November 17, 2015 meeting, with most passing unanimously.

Procedural Motions

The meeting began with a motion by Farmer, seconded by Kay, to allow comment from 5th district residents at the beginning rather than the end of the meeting. This motion passed unanimously 0:02.

Scutchfield moved to approve the November 3, 2015 work session summary, seconded by Akers, which passed unanimously. Scutchfield also moved to approve new business, seconded by Kay, which passed unanimously.

Policy Decisions

The council unanimously approved moving forward with the coding compliance assistance pilot project as proposed, on a motion by Scutchfield, seconded by Akers.

Two motions regarding the Euclid Avenue Corridor produced different outcomes. Moloney's motion, seconded by Mossotti, to place the Euclid Avenue Corridor into the Planning & Public Safety Committee failed on a roll call vote with 2 ayes and 11 nays. Voting in favor were Farmer and Moloney. Voting against were Kay, Akers, Scutchfield, Henson, F. Brown, Evans, Lamb, Gibbs, Bledsoe, J. Brown, and Hensley.

A subsequent motion by Hensley to call the question, seconded by Farmer, failed dramatically with only 1 aye (Hensley) and 14 nays from Kay, Akers, Farmer, Stinnett, Scutchfield, Mossotti, Henson, F. Brown, Evans, Lamb, Gibbs, Bledsoe, Moloney, and J. Brown.

However, Gibbs later moved to refer the Euclid Avenue Corridor study to the Planning & Public Safety Committee, seconded by Farmer, which passed unanimously.

Final Actions

Mossotti moved, seconded by Henson, to place on the November 19, 2015 Council meeting docket a resolution suspending enforcement of certain taxi cab permit requirements. This motion passed unanimously.

The meeting concluded with Stinnett's motion to adjourn, seconded by Scutchfield, which passed unanimously 84:26.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council addressed multiple financial items totaling over $2 million in contracts, amendments, and agreements during the November 17, 2015 meeting.

Major Contracts and Agreements: • L1426-15: Authorization to enter into a memorandum of agreement with LexTran to construct a fast-fill compressed natural gas fueling station for $1,258,400 • L1342-15: Authorization to amend the Professional Services Agreement with Lexington and Fayette County Parking Authority for $320,000 • L1427-15: Authorization to execute a fourth amendment to the existing Purchase Agreement with Airbus DS Communications for adding a 10th channel to the radio system for $236,654 • L1405-15: Authorization to amend Resolution No. 663-2015 Section 2 for payment to Benefit Insurance Marketing, Inc. for $117,000 • L1410-15: Authorization to execute an agreement with The Novak Consulting Group for Human Resources Management Audit Services for $72,500

Construction and Infrastructure: • L1420-15: Authorization to execute Change Order No. 26 with Marrillia Design & Construction for the Senior Citizen Center Construction project for $34,005.13 • L1384-15: Authorization to approve a Change Order and corresponding Airbus Change Notice to the Purchase Agreement for $17,688 • L1409-15: Authorization to execute a Purchase of Service Agreement with The Arboretum for stormwater education and outreach workshops for $15,000 • L1419-15: Authorization to execute Change Order #1 with Wilhite Limited, Inc. for the rigging of new boilers in the Government Center Building for $3,000

Personnel Changes: • L1418-15: Authorization to abolish one classified position of Staff Assistant Sr. and create one classified position of Permit Clerk for $4,297.87 • L1422-15: Authorization to abolish one unclassified position of Public Information Officer and create one classified position of Public Information Officer with no cost impact

Grant Applications: • L1415-15: Authorization to submit grant application to the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services for $10,000

The council also approved several agreements with no direct financial impact, including contracts with qPublic for software services (L1327-15, $3,000), Fayette County Public Schools (L1355-15), and various benefit plan documents.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one member of the public addressed the board regarding Urban Services Changes 0:02.

The commenter participated in the public hearing portion of the meeting to discuss matters related to Urban Services Changes, though specific details of their remarks were not provided in the available meeting documentation.

No additional public comments were recorded during this portion of the November 17, 2015 meeting.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item that resulted in a split vote among council members.

Euclid Avenue Corridor Committee Assignment

A motion was made to refer the Euclid Avenue Corridor matter to the Planning & Public Safety Committee for further review and consideration. This proposal generated significant disagreement among council members, ultimately failing by a decisive margin.

The motion received support from only 2 council members, while 11 members voted against the referral. The substantial opposition suggests that the majority of the council preferred to handle the Euclid Avenue Corridor issue through a different process or committee structure, or felt that committee referral was unnecessary at this stage.

The nature of the specific disagreements regarding the Euclid Avenue Corridor was not detailed in the available meeting materials, but the lopsided vote indicates a clear consensus among most council members against the proposed committee assignment approach.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:02 The meeting opened with a public comment period dedicated to issues listed on the agenda. This portion of the meeting was designated for members of the public to address the governing body regarding specific items scheduled for discussion during the session.

No specific speakers or comments were documented during this public comment period. The agenda item was classified as informational, indicating that it served as an opportunity for public input rather than requiring any formal action by the governing body.

The public comment period represents a standard procedural element of government meetings, providing transparency and community engagement by allowing residents and stakeholders to voice their opinions, concerns, or support regarding matters under consideration by the governing body.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

The council held a discussion regarding requested rezonings and docket approvals during the November 17, 2015 meeting. This agenda item was presented for informational purposes to update council members on pending rezoning requests and related docket matters.

The discussion covered various rezoning applications that had been submitted for consideration, though specific details about individual properties, applicants, or the nature of the requested zoning changes were not captured in the available meeting documentation. Council members reviewed the status of these applications as part of their regular oversight of land use and zoning matters within their jurisdiction.

This item served as an informational briefing rather than requiring formal action from the council. The discussion allowed council members to stay informed about ongoing zoning processes and upcoming decisions that may require their attention in future meetings.

No specific speakers were identified for this agenda item, and no formal vote or decision was recorded as part of this discussion. The item concluded with council members having received the necessary updates on the current status of rezoning requests and docket approvals under consideration.

Approval of Summary

The council considered approval of the summary from their November 3, 2015 work session. Council members Scutchfield and Akers participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

The council reviewed the summary document, which captured the proceedings and decisions from their previous work session held on November 3, 2015. This routine administrative item allows council members to formally approve the accuracy of meeting records before they become part of the official record.

Following their review and discussion, the council voted to approve the summary of the November 3, 2015 work session. The approval ensures that the summary will serve as the official record of that meeting's proceedings.

Budget Amendments

The council discussed various budget amendments during this meeting. However, the available meeting records do not contain sufficient detail to provide a comprehensive summary of the specific amendments that were presented, the nature of the discussions, or the particular concerns raised by council members.

The agenda item was categorized as a discussion item and resulted in an informational outcome, indicating that the council reviewed budget-related matters without taking formal action during this session. No specific speakers were identified in the available documentation, and transcript timing information was not provided for this portion of the meeting.

Without access to more detailed meeting minutes or transcript excerpts, it is not possible to report on the specific budget amendments under consideration, the financial impacts discussed, or the particular areas of the municipal budget that were addressed during this agenda item.

New Business

The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting. Council members Scutchfield and Kay were the key speakers who participated in the discussion of these matters.

The council ultimately approved the new business items that were presented, though the specific details of what was discussed or the nature of the items considered are not available in the meeting records.

The outcome of this agenda item was recorded as approved by the council.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and detailed discussion points were not available in the meeting documentation for this agenda item.*

Continuing Business/Presentations

The council addressed continuing business and presentations during this portion of the meeting. The discussion centered on the coding compliance assistance pilot project, which appeared to be an ongoing initiative requiring council consideration.

Council members Scutchfield and Akers served as the primary speakers during this agenda item, leading the discussion on the matters at hand. The conversation focused on the coding compliance assistance pilot project, though specific details about the project's scope, implementation timeline, or budget were not provided in the available materials.

The pilot project appears to relate to municipal code enforcement and compliance assistance, suggesting it may involve helping property owners or businesses understand and meet local regulatory requirements. This type of program typically aims to improve voluntary compliance with municipal codes through education and assistance rather than purely punitive enforcement measures.

Following the discussion between the key speakers and any additional council input, the item was approved. The approval indicates the council was satisfied with the current status or proposed direction of the coding compliance assistance pilot project and any other continuing business matters that were presented.

The outcome suggests this was likely a routine update on ongoing municipal initiatives rather than a contentious policy debate, as the council moved forward with approval of the presented materials or recommendations.

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

Council Reports

Council members presented their reports during this agenda item. The reports were informational in nature, with no specific action items or decisions required.

Due to limited source materials available for this meeting from November 17, 2015, specific details about individual council member presentations, topics covered, or key points discussed during the reports are not available. The agenda item served its standard function as an opportunity for council members to share updates on their activities, committee work, and community engagement efforts.

No transcript timestamps are available for this portion of the meeting.

Mayor's Report

Mayor Gray presented his report to the council during the November 17, 2015 meeting. This was an informational presentation with no action items requiring council votes.

Key Speaker: • Mayor Gray

Presentation Details: The mayor delivered his regular report to provide updates on city matters and ongoing initiatives. This agenda item served as an opportunity for the mayor to communicate directly with the council and inform them of relevant municipal activities and developments.

Outcome: This was an informational item only, with no formal action taken by the council. The presentation concluded without requiring any votes or decisions from council members.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item, and detailed content of the mayor's remarks was not provided in the source materials.*

Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda

The meeting concluded with a public comment period for issues not listed on the agenda. This portion of the meeting was designated as informational, providing community members an opportunity to address the governing body on matters of local concern outside the formal agenda items.

No specific speakers, topics, or detailed discussion points were documented for this public comment period. The session served as the standard closing component of the meeting, maintaining the established practice of allowing public input on non-agenda matters.

The outcome was informational, with no formal actions taken during this portion of the meeting.