Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on December 3, 2015, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. This brief meeting focused primarily on recognition and informational presentations, with two agenda items addressing community achievements and environmental initiatives. The council conducted two votes during the session, while no public comments were heard. The meeting centered on recognizing individual accomplishments and highlighting recycling program success within the community.

Attendance

All council members were present for the December 3, 2015 meeting.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the December 3, 2015 meeting.

Ordinance 1407-15 addressed a zoning change for property located at 2833 Liberty Road. The ordinance proposed changing the zone from a Single Family Residential (R-1D) zone to both a High Density Apartment (R-4) zone and a Wholesale & Warehouse Business (B-4) zone. Ms. Henson made the motion, which was seconded by Mr. Gibbs. The ordinance passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays. Council members voting in favor were Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, and Mossotti.

Resolution 1464-15 dealt with suspending enforcement of specific sections of the Code of Ordinances. The resolution suspended enforcement of Sections 18A-3, 18A-4, and 18A-6 of the Code of Ordinances until amendments to Chapter 18A are passed. Mr. Farmer made the motion, with Ms. Henson providing the second. This resolution passed on a roll call vote with 12 ayes and 2 nays. Council members voting in favor were Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, and Mossotti. Council members Farmer and Hensley voted against the resolution.

Both items received roll call votes, indicating their significance to the council's proceedings. The zoning change received unanimous support, while the enforcement suspension resolution faced some opposition from two council members.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial contracts through formal resolutions.

Park Infrastructure Investment Resolution 1403-15 authorized a contract with Bluegrass Contracting Corp. for Idle Hour Park Improvements totaling $479,230. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the session.

Snow Removal Services Resolution 1404-15 established a contract with Red River Ranch, LLC for Snow Plowing Operations. While the resolution was approved, the specific contract amount was not disclosed in the meeting materials.

Fire Station Maintenance Resolution 1430-15 approved a contract with Fox Enterprises, Inc. for Concrete Apron Replacement at Fire Stations in the amount of $139,828.45. This infrastructure maintenance project addresses critical facility needs for the fire department.

The three resolutions collectively represent over $619,000 in identified spending, with the park improvements comprising the majority of the allocated funds. All contracts were processed through the formal resolution procedure, indicating compliance with standard municipal procurement processes.

Appointments

The meeting addressed several personnel changes involving resignations across multiple city departments.

Resignations:

• Charles Burchett - Computer Analyst, Division of Water Quality - resigned

• Mark Tyler Scott - Administrative Officer Sr., Department of Finance - resigned

• Jason D. Millay - Police Officer, Division of Police - resigned

• Dow Cline - Community Corrections Officer, Division of Community Corrections - resigned

• Kevin W. Parrish - Community Corrections Officer, Division of Community Corrections - resigned

The resignations affected various city operations, including water quality management, financial administration, law enforcement, and community corrections services. Two positions within the Division of Community Corrections were vacated, representing a notable staffing change for that department.

Contested Items

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

Suspension of Local Taxicab Permit Enforcement

The council considered a resolution to suspend enforcement of certain sections related to Local Taxicab Permits. This measure generated disagreement among council members, ultimately resulting in a divided vote rather than unanimous approval.

The resolution passed despite opposition from two council members who voted against the suspension. The specific sections of taxicab permit regulations targeted for suspended enforcement were not detailed in the available meeting materials, nor were the reasons for the suspension clearly outlined.

The split vote indicates differing perspectives among council members regarding the appropriateness of suspending enforcement of these particular taxicab permit requirements. However, the majority of the council supported moving forward with the suspension.

The outcome was that enforcement of the specified Local Taxicab Permit sections would be suspended as approved by the majority vote, despite the dissenting votes from two council members.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps, council member names, and detailed discussion points were not available in the provided meeting materials.*

Recognition - Julia Cantrell-Martin

The city recognized Julia Cantrell-Martin for her significant contributions to the community during agenda item 1546-15. The recognition highlighted her service as past president of the Radcliff Neighborhood Association, where she demonstrated leadership and dedication to improving her local community.

Mayor Gray and James Brown served as the key speakers for this presentation, acknowledging Cantrell-Martin's volunteer efforts and community involvement. The recognition focused on her work with the neighborhood association, where she helped address local issues and foster community engagement among residents.

This was an informational item with no action required from the council. The presentation served to publicly acknowledge Cantrell-Martin's civic contributions and thank her for her service to the Radcliff neighborhood and the broader community.

The recognition reflects the city's practice of honoring residents who volunteer their time and energy to improve their neighborhoods and contribute to the overall well-being of the community through grassroots leadership and civic participation.

Recycle Bowl

The city presented awards to students participating in the 10th annual Recycle Bowl competition during agenda item 1547-15. This presentation recognized schools for their environmental efforts and distributed monetary prizes to participating institutions.

Mayor Gray, Patty Stivender, and David Holmes served as key speakers for the ceremony, acknowledging the decade-long tradition of the Recycle Bowl program. The event celebrated student participation in recycling initiatives and environmental stewardship activities.

The presentation was informational in nature, focusing on recognizing student achievements rather than conducting policy discussions or debates. Schools received monetary awards as part of their recognition for participating in the recycling competition.

This agenda item represented the city's ongoing commitment to environmental education and community engagement through school-based recycling programs. The 10th anniversary milestone highlighted the sustained success of the Recycle Bowl initiative in promoting environmental awareness among local students.

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