Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on January 14, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting addressed three agenda items, all of which were approved by the council. The session included consideration of two ordinances - Ordinance 1562-15 and Ordinance 1333-15 - as well as various reappointments and appointments to city positions. The council conducted three votes during the meeting, with no public comments recorded for this session.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on January 14, 2016:

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

Absent: • Moloney • Scutchfield

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 13 members were present and 2 members were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on three items during the January 14, 2016 meeting, with all measures passing by varying margins.

Ordinance 1562-15 - Budget Amendment Schedule No. 18 Councilmember Farmer motioned to approve this ordinance amending certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriating funds. Akers seconded the motion. The measure passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 13 ayes and 0 nays. Voting in favor were Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Mossotti, Stinnett, and Akers.

Ordinance 1333-15 - Helicopter Landing Regulations Farmer motioned to approve this ordinance amending Section 2A-18 of the Urban County Government Code relating to helicopter landings within Business and Industrial zones, with Akers providing the second. The ordinance passed on a roll call vote of 10 ayes to 3 nays. Supporting the measure were Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Hensley, Henson, Lamb, Stinnett, and Akers. Voting against were Gibbs, Kay, and Mossotti.

Resolution 1631-16 - Board and Commission Appointments Lamb motioned to approve various appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions, seconded by Akers. This resolution passed by majority vote with 12 ayes and 0 nays. Those voting in favor included Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Mossotti, Stinnett, and Akers.

All three measures received motions from either Farmer or Lamb, with Akers providing seconds for each vote. The budget amendment and board appointments received broad support, while the helicopter landing ordinance saw some opposition from three council members.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial contracts and expenditures totaling over $750,000 in commitments.

Technology Infrastructure for Senior Center

The council approved two contracts to support the new Lexington Senior Center's communications infrastructure:

• Contract 1522-15 with Unified Technologies for $30,203.39 to purchase ShoreTel IP Communications telephone equipment and comprehensive support services

• Contract 1530-15 with Time Warner Cable Business Class for a 5-year agreement at $1,630.01 per month to provide WiFi equipment and services

Government Center Maintenance

Change Order No. 1 to Contract 6-16 with Alpha Mechanical Services, Inc. was approved for $9,640 to install a new boiler at the Government Center, representing additional work beyond the original contract scope.

Major Development Project

The largest financial commitment was Contract 1599-15 with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for $679,922 to provide professional program management services for the Town Branch Commons Project. This substantial investment indicates the scope and complexity of this municipal development initiative.

These financial actions demonstrate the town's investment in both operational infrastructure improvements and major development projects, with particular attention to modernizing facilities like the Senior Center and maintaining critical building systems at the Government Center.

Appointments

The meeting included 15 appointments and reappointments to various city boards and commissions.

Agricultural Extension District Board • Frank Penn was reappointed • Judy Worth was reappointed

Animal Care & Control Advisory Commission • Randall Rowady was reappointed • Shelley Bendall was reappointed

Arboretum Advisory Board • Linda Gorton was appointed

Downtown Management District • Scott Davidson was appointed • Tom Harris was appointed • Zedtta Wellman was appointed

Historic Preservation Commission • Leslie Beatty was appointed

Housing Authority Board • William Wilson was appointed

Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors • Theona Simbrat was appointed

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board • Jill Bertelson was reappointed

Sister Cities Program Commission • Bill Farmer, Jr. was reappointed • Mary Quinn Ramer was reappointed

Vacant Property Review Commission • William Crawford was appointed

The appointments included both new appointments and reappointments of existing members to continue their service on various municipal boards and commissions. The Downtown Management District received three new appointments, while several other boards had individual members appointed or reappointed to continue their terms of service.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item that generated notable opposition among council members.

Helicopter Landings Ordinance

The primary point of contention involved an ordinance to increase helicopter landings in Business and Industrial zones. The proposal faced significant debate before ultimately passing with a 10-3 vote, demonstrating a clear split among the voting members.

The ordinance represented a policy change that would expand helicopter landing permissions within designated commercial and industrial areas of the jurisdiction. While the specific details of the opposition arguments were not detailed in the available records, the voting pattern suggests that three members had substantial concerns about the proposal that led them to vote against it.

Despite the opposition, the ordinance secured passage with a solid majority of ten votes in favor. The 10-3 split indicates that while there was disagreement, the majority of the governing body supported expanding helicopter landing opportunities in these zoned areas.

The contested nature of this item suggests it may have involved considerations around noise impacts, safety concerns, zoning compatibility, or other regulatory issues that typically accompany aviation-related municipal decisions. However, the ordinance ultimately moved forward with the support of the majority.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Ordinance 1562-15

Ordinance 1562-15 was presented as an amendment to certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and to appropriate and re-appropriate funds under Schedule No. 18.

The ordinance was discussed by key speakers Farmer and Akers during the meeting. The item was identified as agenda item III.1 and classified as a budget amendment ordinance requiring council consideration.

The ordinance follows the standard municipal budget amendment process, allowing the Urban County Government to adjust existing budget allocations to meet current operational needs and redirect funds as necessary for municipal services and expenditures.

Following discussion by the council members, Ordinance 1562-15 was approved by the council, allowing the budget amendments and fund appropriations outlined in Schedule No. 18 to take effect.

Ordinance 1333-15

The council considered Ordinance 1333-15, which would amend Section 2A-18 of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Code of Ordinances regarding helicopter landings within Business and Industrial zones.

The ordinance addresses regulations for helicopter operations in designated commercial and industrial areas of Fayette County. The proposed amendment would modify existing restrictions or permissions for helicopter landings in these specific zoning classifications.

Key speakers during the discussion included Kay, Hensley, Henson, and Paulsen, who participated in the deliberation of this zoning-related ordinance. The speakers addressed various aspects of the proposed changes to helicopter landing regulations within the affected business and industrial zones.

The council ultimately approved Ordinance 1333-15, allowing the amendment to Section 2A-18 to move forward. This approval will result in updated regulations governing helicopter landings in Business and Industrial zones within the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government jurisdiction.

The ordinance represents a modification to the existing code that governs aviation activities in specific commercial and industrial areas, though the specific details of what changes were made to the helicopter landing regulations were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

Reappointments and Appointments

The board considered agenda item VI.1 regarding various appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions. The discussion was led by key speakers Lamb and Akers, who presented recommendations for filling positions on municipal boards and commissions.

The item involved multiple appointments and reappointments, though specific details about the individual positions, nominees, or terms were not provided in the available materials. The speakers presented the recommendations to the board for consideration and approval.

Following the presentation and any discussion that may have occurred, the board voted to approve the appointments and reappointments as recommended. The item was successfully passed, allowing the nominated individuals to serve in their respective positions on the various boards and commissions.

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