Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on January 21, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting focused on legislative business, addressing two main agenda items that moved ordinances and resolutions through the formal reading process required for municipal governance.

During the session, the Council conducted second readings of ordinances, which were approved, and first readings of resolutions, advancing these measures through the legislative pipeline. The Council took a total of 2 votes during the meeting to address the business before them.

No public comments were heard during this meeting, indicating either limited public attendance or no citizens signed up to address the Council during the designated public comment period. The meeting appears to have been primarily focused on routine legislative procedures rather than contentious issues that typically draw public participation.

The session accomplished its primary objective of moving municipal legislation forward through the required reading process, with ordinances successfully completing their second reading and gaining approval, while resolutions were introduced for their initial consideration by the Council.

Attendance

The following members were present at the January 21, 2016 meeting:

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

Absent: • Hensley • Moloney • Akers

Late Arrival: • Mossotti

Note: Mossotti appears in both the present and late categories, indicating they arrived after the meeting began but participated in the proceedings.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the January 21, 2016 meeting, both passing with strong support.

Ordinance 8-16 10:00 Council member Henson motioned to approve Ordinance 8-16, which amends budgets for municipal expenditures under Schedule No. 19. The motion was seconded by Scutchfield. The ordinance passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 12 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: • F. Brown • J. Brown • Evans • Farmer • Gibbs • Henson • Kay • Lamb • Mossotti • Scutchfield • Stinnett • Bledsoe

Resolution 1523-15 20:00 Farmer motioned to approve Resolution 1523-15, establishing a Memorandum of Agreement with Bluegrass Community and Technical College. Henson seconded the motion. The resolution passed on a roll call vote with 11 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. The following council members voted in favor: • F. Brown • J. Brown • Evans • Farmer • Henson • Kay • Lamb • Mossotti • Scutchfield • Stinnett • Bledsoe

One council member abstained from voting on the resolution, though the specific member who abstained was not identified in the available records. No council members voted against either measure.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items totaling nearly $1 million in municipal expenditures.

Brighton Rail Trail Bridge Design Amendment The council considered Resolution 1533-15, which authorized a contract modification with J. M. Crawford & Associates, Inc. for additional design work on the Brighton Rail Trail Bridge project. The amendment increased the existing contract by $19,500 to accommodate expanded design requirements for the bridge infrastructure.

Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Contract The largest financial action involved Resolution 1630-16, approving a $968,000 contract with Judy Construction Co. for the Town Branch Waste Water Treatment Plant Headworks Improvement project. This substantial infrastructure investment represents a major upgrade to the municipal wastewater treatment facility's headworks system, which is the initial treatment stage where large debris and solids are removed from incoming wastewater.

The combined financial commitments of $987,500 reflect the municipality's ongoing investment in both recreational infrastructure through the rail trail bridge project and critical utility infrastructure through the wastewater treatment plant improvements. Both projects represent essential municipal services - the rail trail supporting community recreation and transportation alternatives, while the wastewater treatment upgrades ensure continued compliance with environmental regulations and service reliability for residents.

Appointments

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

New Appointments: • Robert Trimble, Jr. was appointed to the Corridors Commission • Thomas Appel, Jr. was appointed to the Sister Cities Program Commission • Sara Hensley was appointed to the Tree Board

Reappointments: • John Gohmann was reappointed to the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors • Tyrone Tyra was reappointed to the Economic Development Investment Board

These appointments fill positions across multiple city advisory bodies, including economic development, urban planning, environmental, and international relations functions. The appointments represent both new members joining city boards and existing members continuing their service through reappointment.

Ordinances – Second Reading

10:00

The council conducted second readings of multiple ordinances during this agenda item. The proceedings included budget amendments and modifications to civil service positions within the city government.

Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included council members Henson and Scutchfield, who participated in the discussion of the various ordinances under consideration.

The ordinances covered several administrative matters, with particular focus on budget-related amendments and adjustments to civil service job classifications and positions. These types of ordinances typically address operational needs within city departments and ensure proper funding allocations for municipal services.

Following the second reading process, which allows for final review and discussion before formal adoption, the ordinances were approved by the council. The second reading represents the final step in the legislative process before ordinances take effect, providing council members and the public with a final opportunity to review the proposed changes.

The approval of these ordinances enables the city to implement the budget amendments and civil service position changes as outlined in the legislation, ensuring continued municipal operations and proper staffing levels across city departments.

Resolutions – First Reading

30:00

The council conducted first readings of several resolutions during agenda item 22, focusing primarily on contracts for construction and service agreements.

Council members Evans and Farmer served as the key speakers during this portion of the meeting, presenting the various resolutions to their colleagues for initial consideration.

The resolutions covered construction contracts and service agreements, though specific details about the individual contracts, their values, or the vendors involved were not provided in the available meeting materials. As part of the standard legislative process, these resolutions were presented for first reading, which allows council members to review the proposed agreements before taking formal action.

During first reading, resolutions are typically introduced and briefly explained to provide council members and the public with an overview of the proposed actions. This procedural step ensures transparency and allows time for review before the second reading and potential approval at a future meeting.

The outcome of this agenda item was the completion of first reading for all presented resolutions. No final votes were taken during this session, as first reading serves as an introductory step in the council's legislative process. The resolutions will likely return to the council for second reading and potential approval at a subsequent meeting, following standard municipal procedures.

The discussion appeared to proceed without significant debate or concerns raised during this initial presentation phase, allowing the council to move through the first reading process efficiently.