Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on February 4, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gray presiding. The council addressed two primary agenda items during the session, both of which were approved following deliberation. The meeting included three motions and votes, covering the Zone Change for North Broadway Properties and the Change Order for Idle Hour Park Project. Two members of the public provided comments during the designated public comment period. The council successfully completed its business with both major agenda items receiving approval.

Attendance

All members were present for the February 4, 2016 meeting.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on three items during the February 4, 2016 meeting, with all measures passing unanimously.

Meeting Minutes Approval 3:00 Mr. Farmer motioned to approve minutes from three previous meetings held on August 27, October 8, and December 8, 2015. Ms. Akers seconded the motion. The council voted unanimously to approve, with all 15 members voting in favor: J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, and F. Brown.

Zone Change 1616-16 6:00 Ms. Scutchfield motioned to approve a zone change from Professional Office (P-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1) for properties on North Broadway. Mr. Farmer seconded the motion. The measure passed on a roll call vote of 15-0, with all council members voting in favor: J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, and F. Brown.

Contract Change Order 1502-15 10:00 Ms. Henson motioned to approve Change Order No. 2 to the contract with LAGCO Excavating, Inc. for the Idle Hour Park Demolition and Football Field Construction Project. Ms. Scutchfield seconded the motion. The council approved the change order unanimously on a roll call vote of 15-0. All members voted in favor: J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, and F. Brown.

No council members voted against any of the three measures, and there were no abstentions recorded for any vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items involving construction contracts and project modifications.

Change Order Approval

The council considered Change Order No. 2 for the Idle Hour Park Demolition and Football Field Construction Project (Resolution 1502-15). This change order with LAGCO Excavating, Inc. totaled $18,015, representing modifications to the original project scope.

Major Construction Contract

A substantial contract award was discussed for the Construction of Fire Station No. 2 (Resolution 1604-16). The contract with Olympic Construction, LLC carries a total value of $4,618,900, representing a significant capital investment in the city's emergency services infrastructure.

These two items combined represent over $4.6 million in construction-related expenditures, with the fire station project accounting for the vast majority of the financial commitment. The change order for the park project represents a relatively minor adjustment to an existing contract, while the fire station contract appears to be a new major construction undertaking.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the council during the public comment period, raising concerns about local facilities and infrastructure development.

Melvin Trent Jr. spoke at 90:00 regarding conditions at the Fayette County Detention Center. Mr. Trent expressed concerns about working conditions at the facility and alleged misconduct occurring there. He urged the council to conduct an investigation into the detention center's operations and address the issues he raised.

Bernard Mccarthy addressed the council at 105:00 about traffic and development issues affecting the community. Mr. Mccarthy discussed the need for traffic light synchronization to work effectively with newly implemented speed limits. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that developers contribute appropriately to infrastructure improvements as new projects are approved and built in the area.

Both speakers used their time to bring attention to operational and infrastructure concerns that they felt required council attention and potential action.

Appointments

The meeting included appointments to the Douglass Park Centennial Commission.

The following individuals were appointed to serve on the Douglass Park Centennial Commission:

• Shevawn Akers - appointed to the Douglass Park Centennial Commission
• James Brown - appointed to the Douglass Park Centennial Commission

Both appointments were approved during the February 4, 2016 meeting.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one procedural dispute regarding the handling of a resolution about golf fee discounts for military members.

Golf Fee Discounts for Military Resolution

A procedural disagreement arose over whether a resolution concerning golf fee discounts for military members should be added to the meeting docket for a first reading. The confusion centered on the proper process for introducing this item and whether it met the requirements for inclusion in the current meeting's agenda.

The nature of the dispute was procedural rather than substantive, focusing on meeting protocols and agenda management rather than the merits of providing golf fee discounts to military personnel. The disagreement highlighted questions about the proper procedures for adding items to the docket and the timing requirements for first readings of resolutions.

The extracted data does not specify which council members or officials were involved in the dispute, nor does it indicate how the procedural question was ultimately resolved. The confusion appears to have been administrative in nature, relating to the mechanics of the legislative process rather than opposition to the underlying policy proposal.

Zone Change for North Broadway Properties

6:00

The Council considered Ordinance 1616-16, which proposed changing the zoning classification for three properties on North Broadway from Professional Office (P-1) to Neighborhood Business (B-1). The affected properties are located at 1400, 1402, and 1412 North Broadway.

Ms. Scutchfield and Mr. Farmer served as the key speakers during the discussion of this zoning change request. The ordinance sought to reclassify the properties to allow for neighborhood business uses rather than the current professional office designation.

The proposed zone change would expand the permitted uses for these North Broadway properties, allowing for a broader range of commercial activities typical of neighborhood business districts. The B-1 Neighborhood Business classification generally permits retail establishments, service businesses, and other commercial uses that serve the immediate neighborhood.

The Council approved the ordinance, completing the zoning change process for the three North Broadway properties. This approval allows the property owners to pursue neighborhood business uses that would not have been permitted under the previous Professional Office zoning classification.

Change Order for Idle Hour Park Project

10:00

The council considered Resolution 1502-15, which authorized Change Order No. 2 to the contract with LAGCO Excavating, Inc. for the Idle Hour Park Demolition and Football Field Construction Project.

Ms. Henson and Ms. Scutchfield served as the key speakers during the discussion of this agenda item. The resolution addressed modifications to the existing contract scope for the ongoing park improvement project, which involves both demolition work and new football field construction at Idle Hour Park.

The change order represents the second modification to the original contract with LAGCO Excavating, Inc., indicating that adjustments to the project specifications or scope have been necessary during the construction process. Such change orders are common in construction projects as unforeseen conditions or design modifications arise during implementation.

The council approved the resolution, allowing the change order to proceed and enabling continued progress on the Idle Hour Park project. The approval ensures that LAGCO Excavating, Inc. can complete the additional or modified work outlined in Change Order No. 2 while maintaining the contractual framework for the demolition and football field construction activities.