Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on February 18, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting addressed two main agenda items, including an informational presentation about the Dunbar Robotics Building Team and consideration of an ordinance amending authorized strength, which was approved by the council. During the proceedings, the council conducted two formal votes and heard one public comment from a community member. The session successfully concluded with the approval of the ordinance while also providing council members and the public with information about the local robotics program.

Attendance

The following members were present at the February 18, 2016 meeting:

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

Absent: • Hensley

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were present with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the February 18, 2016 meeting, both passing with strong support.

Ordinance 15-16 1:30 addressed staffing changes within the city's civil service structure. The ordinance amended the authorized strength by abolishing one Unclassified Civil Service Position of Eligibility Counselor and creating one Unclassified Civil Service Position of Life Skills Program Instructor. Council member Farmer made the motion, which was seconded by Henson. The measure passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members present voted in favor: Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Evans.

Resolution 1612-16 2:45 established a military discount program for the city's golf courses, offering reduced daily green fees to all active service members and veterans of the United States Military. Farmer again made the motion, with Kay providing the second. This resolution passed with 13 ayes and 1 nay. The following council members voted in favor: Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Evans. Akers cast the sole dissenting vote.

Both items were decided through roll call votes, providing a clear record of each council member's position on the measures.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial contracts requiring council approval.

LED Light Fixtures Contract The council considered Resolution 1508-15 for LED light fixtures for Fleet Management in the amount of $46,771.57. The contract would be awarded to Rexel, Inc. to provide lighting upgrades for the city's fleet management facilities.

Sewer System Evaluation Contract Resolution 3-16 involved a contract with Sewer System Evaluations, Inc. for $92,750 related to the Capacity Assurance Program Temporary Flow. This contract addresses temporary flow management within the city's sewer system infrastructure.

The two contracts combined represent a total expenditure of $139,521.57 for infrastructure improvements and system evaluations across city operations.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the meeting during the public comment period.

Bernard McCarthy spoke at approximately 3:00 regarding two primary concerns affecting the community:

• Traffic Issues: McCarthy expressed concerns about worsening traffic conditions in the area and their impact on residents.

• Center Point Pit: He suggested that the government consider using eminent domain powers to acquire the Center Point Pit property for public use, presenting this as a potential solution to address community needs.

McCarthy's comments focused on infrastructure and land use issues that he viewed as requiring government intervention to resolve ongoing community concerns.

Appointments

The council made two appointments to city boards and commissions during the meeting.

Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission • Malcom Ferguson was appointed to the Keep Lexington Beautiful Commission

Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors • Ann Bakhaus was appointed to the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors

Both appointments were approved by the council to fill vacant positions on their respective boards.

Contested Items

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

Veterans' Golf Discounts

A significant debate arose regarding proposed changes to veterans' golf discount policies. The central disagreement focused on whether to restrict veterans' discounts to weekdays only, rather than allowing them throughout the week including weekends.

Council members expressed divided opinions on the proposal. Those supporting the weekday-only restriction cited concerns about the potential revenue impact on the golf course operations, arguing that weekend play generates higher income that helps sustain the facility.

Opposing council members raised fairness concerns, questioning whether limiting veterans' discounts to weekdays would create undue restrictions on veterans who may only be available to play golf on weekends due to work schedules or other commitments.

The discussion highlighted the tension between fiscal responsibility and veteran services, with council members weighing the financial implications against the city's commitment to honoring veterans through recreational benefits.

The item ultimately proceeded to a vote that split the council, though the specific vote tally and final outcome were not detailed in the available meeting materials. The debate underscored the challenges local governments face when balancing budget considerations with community service programs, particularly those designed to benefit veterans.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and detailed vote counts were not available in the source materials for this contested item.*

Dunbar Robotics Building Team

0:45

The Paul Laurence Dunbar High School robotics team was recognized during this meeting for their achievements and upcoming competition participation. The presentation was identified as agenda item 169-16.

Mayor Gray and Bledsoe served as the key speakers for this agenda item, which was structured as a presentation to acknowledge the team's work and accomplishments in robotics.

As part of the recognition, a proclamation was made declaring Robotics Day, highlighting the importance of robotics education and the achievements of local student teams like Dunbar's robotics building team.

The agenda item was informational in nature, serving to publicly recognize the students' efforts and promote awareness of their upcoming competition. No formal action was required or taken beyond the proclamation and recognition ceremony.

The presentation provided an opportunity for the local government to show support for STEM education initiatives and celebrate student achievements in technology and engineering fields within the community.

Ordinance amending authorized strength

1:30

The council considered Ordinance 15-16, which proposed changes to the city's authorized staffing positions. The ordinance called for abolishing one Unclassified Civil Service Position of Eligibility Counselor and creating one Unclassified Civil Service Position of Life Skills Program Instructor in its place.

Key speakers during the discussion included Farmer and Henson, who presented the rationale for the staffing adjustment. The change represents a shift in service delivery approach, moving from eligibility counseling services to life skills programming instruction.

The ordinance maintained the same overall staffing level by replacing one position with another, rather than adding or reducing the total number of authorized positions. This restructuring appears designed to better align city services with current community needs and program priorities.

The council approved the ordinance, authorizing the personnel change to take effect. The approval allows the city to proceed with eliminating the Eligibility Counselor position and establishing the new Life Skills Program Instructor role within the unclassified civil service structure.