Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on February 21, 2008, at 7:00 PM in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Jim Newberry presiding. The meeting addressed three main agenda items, including second readings of ordinances and resolutions, along with a public meeting component. During the session, the Council conducted three motions and votes, with both the ordinances and resolutions receiving approval on their second readings. The meeting also included three public comments from community members, providing opportunities for citizen input on matters before the Council.

Attendance

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council meeting on February 21, 2008 had 12 members present and 4 members absent.

Present: • Jim Newberry • McChord • Myers • Stinnett • Beard • Blues • Crosbie • Ellinger • Gorton • Gray • Henson • Lane

Absent: • Stevens • Blevins • DeCamp • James

No members arrived late to the meeting. With 12 of 16 council members in attendance, the meeting had sufficient attendance to conduct official business.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted three roll call votes during the February 21, 2008 meeting.

Ordinance 22-2008 2:00 - Councilmember Beard motioned to approve an ordinance amending Article VI, Chapter 16 of the Code of Ordinances to increase disposal fees for sewage and other related changes, with a second by Councilmember Blues. The ordinance passed by a vote of 9-2. Voting in favor were McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Gorton, Gray, Henson, and Lane. Councilmembers Crosbie and Ellinger voted against the measure.

Resolution 30-2008 6:00 - Councilmember Stinnett moved to accept the bid of Andy Frain of Kentucky, Inc. for parking garage security services, seconded by Councilmember Gorton. The resolution passed unanimously 11-0, with all present councilmembers voting in favor: McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Blues, Crosbie, Ellinger, Gorton, Gray, Henson, and Lane.

Resolution 53-2008 11:00 - Councilmember Myers motioned to support legislation pertaining to the exemption of military income from state income tax, with Councilmember Lane providing the second. The resolution passed by a vote of 8-1 with 2 abstentions. Supporting the resolution were McChord, Myers, Stinnett, Beard, Crosbie, Ellinger, Henson, and Lane. Councilmember Blues cast the sole opposing vote, while Councilmembers Gorton and Gray abstained from voting.

All three measures that came before the Council for formal votes were approved, with the parking garage security contract receiving unanimous support and the military income tax exemption resolution garnering the strongest opposition with one dissenting vote and two abstentions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved three grant acceptance ordinances totaling $135,986 in funding for various community programs.

Ordinance 6 authorized acceptance of a $20,000 grant from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services under the Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky initiative. This funding will support the Urban County Government's child abuse prevention efforts.

Ordinance 7 approved acceptance of a $15,986 grant from the March of Dimes for a specialized healthcare project. The grant will fund a program to assess and treat perinatal and postpartum mood disorders, addressing mental health needs for mothers during and after pregnancy.

Ordinance 8 authorized the largest grant acceptance of the meeting, approving $100,000 in funding from the Bluegrass Area Development District. This grant will support an Out-of-School Youth Program administered by the Urban County Government, providing services and programming for young people outside traditional school settings.

All three grants represent external funding sources that will enhance existing county services without requiring local tax revenue. The grants cover diverse areas including child welfare, maternal health, and youth development programs.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the Council during the public comment period, covering topics ranging from greenway projects to utility fees.

Bob Russell Tutty 0:30 spoke in support of the McConnell's Trace Greenway completion project. Tutty cited health hazards associated with the current state of the greenway and urged the Council to pass the project to address these concerns.

Van Meter Pettit 1:00 advocated for the Town Branch Trail project. Pettit emphasized the multiple benefits the trail would provide, including connecting neighborhoods throughout the area and helping to address ongoing stormwater management issues in the community.

Ike Lawrence 14:00 raised concerns about proposed increases to sanitary sewer fees. Lawrence expressed opposition to the fee increases and suggested the Council consider alternative approaches to addressing the city's sewer system funding needs rather than raising rates on residents.

The public comments focused primarily on infrastructure projects and utility costs, with two speakers supporting greenway and trail development while one resident voiced concerns about the financial impact of utility fee increases on the community.

Appointments

The Council approved several appointments and reappointments to various city boards and commissions during the February 21, 2008 meeting.

City Employees Pension Fund Board • Peggy Henson was appointed to the City Employees Pension Fund Board • Tom Blues was appointed to the City Employees Pension Fund Board

Human Rights Commission • Alicia R. Vinson was appointed to the Human Rights Commission

Internal Audit Board • Joe Kelly was appointed to the Internal Audit Board

One Parent Family Facility Corp. Board – Virginia Place • Prenell Mitchell was appointed to the One Parent Family Facility Corp. Board – Virginia Place

Sister Cities Commission • William DiOrio was appointed to the Sister Cities Commission • Janet D. Ellinger was reappointed to the Sister Cities Commission

The appointments represent the Council's ongoing efforts to fill positions on various municipal boards and commissions that oversee different aspects of city operations and community services. These bodies play important roles in areas ranging from employee benefits and pension management to human rights oversight and international sister city relationships.

Contested Items

The February 21, 2008 Council meeting featured two items that generated significant debate and resulted in split votes among council members.

Sanitary Sewer Fee Increase

The most contentious issue was an ordinance proposing to increase sanitary sewer fees. After deliberation, the measure passed by a narrow margin with a 9-2 vote, indicating substantial opposition from two council members. The specific details of the fee increase amount and the reasoning behind both the support and opposition were not detailed in the available materials.

Military Income Tax Exemption Resolution

The second contested item involved a resolution supporting the exemption of military income from state income tax. This measure also resulted in a split vote, though the exact vote count was not specified. Notably, some council members abstained from voting due to conflicts of interest, suggesting that certain members may have had personal or professional connections that prevented them from participating in the decision. The nature of these conflicts of interest was not elaborated upon in the available documentation.

Both items demonstrate the council's willingness to engage in thorough debate on financial matters affecting constituents, whether through direct municipal fees or advocacy for state-level tax policy changes that would benefit military personnel in the community.

Ordinances - Second Reading

2:00

The Council conducted second readings of several ordinances during this agenda item. Council members Beard and Blues were the primary speakers during the discussion of these legislative measures.

The ordinances under consideration included amendments to the Code of Ordinances as well as measures related to the acceptance of grants. During the second reading process, these ordinances were presented for final consideration before potential adoption.

The discussion involved review of the various ordinance provisions, with Beard and Blues participating in the deliberations. Second readings represent the final opportunity for Council members to debate and modify proposed legislation before voting on final passage.

All ordinances presented during this agenda item were approved by the Council following the second reading process. The successful passage of these measures indicates Council consensus on the proposed amendments to the municipal code and grant acceptance procedures.

The second reading format allows for thorough legislative review while maintaining an efficient process for municipal governance. By completing these second readings, the Council advanced several important policy and administrative measures for the city.

Resolutions - Second Reading

6:00

The Council conducted second reading of several resolutions during this agenda item, with Council members Stinnett and Gorton serving as key speakers in the discussion.

The resolutions under consideration included the acceptance of bids for various municipal services and projects. During the second reading process, Council members reviewed the proposed resolutions that had previously been introduced and discussed during first reading at an earlier meeting.

The discussion focused on the bid acceptance procedures and the various services and projects covered under the resolutions. Council members Stinnett and Gorton participated in the deliberations, addressing any remaining questions or concerns about the proposed contracts and services.

Following the discussion and review of the resolutions, the Council proceeded to vote on the measures. All resolutions presented for second reading were approved by the Council, allowing the city to move forward with accepting the bids for the specified services and projects.

The approval of these resolutions represents the completion of the formal legislative process, as second reading typically constitutes the final step before resolutions take effect. This enables the city administration to proceed with implementing the approved contracts and services outlined in the resolutions.

Public Meeting

0:30

The Council held a public meeting regarding a proposed application for federal funding for the McConnell's Trace Greenway Restoration and Trail Project. This informational session was designed to gather public input on the funding application.

Key speakers at the meeting included Jim Newberry, Bob Russell Tutty, and Van Meter Pettit, who presented details about the proposed greenway restoration and trail project. The meeting focused on the project's scope, potential federal funding opportunities, and the application process.

The McConnell's Trace Greenway Restoration and Trail Project represents an effort to restore and develop trail infrastructure in the McConnell's Trace area. The public meeting served as a forum for community members to learn about the project details and provide feedback on the proposed federal funding application.

This was an informational presentation rather than a decision-making session, allowing the public to understand the project's objectives and timeline before the formal funding application process proceeds. The meeting provided transparency in the early stages of seeking federal support for this greenway and trail development initiative.