Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on April 12, 2016, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting addressed eight agenda items covering various municipal matters including budget amendments, rezoning requests, and ongoing business items. The council took four votes during the session and heard three public comments from citizens. Key accomplishments included the approval of meeting summaries and new business items, while several informational presentations were delivered including one on Agricultural Property Classification Changes. The meeting provided opportunities for public input on agenda items and included standard council reports and continuing business presentations.

Attendance

All council members were present for the April 12, 2016 meeting.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The Council took action on four motions during the April 12, 2016 meeting 0:00.

March 15, 2016 Work Session Summary Approval Councilmember Scutchfield moved to approve the summary of the March 15, 2016 Council work session, with a second by Councilmember Farmer. The motion passed unanimously 0:00.

New Business Approval Councilmember Farmer moved to approve new business items, seconded by Councilmember Scutchfield. This motion also passed unanimously 0:00.

Neighborhood Development Funds Approval A motion by Councilmember Scutchfield to approve neighborhood development funds received a second from Councilmember Akers and passed unanimously 0:00.

Resolution 786-2015 Amendment The most significant vote involved an amendment to resolution 786-2015 to remove the $5,000 minimum requirement from the council capital allocation policy. Councilmember Stinnett made the motion, with Councilmember Gibbs providing the second. This required a roll call vote, which passed 8-4 with 1 abstention 0:00.

Voting in favor were Councilmembers Kay, Farmer, Stinnett, Mossotti, Henson, Gibbs, Bledsoe, and J. Brown. Opposing the amendment were Councilmembers Scutchfield, F. Brown, Evans, and Lamb. One councilmember abstained from the vote.

The amendment's passage removes the previous minimum threshold requirement for council capital allocation projects, potentially allowing for smaller-scale funding requests to be considered under the policy.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council considered sixteen financial items totaling over $17.3 million in grants, purchases, and agreements during the April 12, 2016 meeting.

Grant Authorizations The largest grant authorization was Resolution 0365-16, permitting application for $16,000,000 in federal TIGER grant funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Other significant grant acceptances included $424,000 from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for fiber optic cable installation for traffic signal system improvements (0352-16), $160,000 for the Lexington Area Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan Update (0349-16), and $109,153 from the Bluegrass Area Development District for Senior Citizens Center operations (0359-16).

Additional grants included $100,950 from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the West Loudon Avenue Streetscape Project (0332-16), $15,000 for a Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant with Opportunity for Work & Learning, Inc. (0333-16), and $5,000 from the Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of Highway Safety for the Click It Or Ticket Enforcement Campaign (0353-16).

Purchases and Service Agreements The council authorized $24,152 for software maintenance and support services with MACRO 4 (0345-16) and approved a $22,000 sole source purchase and master service agreement with RACO Industries, LLC (0356-16).

Personnel and Construction Resolution 0355-16 authorized creating four Customer Service Specialist positions in the Division of Government Communications for $182,140.94. Construction-related items included a $22,386.75 change order with Devere Construction, Inc. for truck shed construction (0363-16) and a $73,280 amendment with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the Town Branch Trail Crossing (0354-16).

Economic Development Two Jobs Fund Incentive Agreements were approved: $250,000 with Archvision, Inc. (0366-16) and $90,000 with Love Will Inc. (dba Fluent) (0367-16).

Other Actions The council authorized a 10-year agreement with Fayette County Public Schools with no additional cost (0342-16) and approved transferring unused right-of-way to an adjacent property owner at 940 Higbee Mill Road with no budgetary impact (0343-16).

Public Comment

During the public comment portion of the meeting, three council members raised concerns about various transportation and safety issues.

Council member Stinnett addressed issues with the TIGER grant application process 0:00. Stinnett expressed concern about competing TIGER grant applications from Lexington and the state, highlighting a lack of coordination between the different entities in their grant submission efforts.

Council member Bledsoe focused on traffic safety enforcement 0:00. Bledsoe inquired about the availability of grants for enforcing texting and driving laws, expressing particular concern over the growing problem of distracted driving in the community.

Council member Henson raised concerns about pedestrian infrastructure 0:00. Henson expressed frustration over the lack of funding and attention being given to pedestrian safety improvements on Versailles Road, indicating this as an ongoing area of need.

The comments reflected broader themes around transportation funding coordination, traffic safety enforcement, and pedestrian infrastructure needs within the jurisdiction.

Contested Items

The April 12, 2016 meeting featured two primary areas of contention that generated significant discussion among council members.

TIGER Grant Application Coordination

A heated discussion emerged regarding the city's TIGER grant application process, with concerns raised about potential conflicts with competing applications from Lexington and the state government. Council members expressed frustration over the apparent lack of coordination between different governmental entities when pursuing federal transportation funding. The discussion highlighted tensions about whether multiple local and state applications might undermine each other's chances of success, though the specific outcome of this debate was not clearly resolved during the meeting.

Versailles Road Safety Improvements

Council member Henson voiced significant frustration regarding the ongoing lack of funding and attention for pedestrian safety improvements along Versailles Road. This issue represented community opposition to the current state of infrastructure on this corridor, with Henson advocating for enhanced safety measures for pedestrians. The council member's concerns reflected broader community complaints about dangerous conditions for people walking along this major thoroughfare. The discussion underscored ongoing tensions between infrastructure needs and available funding resources, though no immediate resolution was reached during this meeting.

Both contested items reflected broader challenges facing the city in coordinating with other governmental entities and addressing community safety concerns within budget constraints. The discussions demonstrated the complex nature of municipal decision-making when dealing with competing priorities and limited resources.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:00

No members of the public came forward to provide comments on agenda items during this portion of the meeting. The public comment period for issues on the agenda was opened but no speakers participated.

This agenda item provides an opportunity for community members to address the governing body about specific items scheduled for discussion or action during the meeting. The lack of public participation indicates either limited public interest in the agenda items or absence of community members wishing to speak at this time.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

0:00

During this agenda item, the meeting addressed the status of requested rezonings and docket approvals. No docket items required action at this time, making this portion of the meeting informational in nature.

The discussion served as a routine check on pending rezoning requests and docket matters, but no specific cases were presented for consideration or decision. No key speakers were identified for this agenda item, and no particular concerns or debates were raised during this portion of the meeting.

The outcome was purely informational, with no votes taken or formal actions required regarding rezoning requests or docket approvals.

Approval of Summary

0:00

The Council considered approval of the summary from their March 15, 2016 work session. The discussion involved Council members Scutchfield and Farmer as key speakers.

The summary was presented for the Council's review and approval as part of the standard meeting procedures. The March 15, 2016 Council work session summary was ultimately approved by the Council without significant debate or amendments noted in the record.

This agenda item represents routine administrative business where the Council formally adopts the written record of their previous work session discussions and decisions.

Budget Amendments

0:00

No budget amendments were presented during this meeting. The agenda item was addressed briefly with no formal presentations, discussions, or actions taken regarding municipal budget modifications.

This represents a routine administrative update indicating that no departments or officials had submitted requests for budget adjustments at this time.

New Business

0:00

The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting. Farmer and Scutchfield served as the key speakers for this agenda item.

The new business items were presented and discussed by the council members. The specific details of what business was proposed or the nature of the items under consideration were not detailed in the available materials.

Following the presentation and any discussion that took place, the council proceeded to vote on the new business items. The outcome was unanimous approval of all new business items brought before the council.

No concerns or objections were raised during the consideration of these items, as evidenced by the unanimous vote in favor of approval.

Continuing Business/Presentations

0:00

The meeting included a discussion on neighborhood development funds and committee summaries as part of continuing business items. Key speakers during this segment included Scutchfield and Akers, who provided information and updates to the council.

The presentation focused on neighborhood development funds, though specific details about funding amounts, affected neighborhoods, or proposed projects were not detailed in the available materials. The discussion also covered committee summaries, suggesting that various council committees reported on their recent activities or recommendations.

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal votes or decisions recorded. The presentation served to keep council members and the public informed about ongoing neighborhood development initiatives and committee work.

The discussion provided an opportunity for council members to receive updates on community development efforts and committee activities, maintaining transparency in the council's ongoing business operations.

Council Reports

0:00

Council members provided updates on various district activities and concerns during the Council Reports portion of the meeting.

Council member Stinnett and Council member Gibbs were the key speakers who presented information to the council during this segment. The reports covered updates on district activities and addressed various concerns relevant to their respective areas of responsibility.

This agenda item served an informational purpose, allowing council members to share updates and keep their colleagues informed about ongoing matters within their districts and areas of oversight. No formal action was taken during this portion of the meeting, as the reports were presented for informational purposes only.

The Council Reports segment provides a regular opportunity for elected officials to communicate important developments, address constituent concerns, and maintain transparency about their activities and the issues affecting their districts.

Presentation: Agricultural Property Classification Changes

0:00 David O'Neill delivered a presentation on changes to agricultural property classifications and their impact on tax assessments.

The presentation focused on modifications to how agricultural properties are classified for taxation purposes, with O'Neill explaining the implications these changes would have on property tax assessments. The discussion covered the technical aspects of agricultural property classification systems and how adjustments to these classifications would affect property owners and tax revenue.

This was an informational presentation designed to educate attendees about the upcoming changes to agricultural property tax assessment procedures. No formal action was taken during this agenda item, as it served as an educational briefing on the classification modifications and their anticipated effects on the local tax assessment process.

The presentation provided stakeholders with important information about how agricultural property owners might be impacted by the revised classification system and assessment methodologies.