Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on May 12, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognizing outstanding local businesses and community service organizations through three informational presentations. The council heard presentations honoring the Kentucky Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year and the Kentucky Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year, celebrating entrepreneurial achievements within the community. Additionally, the council received a presentation about Americorp VISTAs, highlighting their community service contributions. The meeting included two recorded votes and no public comments were heard during the session.

Attendance

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

Present: Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, and Lamb (15 members)

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the May 12, 2016 meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0355-16 3:00 Ms. Scutchfield motioned to approve an ordinance amending the authorized strength by creating four Classified Civil Service Positions of Customer Service Specialist. Ms. Henson seconded the motion. The ordinance passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays.

Voting in favor: Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, and Lamb.

Resolution 0411-16 8:00 Ms. Henson motioned to approve a resolution accepting the bids of Atlanco of SC and Tidewater Products, Inc., establishing price contracts for Polymer Flocculants. Vice Mayor Kay seconded the motion. The resolution passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays.

Voting in favor: Moloney, Mossotti, Scutchfield, Stinnett, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Hensley, Henson, Kay, and Lamb.

Both votes demonstrated complete council consensus, with all 15 members present supporting each measure without any opposition or abstentions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items requiring council action.

Cross Keys Park Pond Improvements Contract

The council considered Resolution 0418-16 authorizing a contract with BMC Contracting, LLC for Cross Keys Park Pond Improvements in the amount of $243,732.90. This contract represents a substantial investment in park infrastructure improvements.

Vapor Wake Canine Purchase Appropriation

The council reviewed Ordinance 0457-16 establishing an appropriation of $53,949 for the purchase of a Vapor Wake Canine. This specialized canine unit represents an investment in enhanced security capabilities for the municipality.

The two financial actions combined represent a total commitment of $297,681.90 in municipal funds across infrastructure improvements and public safety equipment acquisitions.

Appointments

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

Alarm Advisory Board Five individuals were appointed to the Alarm Advisory Board: • April Brown - appointed • Raymond Daniels - appointed • Alan Martin - appointed • Bret Melrose - appointed • Jon Woodall - appointed

Other Board and Commission Appointments Several other appointments were made to various city bodies: • Angela Campbell was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers • Anthony Perkins was appointed to CASA of Lexington • Rev. Willis Polk was reappointed to the Lexington Center Corporation Board of Directors • Chelsea Hansing was appointed to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board • Merinda Tiffany was reappointed to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board • Rev. James Thurman was appointed to the Senior Services Commission

The appointments represent a mix of new members and reappointments to existing positions across multiple city advisory bodies, with the largest number of appointments going to the Alarm Advisory Board.

Contested Items

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

Loan Agreement with Downtown Lexington Management District

A resolution authorizing a loan agreement with the Downtown Lexington Management District faced opposition from one council member. The measure ultimately passed with a 14-1 vote, with Council Member Scutchfield casting the sole dissenting vote.

The specific terms of the loan agreement and Council Member Scutchfield's reasons for opposing the measure were not detailed in the available meeting materials. The overwhelming support from the remaining 14 council members indicated broad consensus on the loan arrangement with the downtown management district.

Presentation: Kentucky Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year

1:00

Mayor Gray presented a proclamation recognizing Integrated Engineering, PLLC as the Kentucky Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year. The company's owner, Harsha Wijesiri, was present to receive the honor.

The presentation highlighted the achievements of Integrated Engineering, PLLC in earning this statewide recognition. As agenda item 0576-16, this ceremonial presentation acknowledged the company's contributions to Kentucky's business community and its success as a minority-owned enterprise.

Harsha Wijesiri accepted the proclamation on behalf of Integrated Engineering, PLLC. The presentation served as an informational item to recognize the local business owner's accomplishment in receiving this prestigious state-level award.

This recognition demonstrates the city's commitment to celebrating the success of minority-owned businesses within the community and highlighting their contributions to the local economy.

Presentation: Kentucky Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year

2:00

Mayor Gray presented a proclamation recognizing Scott Matheny and his company Semper Tek, Inc. as the Kentucky Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year. The presentation honored Matheny's business achievements and service to the community as a veteran entrepreneur.

Scott Matheny, the owner of Semper Tek, Inc., was present to receive the recognition. The proclamation highlighted the company's success in the competitive small business landscape while maintaining its veteran-owned status.

This was an informational presentation with no discussion or debate required. The agenda item served to formally acknowledge the business achievement and provide public recognition for the veteran-owned enterprise's contributions to Kentucky's economy.

The presentation concluded with Mayor Gray congratulating Matheny on behalf of the city for this significant honor.

Presentation: Americorp VISTAs

3:00

Mayor Gray presented agenda item 0578-16, recognizing AmeriCorp VISTA volunteers for their service to the community. The presentation focused on acknowledging the contributions of VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members who work to fight poverty and improve community access to resources.

Shannon Baker participated as a key speaker during this presentation alongside Mayor Gray. The AmeriCorp VISTA program places volunteers in communities across the United States to address issues related to poverty, education, health, and economic development.

The presentation served as an informational item to highlight the work being done by these volunteers in the local community. VISTA volunteers typically commit to year-long terms of service, working with nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, and public agencies to build capacity and create sustainable solutions to poverty-related challenges.

This agenda item was purely ceremonial and informational in nature, with no action items or decisions required from the meeting participants. The recognition served to publicly acknowledge the volunteers' dedication to community service and their efforts to improve access to resources for residents in need.

The outcome was informational, providing attendees and the public with awareness of the AmeriCorp VISTA program's presence and impact in the community.