Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on May 26, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting featured two agenda items, including a presentation recognizing the Rosa Parks Elementary School Chess Team and consideration of an ordinance for Cardinal Run Field 6 improvements. The council took three votes during the session and heard no public comments. The ordinance for the Cardinal Run Field 6 improvements was approved, while the chess team presentation served an informational purpose to recognize student achievements.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on May 26, 2016:

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

Two members were absent:

• Akers
• Hensley

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took action on three items during the May 26, 2016 meeting.

Approval of Meeting Minutes Council Member Lamb motioned to approve the April 7, 2016 Council Meeting Minutes as amended, with a second by Council Member Bledsoe. The motion passed unanimously with all 13 members voting in favor: Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, and Scutchfield.

Second Reading of Ordinances Council Member Kay motioned for the second reading and approval of various ordinances, seconded by Council Member Farmer. The motion passed by roll call vote with all 13 members voting in favor: Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, and Scutchfield. No members voted against or abstained.

Resolution 0497-16: Warwick Foundation Agreement Amendment Council Member Henson motioned to approve Resolution 0497-16, an amendment to the Memorandum of Agreement with the Warwick Foundation, Inc., with a second by Council Member Kay. This resolution passed by roll call vote with 8 members in favor and 4 opposed.

Members voting in favor were: Stinnett, J. Brown, Evans, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, and Moloney.

Members voting against were: Bledsoe, F. Brown, Mossotti, and Scutchfield.

No members abstained from voting on this resolution.

The first two items received unanimous support from all Council members present, while the Warwick Foundation agreement amendment was more contentious, passing with a narrower margin of support.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial contracts through formal resolutions.

Resolution 0468-16 authorized a contract with Free Contracting, Inc. for the Rose Street Bike Lane Project in the amount of $253,220.10. This infrastructure improvement project will enhance bicycle transportation corridors within the city.

Resolution 0481-16 approved a substantially larger contract with Red River Ranch, LLC for $743,360.57 to complete the Haley Pike Compost Pad Section Replacement. This project represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting and involves replacing sections of the municipal composting facility infrastructure.

Resolution 0484-16 established a price contract with Key Oil Co. for hydraulic oil supplies. While the specific dollar amount for this ongoing supply contract was not disclosed in the meeting materials, the resolution formalizes the procurement arrangement for municipal equipment maintenance needs.

The three resolutions collectively represent over $996,580 in committed municipal expenditures, with the compost facility replacement comprising approximately 75% of the identified spending. These contracts span infrastructure development, waste management facility maintenance, and ongoing operational supply needs for city equipment.

Appointments

The council took action on several board appointments during the May 26, 2016 meeting.

Masterson Station Park Advisory Board • Tara Cecil was appointed to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board • Malcolm Ferguson was appointed to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board

Raven Run Citizens Advisory Board • Everett Wyatt was reappointed to the Raven Run Citizens Advisory Board

Transit Authority Board • Tawanda Owsley was appointed to the Transit Authority Board

The appointments involved positions on three different advisory and governing boards that serve various functions within the local government structure. Two new members were added to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board, while one existing member was retained on the Raven Run Citizens Advisory Board through reappointment. Additionally, a new member was appointed to serve on the Transit Authority Board.

Contested Items

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

Amendment to Memorandum of Agreement with the Warwick Foundation, Inc.

The primary point of contention during the meeting involved a resolution to amend an existing Memorandum of Agreement with the Warwick Foundation, Inc. The proposed amendment sought to secure additional funding through the modified agreement terms.

The item generated significant debate among council members, ultimately resulting in a divided vote rather than the unanimous or near-unanimous approval typically seen for routine matters. After discussion and deliberation, the resolution passed by a margin of 8-4, with eight members voting in favor of the amendment and four members voting against it.

The split vote indicates substantial disagreement among the governing body regarding either the terms of the amended agreement, the amount of additional funding being sought, or the appropriateness of modifying the existing arrangement with the Warwick Foundation, Inc. However, the majority ultimately supported moving forward with the amended agreement.

The successful passage of this contested item means the amended Memorandum of Agreement with the Warwick Foundation, Inc. will proceed as approved, despite the opposition from one-third of the voting members present.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this meeting.*

Presentation: Rosa Parks Elementary School Chess Team

Mayor Gray presented a recognition for the Rosa Parks Elementary School Chess Team during the meeting, honoring their outstanding performance in both state and national chess competitions. The presentation highlighted the team's competitive achievements and their representation of the school and community at high-level tournaments.

The recognition also included special honors for Coach Alan Trimble, who was acknowledged for receiving the Kentucky Chess Association 2016 Chess Coach of the Year award. This distinction recognized Trimble's dedication to developing young chess players and his success in coaching the Rosa Parks Elementary team to their competitive accomplishments.

The presentation served as an informational item to celebrate the academic and competitive excellence demonstrated by the students and their coach. The chess team's success in state and national competitions reflects positively on the school's extracurricular programs and the quality of instruction provided by Coach Trimble.

This agenda item was purely ceremonial in nature, with no debate or discussion required. The recognition acknowledged both the students' hard work and dedication to chess as well as their coach's exceptional leadership in guiding them to success at the state and national levels.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*

Ordinance for Cardinal Run Field 6 Improvements

The council considered Ordinance 0554-16, which proposed amending the municipal budget to allocate $32,000 for improvements at Cardinal Run Field 6. This ordinance would authorize funding for upgrades to the recreational facility.

The ordinance was approved by the council during the May 26, 2016 meeting. No specific details about the nature of the proposed improvements, discussion points, or individual council member positions were recorded in the available meeting materials.

The $32,000 budget amendment represents a capital investment in the city's recreational infrastructure at the Cardinal Run facility. The approval allows the administration to proceed with the planned Field 6 improvements using the allocated funds.