Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on August 18, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky. The meeting addressed two primary agenda items, both of which received first readings during the session. The council considered an ordinance adding a Neighborhood Design Character Overlay and a resolution accepting the bid of Stringfellow, Inc.

During the meeting, the council conducted eight motions and votes on various matters. One member of the public provided comments during the public comment period. Both agenda items advanced through their first reading stage, representing the initial step in the legislative process for these proposals.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted eight votes during the August 18, 2016 meeting, all of which passed by voice vote.

Procedural Matters • Council member Stinnett motioned to approve the August 18th docket, which passed by voice vote 0:30 • Council member Farmer motioned to place ordinance 1 for first reading without a public hearing, which passed by voice vote 1:00 • A motion to approve the summary passed by voice vote 2:00

Budget and Financial Items • Budget amendments were approved by voice vote 3:00 • New business approval passed by voice vote 4:00

Tax Rate Decisions The council approved three tax rate measures, all motioned by Council member Stinnett: • Set the general services fund ad valorem property tax rate at option 1, passed by voice vote 5:00 • Set the urban services fund streetlights real property tax rate at option 1, passed by voice vote 6:00 • Set the soil and water conservation real property tax rate at .0006, passed by voice vote 7:00

All votes were conducted as voice votes with no recorded individual vote tallies or opposition. No seconds were recorded for most motions, and no abstentions or dissenting votes were noted in the official record.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial contracts totaling $171,817.18 across infrastructure and technology improvements.

Emergency Generator Electrical Connections Resolution 0873-16 authorized a contract with T.E.M. Group, Inc. for $37,621 to provide emergency generator electrical connections. This contract addresses critical infrastructure needs for backup power systems.

Natural Gas Boiler and Radiator Parts Resolution 0877-16 approved a parts-only contract with Johnstone Supply, Inc. for $24,536.18 covering natural gas boiler and cast iron radiator components. This contract focuses specifically on equipment parts rather than installation services.

Audio Visual Systems for PSOC Phase II The largest expenditure, Resolution 0894-16, allocated $109,660 to M3 Technology Group, Inc. for audio visual systems as part of Phase II of the PSOC (Public Safety Operations Center). This technology upgrade represents a significant investment in the facility's communication and presentation capabilities.

All three resolutions represent ongoing infrastructure and facility improvement projects, with the audio visual system contract comprising approximately 64% of the total approved spending for these items.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the board.

Michael Jonathan spoke about the Wood Songs program 8:00. Jonathan provided an update on the program's current status, emphasizing its success in drawing audiences to events. He highlighted the positive impact the Wood Songs program has had on the local community since its implementation.

No other public comments were recorded during this portion of the meeting.

Appointments

The meeting addressed two personnel appointments during the session.

Timothy Lee was appointed to the position of Maintenance Mechanic in the Division of Water Quality. This appointment fills a role within the city's water infrastructure maintenance operations.

Casey Kaucher was appointed as Traffic Engineer Manager in the Division of Traffic Engineering. This managerial position oversees traffic engineering functions and operations within the city's transportation department.

Both appointments were processed as part of the meeting's personnel actions, representing staffing decisions for key operational divisions within the municipal government structure.

Contested Items

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

Streetlight Funding

The primary point of contention involved funding for the city's streetlight system and whether to raise the streetlight tax rate to address budget deficits. Council members debated increasing the tax rate to match the actual cost of providing streetlight services.

A motion was made to raise the streetlight tax rate to the cost of service rate, which would have generated additional revenue to cover the shortfall in streetlight funding. However, this motion failed to receive sufficient support from the council.

The disagreement centered on the appropriate level of taxation for streetlight services and how to address the funding gap between current revenue and actual service costs. The failed motion indicates that a majority of council members were not prepared to approve the proposed tax rate increase at this time.

The outcome leaves the streetlight funding deficit unresolved, requiring the council to either find alternative funding sources or revisit the tax rate issue in future meetings.

Ordinance adding a Neighborhood Design Character Overlay

The council considered an ordinance to establish a Neighborhood Design Character Overlay zone covering 23.33 net acres. The overlay is designed to preserve the existing character of the affected neighborhood area.

Duncan served as the key speaker presenting this agenda item to the council. The ordinance represents the city's effort to maintain neighborhood integrity through zoning controls that would regulate development to be consistent with established community character.

The Neighborhood Design Character Overlay would add an additional layer of zoning requirements to the designated 23.33-acre area. Such overlays typically include design standards, building height restrictions, setback requirements, and architectural guidelines that ensure new development complements existing neighborhood features.

The council completed the first reading of the ordinance during this meeting. As a first reading, this represents the initial formal presentation and consideration of the proposed zoning change. The ordinance will require additional readings and potential public input before final adoption.

No specific concerns or debate details were captured in the available meeting materials, though the establishment of design overlays often involves community input regarding appropriate standards and the balance between development flexibility and character preservation.

The 23.33 net acres covered by the proposed overlay represents a significant area that would be subject to the enhanced design requirements once the ordinance process is completed through subsequent readings and final approval.

Resolution accepting the bid of Stringfellow, Inc.

The council considered a resolution to accept the bid of Stringfellow, Inc. for a Hook Lift Vehicle for the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management. This agenda item was designated as V.1 on the meeting agenda.

Baradaran served as the key speaker presenting this resolution to the council. The resolution specifically pertained to the procurement of specialized equipment for the city's facilities and fleet operations.

The Hook Lift Vehicle represents equipment that would be utilized by the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management in their operational activities. Stringfellow, Inc. was the selected bidder for this procurement through what appears to have been a competitive bidding process.

The council's action on this resolution resulted in a first reading, indicating this was the initial consideration of the measure. Under typical municipal procedures, resolutions requiring first readings often proceed to additional readings or final votes at subsequent meetings before becoming effective.

No specific concerns or debate points were documented in the available meeting materials for this agenda item. The straightforward nature of the procurement resolution and the first reading outcome suggests this was a routine administrative matter related to the city's equipment acquisition processes.

The resolution represents part of the city's ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade equipment for municipal operations, specifically targeting the needs of the facilities and fleet management division.