Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on October 13, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognition and awareness presentations, with three informational agenda items covering community awards and public awareness initiatives. The council heard one public comment during the session and conducted two votes on various matters. The meeting included presentations recognizing Ray Larson with the Henry Clay Award, celebrating the city's America in Bloom Award recognition, and acknowledging Domestic Violence Awareness Month along with GreenHouse 17's related work in the community.

Attendance

The following members were present at the October 13, 2016 meeting:

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

Absent: • J. Brown

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were present with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the meeting, both passing unanimously.

Ordinance 1065-16 3:00 Mr. Stinnett motioned to approve An Ordinance modifying the conditional zoning restrictions in a Mixed Use 2: Neighborhood Corridor (MU-2) zone for property located at 275 South Limestone. Ms. Scutchfield seconded the motion. The ordinance passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays.

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

Resolution 1047-16 5:00 Mr. Farmer motioned to approve A Resolution accepting the bid of Municipal Sales, Inc., establishing a price contract for Sewer Line Chemical Root Control. Vice Mayor Kay seconded the motion. The resolution passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays.

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

Both measures received full council support with no opposition or abstentions recorded.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial expenditures through formal resolutions.

Vehicle Purchase Authorization The council approved Resolution 1063-16, authorizing the purchase of Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks for the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management. The purchase totals $80,019 and will be made through Toyota South, Inc. This acquisition represents equipment investment for municipal fleet operations.

Fire Station Infrastructure Contract Resolution 1071-16 was approved, establishing a $107,000 contract with Adams Contracting, LLC for concrete apron replacement at Fire Stations 12, 13, and 14. This infrastructure improvement project addresses facility maintenance needs across multiple fire department locations.

The combined financial commitments from these two resolutions total $187,019, covering both operational equipment needs and critical infrastructure maintenance for public safety facilities.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the board during the public comment period.

Bernard McCarthy spoke about traffic and street connectivity issues in Lexington 2:30:00. McCarthy discussed the need for more through streets and fewer dead ends throughout the community to improve overall traffic flow. He emphasized that better street connectivity could help alleviate traffic congestion problems in the area.

Appointments

The meeting included two personnel appointments to state government positions.

Greta Giles was appointed as Administrative Specialist in the Division of Revenue.

Jonathan Cole was appointed as Electronic Computer Controls Manager in the Division of Water Quality.

Both appointments were approved during the meeting proceedings. No additional details about the appointment terms, compensation, or specific responsibilities were provided in the available meeting materials.

Henry Clay Award: Ray Larson

0:30

The Urban County Council recognized Ray Larson with the Henry Clay Ambassador Award during agenda item 1144-16. Mayor Gray presented the award to Larson in recognition of his distinguished career as Fayette County's top prosecutor and his significant contributions to reducing crime in the community.

The Henry Clay Ambassador Award honors individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the Lexington-Fayette County community. Ray Larson was selected for this recognition based on his long tenure and successful track record in the prosecutor's office, where he played a key role in public safety initiatives that helped reduce crime rates in Fayette County.

During the presentation, Mayor Gray highlighted Larson's career achievements and his impact on community safety. Ray Larson was present to receive the award and acknowledgment from the council.

This was an informational presentation with no action required from the council. The award ceremony served to formally recognize Larson's public service and his contributions to making Fayette County a safer community through his work in the prosecutor's office.

America in Bloom Award Recognition

0:45

The city of Lexington received recognition for achieving a "Five Bloom" rating from America in Bloom, the organization's highest honor for municipal beautification and urban forestry efforts. This agenda item (1140-16) served as an informational presentation to acknowledge the city's accomplishment.

Mayor Gray and Ann Garrity were the key speakers during this recognition segment. The America in Bloom program evaluates communities based on their commitment to beautification, environmental awareness, heritage preservation, and overall community involvement in creating attractive public spaces.

The Five Bloom rating represents the top tier of recognition within the America in Bloom scoring system, indicating that Lexington has demonstrated exceptional performance in the program's evaluation criteria. This achievement reflects the city's ongoing efforts in urban forestry management, landscaping initiatives, and community beautification projects.

The presentation was informational in nature, with no formal action required from the council. The recognition serves to highlight Lexington's commitment to maintaining and enhancing its urban environment through strategic beautification and forestry programs that contribute to the community's overall quality of life and aesthetic appeal.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month and GreenHouse 17

1:00

The city recognized GreenHouse 17 for its work supporting domestic violence survivors and declared October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month under agenda item 1141-16.

Mayor Gray and Darlene Thomas served as the key speakers for this presentation, highlighting the organization's contributions to assisting those affected by domestic violence in the community.

GreenHouse 17 received formal recognition for its ongoing efforts to provide support services to domestic violence survivors. The organization's work was acknowledged as part of the broader initiative to raise awareness about domestic violence issues during the designated awareness month.

The agenda item served as an informational presentation, with no formal action required from the council. The recognition aimed to bring public attention to both the important work being done by GreenHouse 17 and the significance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

This presentation provided an opportunity for city officials to publicly acknowledge local organizations working on critical social issues and to emphasize the city's commitment to supporting domestic violence awareness and prevention efforts within the community.