Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on December 6, 2016, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting addressed three main agenda items, including an informational presentation and legislative matters requiring council action. During the proceedings, the council took two recorded votes on ordinances and resolutions that were in their second reading phase, with both items receiving approval. The meeting featured no public comments from citizens. Overall, the session focused primarily on advancing pending legislation through the council's review process, with both ordinances and resolutions successfully moving forward to completion.

Attendance

All council members were present for the December 6, 2016 meeting.

Present: • Mayor Gray • Plomin • Scutchfield • Stinnett • Akers • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown • Evans • Farmer • Gibbs • Henson • Kay • Lamb • Moloney • Mossotti

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the December 6, 2016 meeting.

Ordinance 1275-16 0:00 Vice Mayor Kay moved to approve an ordinance changing the zoning from Neighborhood Business (B-1) to Agricultural Rural (A-R) for 3.24 net acres (3.76 gross acres) of property located at 5898 Old Richmond Road. Ms. Henson seconded the motion. The ordinance passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays.

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

Resolution 1361-16 0:00 Mr. Farmer moved to approve a resolution directing that payments to Blue Grass Community Foundation under the Memorandum of Agreement authorized by Resolution No. 657-2016 be made on a quarterly basis. Ms. Akers seconded the motion. The resolution passed on a roll call vote with 12 ayes and 2 nays.

Voting in favor were: Plomin, Scutchfield, Akers, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, and Lamb.

Voting against were: Stinnett and Moloney.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial items totaling over $16.9 million in contracts and grant funding.

Infrastructure Contracts

The council considered four major infrastructure contracts:

• Resolution 1302-16 authorized a $328,030 contract with E.C. Matthews Co. Inc. for retention wall repair at Kearny Hill Golf Links

• Resolution 1327-16 approved a $957,009.62 contract with EcoGro d/b/a Advanced Mulching Technologies, Inc. for the Coldstream Supplemental Environmental Project

• Resolution 1328-16 established a $552,780.16 contract with Cumberland Pipeline, LLC for the Paradise Lane Pump Station and Force Main project

• Resolution 1346-16 authorized the largest infrastructure contract of $1,061,237.68 with Free Contracting, Inc. for the Lower Griffin Gate Trunk Sewer project

Federal Grant Funding

The council addressed Resolution 1233-16, which involves a substantial $14,095,887 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Town Branch Commons Project. This federal funding represents the largest single financial item considered during the meeting.

The combined infrastructure contracts totaled $2,899,057.46, while the federal grant provided an additional $14,095,887 in project funding. These financial actions encompassed various municipal services including golf course maintenance, environmental projects, water infrastructure, and sewer system improvements, along with a major transportation-related development project supported by federal funding.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments to the Picnic with the Pops Commission. Three individuals were selected to serve on this commission through a combination of new appointments and reappointments.

Donald Mason was appointed to the Picnic with the Pops Commission as a new member. Additionally, two existing members were reappointed to continue their service on the commission.

Everett McCorvey was reappointed to the Picnic with the Pops Commission, allowing him to continue his role on the board. Scott Terrell was also reappointed to the Picnic with the Pops Commission for another term of service.

These appointments ensure continued representation and leadership for the Picnic with the Pops Commission, with both new and experienced members contributing to the commission's work.

Contested Items

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

Resolution 1361-16 - Blue Grass Community Foundation Payments

Resolution 1361-16, which concerned payments to the Blue Grass Community Foundation, generated disagreement among council members during the December 6, 2016 meeting. The resolution ultimately passed with a vote of 12-2, indicating that while a majority of council members supported the measure, two members voted in opposition.

The split vote suggests there was debate or concern among council members regarding the nature, amount, or purpose of the payments to the Blue Grass Community Foundation. However, the specific details of the disagreement, the arguments presented by opposing sides, and the identities of the two dissenting council members are not available in the provided meeting data.

Despite the opposition from two council members, the resolution secured sufficient support to pass, with 12 members voting in favor of approving the payments to the Blue Grass Community Foundation.

Presentation

0:00

Lexington Christian Academy students presented a special project to the City Council where they designed flags to represent the City of Lexington. The presentation was led by several key speakers including Ms. Bledsoe, Mr. Coleman Marshall, and Ms. Kerry Cayse.

The students showcased their creative interpretations of what a city flag for Lexington should look like, demonstrating their civic engagement and artistic abilities through this educational project. The presentation served as an informational item on the agenda, allowing the students to share their work with city officials and the public.

This type of educational outreach represents the city's commitment to engaging with local schools and fostering civic awareness among young residents. The students' flag designs reflected their understanding of Lexington's identity and what symbols they felt best represented their community.

The presentation concluded without requiring any formal action from the City Council, as it was purely informational in nature, providing an opportunity for the students to present their work and for council members to recognize their efforts in civic education.

Ordinances – Second Reading

0:00

The City Council conducted second readings of several ordinances during this agenda item. Vice Mayor Kay and Ms. Henson served as the key speakers for this portion of the meeting.

The ordinances presented for second reading included zoning changes and amendments to the Code of Ordinances. During second reading, ordinances that have previously been introduced and discussed are formally read again before final consideration for adoption.

The council reviewed the various ordinances that had been previously introduced, allowing for any final discussion or clarification before proceeding to a vote. This procedural step ensures that all ordinances receive proper consideration and public notice before becoming law.

Following the presentation and any discussion, the ordinances were approved by the council. The second reading process represents the final step before ordinances take effect, providing transparency and due process in the legislative process.

The approval of these ordinances means they will now become part of the city's legal framework, with the zoning changes taking effect as specified and the Code of Ordinances amendments being incorporated into the municipal code.

Resolutions – Second Reading

0:00

The council conducted second readings of several resolutions during this agenda item. Mr. Farmer and Ms. Akers served as the key speakers for this portion of the meeting.

The resolutions presented for second reading included various contracts and grant acceptances, though the specific details of each resolution were not provided in the available materials. Second reading represents the final step in the resolution approval process, following the initial first reading where resolutions are typically introduced and discussed in detail.

During this agenda item, the resolutions were formally presented to the council for final consideration and voting. The second reading process allows council members to make any final comments or raise last-minute concerns before taking official action on the proposed measures.

All resolutions presented during this second reading session were ultimately approved by the council. The approval of these resolutions indicates that the council found the contracts and grant acceptances to be in the best interest of the municipality and consistent with established policies and procedures.

The efficient handling of this agenda item suggests that any significant discussion or debate regarding these resolutions likely occurred during their first reading at a previous meeting, allowing for a streamlined approval process during this session.