Urban County Council - 1st Reading of the Budget

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on June 15, 2017, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The council addressed two main agenda items during the meeting, both of which were approved by the body. The primary business included consideration of an ordinance changing zoning classification from R-1T to R-3 and a resolution accepting a bid for temporary labor services.

During the course of the meeting, the council conducted four motions and votes on various matters before them. One member of the public participated in the public comment portion of the meeting, providing input on issues of community concern. Both agenda items presented to the council received approval, demonstrating productive legislative action on zoning matters and municipal contracting decisions. The meeting represented routine municipal governance, with the council successfully completing its scheduled business items and maintaining public participation opportunities.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 15, 2017 meeting:

• Scutchfield
• Smith
• Stinnett
• Bledsoe
• J. Brown
• Evans
• Farmer
• Gibbs
• Kay
• Mossotti
• F. Brown

Four members were absent from the meeting:

• Plomin
• Henson
• Lamb
• Moloney

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted four votes during the June 15, 2017 meeting, with all motions passing unanimously with 11 members present.

Approval of Minutes 3:00 Councilmember Scutchfield motioned to approve the Minutes of the March 2, 2017 Council Meeting and the March 7 Zone Change Meeting, seconded by Kay. The motion passed unanimously with all 11 members voting in favor: Scutchfield, Smith, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, and Mossotti.

Second Reading of Ordinances 10:00 Kay motioned for the second reading of ordinances, seconded by Farmer. The motion passed by roll call vote with all 11 members voting aye: Scutchfield, Smith, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, and Mossotti. No members voted against or abstained.

Budget Amendment to Ordinance No. 11 15:00 Scutchfield motioned to amend Ordinance No. 11 for budget amendments, seconded by F. Brown. The motion passed by voice vote with unanimous support from all 11 council members present.

Vendor Name Change for Resolution No. 2 20:00 Stinnett motioned to amend Resolution No. 2 to change a vendor name, seconded by Bledsoe. The amendment passed by voice vote with all 11 members voting in favor.

All four votes resulted in unanimous approval, with no opposition or abstentions recorded. The council demonstrated consistent agreement across procedural matters including meeting minutes approval, ordinance readings, budget amendments, and administrative changes to resolutions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial items totaling $171,885 in expenditures and agreements.

Narcan Purchase for Police Division The council considered Resolution 0524-17 to accept a $25,000 donation from Central Bank & Trust Co. for the purchase of Narcan for the Division of Police. This donation will provide life-saving opioid overdose reversal medication to law enforcement officers responding to emergency calls.

Internet Communications Contract Resolution 0540-17 authorized an agreement with Windstream Communications for internet connection services valued at $14,885. This contract will provide essential telecommunications infrastructure to support municipal operations and services.

Stormwater Quality Grant The largest financial item was Resolution 0545-17, which awarded a Class B Incentive Grant of $132,000 to Dalton Court, LLC for stormwater quality projects. This grant represents a significant investment in environmental infrastructure improvements and water quality management within the community.

These three resolutions demonstrate the municipality's commitment to public safety through the Narcan donation, operational efficiency through improved internet services, and environmental stewardship through stormwater management initiatives. The combined financial impact of $171,885 reflects strategic investments in critical municipal services and infrastructure.

Public Comment

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

Bernard Mccarthy spoke regarding search warrants based on anonymous tips 90:00. Mr. Mccarthy raised concerns about the potential for abuse in the current system of issuing search warrants when they are based solely on anonymous tips. He suggested that such tips could be weaponized maliciously against individuals, creating opportunities for harassment or targeting through the legal system.

Mr. Mccarthy's comments focused on the need for additional safeguards or verification processes when anonymous information is used as the basis for obtaining search warrants from the courts.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments and reappointments to various municipal boards and commissions.

Board of Health • Kacy Allen-Bryant was reappointed to the Board of Health

Environmental Commission • Mason Miller was appointed to the Environmental Commission

Human Rights Commission • Lance Poston was appointed to the Human Rights Commission

These appointments represent the city's ongoing efforts to maintain active participation on key advisory bodies that address public health, environmental concerns, and civil rights issues within the community.

Ordinance changing the zone from R-1T to R-3

10:00 The council considered an ordinance to rezone property at 1580 Higbee Mill Rd. from R-1T (Townhouse Residential) to R-3 (Planned Neighborhood Residential).

Key speakers during the discussion included Kay and Farmer, who presented information about the proposed zoning change. The ordinance would allow for different residential development options on the property compared to the current townhouse residential designation.

The council approved the ordinance to change the zoning classification from R-1T to R-3 for the property located at 1580 Higbee Mill Rd.

Resolution accepting bid for temporary labor

20:00

The council considered agenda item VI.2, a resolution to accept the bid of Premiere Staffing Source, Inc. for temporary labor services across various city divisions.

The discussion was led by key speakers Stinnett and Bledsoe, who presented the details of the temporary labor contract proposal. The resolution would authorize the city to enter into an agreement with Premiere Staffing Source, Inc. to provide temporary staffing services for multiple municipal departments as needed.

The council reviewed the bid submission and discussed the terms of the proposed temporary labor arrangement. The resolution would establish Premiere Staffing Source, Inc. as the approved vendor for temporary staffing needs across various city divisions, allowing departments to access temporary workers through this contracted service provider.

Following the presentation and discussion of the temporary labor bid, the council moved forward with the resolution. The measure was approved, officially accepting Premiere Staffing Source, Inc.'s bid for temporary labor services and authorizing the city to proceed with the staffing contract for various municipal divisions.