Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on December 5, 2017, at 5:32 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting addressed two main agenda items: an informational presentation and ordinances under second reading consideration.

During the session, the council conducted three motions and votes, with the ordinances on second reading receiving approval. The meeting included one public comment from a community member. Overall, the council completed its scheduled business items, moving forward with the approved ordinances while receiving informational updates through the presentation portion of the agenda.

Attendance

The following members were present at the December 5, 2017 meeting:

Present: • Moloney • Mossotti • Plomin • Smith • Stinnett • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown • Evans • Farmer • Gibbs • Henson • Kay • Lamb

Absent: • Scutchfield

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

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted three roll call votes during the December 5, 2017 meeting, with all measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 1278-17 1:00 - Amending budgets for municipal expenditures, Schedule No. 15, was motioned by Henson and seconded by Farmer. The ordinance passed with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, and Lamb.

Ordinance 1219-17 1:00 - Amending Civil Service authorized strength in Division of Water Quality, was also motioned by Henson and seconded by Farmer. This ordinance received unanimous approval with 14 ayes and 0 nays. The same 14 council members voted in favor: Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, and Lamb.

Resolution 1211-17 7:00 - Accepting bid for Cab and Chassis Truck with Front Loading Refuse Collection Body, was motioned by Lamb and seconded by Plomin. The resolution passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, and Lamb.

All three measures received full council support with no opposition or abstentions recorded. The votes demonstrate unanimous agreement on budget amendments, civil service staffing changes, and equipment procurement for municipal operations.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial matters through formal resolutions.

Equipment Donation Acceptance

The council considered Resolution 1195-17 to accept a substantial equipment donation valued at $21,267.84 from the Lexington Lions Club, Inc. The donation consists of a Toro Groundsmaster Mower designated for grounds maintenance operations. This equipment donation will support the city's ongoing maintenance activities without requiring budget expenditure for new equipment purchase.

Educational Grant Authorization

Resolution 1197-17 authorized a $4,900 Class B (Education) Incentive Grant to the Board of Education of Fayette County, Kentucky. This grant is specifically designated for stormwater quality projects, supporting educational initiatives that address environmental infrastructure and water management concerns within the county's school system.

Both resolutions represent partnerships between the city and local organizations - one involving community service organizations contributing operational equipment, and the other supporting educational institutions in environmental stewardship projects. The combined value of these financial actions totals $26,167.84, with the equipment donation representing the larger portion of the financial impact.

Public Comment

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

Mark spoke at approximately 2:00:00 to express his gratitude to the council for their actions. He thanked the council members for their work and decisions.

The public comment period was brief, with only one speaker participating in this portion of the meeting.

Appointments

The council took action on three appointments during the December 5, 2017 meeting.

Airport Board: • Daniel Mason was appointed to the Airport Board • Elizabeth Woodward was reappointed to the Airport Board

Downtown Lexington Management District: • James Frazier was reappointed to the Downtown Lexington Management District

The appointments included both new appointments and reappointments to existing positions on city boards and districts. All three individuals will serve in their respective roles to support the operations and governance of these municipal entities.

Contested Items

The December 5, 2017 meeting featured one contested item that resulted in a split vote among council members.

Urban Services District Expansion

The primary point of contention involved proposed changes to the Urban Services District expansion ordinance. During deliberations, disagreement emerged over which streets should be included in the expansion area.

The controversy began when a motion was made to table the entire ordinance, effectively postponing any decision on the Urban Services District expansion. This motion failed to gain sufficient support from the council.

Following the failed tabling motion, council members pursued a different approach. A motion was made to amend the original ordinance by removing certain streets from the proposed expansion area. This amendment motion ultimately passed, indicating that while council members were not willing to completely postpone the Urban Services District expansion, there was enough concern about the scope of the original proposal to warrant modifications.

The split vote on this issue demonstrates the complexity of urban planning decisions and the varying perspectives council members held regarding which areas should be included in expanded municipal services. The successful amendment suggests a compromise position that addressed some council members' concerns while still allowing the expansion to move forward in a modified form.

The outcome resulted in a narrower Urban Services District expansion than originally proposed, with specific streets being excluded from the final version of the ordinance.

Presentation

0:30

Council member Moloney presented Director Monica Conrad with recognition for the Division of Parks and Recreation's recent CAPRA Accreditation during this agenda item.

The presentation served as an informational item to acknowledge the Parks and Recreation Division's achievement in obtaining CAPRA (Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies) accreditation. This accreditation represents a significant milestone for the department, as CAPRA is a nationally recognized standard for excellence in park and recreation management.

Director Monica Conrad was the recipient of the recognition on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Division. Council member Moloney served as the presenter for this ceremonial acknowledgment of the department's accomplishment.

The agenda item was purely informational in nature, with no debate or discussion recorded. No concerns were raised during this presentation, as it focused solely on recognizing the positive achievement of the Parks and Recreation Division in meeting national accreditation standards.

The outcome was the formal recognition of the CAPRA accreditation, highlighting the Parks and Recreation Division's commitment to maintaining high standards in their operations and services to the community.

Ordinances – Second Reading

1:00

The council conducted second readings of several ordinances during this agenda item. Key speakers included Council members Henson and Farmer, who participated in the discussion of the proposed legislation.

The ordinances under consideration included budget amendments and changes to civil service regulations. During the second reading process, council members reviewed the final versions of these measures before taking action.

The ordinances were approved following the second reading discussion. This represents the final step in the legislative process for these measures, allowing them to take effect according to their specified timelines.

The agenda item was completed with the successful passage of the ordinances that had been under consideration.