Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on December 7, 2017, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting focused primarily on ceremonial recognitions and tributes, with three informational agenda items presented to honor community members and organizations. The council heard one public comment during the session and conducted three motions and votes throughout the proceedings. The meeting accomplished its ceremonial objectives by formally recognizing Chief Mark Barnard, Cub Scout Pack 93, and the organization Common Good for their contributions to the community.

Attendance

The following members were present at the December 7, 2017 meeting:

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

Absent: • Evans

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 13 members were present out of 14 expected attendees.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted three votes during the December 7, 2017 meeting, with two ordinances passing by wide margins and one procedural motion approved by voice vote.

Ordinance 1316-17 3:00 - An Ordinance expanding and extending the Full Urban Services District #1 was motioned by Mr. Stinnett and seconded by Ms. Henson. The measure passed on a roll call vote of 11 ayes to 1 nay. Voting in favor were Smith, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, and Moloney. Mr. Stinnett, who made the motion, was the sole dissenting vote.

Ordinance 1377-17 4:00 - An Ordinance amending certain of the Budgets to provide $60,000 for MBE/DBE compliance monitoring software was also motioned by Mr. Stinnett and seconded by Ms. Henson. This ordinance passed on a roll call vote of 11 ayes to 1 nay. The members voting in favor were Smith, Stinnett, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, and Moloney. Mr. Farmer cast the lone opposing vote.

Public Hearing Motion 7:03 - A motion regarding the Public Hearing on the Coldstream Tax Increment Financing was made by Mr. F. Brown and seconded by Ms. Lamb. This procedural motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Both ordinances demonstrated strong council support despite single dissenting votes from different members. The budget amendment for compliance monitoring software received backing from Mr. Stinnett, who had opposed the urban services district expansion in the previous vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant construction contracts totaling over $5.6 million for municipal infrastructure improvements.

Fire Station Construction Contract The council considered Resolution 1192-17 for the construction of Fire Station No. 24, awarding a contract worth $4,443,100 to Olympic Construction, LLC. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting.

Parks and Recreation Infrastructure Two separate contracts were reviewed for recreational facility improvements:

• MLK and Johnson Heights Park Sports Field Construction - Resolution 1241-17 authorized a contract with Rock Trucking, LLC for $255,839.66 to construct sports fields at the MLK and Johnson Heights Park locations.

• Pool and Sprayground Improvements - Resolution 1246-17 approved a $925,000 contract with Pace Contracting, LLC for improvements to the Castlewood and Douglass spraygrounds and pool facilities.

The combined parks and recreation contracts totaled $1,180,839.66, representing a significant investment in community recreational infrastructure. All three contracts appear to be part of the city's ongoing capital improvement program, addressing both public safety needs through the new fire station and community recreation through enhanced park facilities.

These financial actions demonstrate the municipality's commitment to expanding emergency services coverage while simultaneously investing in recreational amenities for residents across multiple neighborhoods.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the board with concerns about development and recognition for local law enforcement.

Mr. McCarthy spoke at approximately 10:00 and addressed two distinct topics:

• Impact Fees for Development: Mr. McCarthy suggested that the city should charge developers impact fees specifically related to street capacity. This recommendation appears to focus on ensuring that new development projects contribute to infrastructure improvements that would be needed to accommodate increased traffic and usage.

• Police Department Recognition: Mr. McCarthy praised the local police department for achieving a high murder solution rate, commending their investigative work and effectiveness in solving serious crimes.

The public comment period provided an opportunity for community input on both fiscal policy regarding development and acknowledgment of public safety performance.

Contested Items

Two ordinances faced opposition during the December 7, 2017 meeting, though both ultimately passed with overwhelming support.

Urban Services District #1 Expansion

An ordinance to expand Urban Services District #1 encountered resistance from Council Member Stinnett, who cast the sole dissenting vote in an 11-1 decision. The ordinance passed despite this opposition, though the specific boundaries or services affected by the expansion were not detailed in the available materials.

MBE/DBE Compliance Monitoring Software

The council also considered an ordinance allocating $60,000 for compliance monitoring software related to Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs. Council Member Farmer voted against this measure, making it another 11-1 vote in favor of passage. The software appears designed to help the city track and ensure compliance with minority and disadvantaged business participation requirements in city contracts and projects.

Both contested items represent relatively minor dissent within the council, with single members opposing measures that received broad support from their colleagues. The split votes suggest some philosophical or practical disagreements about urban service expansion and procurement spending, though the overwhelming majorities indicate general council consensus on these initiatives.

Tribute to Chief Mark Barnard

2:00

The council honored retiring Police Chief Mark Barnard during agenda item 1379-17, recognizing his distinguished service and contributions to the community. Mayor Gray led the tribute presentation, acknowledging Chief Barnard's dedication to public safety and community policing initiatives throughout his tenure.

Chief Barnard was present to receive the recognition from the mayor and council members. The tribute highlighted his leadership in advancing community-oriented policing strategies and his commitment to building stronger relationships between law enforcement and residents.

Mayor Gray served as the primary speaker for the presentation, with Chief Barnard also participating in the proceedings. The agenda item was informational in nature, serving as a formal acknowledgment of the chief's retirement and his years of service to the community.

The tribute recognized Chief Barnard's role in enhancing public safety programs and his efforts to modernize policing approaches during his time in leadership. Council members joined Mayor Gray in expressing appreciation for the chief's professional service and dedication to the department and community.

This ceremonial presentation provided an opportunity for city leadership to formally thank Chief Barnard for his contributions before his departure from the police department. The tribute concluded the recognition portion of the meeting agenda.

Recognition of Cub Scout Pack 93

5:00

Mayor Gray presented a recognition for Cub Scout Pack 93 during the December 7, 2017 meeting. The pack was honored for their volunteer activities and community service contributions.

As part of the recognition, Mayor Gray declared December 7, 2017, as Cub Scout Pack 93 Day in Lexington. This proclamation acknowledged the pack's ongoing efforts to serve the community through various volunteer initiatives.

The agenda item, designated as 1335-17, was presented as an informational item with no action required from the council. The recognition served to highlight the positive impact that local youth organizations like Cub Scout Pack 93 have on the Lexington community through their volunteer work and civic engagement.

Recognition of Common Good

6:00

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government recognized Common Good during agenda item 1336-17 for its community development work in North Lexington. The recognition focused on the organization's efforts in leadership development and education within the community.

Mayor Gray and Laura Gallaher served as the key speakers for this presentation. The recognition highlighted Common Good's contributions to strengthening the North Lexington area through programs that emphasize building local leadership capacity and educational opportunities for residents.

This agenda item was informational in nature, serving as a formal acknowledgment of Common Good's community impact rather than requiring any council action or decision. The presentation provided an opportunity for city officials to publicly recognize the organization's ongoing work in community development and its role in supporting residents in North Lexington.

No concerns were raised during this recognition, and the item concluded as a ceremonial acknowledgment of Common Good's contributions to the community.