Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on February 22, 2018, at 6:04 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 science fair presentation and two budget-related matters that required council action.

During the session, the council took two formal votes, both resulting in approval of municipal budget amendments - one concerning general municipal expenditures and another addressing authorized staffing strength adjustments. The meeting also featured significant public participation, with six citizens providing comments during the public comment period.

The council successfully completed all scheduled business items, with the two substantive budget amendments receiving approval while also accommodating the informational science fair presentation. The combination of administrative business and community engagement, evidenced by the multiple public comments, reflected the council's dual role in managing municipal operations while maintaining public accessibility.

Attendance

All members were present at the February 22, 2018 meeting.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

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

Ordinance 0160-18 1:30 Vice Mayor Kay motioned to approve An Ordinance amending certain of the Budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures, and appropriating and re-appropriating funds, Schedule No. 31. Ms. Plomin seconded the motion. The ordinance passed with a unanimous vote of 15-0.

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

Ordinance 0132-18 1:30 Vice Mayor Kay also motioned to approve An Ordinance amending the authorized strength by abolishing one (1) vacant Classified Civil Service Position of GIS Developer, Grade 522E, and creating one (1) Classified Civil Service Position of Network Systems Administrator Sr., Grade 522E, in the Division of Computer Services. Ms. Plomin seconded this motion as well. The ordinance passed unanimously with a vote of 15-0.

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

Both ordinances received full council support with no opposition or abstentions recorded. The first ordinance addressed budget amendments and fund appropriations, while the second involved restructuring a position within the Computer Services division by eliminating a vacant GIS Developer role and creating a Network Systems Administrator Sr. position at the same grade level.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial items totaling over $400,000 in expenditures and grants.

Contracts and Purchases

The council considered Resolution 0110-18 for a $13,239 contract with PRISim CUBIC Defense Applications, Inc. for an upgrade to the PRISim system. Additionally, Resolution 0125-18 authorized a $39,150 contract with Millennium Learning Concepts for a diversity and inclusion training program.

Resolution 0130-18 approved the purchase of intraosseous needles from Arrow International for $55,000, representing a significant medical equipment acquisition.

Grant Awards

Two substantial stormwater quality project grants were approved under the city's incentive grant program:

• Resolution 0128-18 authorized a Class B (Infrastructure) Incentive Grant of $261,208.40 to Kentucky American Water Company for stormwater quality projects. This represents the largest single financial item considered at the meeting.

• Resolution 0129-18 approved a Class A (Neighborhood) Incentive Grant of $33,500 to Friends of Wolf Run, Inc. for stormwater quality projects.

The combined grant funding of $294,708.40 demonstrates the city's commitment to improving stormwater infrastructure through partnerships with both utility companies and community organizations. The distinction between Class A (Neighborhood) and Class B (Infrastructure) grants indicates a tiered approach to funding different scales of stormwater improvement projects.

These financial actions encompassed technology upgrades, workforce development, medical equipment procurement, and environmental infrastructure improvements, reflecting diverse municipal priorities and operational needs.

Public Comment

Six individuals spoke during the public comment period, all advocating for support of House Bill 166, which would legalize medical cannabis in Kentucky.

Scott Fitzgerald 12:00 opened the comments by sharing his personal experience with pain management and urging support for House Bill 166, which would allow legal use of medical cannabis.

Mike Miller 15:00 followed with testimony about his past struggles with opioid addiction, explaining how cannabis helped him overcome his dependency and advocating for passage of House Bill 166.

Chris Bressmen 18:00, a disabled veteran, described how medical cannabis enabled him to reduce his methadone intake and effectively manage his PTSD symptoms.

Matthew Wilcoxin 21:00, also a war veteran, spoke about his experiences with anxiety and PTSD, testifying that cannabis provided significant relief from his symptoms.

Nicholas Risden 23:00 shared his health struggles following a severe tick bite, explaining how medical cannabis dramatically improved his quality of life after traditional treatments proved insufficient.

Josh Hicks 27:00, identifying himself as a candidate for the Kentucky State House, concluded the public comments by advocating for House Bill 166, specifically highlighting its potential benefits for veterans and individuals suffering from chronic pain conditions.

All speakers provided personal testimonies supporting medical cannabis legalization, with several emphasizing its role as an alternative to opioid medications. Veterans comprised a significant portion of the commenters, focusing on cannabis as a treatment option for PTSD and service-related injuries. The comments centered exclusively on House Bill 166, with no opposing viewpoints presented during this portion of the meeting.

Appointments

The meeting included three appointments to various city boards and commissions.

Bethany Baxter was appointed to the Administrative Hearing Board. The Administrative Hearing Board typically handles appeals and administrative matters for the city government.

Nieta Wigginton was appointed to the Black and Williams Neighborhood Community Center Board. This board oversees operations and programming for the Black and Williams Neighborhood Community Center.

Preston Worley was appointed to the Picnic with the Pops Commission. This commission is responsible for organizing and overseeing the annual Picnic with the Pops event, which typically features outdoor musical performances.

All three appointments were approved during the February 22, 2018 meeting. These volunteer positions help ensure citizen participation in various aspects of city governance and community programming.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during the February 22, 2018 meeting centered on House Bill 166 regarding medical cannabis legalization. Several community members appeared before the council to advocate for the municipality's support of this state legislation.

The disagreement involved community members who spoke in favor of House Bill 166, urging the council to take a supportive stance on medical cannabis legalization. These residents presented arguments supporting the therapeutic benefits and legal framework proposed in the bill.

The nature of the contention appears to have been between community advocacy for medical cannabis support and what the data characterizes as "community opposition," though the specific details of opposing viewpoints or council member positions are not detailed in the available information.

The outcome of this contested item is not specified in the provided meeting data, leaving unclear whether the council took any formal action on House Bill 166 or how they responded to the community input regarding medical cannabis legalization.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this contested item discussion.*

Science Fair Presentation

2:00

Mayor Gray presented agenda item 0105-18, recognizing the winners of the Kentucky American Water Science Fair. The presentation served as an informational item to celebrate student achievements in science education.

During the presentation, Mayor Gray congratulated the science fair winners and acknowledged their accomplishments. The recognition extended beyond the student participants to include their mentors and families who supported their scientific endeavors.

The Kentucky American Water Science Fair represents a partnership between the water utility company and local educational institutions to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education among students. The fair provides students with opportunities to conduct scientific research, develop experimental methodologies, and present their findings to judges and the community.

Mayor Gray's presentation highlighted the importance of recognizing academic excellence and encouraging continued participation in scientific pursuits. The acknowledgment of mentors and families emphasized the collaborative nature of student success and the community support system that enables young scientists to thrive.

This agenda item was purely ceremonial and informational, with no formal action required by the governing body. The presentation served to publicly honor the students' hard work and dedication to scientific inquiry while demonstrating the municipality's commitment to supporting educational initiatives and STEM programming in the community.

The recognition of science fair winners reflects the ongoing partnership between local government, educational institutions, and private sector sponsors like Kentucky American Water in fostering scientific literacy and encouraging the next generation of researchers and innovators.

Amending Budgets for Municipal Expenditures

1:30

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council considered Ordinance 0160-18, which proposed amendments to certain municipal budgets to reflect current expenditure requirements.

Vice Mayor Kay and Ms. Plomin served as the key speakers during the discussion of this budget amendment ordinance. The ordinance was designed to adjust existing budget allocations to better align with the government's current operational needs and spending patterns.

The proposed changes aimed to modify specific budget categories within the municipal expenditure framework, though the exact details of which departments or programs would be affected were not specified in the available materials. The amendments represented routine budget adjustments necessary to ensure proper allocation of municipal resources.

The ordinance was approved by the Council, allowing the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to proceed with the revised budget allocations as outlined in the legislation. This approval enables the government to better manage its financial resources in accordance with current municipal expenditure requirements.

Amending Authorized Strength

1:30

The council considered Ordinance 0132-18, which proposed amending the city's authorized staffing structure by abolishing a vacant GIS Developer position and creating a Network Systems Administrator Sr. position in its place.

Vice Mayor Kay and Ms. Plomin served as the key speakers during the discussion of this personnel restructuring measure. The ordinance represented a strategic reallocation of human resources rather than an increase in overall staffing levels, as it involved eliminating one vacant position to create a different role that better aligned with current operational needs.

The proposed change would transform a Geographic Information Systems development role into a senior-level network systems administration position, reflecting evolving technology priorities and infrastructure requirements within the city's operations. By abolishing the unfilled GIS Developer position, the city could redirect those allocated resources toward strengthening its network systems capabilities through the creation of the Network Systems Administrator Sr. role.

The council ultimately approved Ordinance 0132-18, allowing the city to proceed with this staffing restructure. The approval enables the administration to move forward with recruiting for the new Network Systems Administrator Sr. position while formally removing the vacant GIS Developer role from the authorized staffing complement.

This type of position reallocation allows municipalities to adapt their workforce composition to changing technological demands and operational priorities without expanding overall personnel costs or headcount.