Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on March 8, 2018, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting focused on second readings of legislative items, with the council addressing two main agenda items: ordinances and resolutions, both of which were approved. During the course of the meeting, the council conducted three votes on various matters before them. No public comments were heard during this session, allowing the council to focus entirely on the legislative business at hand. The meeting demonstrated efficient processing of municipal legislation, with both major agenda items receiving approval from the council members.

Attendance

The following members were present at the March 8, 2018 meeting:

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

Absent: Evans

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 March 8, 2018 meeting.

Ordinances 0157-18 to 0068-18 10:00 Councilmember Henson motioned for the second reading of various ordinances including amendments to civil service positions and budget adjustments, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: F. Brown, J. Brown, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, and Bledsoe.

Resolution 0155-18 20:00 Farmer motioned to award a Class A Incentive Grant to WGPL Neighborhood Association, Inc., with Henson providing the second. The resolution passed with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. Council members voting in favor were: F. Brown, J. Brown, Farmer, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, and Bledsoe. One member abstained from the vote, though the specific abstaining member is not identified in the record.

Resolution 0215-18 25:00 Farmer motioned for a declaration of official intent for reimbursement of temporary advances for the Lexington Convention Center Project, seconded by Henson. This resolution passed with 13 ayes and 1 nay. The following members voted in favor: F. Brown, J. Brown, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, and Bledsoe. Moloney cast the sole dissenting vote against the resolution.

All three items on the voting agenda were approved, with the ordinances receiving unanimous support and both resolutions passing with strong majorities despite some opposition or abstention.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial items totaling over $13.2 million in contracts and donations.

Major Infrastructure Contract The council considered Resolution 0199-18 for the East Hickman Wet Weather Storage and Pump Station project, awarding a $13,152,000 contract to Judy Construction Co. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting.

Parks and Recreation Projects Two items focused on recreational facilities and accessibility improvements:

• Shillito Park Playground Project: Resolution 1325-17 involved a $49,000 contract with Element Design, PLLC for playground development at Shillito Park.

• Accessible Watercraft Equipment: Resolution 0087-18 addressed the purchase of handicap accessible kayak or canoe launch module and A.D.A. accessible pedal boat equipment valued at $23,163.70. This item was structured as a donation from the Creech Family Foundation, Inc., demonstrating community partnership in improving accessibility for recreational activities.

The financial actions reflect a mix of essential infrastructure investment through the substantial water management project, community recreation enhancement through the playground contract, and accessibility improvements supported by private foundation funding. The total value of these three resolutions exceeded $13.2 million, with the vast majority allocated to the water infrastructure project.

Appointments

The meeting included one appointment action during the proceedings.

Kenneth Armstrong was appointed to serve as Commissioner of Public Safety. The appointment was formally approved by the governing body during the session.

No additional details regarding the term length, compensation, or specific responsibilities associated with this appointment were provided in the available meeting materials.

Contested Items

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

Reimbursement of Temporary Advances for Lexington Convention Center Project

A resolution regarding the reimbursement of temporary advances for the Lexington Convention Center Project faced opposition from one council member. While the specific details of the disagreement were not provided in the available materials, the resolution ultimately passed despite the dissenting vote.

The split vote indicates there was some level of debate or concern among council members regarding this financial matter related to the convention center project. The nature of the temporary advances and the specific objections raised by the dissenting council member were not detailed in the extracted information.

Despite the opposition, the majority of the council supported the reimbursement resolution, allowing it to move forward. This represents the only contentious item that came to a vote during this meeting session.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and additional details about the nature of the disagreement were not available in the provided materials.*

Ordinances – Second Reading

10:00

The council conducted second readings of several ordinances during this agenda item. The ordinances under consideration included amendments to civil service positions, modifications to the zoning ordinance, and budget adjustments.

Key speakers during the discussion were Henson and Plomin, who presented the ordinances and addressed any questions from the council.

The ordinances covered three main areas:

• Civil Service Positions - Amendments to existing civil service position classifications and requirements
• Zoning Ordinance - Modifications to current zoning regulations
• Budget Adjustments - Various adjustments to the municipal budget

The second reading process allows council members to review the ordinances in their final form before voting, providing an opportunity for any last-minute questions or clarifications.

Following the presentations and discussion, all ordinances presented for second reading were approved by the council.

Resolutions – Second Reading

20:00

The council conducted second reading of multiple resolutions during this agenda item. The resolutions included matters related to accepting bids and ratifying appointments, though specific details of the individual resolutions were not provided in the available materials.

Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included Farmer and Henson, who participated in the discussion of the resolutions under consideration.

The resolutions proceeded through the standard second reading process, which typically involves final review and voting on measures that had previously received first reading approval. This procedural step allows council members to make any final comments or raise concerns before formal adoption.

All resolutions presented during this second reading session were approved by the council. The specific vote counts and any debate or discussion points were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The approval of these resolutions represents the completion of the legislative process for these particular measures, allowing them to take effect according to their respective terms and implementation schedules.