Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on April 12, 2018, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognition and informational presentations, with two agenda items addressing community acknowledgments. The council heard one public comment during the session and conducted two votes on various matters. The meeting included a Public Health Hero Award presentation and recognition of Rob and Diane Perez, both serving as informational items for the council and public.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on April 12, 2018:

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

All 16 members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded for this meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the April 12, 2018 meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0301-18 1:30 was voted on first, addressing amendments to Article 8-1(d)(20) of the Zoning Ordinance to increase the size of allowable accessory structures. Council member Farmer made the motion, which was seconded by Kay. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown.

Resolution 0347-18 6:00 followed, accepting the bid of WEX Bank for Commercial Fuel services. Lamb made the motion with Henson providing the second. This resolution also passed unanimously with all 15 council members voting in favor. The same council members who supported the previous ordinance voted yes on this resolution: Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown.

Both votes demonstrated complete council unity, with no opposition or abstentions recorded on either measure. The zoning ordinance amendment and the fuel services contract approval both received full council support.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial contracts requiring council approval.

Infrastructure Maintenance Contract

The council considered Resolution 0205-18 for rolling overhead doors at the Town Branch Waste Water Treatment Plant Solids Processing Building. The contract with Overhead Door of Eastern Ky. totals $31,054.00. This expenditure addresses necessary infrastructure improvements at the wastewater treatment facility.

Major Sewer Infrastructure Project

A substantial infrastructure investment was reviewed under Resolution 0394-18 for the West Hickman Trunk Sewer D project. The contract with Free Contracting, Inc. represents a significant financial commitment of $5,865,010.44. This multi-million dollar project indicates major sewer system expansion or improvement work in the West Hickman area.

The two contracts combined represent approximately $5.9 million in municipal spending, with the sewer project comprising the vast majority of the financial commitment. Both items appear to focus on essential municipal infrastructure - wastewater treatment and sewer systems - representing critical public works investments for the community.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the board regarding local infrastructure concerns.

Bernard McCarthy spoke at 13:30 to express his opposition to the proposed Jefferson viaduct removal. Mr. McCarthy raised concerns about the economic viability of expanding the Convention Center, which appears to be connected to the viaduct removal project. He objected to moving forward with the viaduct removal based on these economic considerations.

The public comment period provided an opportunity for community input on this significant infrastructure decision affecting the Jefferson viaduct and related Convention Center expansion plans.

Appointments

The meeting included two personnel appointments to senior public service positions.

The following appointments were made:

• Chenice Ganns was appointed to the position of Public Service Worker Sr.

• Jordan Napier was appointed to the position of Public Service Worker Sr.

Both appointments were for the same classification level within the public service structure. No additional details regarding the specific departments, start dates, or terms of service for these positions were provided in the available meeting materials.

Public Health Hero Award

2:00

The city presented agenda item 0224-18, recognizing Dr. Svetla Slavova with the Public Health Hero Award for her significant contributions to addressing the opioid epidemic in the community.

Mayor Gray presented the award, acknowledging Dr. Slavova's dedicated work in combating the ongoing opioid crisis. Dr. Greg Humbaugh participated in the recognition ceremony, highlighting the importance of Dr. Slavova's efforts in public health initiatives.

Dr. Svetla Slavova was specifically honored for her work in making Naloxone more widely available to the community. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses when administered promptly. Dr. Slavova's efforts to increase access to this critical intervention have directly contributed to saving lives in the community.

The presentation served as an informational item, celebrating Dr. Slavova's public health achievements and raising awareness about ongoing efforts to address the opioid epidemic. The recognition emphasized the vital role that healthcare professionals and researchers play in developing and implementing solutions to public health crises.

This award presentation underscored the city's commitment to acknowledging individuals who make substantial contributions to community health and safety, particularly in addressing one of the most pressing public health challenges facing communities nationwide.

Recognition of Rob and Diane Perez

3:30

The council recognized Rob and Diane Perez for their community service work through DV8 Kitchen, which provides employment opportunities for individuals recovering from substance abuse.

Mayor Gray and Ms. Mossotti presented the recognition to the couple, highlighting their commitment to helping people in recovery transition back into the workforce. Rob Perez spoke on behalf of himself and his wife Diane about their mission and the impact of their work in the community.

DV8 Kitchen serves as both a restaurant business and a social enterprise, offering structured employment and job training to those working through substance abuse recovery programs. The recognition acknowledged the Perez family's dedication to addressing addiction recovery through practical workforce development opportunities.

This was an informational presentation with no action items or votes required. The recognition served to highlight community members making positive contributions to addressing substance abuse recovery in the area.