Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on April 26, 2018, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The meeting addressed two main agenda items, including a firefighter recognition ceremony that served as an informational presentation and budget amendments that were approved by the council. During the proceedings, the council conducted two formal votes and heard from three members of the public during the public comment period. The session successfully accomplished its primary business with the approval of the budget amendments while also taking time to recognize the service of local firefighters.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on April 26, 2018:

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

Absent: • Vice Mayor Kay

No members arrived late to the meeting.

A total of 14 members were present, with one absence recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the April 26, 2018 meeting, both passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0410-18 3:00 Council Member Henson 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. 37. The motion was seconded by Council Member Farmer. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions.

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

Resolution 0205-18 4:00 Council Member Farmer motioned to approve A Resolution accepting the bid of Overhead Door of Eastern Ky., in the amount of $31,054.00, for Rolling Overhead Doors for the Town Branch Waste Water Treatment Plant Solids Processing Building. The motion was seconded by Council Member Henson. The resolution passed by roll call vote with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions.

Voting in favor were: Farmer, Henson, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Evans. Council Member Gibbs was not recorded as voting on this item.

Both measures received unanimous support from all council members present and voting.

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 maintenance at the wastewater treatment facility.

Major Sewer Infrastructure Project

A substantial infrastructure investment was presented through Resolution 0394-18 for the West Hickman Trunk Sewer D project. The contract with Free Contracting, Inc. amounts to $5,865,010.44, representing a major capital expenditure for sewer system improvements. This project appears to be part of ongoing efforts to upgrade the city's wastewater infrastructure.

The two contracts combined represent approximately $5.9 million in municipal spending, with the vast majority allocated to the sewer trunk line project. The significant difference in contract values reflects the scope distinction between routine facility maintenance and major infrastructure development.

Public Comment

Three residents spoke during the public comment period, all addressing concerns about a proposed zoning change and the public notification process.

Don Todd 10:00 requested that the council reconsider its decision not to hold a public hearing on a proposed zoning change. Todd cited inadequate notice to residents as the primary concern, arguing that the community had not been properly informed about the zoning proposal.

Lori Nagle 15:00 spoke in opposition to the zoning change itself. Nagle emphasized that residents in the affected area had not been informed about the proposal and had not been surveyed for their input on the potential changes to their neighborhood's zoning designation.

Joan Champe 20:00 also expressed opposition to the zoning change, focusing her criticism on the lack of communication from the neighborhood association. Champe argued that the association had failed to adequately inform residents about the zoning proposal and its potential impacts.

All three speakers raised concerns about the public notification and community engagement process surrounding the zoning change, with common themes including insufficient notice to residents and lack of community input in the decision-making process.

Appointments

The meeting included two personnel appointments to various boards and organizations.

Administrative Hearing Board • James Womack was reappointed to the Administrative Hearing Board

Bluegrass Crime Stoppers, Inc. • Jeffrey Meade was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers, Inc.

Both appointments were processed during the meeting, with one representing a reappointment of an existing member and one representing a new appointment to the crime prevention organization.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that drew community opposition.

Zoning Change for Harrodsburg Road

Residents voiced strong opposition to a proposed zoning change affecting Harrodsburg Road. The primary concerns raised by community members included:

• Inadequate public notice regarding the proposed zoning modification
• Potential negative impacts the change could have on the surrounding community
• Lack of sufficient community input in the decision-making process

Multiple residents attended the meeting to express their objections to the proposal, indicating organized community resistance to the zoning change. The opposition centered on procedural concerns about notification requirements as well as substantive worries about how the zoning modification might affect their neighborhood.

The outcome of this contested item was not specified in the available meeting materials, though the level of community engagement suggests this issue required further consideration by the governing body.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this meeting summary.*

Firefighter Recognition

5:00

The council recognized firefighters who participated in the rescue of a horse named Historie from a sinkhole under agenda item 0223-18. Mayor Gray, Ms. Mossotti, and Fire Chief Chilton were the key speakers for this presentation.

The recognition ceremony honored the firefighters' efforts in what was described as an unusual but successful rescue operation involving the extraction of the horse from a sinkhole. Chief Chilton likely provided details about the rescue operation and the personnel involved, while Mayor Gray and Ms. Mossotti offered remarks acknowledging the firefighters' service.

This was an informational presentation with no action required from the council. The item served to publicly recognize the firefighters' dedication and skill in handling an emergency situation that required specialized rescue techniques beyond typical fire and emergency medical services.

The recognition highlights the diverse range of emergency situations that firefighters respond to in their service to the community, extending beyond traditional fire suppression and medical emergencies to include technical rescue operations involving animals in distress.

Budget Amendments

3:00

The council considered Ordinance 0410-18, which proposed amendments to certain municipal budgets to reflect current requirements for expenditures. The ordinance aimed to adjust budget allocations to align with actual operational needs.

Council members Henson and Farmer served as the key speakers during the discussion of this agenda item. The speakers presented the rationale for the proposed budget modifications and addressed the necessity of updating expenditure requirements to match current municipal operations.

The budget amendments were designed to ensure that various city departments and functions had appropriate funding levels based on updated assessments of their operational needs. The ordinance represented a routine administrative adjustment to maintain fiscal alignment between budgeted amounts and actual spending requirements.

Following the presentation and discussion by the key speakers, the council proceeded to vote on the proposed budget amendments. The ordinance was approved, allowing the city to implement the revised budget allocations as outlined in the amendment proposal.

The approval of these budget amendments enables the municipality to better manage its financial resources by ensuring that budget allocations accurately reflect the current expenditure requirements across different city operations and departments.