Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on June 21, 2018, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gray presiding over the session. The council addressed three main agenda items during the meeting, all of which were approved by the body. The meeting included consideration of the Downtown Lexington Management District FY2019 Budget and two zone change requests for properties on Delaware Avenue and Fortune Drive.

Throughout the session, the council conducted four motions and votes on various matters before them. One member of the public provided comments during the designated public comment period. All three primary agenda items presented to the council received approval, demonstrating a productive evening of municipal governance focused on budget matters and zoning decisions that will impact the Lexington community.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on June 21, 2018:

• Mossotti
• Plomin
• Smith
• Bledsoe
• F. Brown
• J. Brown
• Evans
• Farmer
• Gibbs
• Henson
• Kay
• Lamb

Absent: • Stinnett • Worley • Moloney

No members arrived late to the meeting.

A total of 12 members were present and 3 members were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took action on four items during the June 21, 2018 meeting, with all measures passing unanimously.

Motion 0687-18 0:45 - Council approved the minutes from multiple previous meetings, including the April 10, 2018 Budget Address and the April 12, April 26, and May 3, 2018 Council meetings. The motion was made by Farmer and seconded by Kay, passing unanimously with all 12 members voting in favor: Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, and Lamb.

Motion 0688-18 3:00 - The Council unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2019 budget for the Downtown Lexington Management District. Gibbs made the motion, which was seconded by Evans. All 12 Council members voted in favor of the budget approval.

Motion 0567-18 6:00 - An ordinance changing the zoning from Two-Family Residential (R-2) to Light Industrial (I-1) for properties at 910 and 912 Delaware Avenue received unanimous approval through a roll call vote. Plomin made the motion, seconded by Kay, with all 12 members voting yes.

Motion 0668-18 12:00 - The final item was another zoning change ordinance, converting property at 2375 Fortune Drive from Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4) zone to Light Industrial (I-1) zone. Evans made the motion, which Farmer seconded. The measure passed unanimously on a roll call vote, with all 12 Council members supporting the zoning change.

All votes concluded with 12 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions, demonstrating complete Council consensus on all matters brought forward during this meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council approved several significant contracts and expenditures during the meeting, totaling over $6.7 million in combined spending.

The largest financial commitment was Resolution 0597-18, authorizing a $6,412,416 contract with Tribute Contracting & Consultants, LLC for the Town Branch Commons-Midland Trunk Sewer project. This major infrastructure investment represents the bulk of the meeting's approved expenditures.

Three additional contracts were approved for various municipal improvements:

• LED Street Lighting Upgrade: Resolution 0562-18 approved $13,113.50 to Rexel USA, Inc. for LED street and area outside light replacement in West Hickman, continuing the city's energy efficiency initiatives.

• Historic Stone Fence Restoration: Resolution 0604-18 authorized $238,155.75 to James Miles Construction, Inc. for Old Frankfort Pike stone fence repair, addressing maintenance of the community's historic infrastructure.

• Municipal Building Improvements: Resolution 0695-18 approved $95,455 to Fristoe & Reynolds, Inc. for the Family Care Center boiler replacement project, ensuring continued operation of this public facility.

These expenditures reflect the council's focus on infrastructure maintenance and improvements, ranging from utility upgrades and historic preservation to energy-efficient lighting systems and essential building maintenance. The approved contracts span multiple city departments and represent both routine maintenance needs and significant capital improvements to municipal infrastructure.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the board regarding cannabis policy.

Gina Doherty spoke in favor of cannabis decriminalization 90:00. Doherty advocated for the decriminalization of cannabis and emphasized the importance of aligning policy decisions with religious values. She highlighted what she described as the benefits of cannabis legalization as part of her remarks to the board.

The public comment period provided an opportunity for community input on this policy matter before the board's consideration of related agenda items.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments and reappointments to various city boards and commissions.

New Appointments: • Brian Wells was appointed to the Airport Board • Joshua Nadzam was appointed to the Charles Young Center Advisory Board • Patricia Vertuca was appointed to the Parking Authority Board • Anne Donworth was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board • Kelly Weber was appointed to the Senior Services Commission

Reappointments: • Les Fryman was reappointed to the Emergency Medical Advisory Board • Patricia Howard was reappointed to the Emergency Medical Advisory Board • Chad Taylor was reappointed to the Emergency Medical Advisory Board • Lynn Miles was reappointed to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board

The appointments covered a range of city functions, from transportation and parking to parks and emergency services. Three individuals were reappointed to continue their service on the Emergency Medical Advisory Board, indicating continuity in that area of city oversight.

Downtown Lexington Management District FY2019 Budget

3:00

Jim Frazier presented the FY2019 budget for the Downtown Lexington Management District under agenda item 0688-18. The presentation focused on the district's financial planning for the upcoming fiscal year, with Frazier emphasizing a key operational challenge facing the organization.

The primary issue highlighted during the presentation was the need to implement a temporary budget structure due to an ongoing vendor selection process. Frazier explained that the district was in the midst of choosing new vendors for various services, which created uncertainty in finalizing specific budget allocations and expenditure projections for FY2019.

This temporary budget approach would allow the Downtown Lexington Management District to continue operations while the vendor selection process was completed. Once new vendors were selected and contracts finalized, the district would be able to establish more precise budget figures and make any necessary adjustments to their financial planning.

The presentation addressed the practical implications of operating under this interim budget framework and outlined how the district would manage its financial responsibilities during the transition period. Frazier provided details on the budget structure and explained how it would accommodate the pending vendor decisions.

Following the presentation and discussion, the FY2019 budget for the Downtown Lexington Management District was approved. The approval allowed the district to move forward with its temporary budget while continuing the vendor selection process, ensuring continuity of operations and services in downtown Lexington during the fiscal year transition.

Zone Change for Delaware Avenue

6:00

The council considered Ordinance 0567-18, which proposed rezoning properties at 910 and 912 Delaware Avenue from a Two-Family Residential (R-2) Zone to a Light Industrial (I-1) Zone.

The ordinance was approved by the council, allowing the zoning change to move forward for the Delaware Avenue properties. The rezoning would permit light industrial uses on the parcels, representing a shift from the current residential zoning designation.

No specific speakers or detailed discussion points were captured in the available meeting materials for this agenda item. The council proceeded to approve the zoning change ordinance without recorded debate or concerns raised during the session.

The approval of Ordinance 0567-18 completes the rezoning process for 910 and 912 Delaware Avenue, transitioning these properties from residential to light industrial zoning classification.

Zone Change for Fortune Drive

12:00

The council considered Ordinance 0668-18, which proposed rezoning property at 2375 Fortune Drive from Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4) to Light Industrial (I-1) zoning classification.

The ordinance sought to change the zoning designation for the Fortune Drive property to better align with light industrial uses. The current B-4 zoning permits wholesale and warehouse business operations, while the proposed I-1 zoning would allow for light industrial activities on the site.

No significant discussion or debate was recorded regarding this zoning change proposal. The council proceeded with consideration of the ordinance without extended deliberation on the merits or potential impacts of the rezoning request.

The ordinance was approved by the council, officially changing the zoning classification for 2375 Fortune Drive from B-4 (Wholesale and Warehouse Business) to I-1 (Light Industrial).