Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on August 16, 2018, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting addressed three agenda items, including a recognition ceremony for Rick Curtis, a zone change proposal for N. Limestone Street that received its first reading, and conditional offers of employment that were approved by the council. During the session, council members conducted three formal votes and heard from four members of the public during the public comment period. The meeting covered both ceremonial business and substantive policy matters affecting the Lexington community.

Attendance

All members were present at the meeting on August 16, 2018.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on three items during the August 16, 2018 meeting, with all measures passing unanimously.

Meeting Minutes Approval 0:00 Ms. Plomin moved to approve the minutes from multiple previous meetings, including the June 12, 2018 Zone Change Meeting and the June 7, June 21, July 3, and July 5, 2018 Council Meetings. Vice Mayor Kay seconded the motion. The measure passed unanimously with all 15 council members voting in favor: Stinnett, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, and Smith.

Resolution 0848-18 7:00 Mr. Gibbs moved to approve Resolution 0848-18 regarding conditional offers of employment for various positions. Vice Mayor Kay seconded the motion. The resolution passed unanimously 15-0, with the same council members voting in favor.

Resolution 0794-18 8:00 Mr. Stinnett moved to approve Resolution 0794-18 for the advertisement of bids for General Obligation Bonds, Series 2018A. Mr. Farmer seconded the motion. This resolution also passed unanimously 15-0, with all council members voting in favor.

All three votes demonstrated complete consensus among the council members present, with no opposition or abstentions recorded on any of the items considered during this portion of the meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council approved three significant contracts totaling $530,603.75 during the meeting.

Infrastructure and Accessibility Improvements

The council authorized Resolution 0802-18, awarding a $21,500 contract to ZKB Services, LLC for construction of an ADA ramp at the Versailles Road Campus. This project addresses accessibility compliance requirements for the facility.

Road Infrastructure Project

Resolution 0833-18 approved a $250,103.75 contract with L-M Asphalt Partners Ltd. d/b/a ATS Construction for the Man O' War Boulevard Public Improvement Project at the Richmond Road intersection. This represents the largest single expenditure approved during the meeting and focuses on enhancing a major traffic corridor.

Public Safety Facility Maintenance

The council passed Resolution 0844-18, authorizing a $259,000 contract with Bri-Den Roofing, a Tecta America Co., for roof replacement at the Police Training Center. This maintenance project ensures the continued operational capacity of this critical public safety facility.

These three contracts demonstrate the council's commitment to maintaining and improving public infrastructure, ensuring ADA compliance, and supporting public safety operations through necessary facility upgrades.

Public Comment

Four speakers addressed the council during public comment, all advocating for cannabis-related policy changes [timestamp: 03:00-06:00].

Jenny Seville opened the public comment period by submitting a lowest law enforcement priority ordinance for cannabis possession 3:00. She urged the council to protect citizens from arrests related to cannabis possession by adopting the proposed ordinance.

Brian Lawyer followed, also advocating for the lowest law enforcement priority ordinance for cannabis possession 4:00. Lawyer emphasized liberty and constitutional rights as key reasons for supporting the measure, framing the issue in terms of individual freedoms.

Ashley Taylor presented data-driven arguments in favor of the ordinance 5:00. Taylor highlighted two specific concerns: the increase in overdose deaths and racial disparities in cannabis arrests. She urged the council to consider these factors when evaluating the proposed ordinance.

Chris, who identified himself as a disabled veteran, provided personal testimony supporting the cannabis ordinance 6:00. He shared his experience using cannabis to reduce his methadone intake and manage pain, offering a medical perspective on cannabis use. Chris asked the council to support the ordinance based on his personal story and medical needs.

All four speakers focused on cannabis policy reform, with arguments ranging from constitutional rights and law enforcement priorities to public health concerns and medical necessity. The speakers presented both policy-based arguments and personal testimony to support their position on the lowest law enforcement priority ordinance for cannabis possession.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments and reappointments to various municipal boards and committees.

New Appointments: • Ralph Coldiron was appointed to the Address Enforcement Administrative Hearing Board

Reappointments: • Harry Clarke was reappointed to the Board of Adjustment • Michael Friesen was reappointed to the Board of Health

These appointments help ensure continued staffing of important municipal oversight bodies that handle various administrative and regulatory functions for the community.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during this meeting was a proposed cannabis legalization ordinance that generated significant community discussion and opposition.

Cannabis Legalization Ordinance

The meeting featured debate over a proposed ordinance that would make cannabis possession a low priority for law enforcement. Several community members spoke in favor of the ordinance during the public comment period, presenting arguments focused on two main areas:

• Racial Disparity Concerns: Supporters highlighted issues of racial disparity in cannabis enforcement, arguing that current enforcement practices disproportionately impact certain communities.

• Medical Use Considerations: Advocates emphasized the medical benefits of cannabis use and the need for patients to have access without fear of prosecution.

The nature of the opposition was characterized as "community opposition," though the specific details of opposing viewpoints or the number of speakers on each side were not detailed in the available materials. The discussion represented a broader community divide on cannabis policy reform.

The outcome of this contested item was not specified in the available meeting materials, leaving unclear whether the council took any formal action on the proposed ordinance or scheduled it for future consideration.

This cannabis ordinance discussion reflects ongoing policy debates occurring in many municipalities regarding local enforcement priorities for cannabis-related offenses, particularly in the context of evolving state and federal cannabis laws.

Recognition - Rick Curtis

2:00

The council recognized Rick Curtis for his induction into the Kentucky Veterans' Hall of Fame and celebrated his distinguished 40-year career with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG).

Mayor Gray and J. Brown served as key speakers during this recognition presentation, highlighting Curtis's significant contributions both to military service and local government. The recognition acknowledged Curtis's dual achievement of being inducted into the prestigious Kentucky Veterans' Hall of Fame while also completing four decades of dedicated service to LFUCG.

This agenda item (0782-18) was presented as an informational recognition, celebrating Curtis's long-standing commitment to public service and his distinguished military background that earned him a place among Kentucky's honored veterans. The presentation provided an opportunity for the council to formally acknowledge Curtis's contributions to both the community and the broader veteran community in Kentucky.

The recognition served as a ceremonial acknowledgment of Curtis's career milestones and did not require any formal action by the council.

Zone Change for N. Limestone St.

7:00

The council conducted the first reading of Ordinance 0813-18, which proposes to rezone properties on N. Limestone Street from Neighborhood Business (B-1) to High Density Apartment (R-4) zoning.

The ordinance would change the zoning classification to allow for higher density residential development in place of the current neighborhood business designation. This represents a shift from commercial use potential to multi-family residential housing options.

As a first reading, no formal discussion or debate occurred during this agenda item. The ordinance was presented to the council and will proceed through the standard legislative process, which typically includes additional readings and opportunities for public input before final consideration.

The item concluded with the first reading being completed, allowing the ordinance to advance to subsequent readings where more detailed discussion and public comment would be expected.

Conditional Offers of Employment

7:00

The board considered Resolution 0848-18, which authorized conditional offers of employment for various positions across different divisions within the organization.

Mr. Gibbs presented the resolution to the board members. The resolution outlined the authorization for conditional employment offers to fill multiple vacant positions throughout various organizational divisions, though the specific positions and divisions were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The resolution was presented as part of the board's regular personnel actions, allowing the organization to move forward with hiring processes for needed staff positions. Conditional offers of employment typically allow organizations to extend job offers pending completion of background checks, reference verification, and other standard pre-employment requirements.

No significant discussion or debate was recorded regarding this agenda item. The board appeared to treat this as routine personnel business, with no concerns raised about the proposed conditional employment offers.

The board approved Resolution 0848-18 without opposition, authorizing the conditional offers of employment as presented. This approval allows the organization to proceed with extending job offers to selected candidates for the various open positions, subject to completion of standard hiring procedures and requirements.