Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on August 30, 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 recognition ceremony for the Roots & Heritage Festival and consideration of amendments to the Public Arts Commission.

During the session, the council conducted two formal votes and heard from two members of the public during the comment period. The meeting resulted in the approval of amendments to the Public Arts Commission, while the Roots & Heritage Festival recognition served as an informational presentation to acknowledge the community event.

Attendance

The following members were present at the August 30, 2018 meeting:

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

Absent: Moloney, Lamb

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the August 30, 2018 meeting.

Ordinance 0813-18 4:00 The council voted on an ordinance changing the zone from a Neighborhood Business (B-1) zone to a High Density Apartment (R-4) zone. Council member Farmer made the motion, which was seconded by Plomin. The ordinance passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members present voted in favor: Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Mossotti, Plomin, Smith, and Stinnett.

Resolution 0865-18 8:00 The council considered a resolution designating funds for art on property owned by the Urban County Government. Farmer made the motion, with Kay providing the second. This resolution passed on a roll call vote of 9 ayes to 4 nays, with no abstentions.

Council members voting in favor were: F. Brown, J. Brown, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Mossotti, Plomin, and Smith.

Council members voting against were: Worley, Bledsoe, Evans, and Stinnett.

Both items required roll call votes, with the zoning ordinance receiving unanimous support while the arts funding resolution saw more divided opinion among council members.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant capital improvement contracts totaling $280,500.

ADA Compliance Project The board approved Resolution 0802-18, authorizing a $21,500 contract with ZKB Services, LLC for the construction of an ADA ramp at the Versailles Road Campus. This accessibility improvement project ensures compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements at the facility.

Police Training Center Infrastructure Resolution 0844-18 was approved, awarding a $259,000 contract to Bri-Den Roofing, a Tecta America Co., for roof replacement at the Police Training Center. This substantial infrastructure investment represents the majority of the financial commitments made during the meeting and addresses critical facility maintenance needs for the training facility.

Both resolutions represent necessary capital expenditures for facility improvements and compliance requirements across the organization's properties.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the council during the public comment period, raising concerns about municipal financing and law enforcement priorities.

Frank Harris spoke at 2:00:00 regarding the city's debt and public financing decisions. Harris criticized the city's decision to finance the Rupp Arena renovation, arguing that this approach places an unfair financial burden on future generations through increased municipal debt.

Patrick Schulz addressed the council at 2:05:00 on the topic of cannabis legalization policy. Schulz advocated for the city to make cannabis possession the lowest priority for law enforcement activities. He emphasized the potential benefits that cannabis could provide for veterans, highlighting this as a key consideration in policy discussions.

The public comment period covered two distinct policy areas - municipal finance and law enforcement priorities - with speakers presenting their perspectives on how current city decisions might impact residents and specific populations within the community.

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to local boards and commissions.

Civil Service Commission • Donna Robinson Wilson was appointed to the Civil Service Commission

Downtown Lexington Management District • Thomas Pettit was appointed to the Downtown Lexington Management District

Both appointments were approved during the meeting proceedings.

Contested Items

The August 30, 2018 meeting featured two significant contested matters that required council attention and resolution.

Ad Valorem Tax Rates Recertification

A procedural dispute arose regarding the city's ad valorem tax rates due to an administrative error. The administration discovered a mistake in the tangible personal property assessments that had been previously calculated and approved. This error necessitated a complete recertification and recalculation of the ad valorem tax rates to ensure compliance with legal requirements. The nature of the dispute centered on the procedural steps needed to correct the assessment error and implement the revised tax rates properly.

Greg Butler Planning Commission Appointment

A more contentious issue involved the appointment of Greg Butler to the Planning Commission, which resulted in a split vote among council members. Despite the Mayor's strong support and public advocacy for Butler's qualifications and suitability for the position, the council ultimately voted to remove Butler's nomination from consideration. This decision created a clear division between the executive and legislative branches, with the Mayor backing the appointment while a majority of council members opposed it. The disagreement highlighted differing perspectives on the candidate's qualifications or appropriateness for the Planning Commission role.

Both contested items demonstrated the council's willingness to challenge administrative recommendations and exercise independent judgment, even when it meant opposing the Mayor's position on appointments or requiring additional procedural steps to correct administrative errors.

Recognition - Roots & Heritage Festival

10:00

Mayor Gray and Council Member J. Brown presented a recognition for the Roots & Heritage Festival, which was celebrating its 30th anniversary milestone. The agenda item 0888-18 served as a ceremonial presentation to honor the festival's three decades of community service.

Key speakers during this recognition included Mayor Gray, Council Member J. Brown, and Kimberly Baird, who participated in the presentation ceremony. The recognition highlighted the festival's significant contribution to the community over its 30-year history.

This was an informational item that did not require council action or voting. The presentation served to formally acknowledge the festival's anniversary and its ongoing role in celebrating the community's cultural roots and heritage. No concerns were raised during this ceremonial recognition, and the item concluded as a positive acknowledgment of the festival's longstanding community impact.

Amending Public Arts Commission

1:00:00

The council considered Ordinance 0864-18 to restructure the Public Arts Commission by reducing its membership from sixteen to nine members and updating member qualifications.

Farmer served as the key speaker presenting this ordinance to the council. The proposed changes would significantly downsize the commission while also revising the criteria for who can serve as members.

The ordinance was approved by the council, implementing the new structure for the Public Arts Commission moving forward. The reduction from sixteen to nine members represents a substantial decrease in the commission's size, which may impact how the body operates and makes decisions regarding public arts initiatives in the community.

The updated member qualifications outlined in the ordinance will establish new standards for individuals seeking to serve on the restructured commission.