Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on October 11, 2018, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting addressed two agenda items, including an informational presentation about the Junior Fire Chief program and consideration of an ordinance to close a portion of Jefferson Street. The council took two votes during the session and heard from two members of the public during the comment period. The ordinance regarding the Jefferson Street closure was approved by the council.

Attendance

The following members were present at the October 11, 2018 meeting:

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

Absent: • Evans • Plomin

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were present and 2 members were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the October 11, 2018 meeting.

Approval of Minutes 1:30 Councilmember Mossotti motioned to approve the minutes from the September 27, 2018 Council Meeting, with a second from Councilmember Henson. The motion passed unanimously with all 14 members voting in favor, including J. Brown, Farmer, Gibbs, Henson, Kay, Lamb, Moloney, Mossotti, Smith, Stinnett, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and Mayor Gray.

Ordinance 0996-18 4:00 Councilmember Farmer motioned on Ordinance 0996-18 regarding the closing of a portion of Jefferson Street, with Councilmember Stinnett providing the second. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 11 members voting in favor and 2 opposed.

Those voting in favor were: • J. Brown • Farmer • Gibbs • Kay • Lamb • Mossotti • Smith • Stinnett • Worley • Bledsoe • F. Brown

Those voting against were: • Henson • Moloney

No abstentions were recorded on either vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial contracts requiring council approval.

Tornado Shelter Construction Contract The council considered Resolution 1015-18, authorizing a contract with Harbor Enterprises, LLC D/B/A Survive-A-Storm for $69,095 to construct a tornado shelter for the MRF (Materials Recovery Facility). This contract represents a safety infrastructure investment for the municipal facility.

Software Platform Services Contract Resolution 0952-18 was presented for approval, establishing a contract with Accela, Inc. for $415,000 to provide Accela Civic Platform subscription and support services. This substantial technology investment will support the city's digital infrastructure and civic operations platform.

The two contracts combined represent $484,095 in municipal expenditures, with the software platform contract comprising the majority of the financial commitment at approximately 85% of the total amount.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the council during the public comment period.

George Guyn 3:00 spoke about wage inequity within the Division of Waste Management. Guyn highlighted concerns regarding fair compensation and advocated for the implementation of a step program to address these disparities in employee wages.

Carolyn Colliver 4:30 expressed her opposition to the proposed demolition of the Jefferson Street Viaduct. Colliver raised concerns about potential traffic impacts and criticized what she characterized as insufficient studies conducted on the demolition project.

Both speakers focused on local infrastructure and municipal employment issues affecting the community.

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to city boards and commissions.

Affordable Housing Governing Board • Lisa Ball was reappointed to the Affordable Housing Governing Board

City Employees Pension Fund Board • Fred Brown was appointed to the City Employees Pension Fund Board

Both appointments were processed during the meeting proceedings.

Contested Items

Two significant issues generated substantial debate and opposition during the October 11, 2018 meeting.

Jefferson Street Viaduct Demolition

Multiple community members voiced strong opposition to the proposed demolition of the Jefferson Street Viaduct. Residents raised concerns about the potential traffic impacts that would result from removing the structure, arguing that insufficient traffic studies had been conducted to assess the consequences of demolition. The community opposition centered on the lack of comprehensive analysis regarding how traffic patterns would be affected once the viaduct is removed, with speakers questioning whether adequate planning had been done to address potential congestion and routing issues.

Waste Management Wage Inequity

A heated discussion emerged when employees from the Division of Waste Management addressed the council about wage inequity within their department. Workers spoke directly to council members about disparities in compensation and advocated for the implementation of a step program that would provide more structured wage progression. The employee testimony prompted extensive discussion among council members as they debated potential solutions to address the wage disparities. The nature of the discussion was characterized as particularly intense, suggesting significant disagreement either among council members themselves or between the council and administration regarding how to resolve the compensation issues raised by the waste management workers.

Both contested items involved direct public participation, with community members and city employees bringing their concerns directly to the council floor, resulting in substantive debate about municipal policies and their impacts on residents and workers.

Junior Fire Chief

2:00

Mayor Gray and Fire Chief Kristin Chilton presented agenda item 1044-18 to recognize Jr. Fire Chief Brandon Anderson during the October 11, 2018 meeting. The presentation served as both a recognition ceremony and official proclamation.

During the presentation, Mayor Gray and Chief Chilton honored Brandon Anderson's service as Junior Fire Chief. As part of the recognition, the city officially declared October 11, 2018, as "Jr. Fire Chief Brandon Anderson Day" in Lexington.

The agenda item was structured as an informational presentation with no formal action required from the council. Mayor Gray and Chief Kristin Chilton served as the key speakers for this recognition ceremony.

This ceremonial item highlighted the city's Junior Fire Chief program and acknowledged Brandon Anderson's contributions in that role. The proclamation of a dedicated day in his honor demonstrates the city's commitment to recognizing youth involvement in public service programs.

The presentation concluded without any debate or concerns raised by council members, as it was purely ceremonial in nature.

Ordinance closing a portion of Jefferson St.

4:00

The council considered Ordinance 0996-18, which proposed closing a portion of Jefferson Street and transferring the right-of-way to the adjacent property owner. The ordinance included provisions requiring the installation of traffic safety features as part of the street closure process.

During the discussion, Farmer and Stinnett served as the key speakers addressing the proposed street closure. The ordinance outlined the specific section of Jefferson Street to be vacated and the terms under which the right-of-way would be transferred to the neighboring property owner.

The proposal incorporated traffic safety measures to address potential concerns about the street closure's impact on vehicle and pedestrian movement in the area. These safety provisions were designed to ensure that the closure would not create hazardous conditions for residents and visitors navigating the vicinity.

The council ultimately approved Ordinance 0996-18, authorizing the closure of the designated portion of Jefferson Street and the transfer of the right-of-way to the adjacent owner, contingent upon the implementation of the specified traffic safety features.