Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on October 25, 2018, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gray presiding. The meeting included five agenda items, with the council conducting four motions and votes during the session. Three members of the public provided comments to the council during the meeting.

The council addressed both ceremonial and legislative business during the evening session. Two recognition items were presented as informational matters, honoring the Lexington Fire Department and Alice Forgy Kerr for their contributions to the community. The legislative portion of the meeting focused on three ordinances, all of which received council approval. These ordinances addressed budget amendments, modifications to the Unclassified Civil Service system, and changes to the Code of Ordinances.

The meeting demonstrated the council's dual role in both recognizing community achievements and conducting the administrative business necessary for city operations. All three ordinances presented to the council were successfully approved, indicating consensus among council members on the proposed changes to city policies and budget allocations.

Attendance

The following members were present at the October 25, 2018 meeting:

Present: • Ms. Evans • Mr. Farmer • Mr. Gibbs • Ms. Henson • Vice Mayor Kay • Ms. Lamb • Mr. Moloney • Ms. Mossoti • Ms. Plomin • Mr. Smith • Mr. Worley • Ms. Bledsoe • Mr. Fred Brown • Mr. James Brown

Absent: • Mr. Stinnett

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were present with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted four votes during the October 25, 2018 meeting, all of which passed unanimously with 14 members voting in favor and no opposition.

Motion 1123-18 0:00 - Bill Farmer, Jr. moved to approve the minutes of the October 11, 2018 Council Meeting, seconded by Peggy Henson. The motion passed unanimously with all 14 council members voting in favor: Ms. Evans, Mr. Farmer, Mr. Gibbs, Ms. Henson, Vice Mayor Kay, Ms. Lamb, Mr. Moloney, Ms. Mossoti, Ms. Plomin, Mr. Smith, Mr. Worley, Ms. Bledsoe, Mr. Fred Brown, and Mr. James Brown.

Ordinance 1083-18 1:00 - Vice Mayor Kay moved to approve an ordinance amending certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, seconded by Ms. Henson. The ordinance passed by roll call vote 14-0, with all members voting in favor: Mr. Farmer, Mr. Gibbs, Ms. Henson, Vice Mayor Kay, Ms. Lamb, Mr. Moloney, Ms. Plomin, Mr. Smith, Mr. Worley, Ms. Bledsoe, Mr. Fred Brown, Mr. James Brown, and Ms. Evans.

Ordinance 1030-18 1:30 - Vice Mayor Kay moved to approve an ordinance amending the Unclassified Civil Service authorized strength, seconded by Ms. Henson. The ordinance passed by roll call vote 14-0, with the same 14 council members voting in favor.

Ordinance 1036-18 2:00 - Vice Mayor Kay moved to approve an ordinance amending section 18C-13(3)(j) of the Code of Ordinances, seconded by Ms. Henson. The ordinance passed by roll call vote 14-0, with all 14 council members voting in favor.

All four items received unanimous support from the full council with no abstentions or opposing votes recorded.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial items totaling over $2.1 million in contracts and grant funding across multiple city departments and services.

Major Contracts Approved:

• Resolution 1004-18: Approved a $1,000,000 contract with Hope Center for the operation of the Men's Emergency Homeless Shelter, representing the city's continued commitment to addressing homelessness services.

• Resolution 1020-18: Authorized a $900,000 contract with Hazen & Sawyer, P.S.C. for Sanitary Sewer Assessment Reports and Sanitary Sewer and Waste Water Treatment Plant Remedial Measures Plans, addressing critical infrastructure assessment and planning needs.

Grant Funding Actions:

• Resolution 1019-18: Accepted $71,819 in grant funding from the United States Department of Homeland Security for the purchase of equipment for Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBAs), enhancing emergency response capabilities for the fire department.

• Resolution 1028-18: Approved participation in the Litter Abatement Grant Funding Program for FY 2019, securing $152,750 from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to support environmental cleanup initiatives.

These financial actions demonstrate the city's focus on essential services including emergency shelter operations, critical infrastructure maintenance, public safety equipment, and environmental stewardship. The largest expenditures were directed toward social services and utility infrastructure, while federal and state grant funding helped offset costs for emergency equipment and environmental programs.

Public Comment

Three speakers addressed the council during public comment, all focusing on serious concerns regarding staffing and conditions at the local jail.

Scott Crosby 3:00 spoke first, highlighting severe understaffing and overtime issues at the jail. Crosby emphasized the urgent need for both immediate and long-term solutions to address the safety and working conditions facing correctional officers. He stressed that the current situation posed risks to both staff and inmates.

Emily Bryan 4:00 followed by reading a letter from an inmate that detailed poor conditions and described overworked staff at the jail facility. Bryan urged the council to take action to address these deteriorating conditions, using the inmate's firsthand account to illustrate the severity of the problems.

Steve Parker 5:00 concluded the public comment period by discussing what he characterized as a critical staffing crisis at the jail. Parker focused on the significant impact these shortages were having on correctional officers and called for immediate action from the council to improve working conditions at the facility.

All three speakers presented a consistent message about urgent problems at the jail, with particular emphasis on understaffing issues, excessive overtime requirements for current staff, poor working conditions, and the need for immediate intervention by local government officials. The speakers represented different perspectives - a community member, an advocate reading an inmate's concerns, and another community member - but all conveyed the same underlying message about the critical state of jail operations and staffing.

Contested Items

The meeting featured a heated discussion regarding severe staffing and overtime issues at the jail facility. The contentious debate centered on the critical understaffing levels affecting correctional officers and the resulting excessive overtime requirements that have created unsafe working conditions.

Participants engaged in an intense exchange about the immediate need for solutions to address both the safety concerns for correctional staff and the deteriorating working conditions within the facility. The discussion highlighted the urgent nature of the staffing crisis and its impact on jail operations.

The debate focused on developing both short-term emergency measures and long-term strategic solutions to resolve the staffing shortage. Speakers emphasized the critical need to address the situation promptly to ensure adequate coverage and maintain safe working environments for correctional officers.

The outcome of this contested discussion was not specified in the available meeting materials, though the heated nature of the debate underscored the severity and urgency of the staffing crisis at the jail facility.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps, participant names, and detailed outcomes were not available in the provided meeting materials.*

Recognition of Lexington Fire Department

0:30

The council recognized the Lexington Fire Department for their ongoing efforts in fire prevention and safety during agenda item 0962-18. The recognition was presented as part of National Fire Prevention Month observances.

Key speakers James Brown and Kristin Chilton addressed the council regarding the fire department's community safety initiatives and prevention programs. The presentation highlighted the department's work in educating residents about fire safety measures and their proactive approach to preventing fire-related incidents throughout the community.

This agenda item was informational in nature, serving to formally acknowledge the fire department's contributions to public safety. No action was required from the council, as the item was structured as a recognition presentation rather than a matter requiring deliberation or voting.

The recognition underscored the importance of fire prevention efforts and the department's role in maintaining community safety standards during the designated national awareness month.

Recognition of Alice Forgy Kerr

1:00

During the October 25, 2018 meeting, agenda item 0971-18 presented a recognition ceremony for Senator Alice Forgy Kerr. The presentation honored Senator Kerr's contributions and ongoing support to the community.

Senator Alice Forgy Kerr was presented with the Friend of Kentucky Cities award in acknowledgment of her service and dedication to municipal interests throughout the state. J.D. Cheney participated as a key speaker during the recognition ceremony alongside Senator Kerr herself.

The agenda item served as an informational presentation to formally acknowledge Senator Kerr's work and her positive impact on Kentucky communities. The recognition highlighted her efforts in supporting local government initiatives and her commitment to advancing the interests of cities across the state.

This ceremonial item required no formal action or vote from the meeting participants, as it was purely a recognition and appreciation event for Senator Kerr's service to Kentucky municipalities.

Ordinance amending certain budgets

1:00

The council considered Ordinance 1083-18, which proposed amendments to certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures.

Key speakers during the discussion included Kay and Henson, who addressed the proposed budget modifications. The ordinance was designed to adjust existing budget allocations to better align with the government's current operational needs and expenditure requirements.

The council approved the ordinance, allowing the budget amendments to take effect. The specific details of which budget categories were modified and the amounts involved were not detailed in the available materials, but the measure was presented as necessary to ensure proper alignment between budgeted amounts and actual municipal spending requirements.

The approval of Ordinance 1083-18 enables the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to proceed with the adjusted budget allocations as outlined in the legislation.

Ordinance amending Unclassified Civil Service

1:30

The council considered Ordinance 1030-18, which proposed amendments to the Unclassified Civil Service authorized strength. The ordinance specifically sought to create a new position of Family Support Worker within the city's personnel structure.

Key speakers during the discussion included Kay and Henson, who presented the proposal to the council. The ordinance addressed staffing needs by establishing this new role in the unclassified service category, which typically includes positions that are exempt from standard civil service procedures.

The Family Support Worker position represents an expansion of the city's human services capacity, though the specific department placement and job responsibilities were not detailed in the available materials. The creation of this position required formal amendment to the existing authorized strength levels for unclassified civil service positions.

Following the presentation and discussion, the council approved Ordinance 1030-18. The approval allows the city to proceed with establishing the Family Support Worker position and begin the hiring process for this new role. This action reflects the council's commitment to enhancing family support services within the community through dedicated staffing resources.

Ordinance amending Code of Ordinances

2:00

The council considered Ordinance 1036-18, which proposed amendments to the Code of Ordinances regarding the membership structure of the EMAB Board.

Key speakers during the discussion included Kay and Henson, who presented details about the proposed changes to the board's composition and membership requirements.

The ordinance was approved by the council, implementing the amendments to the EMAB Board membership provisions within the municipal code.

*Note: Limited transcript details were available for this agenda item. The summary reflects the basic information provided about the ordinance's passage and key participants in the discussion.*