Rural Land Management Board

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Rural Land Management Board met on January 30, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber at 101 East Vine St., Lexington, KY 40507, with Gloria Martin presiding. The board conducted nine votes during the meeting and heard one public comment. The meeting included two informational presentations: a Chair Report and a Staff Report.

The board approved several administrative items, including the December 12, 2018 meeting minutes, the Updated 2019 Meeting Calendar, and the Standing and Ad Hoc Committee Chairs and Members. The board also authorized Chair Gloria Martin to move the RLMB's account at the Blue Grass Community Foundation to a local bank. Following a closed session held pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(b), the board voted to terminate the contract with Farm 10-2011 without penalty and authorized staff to request $2 million in the FY-2020 Budget Request. The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn.

Attendance

Present: Gloria Martin, Beth Cawood, Linda Gordon, Ian Young, Heather Nolan, Zachary, Dr. Healy, Don, Phil Meyer, Mariana, Frank Penn, Mary Ann, Dee Dee Delaney, Knox Van Ugel, Will Mayer, Elizabeth Jensen, Mary Diane Hanna, Dennis Anderson, Sally Hamilton, and Kathy Plowman.

Absent: Greg Bibb.

Late: None.

Votes and Decisions

The following motions were voted on and passed by voice vote during the meeting:

December 12, 2018 Minutes 17:15 Motion by Gloria Martin to approve the December 12, 2018 Minutes as amended. Passed.

Updated 2019 Meeting Calendar 23:07 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to approve the Updated 2019 Meeting Calendar as presented. Passed.

Standing and Ad Hoc Committee Chairs and Members 29:06 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to approve the Standing and Ad Hoc Committee Chairs and Members as presented. Passed.

Account Transfer Authorization 34:33 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to authorize Chair Gloria Martin to move the RLMB's account at the Blue Grass Community Foundation to a local bank. Passed. The motion included authorization to implore Bluegrass Community Foundation to refund fees.

Closed Session 42:54 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to enter into Closed Session pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(b) to discuss the potential acquisition of a real property interest. Passed.

FY-2020 Budget Request 45:00 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to authorize staff to request $2.1 million in the FY-2020 Budget Request. Passed.

Contract Termination 46:13 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to terminate the contract with Farm 10-2011 without penalty as discussed in Closed Session. Passed.

Special Meeting Scheduled 48:02 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to schedule a special meeting on February 13, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. in the Phoenix Building to discuss property acquisition in closed session. Passed. This meeting will precede the February 13 workshop on internal audit.

Adjournment 49:37 Motion by Gloria Martin, seconded by John, to adjourn. Passed.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting included a request for $2,100,000 in appropriations for the FY-2020 Budget Request to support Rural Land Management Board operations.

Public Comment

2:45

A speaker addressed the need for volunteer support and community participation in the annual homelessness count. The speaker highlighted opportunities for the public to contribute through volunteering and donations.

Key points included:

• Volunteers are needed for the homelessness count initiative
• Interested participants can engage through the program's Facebook page
• Mandatory training is required for volunteers
• Community members are encouraged to donate care packages to support the effort

The speaker emphasized the importance of public participation in this annual counting effort and outlined the specific ways residents could get involved.

Appointments

The following individuals were appointed to committees during the meeting:

Education and Outreach Committee - Zachary - Dr. Healy

Budget and Finance Committee - Don - Phil Meyer - Dennis Anderson

Ordinance and Plan Oversight Committee - Mariana - Frank Penn - Mary Ann - Dee Dee Delaney - Knox Van Ugel

Applications Review and Donations Committee - Will Mayer - Elizabeth Jensen - Mary Diane Hanna

Contested Items

Meeting Frequency and Attendance Requirements

The board addressed a procedural dispute regarding meeting frequency and attendance requirements. The core concern centered on a 25% attendance requirement that board members found difficult to maintain given the existing schedule of only six annual meetings. Members expressed worry that the current meeting structure created unnecessary risk of absences leading to potential removal from the board.

In response to these concerns, the board made a decision to increase the frequency of meetings. This change was intended to make it easier for members to maintain compliance with attendance requirements and reduce the likelihood of involuntary removals due to absences.

Motion to approve the December 12, 2018 Minutes as presented

17:15

The board reviewed the minutes from the December 12, 2018 meeting. During this review, Gloria Martin identified a correction needed in the document.

The board updated the appointment date of voting members from April to November 15, 2018 to reflect the accurate timeline. Additionally, the board noted the importance of recording excused absences in future minutes to maintain complete and accurate records of attendance.

The motion to approve the December 12, 2018 minutes as presented, with the noted correction, was approved.

Motion to approve the Updated 2019 Meeting Calendar as presented

23:07

The board considered an updated 2019 meeting calendar designed to increase the frequency of regular meetings. Gloria Martin presented the calendar to the board.

The primary rationale for the updated calendar was to ensure compliance with a 25% attendance requirement and to reduce the need for special meetings. By scheduling more frequent regular meetings throughout the year, the board aimed to create a more predictable meeting schedule that would help members maintain the required attendance threshold.

The board approved the updated 2019 meeting calendar as presented.

Motion to approve the Standing and Ad Hoc Committee Chairs and Members as presented

29:06

The board considered a motion to approve the appointment of committee chairs and members for the organization's standing and ad hoc committees. Gloria Martin presented this agenda item.

The motion addressed the appointment of leadership and membership for four committees:

• Education and Outreach
• Budget and Finance
• Ordinance and Plan Oversight
• Applications Review and Donations

The board approved the motion as presented, confirming the committee chairs and members for these four committees.

Motion to authorize Chair Gloria Martin to move the RLMB's account at the Blue Grass Community Foundation to a local bank

34:33

The board discussed and approved a motion to authorize Chair Gloria Martin to transfer the RLMB's account from the Blue Grass Community Foundation to Central Bank.

Key speakers: Beth Cawood and Gloria Martin led the discussion on this agenda item.

Rationale for the transfer: The board cited two primary reasons for moving the account:

• The Blue Grass Community Foundation currently charges a $250 annual fee
• Central Bank offers the ability to open a nonprofit account with no fee

Outcome: The motion was approved, authorizing Chair Gloria Martin to proceed with transferring the organization's funds to Central Bank.

Chair Report

Gloria Martin provided an update on several ongoing matters during this informational presentation 35:38.

Planning and Public Safety Committee Progress

The Chair reported on the Planning and Public Safety Committee's recent activities and progress on its initiatives.

Internal Audit Work Session

Martin announced an upcoming work session focused on the internal audit, indicating this would be an opportunity for the body to review and discuss audit findings and related matters.

External Engagement

The Chair reported on her engagement with external organizations, including the Farm Bureau and other groups. This engagement reflected the Chair's outreach efforts to stakeholders and community partners.

Outcome

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action or decision required.

Staff Report

Beth Cawood presented a staff report covering three main items 39:03.

Farm Closure and Acreage Update

Staff reported on the closure of a 90-acre farm. This closure brought the total acreage managed to 29,760 acres.

Farm Bill Webinar Participation

Staff participated in a Farm Bill webinar, keeping the organization informed on relevant federal agricultural policy developments.

Council Presentation Preparation

Staff indicated they are preparing for an upcoming council presentation, though specific details about the presentation topic and timing were not provided in this report.

This was an informational agenda item with no action required.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, information was shared regarding volunteer and donation opportunities for the annual homelessness count. 2:45

The commenter provided details on how community members could get involved in supporting this initiative, directing interested parties to the organization's Facebook page for additional information and to sign up for participation.

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal debate or action items resulting from the public comment.

Motion to enter into Closed Session pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(b)

The board considered a motion to enter into closed session under Kentucky Revised Statute 61.810(1)(b) 42:54.

Key Speaker

Gloria Martin presented the motion to the board.

Discussion and Rationale

The board discussed the need to conduct closed session proceedings to address potential real property acquisitions. The motion cited the statutory authority under KRS 61.810(1)(b), which permits closed sessions for matters involving real property transactions. The board noted that discussing these potential acquisitions in open session would risk negatively affecting property values, thereby compromising the board's ability to negotiate effectively and secure favorable terms.

Outcome

The board unanimously approved the motion to enter into closed session. This approval allowed the board to proceed with confidential discussions regarding the potential real property acquisitions without public disclosure.

Motion to terminate the contract with Farm 10-2011 without penalty

46:13

The board considered a motion to terminate the contract with Farm 10-2011 without penalty. Gloria Martin was the key speaker on this agenda item.

The termination had been previously discussed in closed session. Based on that discussion, the board voted to approve the motion to terminate the contract with Farm 10-2011 without penalty.

The motion was approved.

Motion to authorize staff to request $2 million in the FY-2020 Budget Request

45:00

The board considered a motion to authorize staff to request funding in the FY-2020 budget. Gloria Martin was the key speaker on this agenda item.

During discussion, the board reviewed the initial request amount of $2 million. The motion was approved, though the authorized amount was adjusted during the voting process. The final approved amount for the FY-2020 budget request was $2.1 million, representing an increase of $100,000 from the originally proposed figure.

Outcome: The motion was approved.

Motion to Adjourn

The board voted to adjourn the meeting at approximately 4:56 p.m. 49:37. Gloria Martin presented the motion to adjourn, which was approved by the board.