Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council met on February 7, 2019, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognizing community contributions, with two informational agenda items presented to acknowledge local service and volunteerism. The Council heard recognition presentations for Ann Hammond and volunteers who participated in the homeless count initiative. During the session, the Council took 2 votes and heard 2 public comments from community members.

Attendance

The meeting on February 7, 2019 had strong attendance with 14 members present and only one absence.

Present: • Moloney • Mossotti • Plomin • Reynolds • Worley • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Evans • Gibbs • Kay • Lamb • McCurn

Absent: • Farmer

Late: • None

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on two items during the February 7, 2019 meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0084-19 2:00 Council member Ellinger motioned to approve an ordinance changing the zoning from a restricted High Density Apartment (R-4) zone to a Light Industrial (I-1) zone for property located at 2370 Sandersville Road. The motion was seconded by F. Brown. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes and 0 nays.

Voting in favor were: Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, and McCurn.

Resolution 0069-19 7:00 Council member Plomin motioned to approve a resolution authorizing and directing the Mayor to execute and submit three grant applications to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The applications are for the Traffic Safety Program, Speed Enforcement Project, and Occupant Protection Program. Ellinger seconded the motion. The resolution passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes and 0 nays.

Voting in favor were: Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, and McCurn.

Both measures received unanimous support from all 14 council members present, with no abstentions recorded on either vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items totaling over $1.1 million in contracts and grant funding.

Facility Management Contract The commission approved Resolution 0053-19 for facility management services for the Fayette County Courthouses. The contract with Meridian Management Corporation is valued at $949,268.53. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting and covers ongoing maintenance and operational services for the county's courthouse facilities.

Traffic Safety Grant Funding Resolution 0069-19 authorized acceptance of $208,559.50 in grant funding from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. These funds will support three traffic safety initiatives: • Traffic Safety Program • Speed Enforcement Project • Occupant Protection Program

The grant represents state funding to enhance road safety measures and enforcement capabilities within Fayette County.

Combined, these two resolutions account for $1,157,828.03 in approved financial actions, with the majority allocated to ongoing facility operations and a smaller portion dedicated to public safety improvements through traffic enforcement programs.

Public Comment

Two speakers addressed the board during the public comment period, both opposing a proposed moratorium on the Pensacola Park Area.

T.L. Wise 3:00 spoke first, objecting to the moratorium on several grounds. Mr. Wise raised concerns about the lack of proper notice provided to property owners who would be affected by the proposed restrictions. He also highlighted the potential for financial injury that property owners could face as a result of the moratorium being implemented.

Julie Butcher 3:30 followed with her opposition to the moratorium. Ms. Butcher argued that the moratorium was being used as a tool to halt development in the area rather than serving its stated purpose of historic preservation. She contended that the true motivation behind the proposed moratorium was to stop development projects, not to protect historic resources as claimed.

Both speakers focused their comments specifically on the Pensacola Park Area moratorium, expressing concerns about the process and underlying motivations for the proposed action. The public comments reflected opposition from community members who viewed the moratorium as either procedurally flawed or misaligned with its stated preservation goals.

Appointments

The meeting included two mayoral appointments to administrative positions within the Office of the Mayor.

• Andrea James was appointed as Administrative Aide to the Mayor

• Quinton Welch was appointed as Administrative Specialist in the Office of the Mayor

Both appointments were processed during the meeting, adding new staff members to support the Mayor's office operations.

Contested Items

The February 7, 2019 meeting featured one primary contested item that generated significant community opposition.

Moratorium on Pensacola Park Area

The proposed moratorium on the Pensacola Park Area became a point of contention during the meeting, drawing opposition from affected property owners. The disagreement centered on concerns that the moratorium proposal was being rushed through the approval process without adequate notice to stakeholders in the community.

Property owners in the affected area voiced their opposition, arguing that they had not received sufficient advance warning about the proposed moratorium and its potential impacts on their properties. The opponents felt that the expedited timeline did not allow for proper community input or thorough consideration of the implications.

The nature of the opposition focused on procedural concerns rather than the merits of the moratorium itself, with critics emphasizing the importance of following proper notification protocols and allowing adequate time for public review and comment on measures that could significantly affect property rights and development opportunities in the Pensacola Park Area.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps, participant names, and the final outcome of this contested item are not available in the provided meeting data.*

Recognition - Ann Hammond

1:00

The city recognized Ann Hammond for her contributions to the Lexington Public Library as she prepares to return to California. This recognition was presented as agenda item 0150-19.

Mayor Gorton, J. Brown, and Lamb participated in acknowledging Hammond's service to the library system. The recognition highlighted Hammond's work and dedication during her time with the Lexington Public Library.

This was an informational presentation with no formal action required. The recognition served to formally acknowledge Hammond's contributions before her departure from the community.

Recognition - Homeless Count Volunteers

1:30

The City recognized volunteers who participated in the annual Homeless Count despite challenging weather conditions. Agenda item 0151-19 served as a formal acknowledgment of community members who assisted with this important data collection effort.

Mayor Gorton and Polly Ruddick were the key speakers for this recognition presentation. The volunteers being honored had conducted the homeless count during what were described as extreme weather conditions, demonstrating their commitment to gathering critical data about the community's homeless population despite difficult circumstances.

This was an informational item that did not require council action. The recognition highlighted the valuable contribution of community volunteers in supporting the city's efforts to understand and address homelessness through accurate population counts, which are typically used for planning services and securing funding for homeless assistance programs.

The annual Homeless Count is a standard practice for municipalities to track homeless populations and is often required for federal funding applications and program planning purposes.