Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on April 25, 2019, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognizing community achievements, with two informational agenda items honoring local accomplishments. The council heard 2 public comments from citizens and conducted 2 votes during the session. The meeting featured recognitions for Rose Lucas and the University of Kentucky Debate Team, highlighting their contributions to the community.

Attendance

The following members were present at the April 25, 2019 meeting:

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

Absent: • Farmer • Kay

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 April 25, 2019 meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0362-19 1:30 Council member Ellinger motioned to approve an ordinance changing the zoning from Agricultural Urban (A-U) to Single Family Residential (R-1A) for property located at 2200 Old Higbee Mill Rd. The motion was seconded by Plomin. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Gibbs, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, and Worley.

Resolution 0351-19 2:45 Council member J. Brown motioned to approve a resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a multi-year Professional Services Agreement with Frost Brown Todd, LLC for collective bargaining negotiations. Ellinger seconded the motion. The resolution passed unanimously by roll call vote with 13 ayes and 0 nays. The same 13 council members voted in favor: Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Gibbs, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, and Worley.

Both votes demonstrated unanimous support from all present council members, with no abstentions recorded for either measure.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant infrastructure contracts totaling approximately $4.5 million in public expenditures.

Old Frankfort Pike Scenic Viewing Area Contract The council considered Resolution 0335-19, authorizing a contract with Meadowbrook Concrete, LLC for $496,750 to develop the Old Frankfort Pike Scenic Viewing Area. This project represents a substantial investment in recreational infrastructure and public amenities.

Lansdowne South Trunk Sewer Replacement A major sewer infrastructure project was addressed through Resolution 0361-19, awarding a contract to Cleary Construction, Inc. for $3,994,754 for the Lansdowne South Trunk Sewer Replacement. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting and reflects ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade critical utility infrastructure.

The combined value of these two contracts totals $4,491,504, representing significant capital investments in both recreational facilities and essential infrastructure systems. Both resolutions involved competitive contracting processes with established construction companies serving as the selected vendors.

Public Comment

Two community members addressed the council during the public comment period, both focusing on police accountability issues.

Sara Williams 3:30 spoke about police accountability and collective bargaining concerns. Williams expressed concerns about the current state of police accountability and urged the council to reconsider the collective bargaining agreement. She specifically called for the inclusion of more public input in the collective bargaining process.

April Taylor 4:45 also addressed police accountability matters. Taylor emphasized the need for greater police accountability and shared the names of individuals who have been affected by police actions, though the specific names were not detailed in the available summary.

Both speakers focused their comments on the theme of police accountability, with Williams specifically connecting this issue to the collective bargaining process and the need for enhanced public participation in police oversight matters.

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to municipal boards and commissions.

Board of Health • Dr. Mathew Zimmerman was appointed to the Board of Health

Commission on Veterans' Affairs • Brig. General Benjamin Adams was appointed to the Commission on Veterans' Affairs

Both appointments were approved during the April 25, 2019 meeting.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during this meeting was the police collective bargaining agreement, which faced significant community opposition.

Police Collective Bargaining Agreement

Community members raised concerns about the police collective bargaining agreement process, specifically criticizing the lack of public input in negotiations. Multiple residents spoke during public comment to express their opposition to the proposed agreement and urged the city council to delay the scheduled vote.

The nature of the disagreement centered on transparency and community involvement in the bargaining process. Community members argued that decisions affecting police operations and accountability should include meaningful public participation, which they felt had been absent from the current negotiations.

The outcome of this contested item was not specified in the available meeting materials, though the community's request for a delayed vote indicates there was substantial pressure on the council to reconsider the timing of their decision on the police collective bargaining agreement.

Recognition of Rose Lucas

0:45

The council presented agenda item 0402-19, a recognition of the late Rose Lucas for her significant contributions to the city, with particular emphasis on her work in downtown revitalization efforts.

Mayor Gorton and J. Brown served as the key speakers during this presentation, highlighting Lucas's impact on the community and her dedication to improving the downtown area.

This was an informational item presented to honor Lucas's memory and acknowledge her civic contributions. No formal action was required or taken by the council, as this was a ceremonial recognition of her service to the city.

The presentation focused specifically on Lucas's role in downtown revitalization, though the specific details of her contributions and the timeline of her involvement were not detailed in the available materials.

Recognition of UK Debate Team

1:00

The council recognized the University of Kentucky Debate Team for their outstanding achievement in winning the national debate tournament. Mayor Gorton and council member Gibbs participated in presenting this recognition to the team.

As part of the recognition, April 25, 2019, was officially declared UK Debate Team Day to honor the team's national championship victory. The presentation served as an informational item to celebrate the academic and competitive excellence demonstrated by the university's debate program.

The recognition highlighted the team's success in representing both the University of Kentucky and the broader community at the national level through their tournament victory. This agenda item was purely ceremonial in nature, with no formal action required beyond the proclamation of the special day designation.