Urban Council Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on June 6, 2019, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting featured two informational agenda items, including a D-Day 75th Anniversary Presentation and a recognition for Rachel Seevers. During the session, the council conducted two motions and votes, heard one public comment, and received the two presentations. The meeting focused primarily on commemorative and recognition activities rather than legislative business.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 6, 2019 meeting:

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

Absent: Evans

No members arrived late to the meeting.

A total of 14 members were present, with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0477-19 - Creating various divisions and transferring positions was brought to a vote by Vice Mayor Kay and seconded by Ellinger. The ordinance passed with a unanimous 14-0 vote. All council members voted in favor: Ellinger, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown. There were no opposing votes or abstentions.

Ordinance 0493-19 - Amending Chapter 16 to increase sewage disposal fees was also motioned by Vice Mayor Kay and seconded by Ellinger. This ordinance likewise passed unanimously with a 14-0 vote. The same fourteen council members voted in favor: Ellinger, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown. No council members voted against the measure or abstained.

Both votes demonstrated strong council unity, with all present members supporting both the organizational restructuring ordinance and the sewage fee increase. The unanimous outcomes suggest these measures had broad support among the council members.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial agreements totaling over $354,000 for environmental restoration and stormwater management projects.

Stream Restoration Contract The council considered Resolution 0489-19, approving a $54,312 contract with Advanced Mulching Technologies, Inc. for the Coldstream Park Stream Restoration project. This agreement will fund specialized restoration work at the park's waterway system.

Stormwater Quality Grant Agreement A substantially larger financial item, Resolution 0467-19, involved a $299,968.60 grant agreement with Northyard, LLC for stormwater quality projects. This nearly $300,000 initiative represents a significant investment in the community's water management infrastructure and environmental protection efforts.

Both agreements focus on environmental improvements, with the combined $354,280.60 in funding supporting water-related infrastructure and restoration work throughout the jurisdiction. The stormwater quality project represents the larger portion of the financial commitments, accounting for approximately 85% of the total funding discussed.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the meeting during the public comment period.

Bernard McCarthy spoke on the topic of gun control and bulletproof vests. Mr. McCarthy suggested that rather than implementing stricter gun purchasing regulations, efforts should focus on making bulletproof vests more accessible and easier to purchase for the general public.

*Note: Transcript timestamps were not available for this public comment period.*

Appointments

The meeting included reappointments to two city advisory boards.

Alarm Advisory Board • Jon Woodall was reappointed to the Alarm Advisory Board

Animal Care and Control Advisory Board • Josh McCurn was reappointed to the Animal Care and Control Advisory Board

Both appointments involved reappointments of existing members to continue their service on their respective advisory boards.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one primary point of contention regarding regulations for electric mobility devices.

Ordinance on Electric Bicycles and Scooters

A heated discussion emerged over proposed regulations for electric bicycles and scooters, specifically focusing on whether these devices should be permitted on sidewalks. The debate centered on balancing public safety concerns with infrastructure accessibility.

Council members expressed divergent views on the safety implications of allowing electric bicycles and scooters on sidewalks. Some participants raised concerns about potential conflicts between these motorized devices and pedestrians, particularly in areas with heavy foot traffic. Others argued that restricting sidewalk access could force riders into roadways where they might face greater safety risks from vehicle traffic.

The discussion also touched on infrastructure considerations, with questions about whether existing sidewalk systems could adequately accommodate the additional traffic from electric mobility devices without compromising pedestrian safety or accessibility.

The nature of the debate was characterized as heated, indicating strong positions on multiple sides of the issue. However, the available information does not specify the individual council members who participated in the discussion or detail their specific arguments.

The outcome of this contested item is not documented in the available materials, leaving unclear whether the ordinance was approved, rejected, or tabled for future consideration.

D-Day 75th Anniversary Presentation

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 0342-19, recognizing the 75th anniversary of D-Day and honoring World War II veterans. During this presentation, Mayor Gorton formally declared June 6, 2019, as D-Day 75th Anniversary Day in Lexington.

The presentation served as a commemorative recognition of the historic Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, and paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of World War II veterans. Mayor Gorton led the acknowledgment of this significant milestone anniversary.

This was an informational presentation with no debate or discussion required. The item concluded with the formal declaration establishing the commemorative day designation in Lexington.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*

Recognition - Rachel Seevers

Mayor Gorton presented a proclamation declaring June 6, 2019, as Rachel Seevers Day in Lexington under agenda item 0372-19. The recognition honored Rachel Seevers for her notable achievements in the fields of science and engineering.

The proclamation served as an informational item to formally acknowledge Seevers' contributions and accomplishments. Mayor Gorton was the primary speaker for this recognition, presenting the proclamation on behalf of the city.

No discussion or debate occurred regarding this agenda item, as it was a ceremonial recognition. The proclamation was presented without any concerns raised by council members or other participants.

The outcome was informational in nature, with the city officially recognizing Rachel Seevers' achievements through the mayoral proclamation designating the meeting date as Rachel Seevers Day in Lexington.