Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on November 14, 2019, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting featured two informational presentations recognizing local organizations and achievements. The council heard a presentation about the American Legion's 100th Anniversary and recognized the Lafayette High School Marching Band for their accomplishments. During the session, the council took three votes on various matters, though no public comments were received. The meeting focused primarily on ceremonial recognitions and informational items rather than legislative business.

Attendance

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council meeting on November 14, 2019 had twelve members present and three members absent.

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

Absent: • McCurn • Moloney • Bledsoe

No members arrived late to the meeting. With twelve of fifteen council members in attendance, a quorum was present to conduct official business.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted three formal votes during the November 14, 2019 meeting.

Minutes Approval 2:00 Councilmember Farmer motioned to approve minutes from multiple previous meetings, including the October 15, 2019 and October 29, 2019 Zone Change Public Hearings, October 16, 2019 Police Disciplinary Hearing, and October 24, 2019 Council Meeting. Councilmember Kay seconded the motion. The vote passed unanimously with all 12 members voting in favor: Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Ordinances and Resolutions Package 10:00 Councilmember Farmer motioned to approve a package of legislation including Ordinances No. 84-2019 through 87-2019 and Resolutions No. 577-2019 through 597-2019. Councilmember Ellinger seconded the motion. The roll call vote passed 12-0, with all members voting in favor: Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, Mossotti, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Criminal Alien Assistance Program Grant 30:00 Resolution 1055-19 to accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the 2018 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program was motioned by Councilmember Plomin and seconded by Councilmember Ellinger. This resolution passed on a roll call vote of 11-1. Eleven members voted in favor: Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, Mossotti, Plomin, Worley, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger. Councilmember Reynolds cast the sole dissenting vote against the resolution.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved two significant financial items during the November 14, 2019 meeting.

Federal Grant Acceptance The Council authorized acceptance of a $9,477 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice through Resolution 1055-19. This funding comes from the 2018 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which provides federal assistance to local jurisdictions for costs associated with incarcerating undocumented individuals who have committed crimes.

Community Outreach Contract Through Resolution 1057-19, the Council approved a $280,000 agreement with the Community Action Council for an Intensive Street Outreach Program. This substantial contract represents a significant investment in community services and outreach efforts.

The two financial actions totaled $289,477 in approved funding, combining federal grant revenue with local program expenditures. The federal grant provides additional revenue to the city's budget, while the Community Action Council contract represents a major commitment to street outreach services in the community.

Appointments

The City Council approved several reappointments to various city boards and committees during the November 14, 2019 meeting.

Animal Care and Control Advisory Committee • Mark Brand was reappointed to serve on the Animal Care and Control Advisory Committee

City Employees' Pension Fund Board • Amanda Bledsoe was reappointed to the City Employees' Pension Fund Board • Fred Brown was reappointed to the City Employees' Pension Fund Board

All three appointments were reappointments of existing members to continue their service on their respective boards and committees.

Contested Items

The Council considered one item that generated disagreement during the November 14, 2019 meeting.

Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the 2018 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program

The Council voted on a resolution to accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the 2018 State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. The item resulted in a split vote, with the resolution ultimately passing by a margin of 11-1.

Councilmember Reynolds cast the sole dissenting vote against accepting the federal grant, while eleven other Council members voted in favor of the resolution. The specific reasons for Councilmember Reynolds' opposition were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The State Criminal Alien Assistance Program is a federal initiative that provides funding to state and local governments to help offset costs associated with incarcerating undocumented individuals who have committed crimes. Despite the single opposing vote, the resolution passed and the city will accept the federal grant funding.

American Legion 100th Anniversary

5:00

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 1050-19, declaring November 14, 2019, as American Legion Day in Lexington to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the American Legion Auxiliary.

The presentation recognized the significant milestone of the American Legion Auxiliary, which has served veterans and their families for a century. Diane Spencer participated in the presentation alongside Mayor Gorton, representing the local American Legion community.

This was an informational presentation honoring the American Legion Auxiliary's centennial anniversary and their longstanding service to veterans. The formal declaration of American Legion Day in Lexington served to acknowledge the organization's contributions to the community and their ongoing support of military veterans and their families.

The agenda item concluded with the official recognition, with no further discussion or action required from the Council.

Lafayette High School Marching Band

15:00

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 1181-19, declaring November 14, 2019, as Lafayette Band Day in Lexington to honor the Lafayette High School Marching Band's recent championship achievements.

The presentation recognized the marching band's outstanding performance and competitive success during the 2019 season. Mayor Gorton highlighted the band's accomplishments and their positive representation of the Lexington community through their musical excellence.

Key speakers included Mayor Gorton, who made the official proclamation, along with Chuck Smith and Jennifer Reynolds, who provided additional context about the band's achievements and community impact.

The agenda item served as an informational presentation to formally acknowledge the Lafayette High School Marching Band's championship wins and celebrate their dedication to musical performance. The proclamation of Lafayette Band Day demonstrates the city's recognition of the band members' hard work and their contribution to Lexington's cultural and educational community.

This was a ceremonial presentation with no action items or debate required from the Council. The outcome was purely informational, serving to publicly honor the marching band's success and establish the official designation of Lafayette Band Day in the city of Lexington.