Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on December 5, 2019, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognizing outstanding achievements within the community, featuring four informational agenda items that honored local organizations and individuals. The Council conducted three votes during the session and heard no public comments.

The meeting's agenda was dedicated entirely to recognition ceremonies, highlighting the accomplishments of the Lexington Legends baseball team, the E911 emergency services department, community member Helen Evans, and the Jesse Clark Volleyball Team. These recognition items served an informational purpose, celebrating the contributions and achievements of various community stakeholders without requiring formal legislative action beyond the ceremonial acknowledgments.

Attendance

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council meeting on December 5, 2019 had strong attendance with most members present.

Present: - Mayor Gorton - Lamb - McCurn - Moloney - Mossotti - Reynolds - Bledsoe - J. Brown - Ellinger - Evans - Farmer - Gibbs - Kay - F. Brown (arrived late)

Absent: - Plomin - Worley

Late Arrival: - F. Brown

The meeting proceeded with 14 council members in attendance, including Mayor Gorton. Two members, Plomin and Worley, were absent from the session. Council member F. Brown arrived late but was present for the majority of the meeting proceedings.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted three roll call votes during the December 5, 2019 meeting, with two measures passing unanimously and one passing with limited opposition.

Ordinance 1296-19 3:00, expanding and extending the Full Urban Services District #1, passed unanimously with a 13-0 vote. Vice Mayor Kay made the motion, seconded by F. Brown. All thirteen council members voted in favor: Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Mossotti, Reynolds, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, and Kay.

Ordinance 1334-19 4:00, amending Section 21-27 of the Code of Ordinances to increase the CDL supplement, also passed unanimously 13-0. J. Brown made the motion with Ellinger providing the second. The same thirteen council members voted in favor of this measure.

Resolution 1341-19 5:00, authorizing and directing the Mayor to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Housing Authority, passed by a vote of 11-2. Ellinger made the motion, seconded by Evans. Eleven council members voted in favor: Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, and Kay. Two members voted against the resolution: Mossotti and Reynolds.

All three measures were decided by roll call votes with no abstentions recorded. The first two ordinances received unanimous support from the full council, while the housing authority resolution faced some opposition but still passed with a substantial majority.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved two significant financial measures during the December 5, 2019 meeting.

Infrastructure Contract Award

The Council authorized a major infrastructure contract through Resolution 1286-19, awarding $3,900,727 to Pace Contracting, LLC for the Fourth Street Corridor Enhancements and Legacy Trail Phase 3 project. This substantial investment will fund improvements to the Fourth Street corridor and continue development of the Legacy Trail system.

Children's Museum Funding Increase

Resolution 1339-19 approved an amendment to increase the government's FY 2020 funding for the Lexington Children's Museum by $41,500. The additional funding will go to Lexington Children's Museum, Inc. to support their operations and programming for the current fiscal year.

These two resolutions represent a combined financial commitment of $3,942,227, with the majority allocated toward infrastructure improvements and a smaller portion supporting local educational and cultural programming for children.

Appointments

The Council approved six staff appointments during the December 5, 2019 meeting.

The following individuals were appointed to their respective positions:

• Janelle Francis - Administrative Specialist Sr.
• Daniel Layne - Assistant Records Custodian
• Amanda Richeal - Staff Assistant Sr.
• Renu Agarwal - Payroll Analyst
• Brandon Compton - Treatment Plant Operator Apprentice II
• Eve Wallingford - Aide to Council

All six appointments were approved by the Council as part of the meeting's personnel actions.

Contested Items

The December 5, 2019 Council meeting featured one contested item that resulted in a split vote among council members.

Resolution 1339-19 - Lexington Children's Museum Funding

Resolution 1339-19, which proposed increasing funding for the Lexington Children's Museum, generated disagreement among council members. The resolution ultimately passed with a vote of 11 ayes and 2 nays, indicating that while a strong majority supported the additional funding, two council members opposed the measure.

The specific details of the opposition arguments and the amount of the proposed funding increase were not captured in the available meeting data. However, the split vote demonstrates that there was sufficient concern or disagreement among some council members to warrant voting against the resolution, despite the overwhelming majority support that ensured its passage.

This was the only item during the December 5, 2019 meeting that resulted in a contested vote, with all other business appearing to proceed with unanimous or near-unanimous support from the council.

Recognition of Lexington Legends

0:30

Mayor Gorton and J. Brown presented agenda item 1215-19 to recognize the Lexington Legends for their successful season and contributions to the community. Andy Shea also participated in the recognition ceremony.

The presentation honored the Lexington Legends baseball team for their achievements during the season and their ongoing community involvement. The recognition highlighted both the team's on-field performance and their positive impact on the local community.

This was an informational presentation with no action required by the Council. The item served as a formal acknowledgment of the team's accomplishments and their role as community partners in Lexington.

Recognition of E911

1:00

Mayor Gorton presented a recognition to the E911 team for achieving CALEA Public Safety Communication Accreditation during the December 5, 2019 Council meeting.

The presentation acknowledged the significant accomplishment of the E911 department in obtaining accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) for Public Safety Communications. This accreditation represents a rigorous evaluation process that demonstrates the department's commitment to professional standards and best practices in emergency communications.

Robert Stack participated in the recognition ceremony alongside Mayor Gorton. The CALEA accreditation is a voluntary process that requires agencies to meet comprehensive standards covering areas such as training, equipment, procedures, and management practices for emergency communications centers.

This was an informational presentation with no action required from the Council. The recognition served to publicly acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of the E911 team members who worked to achieve this important certification, which enhances the quality and reliability of emergency communication services provided to the community.

The CALEA Public Safety Communication Accreditation demonstrates that the E911 center operates according to nationally recognized standards, ensuring consistent and effective emergency response coordination for residents and visitors.

Recognition of Helen Evans

1:30

The Council recognized Helen Evans for her distinguished service and contributions to the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and her ongoing leadership among Women Veterans. This presentation was agenda item 1293-19.

Mayor Gorton presented the recognition to Helen Evans, acknowledging her military service and continued dedication to supporting women veterans in the community. Evans was honored for her role in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and her leadership efforts that have benefited women veterans.

Helen Evans also spoke during the recognition ceremony, though specific details of her remarks were not provided in the available materials.

This was an informational presentation with no action required by the Council. The recognition served to honor Evans' military service and her ongoing contributions to the veteran community, particularly her work supporting women veterans.

Recognition of Jesse Clark Volleyball Team

2:00

The Lexington City Council recognized the Jesse Clark Volleyball Team during the December 5, 2019 meeting, presenting them with Spirit of Lexington Awards for their recent city championship victory.

Mayor Gorton and Evan Ford served as the key speakers for this recognition ceremony. The team was honored for their outstanding performance in capturing the city volleyball championship, demonstrating excellence in athletics and representing Lexington with distinction.

The Spirit of Lexington Awards were presented to acknowledge the team's achievement and their positive representation of the community through their athletic success. This recognition highlighted the team's dedication, teamwork, and competitive excellence that led to their championship title.

The agenda item was informational in nature, serving as a ceremonial presentation to celebrate the volleyball team's accomplishments. No formal action was required from the Council, as this was purely a recognition event to honor the student-athletes' success and contribution to the community's athletic programs.

The recognition reflects the City Council's commitment to acknowledging local achievements and celebrating the successes of Lexington's youth sports programs.