Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on February 18, 2020, at 3:00 PM with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The council addressed 9 agenda items during the session, covering a range of municipal business including zoning matters, budget amendments, and capital projects.

The meeting included 1 public comment period and resulted in 7 formal motions and votes. Most agenda items were approved, including rezonings and docket approval, donation of art, budget amendments, new business items, and capital project approval. The council also heard informational presentations, including a proclamation for Rosalyn Aikens and the Mayor's Report. Additionally, the council approved a summary and handled various administrative matters as part of their regular municipal governance duties.

Attendance

The following Council members were present at the meeting:

• Vice Mayor Kaye
• Council Member Ellinger
• Council Member Gibbs
• Council Member Lamb
• Council Member Farmer
• Council Member Fred Brown
• Council Member James Brown
• Council Member McKern
• Council Member Worley
• Council Member Bledsoe
• Council Member Evans

Absent: • Council Member Massotti

No Council members arrived late to the meeting. With 11 members present and 1 absent, the Council had a quorum to conduct official business.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted seven voice votes during the meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

Rezonings and Docket Approval 3:00 Vice Mayor Kaye motioned to approve rezonings and docket items, seconded by Council Member Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote.

Art Donation Resolution 4:00 Council Member Gibbs moved to approve a resolution authorizing the mayor to accept the donation of two pieces of art. Council Member Lamb provided the second, and the resolution passed by voice vote.

Meeting Summary Approval 5:00 Council Member Farmer motioned to approve the summary of February 11, with Vice Mayor Kaye seconding. The motion passed by voice vote.

Budget Amendments 6:00 Council Member Farmer moved to approve budget amendments, seconded by Council Member Ellinger. The amendments were approved by voice vote.

New Business Approval 7:00 Council Member Farmer motioned to approve new business items, with Vice Mayor Kaye providing the second. The motion passed by voice vote.

Capital Project Approval 8:00 Council Member Ellinger moved to approve a capital project, seconded by Vice Mayor Kaye. The project was approved by voice vote.

Mayor's Report 9:00 Council Member Farmer motioned to approve the Mayor's report, with Council Member Ellinger seconding. The report was approved by voice vote.

All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call, indicating unanimous or near-unanimous support for each item. No conditions or amendments were attached to any of the approved motions.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed one financial amendment during the meeting involving federal grant fund management.

Grant Fund Transfer The Council considered Journal 121593, which involves transferring funds within the Intelligent Transportation System Congestion Management FY 2020 grant. The amendment would move money from an overtime account to conferences and other training expenses within the same grant program. The specific dollar amount for this transfer was not specified in the available meeting materials.

This type of internal fund transfer allows the city to reallocate grant resources to better align with actual program needs and spending patterns, ensuring federal grant funds are utilized effectively within their designated purpose and timeframe.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one resident addressed the Council regarding recent traffic modifications in the city.

Don Pratt spoke at 10:00 to express strong opposition to traffic changes that have been implemented on Loudon, Castlewood, and Bryan Avenue. Pratt characterized these modifications as the "stupidest thing" he has observed in the city and called for their complete removal. He did not provide specific details about the nature of the traffic changes or elaborate on the particular problems they have created, but his comments reflected significant dissatisfaction with the current traffic management approach on these streets.

No other members of the public provided comments during this portion of the meeting.

Public Comment

3:00

The Council opened the meeting with an opportunity for public comment on agenda items. No members of the public had signed up to speak during this portion of the meeting.

The public comment period is a standard agenda item that allows community members to address the Council on matters that appear on the meeting agenda before formal discussion begins. This provides an opportunity for public input and engagement on issues the Council will be considering during the session.

With no speakers registered, the Council proceeded to the next items on the agenda.

Rezonings and Docket Approval

3:30

The Council addressed the approval of rezonings and the meeting docket during this agenda item. Vice Mayor Kaye and Council Member Ellinger served as the key speakers for this discussion.

The item was presented as a resolution requiring Council approval to move forward with the scheduled rezonings and to formally approve the meeting docket. This procedural item ensures that all zoning changes and agenda items are properly authorized before the Council proceeds with the meeting's business.

The Council approved both the rezonings and the docket without recorded opposition or extended debate. This approval allows the meeting to proceed according to the established agenda and authorizes any zoning modifications that were scheduled for consideration.

The swift approval of this item indicates it was largely procedural in nature, with the rezonings and docket items having likely been reviewed and vetted prior to the meeting. This type of approval is typically routine at the beginning of Council meetings to establish the formal framework for conducting business.

Donation of Art

4:00

The Council considered a resolution to accept the donation of two pieces of art from local artist Marjorie Guyon.

Key Speakers: • Council Member Gibbs • Council Member Lamb

The resolution was presented to formally accept the artwork donation from Guyon, though specific details about the nature, subject matter, or intended display location of the two pieces were not provided in the available meeting materials.

Outcome: The resolution was approved by the Council, allowing the city to accept the donated artwork from the local artist.

*Note: Limited transcript details were available for this agenda item. For complete discussion details, please refer to the full meeting recording at the 04:00 timestamp.*

Approval of Summary

5:00

The Council considered approval of the summary from their February 11 meeting. Council Member Farmer and Vice Mayor Kaye participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

The Council approved the meeting summary without recorded objections or significant debate during this portion of the meeting.

Outcome: Approved

Budget Amendments

6:00

The Council considered and approved budget amendments during the meeting, with the primary focus on a transfer of funds related to the Intelligent Transportation System Congestion Management FY 2020 grant.

Council Member Farmer, Council Member Ellinger, and Council Member Lamb participated in the discussion of these budget amendments. The amendments were presented as a resolution requiring Council approval.

The key component of the budget amendments involved reallocating funds associated with the Intelligent Transportation System Congestion Management grant from fiscal year 2020. This grant-related transfer represented the main financial adjustment being proposed to the Council.

The Council ultimately approved the budget amendments without significant debate or opposition recorded in the available materials. The resolution passed, allowing the proposed fund transfers to proceed as requested.

The budget amendments represent routine financial management activities that require Council oversight and approval to ensure proper allocation of municipal resources and compliance with grant requirements.

New Business

The council addressed several new business items during this portion of the meeting 7:00.

Key Discussion Points: • Council Member Farmer presented new business items for consideration • Vice Mayor Kaye participated in the discussion of the proposed items • Council Member Fred Brown also contributed to the deliberations

Primary Action Item: The most significant item addressed was the acceptance of funds from the Transportation Cabinet specifically designated for the Town Branch Commons project. This funding acceptance was presented as a resolution requiring council approval.

Council Deliberation: The three key speakers - Council Member Farmer, Vice Mayor Kaye, and Council Member Fred Brown - engaged in discussion regarding the new business items. The conversation focused on the Transportation Cabinet funding and its implications for the Town Branch Commons project.

Outcome: The council voted to approve the new business items, including the acceptance of the Transportation Cabinet funds for the Town Branch Commons project. This approval allows the city to move forward with utilizing these designated transportation funds for the commons development.

The approval of this funding represents a significant step forward for the Town Branch Commons project, providing necessary financial resources from state transportation authorities to support the initiative.

Proclamation for Rosalyn Aikens

8:00

Mayor Linda Gorton presented a proclamation declaring February 18, 2020, as Rosalyn Aikens Day in Lexington, recognizing her significant contributions to education and the community.

The proclamation honored Aikens' dedication to improving educational opportunities and her ongoing service to the Lexington community. Mayor Gorton highlighted Aikens' impact on local education initiatives and her commitment to community development.

Council Member James Brown and Ray Daniels also spoke during the presentation, sharing their perspectives on Aikens' contributions and the importance of recognizing community leaders who have made lasting impacts on education and civic engagement.

Rosalyn Aikens was present to receive the proclamation and addressed the council, expressing her gratitude for the recognition. The proclamation serves as an official acknowledgment of her years of service and dedication to improving educational outcomes in Lexington.

This was an informational item that did not require council action beyond the formal presentation of the proclamation.

Capital Project Approval

8:30

The Council considered a capital project approval that was detailed on page 21 of the meeting agenda. The item was presented as a resolution requiring Council action.

Council Member Ellinger and Vice Mayor Kaye served as the key speakers during the discussion of this capital project. The specific details of the project, including its scope, budget, and timeline, were referenced in the agenda materials but not elaborated upon in the available meeting summary.

The Council proceeded to vote on the capital project resolution, which was ultimately approved. No significant concerns or opposition were noted in the discussion summary, suggesting the project moved forward with Council support.

The approval allows the capital project to proceed as outlined in the agenda documentation. Further details about the project's specifications, funding sources, and implementation schedule would be available in the full agenda packet referenced during the meeting.

Mayor's Report

9:00

The Council reviewed and approved the Mayor's Report during the meeting. The report included a notable expression of appreciation for Rusty Cook's service, though specific details about the nature of Cook's contributions were not elaborated upon in the available materials.

Council Member Farmer and Council Member Ellinger participated in the discussion of the Mayor's Report. The agenda item proceeded without recorded debate or concerns raised by the council members.

The Mayor's Report was approved by the Council following the brief discussion.