Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on February 20, 2020, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed three agenda items, including the approval of previous meeting minutes, an informational presentation about the KAWC Science Fair, and discussion of the Downtown Lexington Management District, which was ultimately postponed. Council members took two formal votes during the session, while no public comments were heard. The meeting focused primarily on routine business and informational items, with one substantive matter requiring postponement for further consideration.

Attendance

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council meeting on February 20, 2020 had 12 members present and 3 members absent.

Present: • Worley • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Evans • Farmer • Gibbs • Kay • Lamb • McCurn • Reynolds

Absent: • Moloney • Mossotti • Plomin

No members arrived late to the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took two votes during the February 20, 2020 meeting, both passing unanimously.

Approval of Meeting Minutes 1:00 Council Member Farmer motioned to approve the minutes of the February 6, 2020 Council Meeting, with Vice Mayor Kay providing the second. The motion passed unanimously with all 12 members voting in favor: Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, McCurn, and Reynolds.

Ordinance 0091-20 Postponement 2:00 Vice Mayor Kay motioned to postpone the second reading of Ordinance 0091-20 and its corresponding public hearing until March 19, 2020, with Council Member Ellinger seconding the motion. The postponement was approved unanimously with all 12 members voting in favor: Worley, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Gibbs, Kay, Lamb, McCurn, and Reynolds.

Both votes demonstrated complete consensus among the Council members, with no opposition or abstentions recorded for either matter.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved two appropriation ordinances during the February 20, 2020 meeting, totaling $48,200 in funding allocations.

Ordinance 0149-20 authorized an appropriation of $7,000 for Council Projects within the Division of Traffic Engineering. These funds will be used specifically for the purchase of two radar feedback signs, which are electronic devices that display vehicle speeds to help encourage drivers to reduce their speed in designated areas.

Ordinance 0150-20 approved a larger appropriation of $41,200 for Council Projects within the Department of Social Services. This funding involves establishing a transfer to the general fund, though the specific purpose or program benefiting from this transfer was not detailed in the meeting materials.

Both ordinances represent appropriations from Council Projects funds, indicating these expenditures were previously planned or budgeted initiatives. The traffic engineering purchase represents a direct equipment acquisition, while the social services appropriation appears to involve internal fund transfers to support departmental operations or programs.

The combined $48,200 in appropriations reflects the Council's ongoing commitment to infrastructure improvements and social services support within the city's budget framework.

Appointments

The Council took action on three appointments to various city boards and commissions during the February 20, 2020 meeting.

Civil Service Commission • John Burrell was reappointed to the Civil Service Commission

Courthouse Area Design Review Board • Erin Hathaway was appointed to the Courthouse Area Design Review Board

Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition • Rana Rahman was appointed to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition

These appointments fill positions on boards and commissions that provide oversight and guidance on various city functions, from personnel matters to design review and community safety initiatives.

Minutes of the February 06, 2020 Council Meeting

1:00

The Council considered agenda item 0215-20, the approval of minutes from the February 6, 2020 Council meeting. The item was presented for Council review and approval as part of the standard meeting procedures.

Council members Farmer and Kay participated in the discussion of the minutes. The minutes were presented without any noted corrections or amendments from Council members.

The February 6, 2020 meeting minutes were approved unanimously by the Council, with no objections or requests for modifications raised during the consideration of this agenda item.

KAWC Science Fair

3:00

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 0159-20 to recognize the winners of the Kentucky American Water Company Fayette County Public School's Science Fair. This was an informational presentation acknowledging student achievements in the annual science competition.

The Mayor formally recognized the science fair winners, highlighting their accomplishments in the Kentucky American Water Company-sponsored event for Fayette County Public Schools students. The presentation served to celebrate the academic excellence demonstrated by local students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.

This agenda item was purely ceremonial in nature, with no discussion or debate required from Council members. The recognition represents the city's ongoing commitment to supporting educational initiatives and celebrating student achievement in the community.

The item concluded as an informational presentation with no further action required by the Urban County Council.

Downtown Lexington Management District

2:00

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council considered Ordinance 0091-20, which would re-establish the Downtown Lexington Management District. The ordinance was scheduled for second reading and public hearing during the February 20, 2020 meeting.

Vice Mayor Kay and Councilmember Ellinger were the key speakers addressing this agenda item. The ordinance aims to re-establish the management district that would oversee downtown development and operations.

However, the Council decided to postpone the second reading and public hearing of the ordinance. The item was rescheduled for the March 19, 2020 Council meeting, allowing additional time for review and public input before final consideration.

The postponement means the ordinance will need to go through the full second reading process and public hearing at the later date before the Council can take final action on re-establishing the Downtown Lexington Management District.