Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on March 19, 2020, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on matters related to the Downtown Lexington Management District, with council members considering multiple agenda items addressing the district's re-establishment and associated assessments.

During the session, the council addressed three main agenda items, including an informational presentation on re-establishing the Downtown Lexington Management District and consideration of an ordinance to formally re-establish the district. The council took three votes throughout the meeting, successfully approving the ordinance to re-establish the Downtown Lexington Management District while withdrawing another ordinance that would have imposed an annual assessment on property at 1810 Bryant Road.

The meeting also included input from the public, with two citizens providing comments during the public comment period. Overall, the council accomplished its primary objective of moving forward with the re-establishment of the Downtown Lexington Management District, though one related measure was withdrawn from consideration.

Attendance

The meeting on March 19, 2020 had strong attendance with 12 members present and 3 absent.

Present: • Mayor Gorton • J. Brown • Ellinger • Evans • Farmer • Lamb • Moloney • Plomin • Reynolds • Worley • Bledsoe • F. Brown

Absent: • Kay • McCurn • Mossotti

Late: • None

No members arrived late to the meeting. The attendance represented a quorum with 12 of 15 members present at the start of the meeting.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on three items during the March 19, 2020 meeting, with all votes occurring around the same time period.

Ordinance 0091-20 - An Ordinance re-establishing the Downtown Lexington Management District was brought to a vote by Councilmember Farmer, with a second from Councilmember Ellinger 6:04. The measure passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 11 ayes and 0 nays. Voting in favor were J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Lamb, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, and F. Brown.

Ordinance 0336-20 - An Ordinance imposing an annual assessment on the real property located at 1810 Bryant Rd. was motioned by Councilmember Worley and seconded by Councilmember Ellinger 6:04. This item was withdrawn with unanimous consent from all 11 council members present: J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Lamb, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, and F. Brown.

Resolution 0371-20 - A Resolution authorizing the advertisement for bids for General Obligation Pension Funding Refunding Bonds was motioned by Councilmember Ellinger with a second from Councilmember Plomin 6:04. The resolution passed unanimously on a roll call vote with 11 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Lamb, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Worley, Bledsoe, and F. Brown.

All three items received unanimous support from the 11 council members present, with two items passing and one being withdrawn by unanimous consent.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council addressed several financial matters totaling over $17.8 million in appropriations and bond issuances.

Parks and Recreation Projects

The council approved multiple appropriations for Division of Parks and Recreation improvements:

• Resolution 0341-20: Appropriated $43,500 for Council Projects to fund playground improvements at Masterson Station

• Resolution 0368-20: Allocated $3,000 for Council Projects to install fencing at Burley Park

• Resolution 0370-20: Approved $27,000 for Council Projects to support a pedestrian safety project at Tates Creek Golf Course and Aquatic Center

Bond Issuance

The council authorized a significant bond measure through Resolution 0367-20, approving the issuance of $17,775,000 in General Obligation Pension Funding Refunding Bonds, Series 2020A. This represents the largest financial action of the meeting.

The combined parks and recreation appropriations totaled $73,500, supporting infrastructure improvements across multiple city facilities including playground upgrades, safety enhancements, and basic facility improvements like fencing.

All financial items were processed as individual resolutions, with the parks projects specifically designated as Council Projects within the Division of Parks and Recreation budget structure.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the meeting during the public comment period, both raising concerns related to the coronavirus emergency.

Mr. J. Brown 6:04 spoke about evictions during the coronavirus emergency. He expressed concerns about the impact of the pandemic on housing stability and mentioned that he had been in discussions with both the Lexington Landlord Association and the Greater Apartment Association regarding this issue.

Mr. Moloney 6:04 addressed employee safety concerns during the coronavirus pandemic. He offered his personal workspace as a resource to help facilitate social distancing measures for employees, demonstrating community support for public health safety protocols during the emergency.

Both comments reflected the immediate concerns facing the community as officials worked to address the emerging coronavirus crisis and its impact on residents and workers.

Contested Items

The meeting addressed community concerns regarding evictions during the coronavirus emergency [timestamp not available].

Evictions During Coronavirus Emergency

Community members raised significant concerns about the potential for tenant evictions during the ongoing coronavirus emergency situation. The nature of the opposition centered on fears that renters might face displacement during an already challenging public health crisis.

However, discussions revealed that local landlord associations had been engaged in dialogue about the situation. According to the meeting information, these landlord groups indicated they were making efforts to work collaboratively with tenants during the emergency period rather than pursuing evictions.

The item represented a proactive community concern rather than a formal policy dispute, with residents seeking assurance that vulnerable tenants would be protected during the coronavirus emergency. The response from landlord associations suggesting cooperation with tenants appeared to address some of the community's immediate concerns about potential displacement during the crisis.

No specific outcome or formal resolution was documented for this item, suggesting it may have been addressed through the reported collaborative efforts between landlords and tenants rather than requiring official government action at this meeting.

Re-establishing the Downtown Lexington Management District

6:03

The Council held a public hearing on agenda item 0274-20 regarding the re-establishment of the Downtown Lexington Management District. Mayor Gorton presided over the hearing, which was opened to receive public input on the proposed district.

The public hearing provided an opportunity for community members to voice their opinions, concerns, or support regarding the re-establishment of the management district for downtown Lexington. However, no members of the public came forward to offer comments during the designated time period.

The Downtown Lexington Management District would serve as a mechanism for coordinating services, improvements, and management activities within the downtown area. Such districts typically involve property owners and businesses working together to enhance the economic vitality and physical appearance of commercial districts.

With no public testimony presented, the hearing concluded without additional discussion or debate from Council members. The item was informational in nature, serving as the required public input process for the proposed district re-establishment.

The absence of public comments suggests either general community support for the initiative or lack of awareness about the proposal among downtown stakeholders. The formal public hearing process fulfilled the legal requirements for public notification and input opportunity before the Council could proceed with any further action on re-establishing the management district.

Ordinance re-establishing the Downtown Lexington Management District

6:04

The Urban County Council considered Ordinance 0091-20, which re-establishes the Downtown Lexington Management District. This ordinance sets forth the legal framework for the district's operations, including specific geographical boundaries, board composition requirements, and fiscal management guidelines.

Key speakers during the discussion included Council members Farmer and Ellinger, who addressed various aspects of the ordinance and its implications for downtown management and development.

The ordinance establishes the administrative structure necessary for the management district to operate effectively, providing clear parameters for governance and financial oversight. The re-establishment of this district represents a continuation of organized efforts to manage and promote downtown Lexington's commercial and civic interests.

Following discussion, the council approved Ordinance 0091-20, formally re-establishing the Downtown Lexington Management District with the specified boundaries, board requirements, and fiscal guidelines as outlined in the legislation.