Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened virtually on June 18, 2020, at 6:28 PM with Mayor Gorton presiding over the session. The council addressed four main agenda items during the meeting, focusing on the legislative process with both first and second readings of ordinances and resolutions.

The council took a total of 5 votes throughout the meeting, successfully advancing several pieces of legislation through the approval process. Second reading items for both ordinances and resolutions were approved, while first reading items for ordinances and resolutions were formally introduced and will proceed to future meetings for final consideration. No public comments were heard during this virtual session, allowing the council to focus primarily on their legislative agenda and voting procedures.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 18, 2020 meeting:

Present (13 members): • Moloney • Mossotti • Reynolds • Swanson • Bledsoe • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Evans • Farmer • Kay • Lamb • McCurn

Absent (2 members): • Plomin • Worley

Late: • None

A total of 13 members were present for the meeting, with 2 members absent. No members arrived late to the proceedings.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on five items during the meeting, with all measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0568-20 2:00 - Amending certain budgets for municipal expenditures, Schedule No. 52, was motioned by Farmer and seconded by Ellinger. The ordinance passed by roll call vote 13-0, with all council members voting in favor: Moloney, Mossotti, Reynolds, Swanson, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Evans, Farmer, Kay, Lamb, and McCurn.

Ordinance 0569-20 2:00 - Amending budgets for funds in the amount of $200 for a new gate at Brighton Trail, Schedule No. 53, was also motioned by Farmer and seconded by Ellinger. This measure passed unanimously 13-0 by roll call vote, with the same council members voting in favor.

Ordinance 0615-20 3:00 - Amending and restating Ordinance No. 42-2020 for expanded restaurant and retail business uses, was motioned by J. Brown and seconded by Bledsoe. The ordinance passed by roll call vote 13-0, with all council members supporting the measure.

Resolution 0547-20 4:00 - Accepting the bid of Applegate Inspection Service for Asbestos Project Monitoring, was motioned by Farmer and seconded by Ellinger. The resolution passed unanimously 13-0 by roll call vote.

Resolution 0601-20 6:00 - Condemning racism and injustice, was motioned by Farmer and seconded by Mossotti. This resolution passed unanimously with all 13 council members voting in favor.

All votes demonstrated complete unity among the council members, with no opposition or abstentions recorded on any of the five items considered.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial items totaling over $11 million in expenditures, grants, and allocations.

Technology Infrastructure Resolution 0439-20 authorized a contract with Dell Financial Services for $81,249.84 to replace current firewalls and software licensing, addressing critical cybersecurity infrastructure needs.

Federal Grant Applications Resolution 0490-20 approved submission of the 2020 Consolidated Plan/Grant Application to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for $4,781,537 in federal funding.

Utility Infrastructure Agreements Resolution 0498-20 established an agreement with Jessamine South Elkhorn Water District and RBC, LLC regarding sanitary sewer conveyance and treatment capacity. No specific dollar amount was disclosed for this infrastructure partnership.

Wastewater Treatment Improvements Resolution 0499-20 approved a change order with Judy Construction Co. for $22,405.00 related to West Hickman Waste Water Treatment Plant improvements, representing modifications to an existing construction project.

Senior Services Contract Amendment Resolution 0519-20 authorized an amendment with Bluegrass Area Development District, Inc. for $92,682.59 to continue operation of the Senior Citizens Center, ensuring continued services for elderly residents.

CARES Act Funding Allocation Resolution 0549-20 allocated $6,400,000 in reimbursement funds under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, representing the largest single financial action of the meeting. This federal funding was designated to address COVID-19 related expenses and economic impacts.

The financial actions encompassed critical infrastructure upgrades, federal grant applications, utility partnerships, construction modifications, social services, and pandemic relief funding, demonstrating the breadth of municipal financial responsibilities during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Appointments

The meeting included two personnel appointments to city positions.

Benjamin Cotton was appointed to serve as Laboratory Technician in the Division of Water Quality.

Michael Vaught was appointed to the position of Fleet Operations Manager in the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management.

Both appointments were approved during the meeting proceedings.

Contested Items

The June 18, 2020 meeting featured two primary areas of contention that generated significant discussion among council members.

Public Comment Management

The council faced a procedural dispute regarding the handling of public comments during meetings. Due to inappropriate comments made during a previous meeting, the decision was made to suspend public comment for this session while the council worked to develop a better management solution. This represented a departure from normal meeting procedures and highlighted ongoing challenges with maintaining decorum during public participation portions of meetings.

Racism and Injustice Resolution

The most significant contested item involved a heated discussion about the council's response to racism and injustice. Multiple council members engaged in debate about the importance of condemning racism and injustice, with several members making formal statements on the issue. This discussion reflected broader national conversations taking place during this time period and demonstrated varying perspectives among council members about the appropriate municipal response to social justice concerns.

The nature of this discussion was characterized as a "heated discussion," indicating that council members held differing views on how the municipality should address these issues. The debate involved several council members making individual statements, suggesting that there was not immediate consensus on the appropriate course of action or language to use in any potential resolution.

Both contested items reflected broader challenges facing local governments during this period - balancing public participation with meeting management needs, and responding to community concerns about social justice issues while maintaining municipal focus and unity among elected officials.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available in the provided data for this meeting.*

Ordinances – Second Reading

2:00

The council conducted second readings of ordinances related to municipal budget amendments and fund appropriations. The discussion was led by key speakers Farmer and Ellinger, who presented the ordinances for final consideration.

The ordinances under review involved amendments to existing municipal budgets for various expenditures and the appropriation of funds to support these budget modifications. As second readings, these ordinances had previously been introduced and reviewed by the council in an earlier meeting.

During the proceedings, Farmer and Ellinger provided details on the specific budget amendments and appropriations contained within the ordinances. The discussion focused on the municipal expenditures that would be affected by these budget changes and the funding mechanisms proposed to support the appropriations.

The council reviewed the ordinances without significant debate or concerns raised during this second reading phase. Following the presentation and discussion, the ordinances were approved by the council, completing the required legislative process for these budget-related measures.

The approval of these ordinances allows the municipality to proceed with the amended budget allocations and utilize the appropriated funds for the specified municipal expenditures as outlined in the legislation.

Ordinances – First Reading

3:00

The council conducted first readings of several ordinances during this agenda item, with J. Brown and Bledsoe serving as key speakers for the presentations.

The ordinances addressed two primary areas of municipal business:

• Budget amendments for Fiscal Year 2021 - These proposed changes to the city's budget allocations for the upcoming fiscal year
• Extensions of deadlines for expanded business uses - Modifications to existing timelines that would allow businesses additional time to implement expanded operations

During the first reading process, the ordinances were formally introduced to the council. As is standard procedure for first readings, the items were presented without extensive debate or voting, allowing council members to review the proposed legislation before more detailed discussion at subsequent meetings.

The first reading represents the initial step in the city's legislative process, where ordinances are formally introduced and made available for public review. These particular ordinances will advance to second reading at a future council meeting, where more comprehensive discussion and potential amendments may occur before final consideration.

No immediate action was required or taken on these ordinances during the first reading, as the process allows time for council members and the public to examine the proposed changes to budget allocations and business use deadlines before final deliberation and voting.

Resolutions – Second Reading

4:00

The council conducted second reading of multiple resolutions during this agenda item. Key speakers included Farmer and Ellinger, who presented the various resolutions for final consideration.

The resolutions covered several administrative and operational matters:

• Accepting bids for municipal projects or services
• Ratifying appointments to boards, commissions, or positions
• Authorizing agreements with contractors, vendors, or other entities

During the discussion, council members reviewed the details of each resolution that had previously received first reading approval. The second reading process allows for final review and any last-minute questions or concerns before formal adoption.

Farmer and Ellinger guided the council through the resolutions, providing necessary context and addressing any procedural questions. The discussion appeared to focus on ensuring all proper procedures had been followed and that the resolutions were ready for final approval.

Following the presentation and discussion, the council voted to approve the resolutions on second reading. This approval represents the final step in the legislative process for these items, making them officially adopted by the municipality.

The successful completion of second reading for these resolutions allows the accepted bids to move forward, confirms the ratified appointments, and authorizes the execution of the approved agreements. These administrative actions support the ongoing operations and governance of the municipality.

Resolutions – First Reading

5:00

The council conducted first readings of several resolutions related to accepting bids and authorizing agreements for various municipal projects. Farmer served as the key speaker presenting these items to the council.

The resolutions presented during this agenda item involved the acceptance of bids for different city projects and the authorization of related agreements. As part of the standard legislative process, these items were presented for their initial review, with formal action to be taken at a subsequent meeting following the required waiting period.

During first reading, resolutions are typically presented without extensive debate, allowing council members to review the proposed actions before voting at a later meeting. This procedural step ensures transparency and provides time for public input and council deliberation on the proposed contracts and agreements.

The specific projects and bid amounts were outlined in the resolution documents, though detailed discussion of individual items was limited during this preliminary presentation phase. The first reading process allows the community and council members to examine the proposed expenditures and contractual commitments before final approval.

Following standard municipal procedures, these resolutions will return to the council for second reading and potential adoption at a future meeting, at which time more detailed discussion and formal voting will occur.