Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council held a virtual meeting on April 8, 2021, at 6:00 PM, presided over by the Mayor. The council addressed four agenda items during the session, including the approval of previous meeting minutes, a recognition ceremony, and consideration of two ordinances. The meeting resulted in two formal votes, with the council approving both the ordinance on revenue bonds fees and a grant from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. Additionally, the council heard from four members of the public during the public comment period and received an informational presentation recognizing Director Robert Stack for his service.

Attendance

All members were present for the meeting on April 8, 2021.

Present: • Ms. Baxter • Ms. Bledsoe • Mr. Fred Brown • Mr. James Brown • Mr. Ellinger • Vice Mayor Kay • Mr. Kloiber • Ms. Lamb • Mr. McCurn • Mr. Moloney • Ms. Plomin • Ms. Sheehan • Mr. Worley

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the April 8, 2021 meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0312-21 2:15:00 An Ordinance establishing a schedule of fees for Revenue Bonds was approved by a vote of 13-0. All thirteen council members voted in favor: Ms. Baxter, Ms. Bledsoe, Mr. Fred Brown, Mr. James Brown, Mr. Ellinger, Vice Mayor Kay, Mr. Kloiber, Ms. Lamb, Mr. McCurn, Mr. Moloney, Ms. Plomin, Ms. Sheehan, and Mr. Worley. There were no votes against or abstentions.

Resolution 0273-21 2:45:00 A Resolution to accept a grant from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security also passed unanimously with a 13-0 vote. Vice Mayor Kay provided the second for this motion. The same thirteen council members voted in favor: Ms. Baxter, Ms. Bledsoe, Mr. Fred Brown, Mr. James Brown, Mr. Ellinger, Vice Mayor Kay, Mr. Kloiber, Ms. Lamb, Mr. McCurn, Mr. Moloney, Ms. Plomin, Ms. Sheehan, and Mr. Worley. No council members voted against the resolution or abstained.

Both measures received full council support with no opposition or abstentions recorded.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial resolutions involving grant funding for community infrastructure and public safety equipment.

Stormwater Quality Project Grant The council considered Resolution 0267-21, which authorizes a grant of $10,293.20 to Griffin Gate Community Association, Inc. for stormwater quality projects. This funding will support infrastructure improvements to address water management issues within the Griffin Gate community.

Police Equipment Grant Resolution 0273-21 involves a substantially larger grant allocation of $201,500 from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security. This funding is designated for the purchase of specialized equipment for the Division of Police, including a camera, searchlight, and navigation hardware and software. The equipment appears to be part of enhanced public safety capabilities for the police department.

The two resolutions represent a combined total of $211,793.20 in grant funding, with the majority allocated toward law enforcement equipment upgrades. Both items involve external funding sources rather than direct municipal expenditures, indicating the city's efforts to leverage state and federal grant opportunities for community improvements and public safety enhancements.

Public Comment

Four community members addressed the council during the public comment period, with all speakers focusing on police transparency and accountability issues related to a recent incident involving Liam Long.

Polly Long 0:15 spoke first, advocating for her brother Liam Long, who was hit by a police cruiser. She called for changes to the collective bargaining agreement to improve police transparency and accountability measures.

Elizabeth Long 0:20 followed, reiterating concerns about the police incident involving her brother Liam Long. She emphasized the need for greater transparency and accountability in police operations and investigations.

Kendra Long 0:25, who identified herself as Liam Long's mother, expressed her distress over the police incident involving her son. She called for justice and transparency in the handling of the case.

April Taylor 1:00 addressed broader concerns about police transparency and accountability beyond the specific incident. She criticized what she described as a lack of transparency in police investigations and specifically called for the timely release of body camera footage to the public.

The public comments centered on a common theme of police reform, with three family members of Liam Long speaking about a specific incident involving a police cruiser, while the fourth speaker addressed systemic issues with police transparency. All speakers advocated for increased accountability measures and more open access to information about police incidents and investigations.

Appointments

The council approved several appointments and reappointments to various boards and committees during the meeting.

New Appointments: • Patrick Singleton was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers • Carmah Lewis was appointed to the Charles Young Center Advisory Board • Patricia Alcorn was appointed to the Dunbar Neighborhood Center Board • Caroline Baesler was appointed to the Economic Development Investment Board • Trent Martin was appointed to the Emergency Medical Advisory Board • Geoff Parker was appointed to the Neighborhood Action Match Program Review Board

Reappointments: • Majd Jabbour was reappointed to the Board of Health • Zina Merkin was reappointed to the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board

These appointments fill vacant positions across multiple city boards and advisory committees that oversee various municipal functions, from public health and economic development to neighborhood programs and park management.

Contested Items

The meeting featured significant community opposition regarding a police incident involving Liam Long. Family members and community advocates voiced serious concerns about how law enforcement handled the situation, demanding greater transparency and accountability from the police department.

The contested item centered on the police department's response and conduct during the incident involving Long. Community members who spoke during the meeting expressed dissatisfaction with the official handling of the matter and called for a more thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Family members of Liam Long participated in the discussion, advocating for their concerns to be addressed by city officials. Community advocates also joined in supporting calls for increased police accountability and transparency in how such incidents are investigated and reported to the public.

The nature of the opposition focused on procedural and accountability issues rather than the specific details of the incident itself. Speakers emphasized the need for the city to ensure proper oversight of police actions and to provide clear information to the community about how such matters are handled.

No specific resolution or outcome was documented for this contested item during the meeting. The concerns raised by family members and community advocates represent ongoing issues regarding police accountability and transparency that the city may need to address in future proceedings.

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

Minutes of the March 18, 2021 Council Meeting

10:00

The Council considered agenda item 0354-21, which involved the approval of minutes from the March 18, 2021 Council Meeting. This routine administrative item required Council review and formal approval of the official record from the previous meeting.

The minutes were presented to the Council for their consideration and approval. No specific details about the discussion or debate regarding these minutes were captured in the available meeting materials.

The Council approved the minutes from the March 18, 2021 meeting without recorded objection or amendment.

Outcome: The minutes of the March 18, 2021 Council Meeting were approved.

Recognition of Director Robert Stack

50:00

The meeting included a presentation recognizing Director Robert Stack for his outstanding service and leadership in emergency communications. Stack was honored for being named 911 Director of the Year by the Kentucky Emergency Number Association.

The Mayor presented the recognition, highlighting Stack's contributions to the emergency services department and his exemplary leadership in the field of emergency communications. This prestigious award from the Kentucky Emergency Number Association represents recognition from his peers across the state for his professional excellence and dedication to public safety.

Director Stack was acknowledged as a key speaker during this agenda item, though specific details of his remarks were not provided in the available materials. The recognition served as an informational presentation to acknowledge his achievement and inform the public of this honor.

This agenda item, designated as 0298-21, was purely ceremonial in nature with no action required from the governing body. The recognition highlights the quality of leadership within the city's emergency services and demonstrates the professional caliber of staff serving the community's public safety needs.

The Kentucky Emergency Number Association's selection of Stack as Director of the Year reflects his standing among emergency communications professionals statewide and brings recognition to the city's emergency services department.

Ordinance on Revenue Bonds Fees

2:15:00

The council considered Ordinance 0312-21, which establishes a schedule of fees for the issuance of Revenue Bonds. This ordinance creates a formal fee structure for the municipal bond issuance process.

The ordinance was presented to establish standardized fees that the city will charge in connection with revenue bond transactions. Revenue bonds are typically used by municipalities to finance specific projects or infrastructure improvements, with the bonds being repaid through revenues generated by the financed projects rather than general tax revenues.

The ordinance was approved by the council, providing the city with a clear framework for charging appropriate fees during the revenue bond issuance process. This fee schedule will help ensure that the costs associated with bond issuance are properly recovered and that there is transparency in the municipal financing process.

The approval of this ordinance gives the city the necessary administrative structure to move forward with revenue bond financing for future projects while ensuring that associated costs are appropriately managed through the established fee schedule.

Grant from Ky. Office of Homeland Security

2:45:00

The meeting addressed Resolution 0273-21, which proposed accepting a grant from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security for the purchase of equipment for the Division of Police.

The resolution was presented to authorize the acceptance of grant funding specifically designated for police equipment purchases. The grant represents funding from the state-level homeland security office to enhance local law enforcement capabilities through equipment acquisition.

The resolution was approved by the governing body, allowing the Division of Police to move forward with accepting the homeland security grant funds and proceeding with the planned equipment purchases.

No additional details about the specific equipment to be purchased, the grant amount, or any conditions attached to the funding were captured in the available meeting data.