Council Work Session - Video Teleconference

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on April 27, 2021, at 3:00 PM via video teleconference, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The council addressed eight agenda items during the session, covering a range of municipal business including zoning matters, budget amendments, and various administrative items. The meeting included one public comment period, allowing community input on matters before the council. Throughout the session, council members conducted nine formal votes on various motions and agenda items, with most items receiving approval. The meeting concluded with reports from both council members and Mayor Gorton, providing updates on ongoing city initiatives and administrative matters.

Attendance

The following officials were present at the meeting on April 27, 2021:

Present: • Mayor Linda Gorton • Kay • Plomin • Lamb • Baxter • Reynolds • Ellinger • J. Brown • LeGris • Sheehan • F. Brown • McCurn • Kloiber • Worley • Bledsoe

No officials were recorded as absent or arriving late to the meeting. All 15 listed officials were in attendance.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted nine votes during the April 27, 2021 meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

Closed Session Motion: Kay motioned to enter closed session pursuant to KRS 61.810(1)(c) for the purpose of discussing pending litigation, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed unanimously.

Meeting Docket Approval: Kay motioned to approve the April 22, 2021 Council meeting docket, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed unanimously.

Public Hearing Scheduling: Lamb motioned to schedule a public hearing for ordinance #4 on September 2, 2021, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed unanimously.

Work Session Summary: Baxter motioned to approve the April 13, 2021 Work Session summary, seconded by Lamb. The motion passed unanimously.

Budget Amendments: Lamb motioned to approve budget amendments, seconded by Baxter. The motion passed unanimously.

New Business: Reynolds motioned to approve new business, seconded by Lamb. The motion passed unanimously.

Neighborhood Development Funds: Kay motioned to approve neighborhood development funds, seconded by Lamb. The motion passed unanimously.

Mayor's Report: Plomin motioned to approve the Mayor's Report, seconded by LeGris. The motion passed unanimously.

Adjournment: Kay motioned to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Baxter. The motion passed unanimously.

All motions were approved through unanimous consent, with no recorded individual vote counts or opposing votes. Transcript timestamps were not available for any of the votes conducted during this meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council approved multiple contracts, agreements, and grant applications totaling over $1.5 million in financial commitments.

Major Contracts and Agreements: • L0426-21: First renewal with Tetra Tech, Inc. for annual program management services - $719,258.00 • L0406-21: Amendment to health services agreement with Corizon, Inc. for pharmaceutical services and per diem rates - $120,000 • L0399-21: Agreement with Community Action Council for temporary non-congregate emergency shelter - $92,521.06 • L0402-21: Lease extension with BCTC for the Police Academy - $89,238.96 • L0405-21: Memorandum of Agreement with Bluegrass Community and Technical College - $60,000

Technology and Equipment Contracts: • L0393-21: Sole source agreement with Louisville Industrial Supply for Materials Recovery Facility parts and services - $20,000 • L0394-21: Contract with Populus Technologies, Inc. for dockless vehicle data management services - $5,000 • L0427-21: Agreement with Kentucky River Watershed Watch for water quality monitoring - $4,000 • L0419-21: Additional licenses with Benevate Inc. for Neighborly Software - $2,362.50

Grant Activities: • L0424-21: Accepted $179,400 in federal funds from Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services • L0423-21: Authorized submission of two applications to Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Grant program totaling $121,846.50 • L0417-21: Approved $100,000 FY21 Class A Neighborhood Stormwater Quality Projects Incentive Grant for Ellerslie at Delong Homeowners Association, Inc.

Additional Agreements: The council also approved several sole source agreements without specified amounts, including contracts with Mettler Toledo (L0395-21), RouteWare Global, Inc. (L0396-21), and Zonar Systems, LLC (L0397-21) for various technology services. Other agreements included partnerships with the University of Kentucky (L0398-21), DEA Task Force participation (L0404-21), and facility agreements with Keeneland Associations (L0403-21) and New Lexington Clinic (L0422-21).

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the meeting during the public comment period.

Jesse Bowman spoke regarding police funding and community services. Bowman expressed concerns about increases in police funding and advocated for reallocating those funds toward community services instead. Specifically, Bowman recommended creating a citizens liaison position and implementing a 911 diversion program as alternative approaches to public safety and community support.

*Note: Transcript timestamps were not available for this public comment period.*

Contested Items

The council addressed one contested item during the April 27, 2021 meeting that resulted in a split vote among members.

Small Business Stimulus Recovery Grant

The primary point of contention centered on the funding amount for the Small Business Stimulus Recovery Grant resolution. Council members were divided on whether to allocate the originally proposed $5 million or reduce the amount to $2.5 million for small business recovery assistance.

The debate resulted in an amendment to the original resolution, with the council ultimately voting to reduce the proposed funding by half. The amended resolution, allocating $2.5 million rather than the initial $5 million proposal, passed by a narrow margin with an 8-6 vote.

This split vote indicates significant disagreement among council members regarding the appropriate level of financial support for small business stimulus recovery efforts. The close vote suggests the council was nearly evenly divided on the funding question, with eight members supporting the reduced allocation and six members opposing the amendment.

The outcome represents a compromise position between those who may have preferred the full $5 million allocation and those who potentially sought even greater reductions in spending for this program.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, community members addressed the meeting body with various concerns and input on local issues.

Jesse Bowman was among the speakers who participated in the public comment session. The discussion included concerns about police funding and community services, reflecting ongoing community dialogue about budget priorities and public safety approaches.

The public comment period served as an informational session, allowing residents to voice their perspectives and concerns directly to the governing body. No formal action was taken during this portion of the meeting, as is typical for public comment periods which are designed to provide community input rather than generate immediate policy decisions.

The comments regarding police funding and community services align with broader municipal discussions about resource allocation and community priorities that many local governments have been addressing.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

The council addressed the approval of the April 22, 2021 Council meeting docket during this agenda item. Key participants in the discussion included council members Kay, Plomin, and Lamb.

The primary focus of the discussion centered on reviewing and approving the previously held council meeting docket from April 22, 2021. As part of this agenda item, the council also addressed scheduling requirements for upcoming legislative matters.

A significant action taken during this discussion was the scheduling of a public hearing for ordinance #4. This scheduling represents a procedural step in the legislative process, ensuring proper public notice and opportunity for community input on the proposed ordinance.

The council successfully completed their review of the docket materials and procedural requirements. Following discussion among the participating council members, the April 22, 2021 Council meeting docket received formal approval from the council.

The outcome of this agenda item was positive, with the council approving both the docket under consideration and moving forward with the scheduled public hearing process for the referenced ordinance. This action allows the council to proceed with their planned legislative calendar and ensures compliance with required public participation procedures.

Approval of Summary

The council reviewed and approved the summary from their April 13, 2021 Work Session during this agenda item.

The discussion involved key participation from council members Baxter and Lamb, though specific details of their comments were not captured in the available meeting records.

The council ultimately voted to approve the April 13, 2021 Work Session summary without any noted objections or concerns raised during the discussion.

Outcome: The April 13, 2021 Work Session summary was approved.

Budget Amendments

The council considered and approved budget amendments during this meeting. Council members Lamb and Baxter were the key speakers during the discussion of this agenda item.

The specific details of the budget amendments, including the amounts involved and which budget categories were affected, were not captured in the available meeting data. The discussion resulted in the council's approval of the proposed amendments.

No transcript timestamps are available for this agenda item, and additional details about the nature of the amendments, any concerns raised during deliberation, or the voting process were not recorded in the source materials.

New Business

The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting. Council members Reynolds and Lamb served as the key speakers for this agenda item.

The discussion resulted in the approval of the new business items that were presented to the council. However, the specific details of what business items were considered, the nature of the discussion, and any concerns or debate that may have occurred are not available in the provided meeting records.

The outcome of this agenda item was recorded as approved, indicating that the council reached consensus on the new business matters brought before them.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and detailed discussion points were not available in the source materials for this agenda item.*

Continuing Business/Presentations

During this agenda item, the council addressed neighborhood development funding matters. The discussion involved key participation from council members Kay and Lamb, who presented or debated the proposed funding allocations.

The council reviewed and considered approval of neighborhood development funds, though specific details about the funding amounts, target neighborhoods, or intended projects were not detailed in the available materials. The discussion appears to have proceeded without significant opposition or lengthy debate.

Following the presentation and any discussion that took place, the council voted to approve the neighborhood development funds as proposed. The approval suggests the council found the funding proposal acceptable and aligned with municipal priorities for neighborhood improvement and development initiatives.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.*

Council Reports

During the Council Reports segment, multiple council members shared updates on various community topics and initiatives. The reports were informational in nature, with no formal actions taken.

Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included Council members Lamb, Reynolds, LeGris, Moloney, Mccurn, and J. Brown. Each member provided updates relevant to their areas of focus and recent community engagement activities.

The reports covered a range of topics including community events and local initiatives that council members had been involved with or monitoring. This segment served as an opportunity for council members to keep their colleagues and the public informed about ongoing developments and activities within their respective districts or areas of responsibility.

The discussion format allowed each participating council member to present their updates without formal debate or deliberation. This informational exchange helps maintain transparency and keeps all council members apprised of various community activities and concerns across different areas of the municipality.

No specific outcomes or decisions resulted from these reports, as they were presented purely for informational purposes to update both fellow council members and the public on ongoing community matters and council member activities.

Mayor's Report

The council reviewed and approved the Mayor's Report during the April 27, 2021 meeting. The discussion involved key speakers Plomin and LeGris.

The council ultimately approved the Mayor's Report following the presentation and discussion.

*Note: Specific details about the content of the mayor's report, including particular topics covered, concerns raised, or the nature of the discussion between the speakers, were not available in the provided meeting materials.*