Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened virtually on May 27, 2021, at 6:00 PM with Mayor Gorton presiding over the meeting. The council addressed two primary agenda items during the session, both of which were successfully approved through the legislative process.

The meeting focused on municipal financial matters and infrastructure improvements, with council members taking action on budget amendments for municipal expenditures and authorizing a purchase for the Materials Recovery Facility. Both agenda items received approval from the council, demonstrating consensus on these municipal priorities.

Throughout the meeting, the council heard from three members of the public who provided comments during the public participation portion of the proceedings. The council conducted two formal votes on the agenda items presented, with both motions receiving favorable outcomes. The virtual format allowed for continued civic engagement while maintaining public health protocols during the ongoing pandemic period.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on May 27, 2021:

• Kay
• Kloiber
• Lamb
• LeGris
• Moloney
• Plomin
• Reynolds
• Sheehan
• Worley
• Baxter
• Bledsoe
• F. Brown
• J. Brown
• Ellinger

Absent: McCurn

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were present with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

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

Ordinance 0481-21 2:00 Ms. Plomin motioned to approve Ordinance 0481-21, which amends budgets for municipal expenditures under FY 2021 Schedule No. 46. Mr. Ellinger seconded the motion. The ordinance passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: • Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger

Resolution 0393-21 5:00 Ms. Plomin motioned to approve Resolution 0393-21 for the purchase of parts and services for the Materials Recovery Facility. Mr. Ellinger seconded the motion. The resolution passed by roll call vote with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: • Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger

Both votes demonstrated unanimous council support, with no abstentions recorded for either measure.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two financial resolutions totaling $25,000 in expenditures for city operations and services.

Materials Recovery Facility Equipment Purchase The council considered Resolution 0393-21, authorizing the purchase of parts and services for the Materials Recovery Facility from Louisville Industrial Supply in the amount of $20,000. This expenditure supports the ongoing operations and maintenance of the city's recycling processing facility.

Dockless Vehicle Data Management Services Resolution 0394-21 addressed a contract for data management services related to dockless vehicles with Populus Technologies, Inc. for $5,000. This contract covers data management services for the city's oversight of dockless vehicle programs, which typically include shared bicycles and scooters operating within city limits.

Both resolutions represent operational expenditures to support existing city services and infrastructure maintenance. The Materials Recovery Facility purchase represents the larger portion of the approved spending at 80% of the total financial actions considered during this meeting.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the council during the public comment period, covering topics ranging from budget recommendations to law enforcement policies.

Reva Russell English 0:30 thanked the council for including funding for a citizens advocate position in their budget considerations. She also requested that the public be allowed to attend council meetings in person, indicating ongoing concerns about meeting accessibility during the pandemic period.

Rabbi David Wirtschafter 1:00 spoke about a resolution adopted by the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism that supports prohibiting no-knock warrants. The rabbi discussed this policy position as it relates to local law enforcement practices and community safety concerns.

Bill Farmer, Jr. 1:30 offered compliments to the council regarding their budget work while raising specific concerns about property tax assessment procedures. Farmer focused on issues related to the timing of property tax assessments and problems with the current appeal process, suggesting these administrative matters needed council attention.

The public comments reflected a range of community interests, from budget advocacy and government transparency to criminal justice reform and municipal tax administration. Each speaker was allotted time to present their concerns directly to council members during this portion of the meeting.

Appointments

The meeting included appointments to the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers organization.

• Robert Duncan was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers
• Megan Vancouver was reappointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers

The appointments involved one new member and one reappointment to continue existing service on the crime prevention organization.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant area of disagreement among council members regarding the timing of returning to in-person meetings.

Return to In-Person Meetings

Council members engaged in a heated discussion about when to resume in-person council meetings. The disagreement centered on timing, with members split into two camps. Some council members advocated for returning to in-person meetings at an earlier date, while others preferred to maintain remote or hybrid meeting formats until after state COVID-19 restrictions were fully lifted.

The debate reflected broader concerns about public health safety measures versus the desire to return to traditional meeting formats. Members supporting an earlier return likely emphasized the benefits of in-person deliberation and public engagement, while those favoring a more cautious approach prioritized health and safety considerations in line with state guidance.

The discussion was characterized as heated, indicating strong feelings on both sides of the issue. However, the available information does not specify which individual council members took which positions or what the ultimate outcome of this debate was.

This disagreement reflects the broader challenges many governmental bodies faced during 2021 as they navigated the transition from emergency remote meeting procedures back to traditional in-person formats while balancing public health concerns with transparency and civic engagement requirements.

Amending Budgets for Municipal Expenditures

2:00

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government considered Ordinance 0481-21, which proposed amendments to certain municipal budgets to reflect current requirements for expenditures. The ordinance was designed to adjust existing budget allocations to meet the government's operational needs.

Ms. Plomin and Mr. Ellinger served as the key speakers during the discussion of this agenda item. The ordinance addressed necessary modifications to municipal spending budgets, though the specific departments or budget categories affected were not detailed in the available materials.

The item was presented as a routine administrative measure to ensure that budget allocations align with actual municipal expenditure requirements. This type of budget amendment is typically necessary when departments experience changes in operational costs or when adjustments are needed to accommodate shifting priorities in municipal services.

The council approved Ordinance 0481-21, allowing the budget amendments to take effect. The approval enables the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to proceed with the revised budget allocations as outlined in the ordinance.

Purchase for Materials Recovery Facility

5:00

The council considered Resolution 0393-21, which authorized the purchase of parts and services for the Materials Recovery Facility from Louisville Industrial Supply.

Ms. Plomin and Mr. Ellinger served as the key speakers for this agenda item, presenting the resolution to the council for consideration.

The resolution sought approval for the acquisition of necessary parts and services to support operations at the Materials Recovery Facility, with Louisville Industrial Supply identified as the vendor for these materials and services.

The council approved Resolution 0393-21 without recorded opposition or significant debate during the meeting proceedings.