Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on September 16, 2021, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting featured two informational agenda items, including Mayor Gorton's 150th Proclamation and the recognition of the 2021 Junior Fire Chief. During the session, the council conducted two motions and votes while hearing from two members of the public during the public comment period. The meeting focused primarily on ceremonial and informational presentations rather than legislative business.

Attendance

The following members were present at the September 16, 2021 meeting:

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

Absent: • McCurn

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 15 members were present, with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the September 16, 2021 meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0822-21 was voted on first, which would amend Articles 1-11 and 3-10 of the Zoning Ordinance to modernize the definition of 'Home-based business' and 'Home occupation'. Council member Ellinger made the motion, seconded by Baxter. The ordinance passed with a unanimous vote of 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members present voted in favor: Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, and Baxter.

Resolution 0764-21 followed, authorizing the Mayor to execute a Purchase of Service Agreement with the Lexington History Museum, Inc. Again, Ellinger made the motion with Baxter providing the second. This resolution also passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays, with the same council members voting in favor.

Both votes demonstrated complete council consensus on the measures presented. The zoning ordinance amendment represents an effort to update local business regulations to reflect modern home-based work arrangements, while the history museum agreement establishes a formal service partnership with the local historical organization.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial resolutions totaling over $1 million in expenditures.

Resolution 0764-21 authorized a Purchase of Service Agreement with the Lexington History Museum, Inc. for $50,000. This contract establishes a service relationship between the city and the local history museum organization.

Resolution 0784-21 approved a substantially larger expenditure of $1,027,786.45 for the purchase of law enforcement equipment and services from Axon Enterprise, Inc. This comprehensive package includes:

• Body worn cameras
• Tasers
• Related accessories
• Storage fees
• Software licensing
• Training services
• Maintenance support

The Axon Enterprise purchase represents a significant investment in police equipment and technology infrastructure, accounting for over 95% of the total financial commitments discussed. The multi-year agreement encompasses both the initial equipment costs and ongoing operational expenses including data storage, software licensing, and maintenance services.

Both resolutions were presented as formal agenda items requiring council approval. The history museum agreement represents a relatively modest community partnership investment, while the Axon Enterprise contract reflects a major capital expenditure for public safety equipment modernization.

The combined financial impact of these two resolutions totals $1,077,786.45 in municipal expenditures across community services and public safety sectors.

Public Comment

Two speakers addressed the meeting during the public comment period, both focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on waste management operations and funding needs.

David Jett spoke about the impact of COVID-19 on Division of Waste Management employees. He requested that a portion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds be allocated to support the waste management division during the ongoing pandemic challenges.

Javier Perez also addressed COVID-19's impact on Waste Management employees, emphasizing the need for competitive wages within the division. Like the previous speaker, Perez requested that a portion of ARPA funds be designated for the waste management division to help address these concerns.

Both speakers highlighted similar themes regarding the essential nature of waste management services during the pandemic and the financial pressures facing the division and its workforce. Their comments focused specifically on securing federal relief funding to support operations and employee compensation.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available for these public comments.*

Appointments

The board took action on one appointment during the meeting.

• Colleen Hall was reappointed to the Social Services Advisory Board

The reappointment of Hall to the Social Services Advisory Board was approved by the board members present at the meeting.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during the September 16, 2021 meeting centered on the allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, specifically regarding compensation for waste management employees.

ARPA Funds Allocation Dispute

Community members voiced opposition to the current proposed allocation of ARPA funds, advocating for a different distribution of resources. Several residents made public comments requesting that a portion of the ARPA funds be redirected to the Division of Waste Management to address two specific compensation issues: competitive wages and Heroes Pay for waste management workers.

The nature of the disagreement involved community members who felt that waste management employees had been overlooked in the initial ARPA funding proposals. These public commenters argued that waste management workers deserved recognition and compensation adjustments, particularly given their continued service during the pandemic period.

The specific requests focused on: - Establishing competitive wage structures for Division of Waste Management employees - Providing Heroes Pay to recognize the essential services provided by waste management workers during the pandemic

The extracted data does not indicate the final outcome of this contested item or whether the governing body took any immediate action on the community requests regarding ARPA fund reallocation. The disagreement appears to have been primarily between community advocates and the existing funding allocation plan, with multiple public comments supporting the waste management workers' compensation needs.

This contested item highlights ongoing discussions about how to best utilize federal pandemic relief funds at the local level, particularly regarding essential worker compensation and departmental funding priorities.

Mayor Gorton's 150th Proclamation

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 0824-21, reading a proclamation declaring September 16, 2021, as Lexington Fire Chiefs Day in Lexington. The proclamation celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Lexington Fire Department, marking a significant milestone in the department's history of serving the community.

Fire Chief Jason Wells was present for the proclamation ceremony. The proclamation recognized the fire department's century and a half of dedicated service to Lexington residents, highlighting the department's long-standing commitment to public safety and emergency response.

This ceremonial agenda item served an informational purpose, formally acknowledging the historic anniversary and honoring the fire department's contributions to the community. The proclamation represents the 150th such declaration issued by Mayor Gorton during their tenure.

The presentation provided an opportunity to publicly recognize the Lexington Fire Department's milestone anniversary and the ongoing service of Fire Chief Wells and the department's personnel in protecting the community.

2021 Junior Fire Chief

Mayor Gorton presented a proclamation recognizing Ashlynn Stephens as the 2021 Junior Fire Chief and declaring September 16, 2021, as Junior Fire Chief Ashlynn Stephens Day in Lexington.

The proclamation was read during the meeting as an informational item, with both Mayor Gorton and Ashlynn Stephens participating in the presentation. This agenda item (0825-21) served to formally acknowledge Stephens' role and contributions as Junior Fire Chief.

The proclamation represents the city's recognition of youth involvement in public safety education and community service through the Junior Fire Chief program. No discussion or debate occurred regarding this ceremonial item, as it was presented for informational purposes only.