Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on October 28, 2021, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding over the session. The meeting addressed three agenda items, including an invocation, approval of minutes, and a proclamation honoring Don Pratt. During the proceedings, the council conducted four motions and votes, with both the minutes approval and the Don Pratt proclamation receiving approval from the body. The meeting also included public participation, with three citizens providing public comments to the council.

Attendance

The following members were present at the October 28, 2021 meeting:

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

Absent: • LeGris

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were in attendance, with one absence recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted four roll call votes during the meeting, with all measures passing unanimously 1:30.

Ordinance 1057-21 - Amending budgets for purchase orders rolling from FY 2021 into FY 2022 was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Kay. The ordinance passed 14-0 with votes from Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown.

Ordinance 1059-21 - Amending budgets to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Kay. The measure passed unanimously 14-0 with the same council members voting in favor.

Ordinance 0962-21 - Amending authorized strength by abolishing one vacant classified position of Social Worker Sr. was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Kay. The ordinance received unanimous approval with a 14-0 vote from all present council members.

Ordinance 1058-21 - Amending zoning ordinance to include provisions for Accessory Dwelling Units was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Kay. This zoning amendment passed 14-0 with unanimous support from Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, and J. Brown.

All four ordinances received full council support with no opposing votes or abstentions recorded. The voting pattern showed consistent support across budget amendments, personnel changes, and zoning modifications.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial contracts totaling over $2 million in municipal infrastructure and facility improvements.

Stormwater Infrastructure Contract The council considered Resolution 0980-21 for the Southland Park Stormwater Improvements project, awarding a contract worth $1,017,865 to Cleary Construction, Inc. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting.

Water System Infrastructure Contract Resolution 0985-21 addressed the River Park Pump Station Replacement Project, with a contract value of $935,000 awarded to MAC Construction & Excavating, Inc. This project focuses on critical water infrastructure replacement.

Facility Equipment Contract The smallest contract under consideration was Resolution 0997-21 for the Walk-In Cooler System Replacement Project, valued at $116,670 and awarded to Alliance Comfort Systems, Inc. This contract addresses municipal facility equipment needs.

The three contracts combined represent a total financial commitment of $2,069,535 across infrastructure improvements and facility upgrades. All contracts were structured as formal resolutions requiring council approval, with specific vendor assignments already determined through the procurement process.

Public Comment

Three individuals addressed the board during the public comment period, with all comments focusing on pandemic-related compensation and worker pay issues.

Hamilton Cole 7:00 spoke about his concerns regarding pandemic compensation. Cole, who recently retired, expressed frustration about not receiving pandemic-related compensation despite working throughout the pandemic period. He raised questions about the fairness of the compensation distribution process for employees who served during the health emergency.

Sheriff Kathy Witt 8:00 addressed the board regarding American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for her department. Sheriff Witt requested that the Sheriff's Office be included in ARPA premium pay distributions. She argued that her office qualifies as a county agency and should therefore be eligible for the federal pandemic relief funds designated for essential workers. Witt emphasized her department's role in maintaining public safety during the pandemic.

Deion Henry 9:00 spoke on behalf of Waste Management workers regarding proposed pay increases. Henry expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed 3% raise for Waste Management employees, arguing that the increase was insufficient given their essential work status during the pandemic. He advocated for higher compensation, emphasizing that waste management workers continued their duties throughout the health emergency and deserved greater recognition through improved pay.

All three speakers focused their comments on compensation issues related to pandemic service, highlighting ongoing concerns about fair payment for essential workers who maintained operations during the COVID-19 emergency. The comments reflected broader themes of worker compensation equity and the distribution of federal relief funds to various county departments and employees.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments and reappointments to various municipal boards and commissions.

Airport Board • Daniel Mason was reappointed to the Airport Board • Marc Mathews was appointed to the Airport Board

Commission on Veterans' Affairs • Terrie Nagey was appointed to the Commission on Veterans' Affairs

These appointments represent the city's ongoing efforts to maintain active representation on key municipal boards and commissions that oversee important city functions and services.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during the October 28, 2021 meeting centered on the allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, which generated community opposition from local officials and workers.

ARPA Funds Allocation Dispute

Sheriff Kathy Witt and Waste Management workers voiced strong dissatisfaction with the proposed distribution of ARPA funds. The disagreement focused on two main concerns: inclusion in the funding allocation and the level of compensation being offered.

Sheriff Witt argued that her department should be included in the ARPA funds distribution, suggesting that the initial allocation proposal had overlooked or inadequately addressed law enforcement needs. Similarly, Waste Management workers expressed concerns that they were either excluded from consideration or that the compensation levels proposed for their services were insufficient.

The nature of the opposition indicated that multiple stakeholder groups felt the initial ARPA funds allocation process had not adequately considered their contributions during the pandemic or their ongoing operational needs. Both the Sheriff's office and Waste Management workers appeared to view their roles as essential services that warranted inclusion in or enhanced compensation from the federal relief funding.

The specific outcome of this contested item was not detailed in the available information, leaving unclear whether the governing body agreed to revise the ARPA allocation to address the concerns raised by Sheriff Witt and the Waste Management workers, or if the original proposal remained unchanged despite the opposition voiced during the meeting.

Invocation

0:30

Pastor Brian Bolton from CenterPointe Christian Church delivered the invocation to open the meeting. This was a ceremonial presentation to begin the proceedings with a prayer or blessing.

The invocation served as the formal opening of the meeting session, following standard municipal meeting protocol. No discussion or debate occurred during this agenda item, as it was purely ceremonial in nature.

Approval of Minutes

1:00

The council considered agenda item 1084-21 for the approval of minutes from the October 14, 2021 meeting. Council members Plomin and Baxter participated in the discussion of this ordinance item.

The minutes from the previous meeting were presented for formal approval by the council. The item proceeded through the standard approval process without noted objections or concerns raised during the discussion.

The council voted to approve the minutes from the October 14, 2021 meeting, with the item passing successfully.

Proclamation for Don Pratt

2:00

Mayor Gorton presented a proclamation officially declaring October 28, 2021, as Don Pratt Day in Lexington in recognition of his dedicated work with foster children in the community.

The proclamation honored Don Pratt's contributions to supporting foster children and families throughout Lexington. Mayor Gorton highlighted Pratt's commitment to this vulnerable population and the positive impact his efforts have had on the lives of children in the foster care system.

Don Pratt was present to receive the proclamation during the meeting. The proclamation was approved without discussion or opposition from the council.

The designation of Don Pratt Day serves to formally recognize his ongoing advocacy and support work with foster children, bringing public attention to both his individual contributions and the broader needs of children in foster care within the Lexington community.