Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on November 4, 2021, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognitions and ceremonial items, with the council addressing four agenda items total. The council took three votes during the session and heard from two members of the public during the comment period. The meeting accomplished the approval of previous meeting minutes and provided formal recognition to several local organizations and teams for their achievements in the community.

Attendance

The following members were present at the November 4, 2021 meeting:

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

No members were recorded as absent or late for this meeting. All sixteen attendees were present at the start of the proceedings.

Votes and Decisions

The Council conducted three votes during the November 4, 2021 meeting, with two passing unanimously and one passing with a single dissenting vote.

Approval of Minutes 0:00 Council Member Ellinger motioned to approve the minutes from the October 28, 2021 Council Meeting, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed unanimously with all 15 members voting in favor: Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Ordinance Approvals 2:00 Lamb motioned for approval of various ordinances, with Ellinger providing the second. The roll call vote resulted in unanimous passage with all 15 Council members voting yes: Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Resolution 1029-21: Town Branch Trail Crossing Contract 4:00 Plomin motioned to approve Resolution 1029-21 regarding Contract Modification No. 2 with EA Partners for the Town Branch Trail Crossing project, seconded by F. Brown. The resolution passed on a roll call vote of 14-1, with Moloney casting the sole dissenting vote. The 14 members voting in favor were: Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

All motions were decided without abstentions, and no special conditions were attached to any of the approved items.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant contract modifications totaling over $1 million in additional expenditures.

Resolution 1029-21 approved Contract Modification No. 2 with EA Partners for the Town Branch Trail Crossing project, adding $39,295 to the existing agreement. This modification expands the scope of work for the trail crossing infrastructure project.

Resolution 1046-21 authorized Contract Modification No. 1 with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., increasing their contract by $14,442.14. This represents the first modification to the consulting services agreement with Stantec.

The largest financial action was Resolution 1073-21, which approved Change Order No. Three to the agreement with Pace Contracting, LLC. This change order adds $1,042,942.57 to the existing contract, representing a substantial increase in project costs. The change order indicates this is the third modification to the Pace Contracting agreement.

Combined, these three contract modifications represent $1,096,679.71 in additional spending commitments. The Pace Contracting change order accounts for approximately 95% of the total additional expenditures approved during this meeting.

All three items were presented as resolutions requiring formal approval, indicating they exceeded standard administrative authorization thresholds and required legislative action by the governing body.

Public Comment

Two community members addressed the council during the public comment period, both focusing on police accountability and community safety issues.

April Taylor 2:00 spoke about police accountability and collective bargaining agreements. Taylor criticized the council for failing to adequately address issues related to police accountability and collective bargaining. She urged council members to stand with citizens who have been affected by police actions, emphasizing the need for stronger oversight and reform measures.

Rabbi David Worchafter 2:00 addressed the council regarding police immunity and community safety concerns. Rabbi Worchafter called on the council to consider curtailing police immunity protections and stressed the importance of prioritizing community safety. He emphasized the council's role in providing moral leadership on these critical issues affecting the community.

Both speakers focused their remarks on police reform and accountability measures, highlighting ongoing community concerns about law enforcement practices and the need for policy changes to better protect citizens.

Appointments

The council took action on three appointments during the November 4, 2021 meeting.

New Appointments: • Mathew Henderson was appointed to the Administrative Hearing Board

Reappointments: • Dougie Allen was reappointed to the Downtown Lexington Management District Board of Directors • Jordan Parker was reappointed to the Economic Development Investment Board

The appointments included one new member and two reappointments to existing positions on various city boards and commissions.

Contested Items

The November 4, 2021 meeting featured significant community opposition regarding the council's approach to police accountability and collective bargaining agreements.

Police Accountability and Collective Bargaining

Community members voiced strong dissatisfaction with how the council has been handling police accountability measures and collective bargaining negotiations. The primary concerns centered on what residents characterized as insufficient transparency in the process and limited opportunities for meaningful citizen participation in discussions about police oversight and contract negotiations.

Multiple speakers during the public comment period urged the council to provide greater transparency in their deliberations on police-related matters and to create more structured opportunities for community input on collective bargaining agreements that affect police accountability measures. The community members emphasized their desire to be more actively involved in shaping policies that govern police conduct and oversight mechanisms.

The nature of the opposition appeared to stem from residents feeling excluded from important decisions about police accountability frameworks and contractual arrangements that could impact community safety and police oversight. Speakers called for the council to establish clearer processes for public engagement on these sensitive issues.

The outcome of this community opposition was not immediately resolved during the meeting, as these concerns were raised during public comment rather than as formal agenda items requiring council action. The contested nature of this issue suggests ongoing tension between community expectations for transparency and involvement in police accountability matters versus the current council processes for handling such negotiations and policy development.

Minutes of the October 28, 2021 Council Meeting

0:00

The council considered agenda item 1148-21, which involved the approval of minutes from the previous council meeting held on October 28, 2021.

The discussion on this agenda item was brief, with participation from council members Ellinger and Plomin. No significant debate or concerns were raised regarding the accuracy or content of the minutes from the October 28, 2021 meeting.

The council proceeded to approve the minutes as presented. This routine administrative action allows the official record of the October 28, 2021 council meeting to be formally adopted and entered into the municipal records.

The approval of meeting minutes is a standard procedural item that appears on council agendas to ensure proper documentation of municipal proceedings and maintain transparency in local government operations.

Recognition of Force on the Course

1:00

The city recognized Shad Lacefield for his work organizing the Force on the Course event, a program that connects veterans and active military members with students through golf activities.

Mayor Gorton presented the recognition to Lacefield, acknowledging his efforts in creating this community program that bridges the gap between military personnel and local students. The Force on the Course initiative uses golf as a platform to facilitate meaningful interactions and mentorship opportunities between service members and young people in the community.

Key Details: • Agenda Item: 1102-21 • Recognition Recipient: Shad Lacefield • Program Focus: Connecting veterans and active military with students through golf • Presenter: Mayor Gorton

The recognition was presented as an informational item, celebrating Lacefield's community service and the positive impact of the Force on the Course program. No formal action was required, as this was a ceremonial acknowledgment of volunteer efforts that benefit both the veteran community and local students.

The program represents an innovative approach to community engagement, utilizing recreational activities to foster relationships between different generations and backgrounds while honoring military service and supporting youth development.

Recognition of Lafayette High School Band

1:30

The Lafayette High School Band was formally recognized during the meeting for achieving their 22nd state championship. This agenda item, designated as 1147-21, served as a ceremonial presentation to honor the band's continued excellence in competition.

Mayor Gorton and Robert Dee Bishop served as the key speakers for this recognition. The presentation highlighted the significant achievement of the Lafayette High School Band in securing yet another state championship title, adding to their impressive legacy of musical excellence.

This was an informational item that celebrated the band's accomplishment without requiring any formal action from the governing body. The recognition underscored the community's pride in the school's music program and the students' dedication to their craft.

The 22nd state championship represents a remarkable milestone for the Lafayette High School Band program, demonstrating sustained excellence over many years of competition. This type of recognition helps acknowledge the hard work of students, directors, and supporters who contribute to the program's ongoing success.

Recognition of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Boys' Soccer Team

2:00

The Paul Laurence Dunbar High School Boys' Soccer Team was formally recognized during the meeting for their outstanding achievement in winning the 2021 KHSAA State Soccer Championship. This agenda item, designated as 1152-21, served as a ceremonial presentation to honor the team's historic accomplishment.

Mayor Gorton participated in the recognition ceremony, acknowledging the team's success at the state level. Coach James Ray was also present as a key speaker during the presentation, representing the coaching staff and team.

The recognition highlighted the team's victory in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) State Soccer Championship for 2021, marking a significant milestone for Paul Laurence Dunbar High School's athletic program. This championship represents the highest level of high school soccer competition in Kentucky.

The agenda item was classified as a presentation and informational in nature, with no formal action required from the governing body. The recognition served to publicly celebrate the team's achievement and bring community attention to their success in representing the school and broader community at the state championship level.

This type of recognition demonstrates the local government's commitment to acknowledging and celebrating the accomplishments of student-athletes and educational institutions within their jurisdiction.