Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on November 18, 2021, at 6:03 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on ceremonial and informational presentations, with three agenda items that included recognizing local athletic achievements and community awareness initiatives. The council heard recognition of the Lexington Christian Academy and Lexington Catholic Girls Cross Country Teams for their accomplishments, honored the life of George Rabe, and received a presentation for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. During the session, the council conducted two motions and votes, while also hearing one public comment from a community member.

Attendance

The following officials were present at the November 18, 2021 meeting:

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

Absent: • Worley • Baxter

No officials arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 officials were present and 2 were absent.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included two roll call votes, both of which passed unanimously.

Ordinance 1157-21 6:41 was voted on to amend the authorized strength by abolishing one vacant classified position of Polygraph Technician and creating one classified position of Background Investigation Specialist in the Division of Police. The motion was made by Ellinger and seconded by Plomin. The ordinance passed with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Kloiber, Kay, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Resolution 1134-21 6:41 was voted on to accept the bid of Dugan & Meyers, LLC, for Town Branch Scum Facility Construction. The motion was made by Plomin and seconded by LeGris. The resolution passed with 13 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Kloiber, Kay, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, and Ellinger.

Both votes demonstrated unanimous support from the council, with no members voting against either measure and no abstentions recorded.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial matters totaling over $4.7 million in expenditures and appropriations.

Town Branch Scum Facility Construction Contract The council considered Resolution 1134-21, authorizing a $4,336,000 contract with Dugan & Meyers, LLC for the Town Branch Scum Facility Construction project. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting.

Sheriff's Office Premium Pay Appropriation Ordinance 1196-21 was presented to appropriate $375,000 for premium pay for eligible Fayette County Sheriff's Office staff. This appropriation would provide additional compensation to qualifying personnel within the sheriff's department.

The two items combined represent $4,711,000 in total financial commitments under consideration by the governing body during this session.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the board regarding housing concerns.

Christina Price spoke about affordable housing issues in the community 3:00. Price emphasized the need for increased affordable housing options and called for fewer restrictions placed on low-income individuals seeking housing. She also highlighted the importance of landlords taking responsibility for properly addressing maintenance requests from tenants.

The public comment period provided an opportunity for community input on housing policy and tenant-landlord relationships, with Price advocating for both expanded access to affordable housing and improved accountability in property management.

Appointments

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

New Appointments: • Mikhail Potapov was appointed to the Corridors Commission • Jordan Lloyd was appointed to the Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Board

Reappointments: • Alan Cornett was reappointed to the Historic Preservation Commission • James Brown was reappointed to the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau • Alicia Larmour was reappointed to both the Masterson Station Park Advisory Board and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board • Dennis Anderson was reappointed to the Rural Land Management Board • Nathan Zamarron was reappointed to the Social Services Advisory Board

The appointments covered a range of city functions, from historic preservation and parks management to homelessness prevention and rural land oversight. Alicia Larmour notably received reappointments to two separate boards related to parks and recreation services.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one procedural dispute regarding the handling of a bond ordinance and the application of municipal charter rules.

Suspension of Rules for Bond Ordinance

A procedural disagreement arose when a motion was made to suspend the rules to allow for a second reading of a bond ordinance during the same meeting. The dispute centered on whether the council could bypass normal procedural requirements to expedite the ordinance process.

However, the matter was resolved when it was clarified that municipal charter rules prohibited giving a bond ordinance its second reading in the same meeting where it received its first reading, regardless of any motion to suspend procedural rules. This charter requirement superseded the council's ability to waive standard meeting procedures.

The outcome was that the motion to suspend rules became moot, as the charter restriction could not be overridden through procedural motions. The bond ordinance would need to follow the standard timeline and receive its second reading at a subsequent meeting.

This procedural clarification prevented any potential legal issues that could have arisen from attempting to fast-track the bond ordinance in violation of charter requirements.

Recognition of the Lexington Christian Academy and Lexington Catholic Girls Cross Country Teams

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The Lexington Urban County Council recognized two local high school cross country teams for their outstanding achievements during the 2021 season. Agenda item 1208-21 honored both the Lexington Christian Academy and Lexington Catholic Girls Cross Country Teams for winning state championships in their respective divisions.

Mayor Gorton presented the recognition, acknowledging the hard work and dedication of both teams and their coaching staff. The ceremony highlighted the exceptional performance of these student-athletes who brought state championship titles back to Lexington.

Coach Bernie Dugan and Coach Tom Stickel were present to accept the recognition on behalf of their teams. Both coaches were acknowledged for their leadership in guiding their athletes to state championship victories, representing the high level of athletic excellence in Lexington's educational institutions.

The recognition served as an informational presentation to celebrate the achievements of local student-athletes and acknowledge their contribution to the community's athletic reputation. The council's recognition of these teams demonstrates the city's support for youth athletics and academic institutions that foster both educational and athletic excellence.

This agenda item was purely ceremonial, with no debate or concerns raised during the presentation. The outcome was informational, serving to publicly honor the accomplishments of these championship teams and their coaches before the community and city leadership.

Honoring the Life of George Rabe

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The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government honored the life and service of George Rabe through a proclamation recognizing his significant contributions to the community. Rabe served as the first Commissioner of Law for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, marking a historic role in the city's legal administration.

Mayor Gorton and Henry 'Skip' Watson served as key speakers during this commemorative agenda item (1172-21). The proclamation was read to formally acknowledge Rabe's pioneering service and lasting impact on the local government structure.

As the inaugural Commissioner of Law, Rabe helped establish the legal framework and operations for the newly formed urban county government, a role that required significant expertise and dedication during a formative period in Lexington's governmental history.

This proclamation served as an informational item, allowing the council and community to pay tribute to Rabe's legacy and contributions to public service in Lexington-Fayette County.

Presentation for National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

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The meeting began with a presentation recognizing National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Mayor Gorton read a proclamation officially declaring November 13-21, 2021, as Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week in Lexington.

The proclamation was followed by remarks from two key speakers who addressed the ongoing challenges of hunger and homelessness in the community. Michael Wilson and Jarred Paull both provided commentary on the significance of this awareness week and its importance to the local community.

This agenda item, designated as 1170-21, served as an informational presentation to bring attention to these critical social issues affecting Lexington residents. The proclamation and accompanying remarks highlighted the city's commitment to raising awareness about hunger and homelessness during this designated week-long observance.

The presentation was purely informational in nature, with no formal action items or votes required from the governing body. The focus remained on acknowledging the importance of addressing hunger and homelessness issues within the community and recognizing the designated awareness period established at the national level.