Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on December 7, 2021, at 5:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The council addressed five agenda items during the session, all of which were approved. The meeting included three recorded motions and votes, covering ordinances related to urban services district expansions and zoning changes. Five members of the public provided comments during the public comment period. The council successfully approved ordinances expanding Full Urban Services District #1 and Partial Urban Services Districts #3 and #5, as well as zoning changes for properties at 2275 North Broadway and 2670 Sandersville Road.

Attendance

All members were present at the December 7, 2021 meeting.

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

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted three roll call votes during the December 7, 2021 meeting, with all items receiving unanimous or near-unanimous approval.

Ordinances Second Reading Approval 0:00 Councilmember Ellinger motioned to approve ordinances with second reading, seconded by Vice Mayor Kay. The motion passed unanimously with all 15 members voting in favor: LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kloiber, Kay, and Lamb. Final vote: 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions.

Resolutions Second Reading Approval 0:00 Councilmember Ellinger again motioned to approve resolutions with second reading, with Vice Mayor Kay providing the second. This motion also passed unanimously with the same 15 council members voting in favor. Final vote: 15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions.

Community Action Council Vendor Agreement Resolution 0:00 Vice Mayor Kay motioned to approve a resolution for a vendor agreement with the Community Action Council, seconded by Councilmember Ellinger. This motion passed with 14 members voting in favor: LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kloiber, Kay, and Lamb. Notably, Reynolds was not recorded as voting on this item. Final vote: 14 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions.

All three votes demonstrated strong council unity, with no opposition votes recorded on any of the items considered during this meeting session.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several financial items totaling over $340,000 in contracts and purchases across multiple city departments.

Infrastructure and Public Works - Resolution 1184-21 authorized a contract with Jave LLC for Clemens Rd. Bridge Repair in the amount of $165,607.23 - Resolution 1264-21 approved the purchase of SCADA Citect/Historian Support Services from Advantage Industrial Automation, Inc. for $46,249.50

Public Safety Equipment and Services - Resolution 1197-21 authorized a contract with Drellishak & Drellishak Inc. dba Pro-Tech Sales for a Respiratory Protection System for the Division of Police (amount not specified) - Resolution 1199-21 approved the purchase of Smart911/SmartPrepare public safety portal services from Rave Mobility Safety for $68,400

Employee Benefits - Resolution 1056-21 authorized a contract for the Workplace Wellness CSA Farm Share Program with Various Farms in the amount of $60,000

The largest single expenditure was the Clemens Rd. Bridge Repair contract at over $165,000, representing a significant infrastructure investment. The public safety technology purchase of $68,400 for the Smart911/SmartPrepare portal demonstrates the city's commitment to emergency preparedness and communication systems. The employee wellness program allocation of $60,000 shows continued support for staff benefits through the farm share initiative.

Public Comment

Five community members addressed the council during the public comment period, focusing primarily on homelessness issues and COVID-19 relief funding.

Kenneth Jenkins 12:00 spoke about the impact of COVID-19 on seniors, emphasizing the importance of allocating relief funds to help individuals like himself who depend on oxygen and cannot work full-time due to health limitations.

The remaining four speakers concentrated on homelessness concerns in the community:

Roy Harrison 14:00 urged the council to increase funding for homelessness initiatives, specifically emphasizing the need for case management and support services to effectively address and end homelessness in the area.

Very Reverend Richard Watson 16:00 advocated for increased funding for both homelessness prevention and intervention programs. He drew from his personal experiences working with unhoused individuals in downtown Lexington to support his recommendations.

Richard Owen 18:00 discussed the broader negative impact of homelessness on the community while emphasizing the critical need for comprehensive wrap-around services and affordable housing solutions.

Martina Morton 20:00 provided a personal perspective by sharing her current experience of being homeless with her 15-year-old daughter. She detailed the ongoing challenges they face in securing stable housing.

The public comments highlighted two key community concerns: the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations, particularly seniors with health conditions, and the pressing need for expanded homelessness services and housing solutions. The speakers represented both service providers and individuals directly affected by these issues, providing the council with both professional recommendations and firsthand accounts of community needs.

Appointments

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

New Appointments:

• Varinka Ensminger was appointed to the Commission on Veterans' Affairs

• Robert Larkin was appointed to the Commission on Veterans' Affairs

• Joseph David was appointed to the Corridors Commission

Reappointments:

• Mason Miller was reappointed to the Industrial Authority Board

• Jesse Robbins was reappointed to the Infrastructure Hearing Board

The appointments represent a mix of new members joining municipal bodies and existing members continuing their service. The Commission on Veterans' Affairs received two new appointees, while the Corridors Commission gained one new member. Two individuals were reappointed to continue their existing roles on the Industrial Authority Board and Infrastructure Hearing Board respectively.

Contested Items

The primary point of contention during the December 7, 2021 meeting centered on the allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Several community members voiced strong opposition to the proposed funding priorities, advocating for a significant shift in how the city planned to distribute these federal resources.

The disagreement focused on community members' concerns that the council was not adequately prioritizing homelessness and housing issues in their ARPA fund allocation plans. These residents urged the council to redirect funding away from other proposed projects and instead concentrate resources on addressing the city's housing crisis and homeless population needs.

Multiple community members participated in the discussion, expressing their dissatisfaction with the current funding proposal and making the case for reallocating resources toward housing-related initiatives. The nature of the opposition appeared to be grassroots community advocacy rather than organized political opposition.

The outcome of this contested item was not definitively resolved during the meeting, as community input sessions typically serve as opportunities for public comment rather than immediate policy changes. The council received the community feedback regarding ARPA fund priorities, with the understanding that these concerns would be considered in future deliberations about the final allocation of the federal funds.

This disagreement highlighted the ongoing tension between various community priorities and the challenge local governments face in distributing limited federal relief funds across multiple pressing needs. The community's focus on homelessness and housing issues reflected broader concerns about these persistent challenges facing the city.

Ordinance expanding Full Urban Services District #1

0:00

The council considered Ordinance 1214-21, which would expand and extend Full Urban Services District #1 to include additional properties. The district provides enhanced municipal services including street lighting, street cleaning, and garbage collection to designated areas.

Council Member Ellinger served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the ordinance to expand the service district boundaries. The expansion would bring additional properties under the enhanced service umbrella, extending the district's coverage for the specified municipal services.

The ordinance was approved by the council, allowing the Full Urban Services District #1 to incorporate the additional properties and provide street lighting, street cleaning, and garbage collection services to the expanded area.

Ordinance expanding Partial Urban Services District #3

0:00

The council considered Ordinance 1215-21, which would expand and extend Partial Urban Services District #3 for garbage collection to include Livingston Lane.

Ellinger served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the ordinance to the council for consideration.

The ordinance was approved by the council, extending garbage collection services to the Livingston Lane area through the expansion of Partial Urban Services District #3.

Ordinance expanding Partial Urban Services District #5

0:00

The council considered Ordinance 1216-21, which would expand and extend Partial Urban Services District #5 to include additional streets for street lighting and garbage collection services.

Ellinger presented the ordinance, explaining that the expansion would bring these urban services to previously unserved areas within the district boundaries. The ordinance specifically addresses the extension of street lighting infrastructure and garbage collection routes to accommodate the additional streets being incorporated into the service district.

The council approved the ordinance without recorded opposition or significant debate during the meeting.

Key Details: • Ordinance Number: 1216-21 • Services Covered: Street lighting and garbage collection • Primary Speaker: Ellinger • Outcome: Approved

The expansion of Partial Urban Services District #5 represents the city's ongoing effort to extend municipal services to developing areas, ensuring residents have access to essential urban amenities like street lighting and regular waste collection services.

Ordinance changing zone at 2275 North Broadway

0:00 The council considered Ordinance 1201-21, which proposed changing the zoning classification for property located at 2275 North Broadway from Interchange Service Business Zone (B-5P) to Highway Service Business (B-3).

Ellinger served as the key speaker presenting this zoning change request to the council. The ordinance involved a straightforward rezoning of the North Broadway property to align with different business use classifications under the city's zoning code.

The B-5P (Interchange Service Business Zone) designation typically allows for businesses that serve highway and interstate traffic, while the B-3 (Highway Service Business) classification provides for commercial uses oriented toward highway travelers and local customers.

No significant concerns or opposition were raised during the discussion of this zoning change. The council proceeded with consideration of the ordinance without extended debate on the merits of the proposed rezoning.

The ordinance was approved by the council, allowing the property at 2275 North Broadway to operate under the Highway Service Business zoning classification going forward. This change will permit different types of commercial activities on the property consistent with B-3 zoning requirements and restrictions.

Ordinance changing zone at 2670 Sandersville Road

0:00

The council considered Ordinance 1202-21, which proposed changing the zoning classification for property located at 2670 Sandersville Road from Wholesale and Warehouse Business (B-4) to Neighborhood Business (B-1).

Ellinger served as a key speaker during the discussion of this zoning change request. The ordinance sought to reclassify the property to allow for neighborhood business uses rather than the current wholesale and warehouse designation.

The council approved the ordinance to change the zoning from B-4 to B-1 for the property at 2670 Sandersville Road. This zoning change will permit neighborhood business activities on the property instead of the previously allowed wholesale and warehouse operations.