Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on February 15, 2022, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The council addressed three significant agenda items during the session, all of which were approved through formal votes. The meeting included three public comments from community members and resulted in three motions and votes by the council.

The council successfully approved three key initiatives: the Expanded Public Hearing Notification Pilot Program, Residential Parking Permit Amendments, and the establishment of a Permanent Racial Justice and Equality Commission. Each agenda item received thorough consideration and ultimately gained council approval, demonstrating productive legislative action across diverse policy areas including public engagement, transportation, and social justice initiatives.

Attendance

The following members were present at the February 15, 2022 meeting:

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

Absent: • J. Brown • Worley

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

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included three motions that were all approved by the council.

Expanded Notification Pilot Program 0:30 Councilmember Ellinger made a motion to approve a one-year pilot program for expanded notification, which was seconded by Councilmember Reynolds. The motion passed unanimously.

Residential Parking Permits Amendment 1:00 The council voted on an amendment to the resolution for residential parking permits. The motion passed unanimously, though the record does not indicate who made the motion or provided the second.

Racial Justice and Equality Commission Appointments 2:00 Councilmember Ellinger moved to approve the appointment of members to the permanent racial justice and equality commission. The motion was approved by voice vote.

All three items received unanimous support from the council, with no recorded opposition or abstentions on any of the measures.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council addressed one financial item during the February 15, 2022 meeting.

Contract Approval

The council considered Resolution 0167-22, which involves an agreement with Fayette Mall for recruiting kiosks totaling $4,375.00. This contract establishes a partnership with Fayette Mall to provide recruiting kiosk services, though specific details about the duration and scope of the recruiting activities were not detailed in the available materials.

The $4,375.00 expenditure represents the total cost for the kiosk agreement with Fayette Mall under this resolution.

Public Comment

Three speakers addressed the meeting during the public comment period, all focusing on issues related to Kentucky American Water and ongoing labor negotiations.

James Kinder 3:00 spoke first, expressing concerns about the negotiation process with Kentucky American Water. Kinder cited intimidation and unfair labor practices as key issues affecting the negotiations between the company and its workers.

Eric Mosby 3:30 followed, discussing the need for fair wages in the Kentucky American Water negotiations. Mosby expressed dissatisfaction with the current negotiation process and the company's approach to reaching an agreement with employees.

Samuel 4:00 concluded the public comment period by voicing support for Kentucky American Water workers. Samuel criticized the company's treatment of its employees during the ongoing labor discussions.

All three speakers focused their remarks on labor relations and negotiation issues involving Kentucky American Water, suggesting ongoing tensions between the utility company and its workforce. The comments highlighted concerns about fair labor practices, wage negotiations, and employee treatment during the bargaining process.

Appointments

The meeting included appointments to the Racial Justice and Equality Commission. Two individuals were appointed to serve on this commission.

The appointments made were:

• Sam Yukes - appointed to the Racial Justice and Equality Commission
• Charlotte Turley - appointed to the Racial Justice and Equality Commission

Both appointments represent new additions to the commission's membership roster. The Racial Justice and Equality Commission serves as an advisory body focused on addressing issues of racial equity and justice within the community.

Contested Items

The February 15, 2022 meeting featured significant community opposition regarding Kentucky American Water negotiations. Multiple members of the public voiced concerns during the public comment period, expressing dissatisfaction with both the ongoing negotiation process and Kentucky American Water's treatment of its workers.

The contested item centered on the community's frustration with how negotiations were being conducted between the relevant parties and Kentucky American Water. Public commenters raised specific objections to the company's labor practices and worker treatment, though the exact details of their grievances were not specified in the available meeting data.

The nature of the opposition was characterized as community-driven, with residents taking advantage of the public comment opportunity to formally register their concerns with the governing body. The speakers appeared to be advocating for better treatment of Kentucky American Water employees and expressing broader dissatisfaction with the negotiation process itself.

No specific outcome or resolution was documented for this contested item during the meeting. The opposition remained at the public comment stage, with community members using the forum to voice their concerns about the water company's practices and the ongoing negotiations.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this contested item from the provided meeting data.*

Expanded Public Hearing Notification Pilot Program

0:30

The committee approved a resolution to establish a pilot program for expanded notification of zoning changes. The program aims to broaden public notification beyond the current practice of notifying only property owners to also include property occupants.

Samantha Castro served as the key speaker presenting this initiative to the committee. The discussion centered on improving public engagement in the zoning process by ensuring that renters and other occupants who may be affected by zoning changes receive direct notification, even if they do not own the property.

The pilot program represents an effort to make the public hearing process more inclusive and accessible to all residents who could be impacted by proposed zoning modifications. Under current notification procedures, only property owners typically receive formal notice of nearby zoning changes, potentially leaving tenants and other occupants unaware of developments that could affect their neighborhood.

The committee ultimately approved the resolution to move forward with implementing this expanded notification pilot program. The approval suggests recognition that broader community engagement in zoning decisions benefits from including all affected residents, not just property owners, in the notification process.

This pilot program will allow the city to test the effectiveness and feasibility of expanded notification requirements before potentially implementing such changes on a permanent basis across all zoning proceedings.

Residential Parking Permit Amendments

1:00

The committee considered amendments to residential parking permit programs for two specific areas: South Hill and Spring Street. This agenda item was presented as a resolution requiring committee approval.

The proposed amendments addressed modifications to the existing residential parking permit systems in these neighborhoods, though the specific details of the changes were not elaborated in the available materials. The South Hill and Spring Street areas have established residential parking permit programs that regulate parking access for residents and visitors in these neighborhoods.

The committee proceeded to vote on the resolution without recorded debate or discussion from committee members. No concerns or objections were raised during the consideration of this item.

The committee approved the amendments to the residential parking permit programs for both South Hill and Spring Street areas. The resolution passed, allowing the proposed changes to move forward in the implementation process.

This approval represents a routine administrative action to modify existing parking regulations in these residential areas, likely aimed at addressing ongoing parking management needs or updating program requirements for residents in the affected neighborhoods.

Permanent Racial Justice and Equality Commission

2:00

The council approved appointments to establish a new permanent Racial Justice and Equality Commission during the February 15, 2022 meeting. Mayor Linda Gorton presented the appointments for council consideration.

The agenda item focused on formalizing the commission structure and confirming the appointed members who will serve on this permanent body. This represents the transition from any previous temporary or ad hoc racial justice initiatives to a permanent commission with ongoing authority and responsibilities.

Mayor Gorton served as the key speaker for this appointment item, presenting the proposed members to the council for their approval. The council voted to approve the appointments, officially establishing the commission with its designated membership.

The creation of this permanent commission demonstrates the city's commitment to addressing racial justice and equality issues on an ongoing basis, rather than through temporary measures. The approved appointments will allow the commission to begin its work with a full complement of members.

The council's approval of these appointments was the final step needed to launch the permanent Racial Justice and Equality Commission and enable it to begin fulfilling its mandate within the city government structure.