Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on April 14, 2022, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed five agenda items, all of which were approved by the council. The session included both ceremonial recognitions and substantive budget matters, with council members taking five votes throughout the evening. The meeting also featured five public comments from community members and included presentations related to the agenda items. All business conducted during the meeting resulted in unanimous or majority approval, demonstrating council alignment on the items presented for consideration.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on April 14, 2022:

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

All 16 members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took action on five items during the April 14, 2022 meeting, with all measures passing unanimously.

Motion 0367-22 - Approval of the Minutes of the March 17, 2022 Council Meeting 0:00 Motioned by Baxter and seconded by Plomin, this item passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Plomin, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, Baxter, and Bledsoe.

Motion 0298-22 - Amending certain budgets for municipal expenditures, FY 2022 Schedule No. 33 1:00 Motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Plomin, this budget amendment passed by roll call vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All 15 council members voted in favor.

Motion 0299-22 - Amending budgets for ARPA funds, Schedule No. 34 1:30 Motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Plomin, this ARPA budget amendment also passed by roll call vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members supported the measure.

Motion 0340-22 - Resolution for Government Center Garage Improvements 2:00 Motioned by Lamb and seconded by Ellinger, this resolution passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor of the garage improvement project.

Motion 0315-22 - Resolution for enhanced security services with Downtown Lexington Management District 2:30 Motioned by LeGris and seconded by Worley, this security services resolution passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All 15 council members supported the enhanced downtown security partnership.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial contracts totaling $454,075 in expenditures.

Government Center Garage Improvements - $424,075 Resolution 0340-22 authorized a contract with Buckeye Construction & Restoration, Ltd. for $424,075 to perform improvements to the Government Center Garage. This represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting.

Enhanced Security Services - $30,000 Resolution 0315-22 approved a $30,000 contract with the Downtown Lexington Management District for enhanced security services. This agreement will provide additional security coverage in the downtown area through the established management district.

Both resolutions represent ongoing investments in city infrastructure and public safety, with the garage improvements addressing facility maintenance needs and the security services contract enhancing downtown safety measures.

Public Comment

Five community members addressed the council during public comment, all focusing on staffing and working conditions at the local jail facility.

Lori Harris 12:00 spoke about the personal impact of jail staffing shortages on families. She expressed concern about how her husband's long working hours at the jail were affecting their family life and urged the council to address staffing needs.

Steve Parker 13:00 invited council members to visit the jail facility to observe conditions firsthand. His comments focused on the need for officials to see the current state of jail operations directly.

Ann Schutz 14:00 shared her personal experiences working extended hours due to understaffing challenges. She described the difficulties faced by jail staff as a result of insufficient personnel levels.

James Knowlton 15:00 provided details about dangerous and exhausting working conditions at the jail. He attributed these conditions directly to understaffing issues affecting the facility.

Emily Brian 16:00 concluded the public comment period by describing what she characterized as severe understaffing and safety issues at the jail. She called for immediate action from the council to address the crisis.

All five speakers focused their remarks on jail-related concerns, specifically highlighting understaffing problems, worker safety issues, and the impact on both employees and their families. The comments presented a consistent message about the need for increased staffing levels and improved working conditions at the jail facility.

Appointments

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

New Appointments:

• Michele Hill was appointed to the Alarm Advisory Board

• Patricia Alcorn, Stephen Overstreet, and Priscilla Willis were appointed to the Black & Williams Neighborhood Community Center Board

• Carolyn Dunn and Charles Stewart were appointed to the Charles Young Center Advisory Board

• Michelle Carter was appointed to the Commission on Veterans' Affairs

• Nancy Wiser was appointed to the Lexington Center Corporation Board of Directors

• David Osborne was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

• Melody Ryan was appointed to the Sister Cities Program Commission

• Bob McLaughlin was appointed to the Social Services Advisory Board

Reappointments:

• Lane Boldman was reappointed to the Corridors Commission

• Denise O'Meara and Russ Turpin were reappointed to the Greenspace Commission

• Sharon Reed was reappointed to the Picnic with the Pops Commission

• Gloria Martin and William Mayer were reappointed to the Rural Land Management Board

• Koffi Akakpo was reappointed to the Transit Authority Board

The appointments covered a wide range of municipal functions, from community centers and recreational facilities to transportation and veterans' services. Several boards received multiple new members, including the Black & Williams Neighborhood Community Center Board and Charles Young Center Advisory Board, each receiving two to three new appointees.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during the April 14, 2022 meeting centered on jail staffing and overtime issues, which drew significant community opposition and concern.

Jail Staffing and Overtime

Multiple members of the public voiced strong concerns about severe understaffing problems and excessive overtime at the county jail during the public comment period. Community members highlighted the critical nature of the staffing shortage and called for immediate action from the governing body to address what they characterized as unsafe working conditions for jail staff.

The public comments emphasized the urgency of the situation, with speakers expressing concerns about both employee safety and the overall operational integrity of the jail facility. Citizens called attention to the impact of chronic understaffing on current employees who are required to work excessive overtime hours to maintain basic operations.

The nature of the opposition was focused on demanding prompt governmental response to what community members viewed as a crisis situation requiring immediate intervention. Speakers urged officials to take concrete steps to resolve the staffing shortage and reduce the reliance on overtime work that was placing strain on jail personnel.

While the specific outcome or official response to these concerns was not detailed in the available meeting data, the consistent theme from multiple public commenters demonstrated significant community pressure on local officials to address the jail's operational challenges. The contested nature of this item stemmed from the community's perception that current staffing levels were inadequate and potentially dangerous, requiring urgent attention from the governing body.

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

Honoring NCAA Track Champion Abby Steiner

0:30

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 0302-22 to honor NCAA track and field champion Abby Steiner for her outstanding athletic achievements. During the presentation, Mayor Gorton officially declared April 14, 2022, as "Abby Steiner Day" in Lexington, recognizing Steiner's exceptional performance in collegiate track and field competition.

The agenda item was structured as a ceremonial presentation to acknowledge Steiner's accomplishments as an NCAA champion. Both Mayor Gorton and Abby Steiner participated as key speakers during this recognition ceremony.

The proclamation was approved without debate or opposition, reflecting the community's unanimous support for honoring the local athletic champion. The designation of April 14, 2022, as Abby Steiner Day serves as an official municipal recognition of her contributions to collegiate athletics and her representation of Lexington on the national stage.

This ceremonial agenda item concluded successfully with the formal adoption of the proclamation honoring Steiner's NCAA track and field championship achievements.

2022 Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero Award

1:00

The city presented the 2022 Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero Award to two recipients in recognition of their outstanding contributions to public health. Mayor Gorton presented the awards to Dr. Sharon Walsh and Chief Marc Bramlage during this ceremonial agenda item.

The Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing public health in the community. Both recipients were recognized for their dedicated service and impact on community health outcomes.

Dr. Sharon Walsh and Chief Marc Bramlage were acknowledged for their respective roles in promoting and protecting public health. The presentation highlighted their contributions to the community's wellbeing and their commitment to public health initiatives.

The award presentation was approved without discussion, reflecting the unanimous support for recognizing these public health champions. Mayor Gorton served as the primary speaker for this ceremonial item, formally presenting the awards to both recipients.

This agenda item (0304-22) was processed as a presentation and successfully concluded with the formal recognition of both award recipients for their public health service to the community.

Amending Budgets for Municipal Expenditures

1:30

The council considered Ordinance 0298-22, which proposed amendments to municipal budgets to reflect current expenditure requirements. The ordinance was designed to adjust existing budget allocations to better align with the city's operational needs.

Key speakers during the discussion included Ellinger and Plomin, who presented the rationale for the budget amendments. The speakers outlined the specific areas where budget adjustments were necessary to accommodate current municipal spending patterns and requirements.

The ordinance addressed the need to realign budget categories to ensure adequate funding for ongoing municipal operations. The proposed changes were presented as necessary adjustments to maintain effective city services and meet current expenditure demands.

Following the presentation and discussion, the council voted to approve Ordinance 0298-22. The approval allows the city to implement the budget amendments as outlined in the ordinance, ensuring that municipal expenditures can proceed according to current operational requirements.

The successful passage of this ordinance provides the city with the budgetary flexibility needed to address immediate spending needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility in municipal operations.