Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on May 3, 2022, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed five agenda items, including budget amendments, new business items, and a collective bargaining agreement for police lieutenants and captains.

The council took five votes during the session, approving the meeting summary, budget amendments, and new business items, while receiving informational presentations on public comments and the police collective bargaining agreement. One member of the public provided comments on agenda issues during the designated public comment period. The meeting successfully moved through its planned agenda, with the majority of actionable items receiving approval from the council.

Attendance

The following members were present at the May 3, 2022 meeting:

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

Absent: • Worley

Late Arrivals: • None

A total of 13 members were present for the meeting, with one member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted several votes during the May 3, 2022 meeting, all of which passed by voice vote.

Docket Approval 0:00 Councilmember Ellinger motioned to approve the docket, seconded by Councilmember Kay. The motion passed by voice vote.

April 26 Work Session Summary 0:00 The council approved the April 26 council work session summary by voice vote. No specific motion maker or seconder was recorded for this item.

Budget Amendments 0:00 Councilmember LeGris motioned to approve budget amendments, with Councilmember Plomin providing the second. The motion passed by voice vote.

New Business Approval 0:00 Councilmember Ellinger made a motion to approve new business items, seconded by Councilmember Reynolds. The motion carried by voice vote.

Walk-On Item for Grant Application 0:00 Councilmember Lamb motioned to walk on an item regarding a grant application to the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, with Councilmember Sheehan seconding the motion. This procedural motion to add the item to the agenda passed by voice vote.

All votes were conducted as voice votes rather than roll call votes, so individual member positions were not recorded. No opposition or abstentions were noted for any of the items voted upon during this meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant grant-related financial items totaling $1,250,000.

Grant Applications and Awards:

• Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice Grant - $200,000
• The Division of Youth Services will receive funding through a grant application to the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice
• This represents a substantial investment in youth services programming

• Charles Young Park Water Play Area - $1,050,000
• Grant funding from the Bluegrass Community Foundation will support the design and construction of a new water play area in Charles Young Park
• This major recreational infrastructure project represents the largest financial item discussed at the meeting

Both items represent grant funding rather than direct municipal expenditures, indicating the city's efforts to leverage external funding sources for youth services and park improvements. The combined $1,250,000 in grant funding demonstrates significant investment in community services and recreational facilities.

*Note: Specific resolution numbers and transcript timestamps were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the board regarding police department matters.

Rita Russell English spoke about the collective bargaining agreement with the police department 0:00. English expressed concerns about the agreement, specifically focusing on state law changes and questions about their applicability to the current collective bargaining process. She raised issues about how recent changes in state legislation might impact the terms and implementation of the police department's collective bargaining agreement.

No other members of the public provided comments during this portion of the meeting.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item that drew community opposition regarding the collective bargaining agreement with police lieutenants.

Collective Bargaining Agreement

Community members raised concerns about how recent state law changes would impact the collective bargaining agreement with police lieutenants. The opposition centered on the potential effects these legislative modifications could have on the negotiated terms and conditions of employment for this specific group of law enforcement personnel.

The nature of the disagreement involved community opposition to aspects of how the collective bargaining process would be affected by the new state regulations. However, the specific details of which state law changes were at issue, the exact concerns raised by community members, and the ultimate outcome of this contested item are not available in the provided meeting documentation.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps and detailed resolution information were not available in the source materials for this contested item.*

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:00 The meeting opened with a public comment period for issues listed on the agenda. Rita Russell English was the key speaker during this portion of the meeting.

The public comment period provided an opportunity for community members to address the governing body regarding specific items that would be discussed later in the meeting. This is a standard procedural element that allows for public input before formal deliberations begin on agenda items.

The session was informational in nature, serving as a forum for public participation in the governmental process. No formal actions were taken during this portion of the meeting, as is typical for public comment periods which are designed to gather input rather than make decisions.

Approval of Summary

0:00 The meeting began with consideration of approving the summary from the April 26, 2022, work session. This agenda item was presented as a resolution requiring formal approval from the body.

The summary document from the April 26, 2022, work session was presented for review and approval. No speakers were identified as presenting specific comments or concerns regarding the accuracy or completeness of the summary during this portion of the meeting.

The agenda item proceeded without recorded debate or discussion of the summary's contents. No amendments or corrections to the April 26, 2022, work session summary were proposed or discussed.

The resolution to approve the summary of the April 26, 2022, work session was approved by the body.

Budget Amendments

The meeting addressed various budget amendments requiring approval 0:00. The agenda item was presented as a resolution for the council's consideration.

The budget amendments were approved by the council, though the specific details of the amendments, the amounts involved, and the departments or programs affected were not detailed in the available meeting materials. No key speakers were identified for this particular agenda item, and no recorded discussion or debate was captured in the provided information.

The resolution passed with council approval, allowing the proposed budget modifications to move forward. The lack of detailed discussion suggests this may have been a routine administrative matter or that the amendments had been previously reviewed in committee or work sessions prior to the formal meeting.

Without additional meeting materials or transcript details, the specific nature of these budget amendments - whether they involved transfers between departments, adjustments to revenue projections, or modifications to expenditure categories - remains unclear from the available documentation.

New Business

The meeting addressed new business items during this agenda segment 0:00.

The new business items were presented for approval as a resolution. No specific speakers were identified in the available records for this portion of the meeting.

The new business items were approved by the governing body without recorded discussion or debate in the available materials.

Outcome: The new business items were approved.

*Note: Limited details were available in the meeting records for this agenda item. For complete information about the specific new business items discussed, interested parties should review the full meeting video or contact the appropriate government office.*

Collective Bargaining Agreement - Police Lieutenants and Captains

0:00 David Barbary presented information regarding the collective bargaining agreement with police lieutenants and captains during this meeting session.

The discussion focused on proposed changes to the existing collective bargaining agreement, with particular attention given to modifications in salary step structures and adjustments to grievance procedures for these supervisory positions within the police department.

Key Discussion Points: • Salary step changes for lieutenant and captain positions • Updates to grievance procedure protocols • Terms of the collective bargaining agreement

David Barbary served as the primary speaker for this agenda item, providing details about the negotiated terms and proposed modifications to the current agreement structure.

This was presented as an informational item, meaning no formal action was taken during the meeting. The presentation served to update attendees on the status of negotiations and key provisions within the collective bargaining agreement for these police supervisory roles.

The discussion covered both lieutenant and captain positions, representing the supervisory tier of the police department's organizational structure. The focus on salary steps suggests potential changes to the compensation progression system for these positions, while the mention of grievance procedures indicates updates to the formal complaint and dispute resolution processes available to these employees.

No specific concerns or objections were noted during this informational presentation, and the item concluded without requiring a vote or formal decision from the governing body.