Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on July 7, 2022, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed three main agenda items, focusing primarily on legislative matters including ordinances and resolutions at various stages of the approval process. Council members conducted five votes during the session and heard one public comment from a community member.

The council successfully approved ordinances and resolutions that were up for second reading, completing the legislative process for those items. Additionally, the council conducted first readings of new resolutions, beginning the formal review process for future consideration. All agenda items that required final approval were successfully passed during the meeting.

Attendance

The following members were present at the July 7, 2022 meeting:

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

Absent: Worley

Late arrivals: None

A total of 14 members were present with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted five roll call votes during the meeting, with four items passing with single dissenting votes and one passing unanimously.

Budget and Position Amendments 2:00 Ellinger motioned and Baxter seconded approval of ordinances amending budgets and creating positions. The motion passed unanimously 14-0, with all council members voting in favor: Reynolds, Sheehan, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, and Plomin.

Resolution 0665-22 3:00 An agreement with Lexington History Museum, Inc. was approved 13-1 on a motion by Ellinger, seconded by Baxter. Kloiber cast the sole dissenting vote, while Reynolds, Sheehan, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, and Plomin voted in favor.

Resolution 0655-22 4:00 The council voted 13-1 to accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. Ellinger motioned and Baxter seconded the resolution. Reynolds was the only member voting against, with Sheehan, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, and Plomin supporting the measure.

Resolution 0677-22 5:00 A change order for Town Branch Trail Phase 6 passed 13-1 on Ellinger's motion, seconded by Baxter. Moloney cast the dissenting vote, while Reynolds, Sheehan, Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, and Plomin voted in favor.

Resolution 0724-22 12:00 The final vote was unanimous approval of a memorandum of understanding with Kentucky Utilities Company. J. Brown motioned and Kay seconded the resolution, which passed 14-0 with support from all council members.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial agreements totaling over $3.1 million in expenditures and grant allocations.

Emergency Shelter Services Contract Resolution 0536-22 authorized $1,585,838 in Purchase of Service Agreements for Emergency Overnight Shelter services. The funding will be distributed among six organizations: Hope Center, Inc., Greenhouse17, Community Action Council, Arbor Youth Services, Hospice of the Bluegrass, and Salvation Army.

Grant Agreements Three major grant-related resolutions were approved:

• Resolution 0545-22 established a $1,000,000 Subrecipient Agreement with Mountain Comprehensive Care Center

• Resolution 0546-22 approved a $380,172 Subrecipient Agreement with Untold Content for an Online Learning Management Program

• Resolution 0547-22 authorized a $171,898 Subrecipient Agreement with Untold Content for a Public Awareness Campaign

Contract Amendment Resolution 0625-22 approved Change Order No. 1 to the Grant Award Agreement with Dalton Court, LLC, reducing the contract amount by $550.

The combined financial actions represent a net expenditure of $3,137,358, with the majority allocated toward emergency shelter services and comprehensive care programs. The agreements with Untold Content totaling $552,070 indicate a significant investment in digital learning infrastructure and public outreach initiatives.

Public Comment

13:00 The public comment period was opened during the meeting, with one individual registered to speak.

Dotty Bean had signed up to provide public comment but was not present when called upon to address the meeting. No other members of the public spoke during the comment period.

The public comment session concluded without any testimony or concerns being presented to the meeting participants.

Appointments

The meeting included appointments to the Board of Adjustment, with two individuals being selected to serve on this municipal body.

The following appointments were made:

• Carolyn Plumlee was appointed to the Board of Adjustment
• Linda Tucker was appointed to the Board of Adjustment

Both appointments involved the same municipal board, which typically handles zoning variance requests and appeals related to land use decisions within the jurisdiction.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that generated heated discussion among council members.

Retention and Recruitment Funding

Council members engaged in a heated debate regarding the proposed use of $5 million for retention bonuses. The primary disagreement centered on concerns about the long-term effectiveness of using retention bonuses as a strategy to keep staff members employed with the organization.

The discussion revealed differing perspectives among council members about whether financial incentives in the form of bonuses would successfully address underlying retention challenges or merely provide a temporary solution to staffing issues. Some members questioned whether the $5 million allocation would deliver sustainable results in maintaining workforce stability.

The nature of the discussion was characterized as heated, indicating strong opinions and passionate debate among the participants. However, the specific council members who participated in the debate and their individual positions on the matter were not detailed in the available information.

The outcome of this contested discussion was not specified in the meeting records, leaving unclear whether the council reached a resolution on the $5 million retention bonus proposal or if the matter was tabled for future consideration.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available for this contested item discussion.*

Ordinances – Second Reading

2:00

The council conducted second readings of multiple ordinances during this agenda item. Council members Ellinger and Baxter were the primary speakers during the discussion.

The ordinances under consideration included budget amendments and the creation of new positions, though the specific details of each ordinance were not provided in the available materials. As second readings, these ordinances had previously been introduced and were now being considered for final approval.

The discussion involved input from both Ellinger and Baxter, who addressed various aspects of the proposed ordinances. The nature of their specific comments and any concerns raised during the debate were not detailed in the source materials.

Following the discussion and second reading process, the ordinances were approved by the council. This approval represents the final step in the legislative process for these measures, allowing them to take effect according to their specified terms.

The agenda item encompassed multiple ordinances dealing with municipal budget matters and organizational changes through position creation, indicating routine administrative and financial business for the council's consideration.

Resolutions – Second Reading

3:00

The council conducted second readings of multiple resolutions during this agenda item. Council members Ellinger and Baxter served as key speakers during the proceedings.

The resolutions under consideration included various service agreements and grant acceptances, though specific details of individual resolutions were not provided in the available materials. Second reading represents the final stage of the resolution approval process, following initial introduction and first reading at previous meetings.

The discussion proceeded through the scheduled resolutions systematically, with Ellinger and Baxter providing commentary and guidance on the items before the council. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the second reading process.

All resolutions presented for second reading were approved by the council, completing their passage through the legislative process. The approved resolutions will now take effect according to their respective terms and implementation schedules.

Resolutions – First Reading

12:00

The council conducted the first reading of several resolutions during this agenda item. The primary focus was on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Kentucky Utilities Company.

Key speakers during this discussion included J. Brown and Kay, who presented the resolutions to the council for initial consideration.

The resolutions were presented as part of the standard first reading process, which allows council members to review the proposed measures before taking formal action at a subsequent meeting. The MOU with Kentucky Utilities Company was highlighted as a significant component of the resolutions under consideration.

As this was a first reading, no final action was taken on the resolutions. The items will proceed through the standard legislative process and return for further discussion and potential approval at a future council meeting.

The council completed the first reading without extended debate, following typical procedures for initial presentation of resolutions.