Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on September 6, 2022, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber on the 2nd Floor of the Government Center, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The council addressed seven agenda items during the session, with most items receiving approval including budget amendments, new business items, neighborhood development funds, and the mayor's report. The council conducted nine motions and votes throughout the meeting, demonstrating active deliberation on the matters before them. One member of the public provided comment on agenda issues during the designated public comment period. The meeting included both action items that required council approval and informational presentations, including a General Government and Social Services Report that provided updates to council members without requiring a vote.

Attendance

The following members were present at the September 6, 2022 meeting:

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

Absent: • Lamb

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 14 members were present and 1 member was absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted nine votes during the September 6, 2022 meeting, with eight motions passing and one failing. All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call.

Passed Motions:

• Dining Out for Life Recognition 0:30 - Lamb motioned to approve the September 8 council meeting docket presentation recognizing Kentucky's Dining Out for Life program. The motion passed by voice vote.

• Neighborhood Development Fund Amendment 1:00 - Reynolds motioned to amend the NDF list for a neighborhood development fund allocation of $800 for Liberty Performing Arts, seconded by Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote.

• Work Session Summary 2:00 - McCurn motioned to approve the August 30 work session summary, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed by voice vote.

• Budget Amendments 3:00 - Kay motioned to approve budget amendments, seconded by Baxter. The motion passed by voice vote.

• New Business 4:00 - Kay motioned to approve new business, seconded by Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote, with Moloney casting the sole dissenting vote on items F and H.

• Neighborhood Development Funds 5:00 - McCurn motioned to approve neighborhood development funds, seconded by Kay. The motion passed by voice vote.

• Police Memorandums of Understanding 7:00 - Kay motioned to instruct the administration to work on a series of memorandums of understanding with the police force, seconded by Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote.

• Mayor's Report 8:00 - Plomin motioned to approve the Mayor's Report, seconded by Sheehan. The motion passed by voice vote.

Failed Motion:

• Collective Bargaining 6:00 - Moloney motioned to open up collective bargaining, seconded by Ellinger. The motion failed by voice vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council approved several contracts and purchases totaling over $360,000 during the September 6, 2022 meeting.

Contracts and Agreements: • Resolution 0840-22: Approved a contract with GRW for topographic survey services in the amount of $28,870.00 • Resolution 0854-22: Authorized an agreement with Cerner Corporation for medication history inquiry services totaling $16,800.00 • Resolution 0890-22: Approved a lease agreement with AVOL Kentucky, Inc. for $10.00 per year • Resolution 0893-22: Approved Change Order No. 5 with ATS Construction for Town Branch Trail Phase 6 in the amount of $240,937.98

Equipment and Supply Purchases: • Resolution 0889-22: Authorized the purchase of Boerger replacement parts for sludge pumps from Henry P. Thompson Company for $22,759.34 • Resolution 0899-22: Approved the purchase of a refurbished Ferno iNX Stretcher for $41,460.00

The largest expenditure was the change order for the Town Branch Trail Phase 6 project with ATS Construction at nearly $241,000. The council also approved infrastructure-related purchases including sludge pump replacement parts and emergency medical equipment. The nominal $10 annual lease with AVOL Kentucky, Inc. represents ongoing operational agreements at minimal cost to the city.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the board regarding American Rescue Project funding discrepancies.

Dottie Bean spoke about concerns regarding American Rescue Project funding allocations 9:00. Bean questioned a significant discrepancy she identified between reported figures and actual figures for capital grant awards distributed to non-profit organizations. According to Bean, there was a $2 million difference between what was reported and the actual amounts awarded, raising questions about the accuracy of the funding documentation and distribution process.

The comment highlighted potential issues with the transparency and accounting of federal relief funds being administered at the local level. Bean's inquiry focused specifically on grants provided to non-profit organizations through the American Rescue Plan Act funding program.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one significant contested item that resulted in a split vote among council members.

Collective Bargaining Proposal

Council Member Moloney proposed opening up collective bargaining negotiations, which generated substantial debate and division among the council. The proposal faced immediate pushback from other council members who raised concerns about the potential legal ramifications and associated costs of entering into collective bargaining agreements.

The disagreement centered on whether the municipality should proceed with full collective bargaining or pursue alternative approaches to labor negotiations. Those opposing the original proposal cited worries about the financial burden and legal complexities that could arise from formal collective bargaining processes.

Rather than proceeding with Moloney's initial proposal, the council ultimately passed an amendment that offered a compromise solution. The amended motion directed staff to pursue Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) instead of full collective bargaining agreements. This alternative approach was seen as a middle ground that could address labor relations concerns while avoiding some of the legal and financial risks associated with traditional collective bargaining.

The split vote on this issue highlighted differing philosophies among council members regarding labor relations and municipal governance approaches. The final outcome represented a compromise position that allowed the council to move forward on labor-related matters while addressing the concerns raised by those who opposed the original collective bargaining proposal.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:00

The council opened the public comment period for issues listed on the meeting agenda. This portion of the meeting provides an opportunity for community members to address the council regarding specific items scheduled for discussion or action during the session.

No members of the public came forward to speak during this comment period. The council proceeded with the meeting agenda following the conclusion of the public comment opportunity.

This agenda item serves as a standard procedural element that allows for public participation in the governmental process by giving citizens a designated time to voice their concerns, opinions, or support regarding matters the council will be addressing during the meeting.

Approval of Summary

2:00

The council considered approval of the summary from the August 30 work session. The agenda item was presented as a resolution requiring council action.

Key speakers during this discussion included McCurn and Plomin, who addressed the council regarding the summary document.

The council proceeded to approve the summary of the August 30 work session without recorded opposition or significant debate. The resolution was adopted, formally accepting the summary as presented.

Outcome: Approved

Budget Amendments

3:00

The council considered various budget amendments during the September 6, 2022 meeting. Kay and Baxter served as the key speakers for this agenda item.

The discussion focused on proposed modifications to the current budget, though the specific details of the amendments and the nature of the debate were not detailed in the available materials. Both Kay and Baxter participated in presenting or discussing the budget changes under consideration.

Following the discussion, the council voted to approve the budget amendments. The resolution passed, allowing the proposed budget modifications to move forward.

The agenda item was classified as a resolution requiring formal council action, and the approval enables the implementation of the budget changes that were presented during the meeting.

New Business

4:00

The council addressed several new business items during this portion of the meeting. Kay and Ellinger were the primary speakers who participated in the discussion of these matters.

The new business section included multiple items, with particular attention focused on items F and H, which generated some dissent among council members. While the specific details of what these items contained were not elaborated upon in the available materials, they proved to be the most contentious of the new business matters considered.

During the voting process, the majority of the new business items received approval from the council. However, items F and H faced opposition, with one council member casting a no vote against each of these particular items. The identity of the dissenting member and the specific reasons for their opposition were not detailed in the available information.

Despite the single dissenting vote on items F and H, all new business items ultimately received approval from the council. The overall outcome for the new business section was positive, with the council moving forward on the various matters presented for consideration.

The discussion and voting on new business items concluded with the council having addressed multiple issues, though the brief nature of the available information does not provide insight into the specific content, scope, or implications of the individual items that were considered and approved during this segment of the meeting.

Neighborhood Development Funds

The council considered a resolution regarding neighborhood development fund allocations during this agenda item 5:00.

Council members McCurn and Kay served as the key speakers for this discussion. The resolution focused on distributing funds designated for neighborhood development projects across the community.

The council approved the neighborhood development fund allocations as presented. No specific details about the funding amounts, recipient neighborhoods, or types of development projects were provided in the available materials.

The resolution passed with council approval, allowing the allocated funds to proceed to their designated neighborhood development purposes.

General Government and Social Services Report

6:00

Council Member Lamb presented a summary of the August 16, 2022 General Government and Social Services Committee meeting to the full council.

The presentation served as an informational report to update council members on the committee's recent activities and decisions. Lamb provided an overview of the motions that were considered and approved during the committee meeting.

This was a routine informational presentation with no action required from the full council, as the committee had already addressed the relevant matters during their August 16th session.

Mayor's Report

8:00

The Mayor's Report was presented during the September 6, 2022 meeting, with key participation from Plomin and Sheehan.

The council reviewed and discussed the contents of the Mayor's report, though specific details of the presentation and discussion topics were not detailed in the available materials. Both Plomin and Sheehan contributed to the proceedings during this agenda item.

Following the presentation and any discussion, the council voted to approve the Mayor's Report. No specific concerns or objections were noted in the record regarding this item.

The approval of the Mayor's Report allows the information and recommendations contained within it to move forward as part of the official council record.