Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on September 8, 2022, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed five agenda items, including two informational presentations and three items requiring council action. The council took five votes during the session and heard from five members of the public during the comment period.

The meeting included recognition of Aldona Valicenti and an informational presentation about AVOL Dining Out for Life. Three budget and zoning matters came before the council for formal action: a budget amendment for Environmental Services, a zone change for property at 2651 Sandersville Road, and a budget amendment for municipal expenditures. All three items requiring votes were approved by the council.

Attendance

The following members were present at the September 8, 2022 meeting:

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

Absent: Plomin

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

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted five roll call votes during the September 8, 2022 meeting, with four measures passing unanimously and one passing with a single dissenting vote.

Resolution 0884-22 2:00 - Amending budgets for purchase of a trailer for the Division of Environmental Services was motioned by Bledsoe and seconded by Kay. The measure passed unanimously 14-0 with all members voting in favor: Baxter, Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Reynolds, Sheehan, and Worley.

Resolution 0846-22 2:00 - Changing the zone for property at 2651 Sandersville Road was motioned by Bledsoe and seconded by Kay. This zoning change also passed unanimously 14-0 with the same fourteen council members voting in favor.

Resolution 0886-22 2:00 - Amending budgets for municipal expenditures, FY 2023 Schedule No. 9 was motioned by Bledsoe and seconded by Kay. The budget amendment passed unanimously 14-0 with all fourteen members supporting the measure.

Resolution 0892-22 3:00 - Amending Unclassified Civil Service authorized strength was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Bledsoe. This personnel-related measure passed unanimously 14-0 with all council members voting in favor.

Resolution 0864-22 4:00 - Change Order No. Four for the Town Branch Commons Corridor Construction Project was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by McCurn. This construction-related change order passed 12-1, with twelve members voting in favor (Baxter, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Reynolds, Sheehan, and Worley) and one member, Moloney, voting against the measure.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several significant financial items totaling over $838,000 in grants, contracts, and purchases.

Grant Acceptance • Resolution 0791-22: The Urban County Government accepted a $499,997 grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, representing the largest financial item on the agenda.

Loan Agreement • Resolution 0803-22: Approved a $120,000 loan agreement with Helios Aerosystems, LLC.

Training and Equipment Contracts • Resolution 0806-22: Authorized a $29,033.20 agreement with Spec Rescue International for FEMA Structural Collapse Specialist Training.

• Resolution 0830-22: Approved the purchase of Pathfinder Software from Cellebrite, Inc. for $59,500.

Data Services Contract • Resolution 0831-22: Established a Data License Agreement with Streetlight Data, Inc. valued at $130,000.

The financial actions encompassed federal grant funding, specialized training for emergency response capabilities, technology purchases for law enforcement operations, and data licensing services. The items required formal approval through individual resolutions, with each assigned specific identifier numbers for tracking and administrative purposes.

Public Comment

Five community members addressed the council during the public comment period, with public safety and budget concerns dominating the discussion.

Dottie Bean 11:00 opened the public comment period by expressing concerns about reduced police presence and recent violent incidents in the community. She urged the council to prioritize public safety as a key issue requiring immediate attention.

James Woodhead 12:00 followed with criticism of the current public safety plan and budget allocation. He advocated for the council to invest in evidence-based solutions and address fundamental community needs such as housing, rather than focusing solely on traditional policing approaches.

Jessica Bowman 13:00 highlighted what she described as a disconnect between the council and community members. She called for improved community engagement and questioned the council's emphasis on police funding, suggesting alternative approaches to addressing community concerns.

Tom Duprey 14:00 criticized the council's budget decisions and warned against potential tax increases. He urged the council to exercise greater fiscal responsibility in their spending decisions and budget planning.

Chad Sturgill 15:00 concluded the public comment period by expressing concerns about crime levels and what he characterized as council inaction on public safety issues. He urged the council to address public safety concerns while avoiding tax increases on residents.

The public comments revealed a community divided on approaches to public safety, with some speakers calling for increased police presence and others advocating for alternative solutions. Budget concerns and fiscal responsibility were recurring themes, with multiple speakers expressing opposition to potential tax increases while demanding action on community safety issues.

Appointments

The council made several appointments to various boards and commissions during the September 8, 2022 meeting.

Affordable Housing Governing Board • Laura Boison was appointed to the Affordable Housing Governing Board

Human Rights Commission • Alyssa Mattingly was appointed to the Human Rights Commission

Lexington Center Corporation • Kip Cornett was appointed to the Lexington Center Corporation • Sherita Miller was appointed to the Lexington Center Corporation

Parking Authority Board • Cathy Taylor was appointed to the Parking Authority Board

All five appointments were approved by the council during this meeting, filling positions across multiple municipal boards and commissions that serve various functions in local government operations.

Contested Items

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

Police Staffing and Budget

A contentious debate emerged regarding police staffing levels and budget allocation. The disagreement centered on differing perspectives about public safety priorities and resource allocation strategies.

Some council members and public commenters advocated for increased police funding, citing concerns about crime levels in the community and arguing that additional staffing was necessary to address public safety issues. These participants emphasized the need for more officers and enhanced police resources.

However, other participants challenged this approach, questioning whether current policing strategies were effective and whether additional funding would meaningfully improve community safety outcomes. These voices raised concerns about the effectiveness of existing police programs and suggested alternative approaches might be more beneficial.

The discussion involved both elected officials and community members who participated in public comment, indicating this was an issue of significant public interest. The debate reflected broader community divisions about policing priorities and budget allocation.

The extracted data does not specify the final outcome of this discussion or whether any formal votes were taken on police staffing or budget matters during this meeting.

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

Recognition of Aldona Valicenti

0:30

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 0753-22, recognizing Aldona Valicenti for her contributions to the city and her recent award from Wayne State University.

During this presentation, Mayor Gorton acknowledged Valicenti's service and achievements, highlighting her recent recognition by Wayne State University. Valicenti was present to receive the acknowledgment from the city.

This was an informational item with no action required by the council. The recognition served to formally acknowledge Valicenti's contributions to the community and celebrate her academic honor from Wayne State University.

AVOL Dining Out for Life

1:00

Mayor Gorton presented a proclamation declaring September 15, 2022, as Dining Out for Life Day in recognition of AVOL Kentucky's ongoing efforts to support individuals living with HIV. The proclamation acknowledged the organization's work in the community and their annual fundraising initiative.

Jon Parker participated in the presentation alongside Mayor Gorton, representing AVOL Kentucky's mission and activities. The Dining Out for Life event is an annual fundraising campaign where participating restaurants donate a portion of their proceeds to support HIV/AIDS services and programs.

The agenda item served as an informational presentation to formally recognize the designated day and highlight AVOL Kentucky's contributions to supporting those affected by HIV in the community. No formal action was required from the council, as this was a mayoral proclamation recognizing the organization's work and the significance of the September 15th fundraising event.

The proclamation demonstrates the city's support for local organizations working to address health challenges and provide services to vulnerable populations in the community.

Budget Amendment for Environmental Services

2:00

The council considered Ordinance 0884-22, a budget amendment to allocate $1,500 for the purchase of a trailer for the Division of Environmental Services.

The discussion involved key speakers Bledsoe and Kay, who presented the need for this equipment purchase to support the division's operations. The amendment would provide funding specifically designated for acquiring a trailer to enhance the Environmental Services Division's capacity to carry out its duties.

The proposed budget allocation of $1,500 represents a targeted investment in equipment that would benefit the division's service delivery capabilities. The speakers outlined how this trailer would support the division's environmental services operations, though specific details about the trailer's intended use were not elaborated upon in the available materials.

The council proceeded with consideration of this budget amendment without significant debate or concerns raised during the discussion. The straightforward nature of the equipment purchase and the relatively modest financial impact appeared to facilitate smooth consideration of the proposal.

Following the presentation and discussion by Bledsoe and Kay, the council voted to approve Ordinance 0884-22. The budget amendment was successfully adopted, authorizing the $1,500 allocation for the Environmental Services Division to proceed with the trailer purchase. This approval enables the division to acquire the equipment needed to support its ongoing environmental services responsibilities within the community.

Zone Change for 2651 Sandersville Rd.

2:00

The council considered Ordinance 0846-22, which proposed changing the zoning classification for the property at 2651 Sandersville Rd. from a Wholesale and Warehouse Business zone to a Planned Neighborhood Residential zone.

Key speakers during the discussion included Bledsoe and Kay, who presented information about the proposed zoning change. The ordinance represents a significant shift in the intended use of the property, moving from commercial/industrial purposes to residential development.

The zoning change would allow for planned residential development on the site, which previously was designated for wholesale and warehouse business operations. This type of rezoning typically involves considerations of compatibility with surrounding land uses, infrastructure capacity, and community development goals.

The council approved Ordinance 0846-22, officially changing the zoning designation for 2651 Sandersville Rd. to Planned Neighborhood Residential. This approval enables the property to be developed for residential purposes in accordance with the planned neighborhood residential zoning requirements and regulations.