Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on September 20, 2022, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber of the Urban County Government Center, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed seven agenda items covering a range of municipal business including zoning matters, budget amendments, and ongoing city initiatives. The council took seven votes during the session, approving requested rezonings and docket items, budget amendments, and new business items. Two public comment periods were held, allowing residents to address both agenda-related issues and general concerns not on the agenda. The meeting also included informational presentations on continuing business and council reports from various members.

Attendance

The following members were present at the September 20, 2022 meeting:

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

Absent: • Plomin

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

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included seven motions, all decided by voice vote with one exception that recorded a single dissenting vote.

Rezoning Approvals 0:02 Councilmember Ellinger motioned to approve requested rezonings on the docket, seconded by McCurn. The motion passed by voice vote.

Emergency Rental Assistance Agreement 0:05 Lamb motioned to place on the docket a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with Community Action Council for emergency rental assistance funds, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed by voice vote.

Committee Referral Motion 0:15 Plomin motioned to remove item 7 from the docket and send it to the Planning and Public Safety Committee for further evaluation, seconded by Ellinger. This motion failed by voice vote.

Amendment for Work Session Presentation 0:20 J. Brown motioned to amend the previous motion to have a presentation at a work session instead of sending the item to committee, seconded by Baxter. The motion passed by voice vote.

Scheduling Motion 0:25 Moloney motioned to place the item on the docket for first reading on October 13, with a presentation on October 18, and second reading on October 27, seconded by Worley. The motion passed by voice vote.

Budget Amendments 0:35 Budget amendments were approved by voice vote, though no specific motion maker or seconder was recorded.

New Business Approval 0:40 Legris motioned to approve new business, seconded by Lamb. The motion passed by voice vote with one dissenting vote from Sheehan.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed eight financial items totaling over $14.4 million in expenditures, contracts, and grant acceptances.

Infrastructure and Utilities • Resolution 0928-22 authorized a Design Change Order No. 1 with Strand Associates, Inc. for $53,870.00 for West Hickman WWTP RAS/WAS improvements • Resolution 0942-22 approved a vendor agreement with Environmental Enterprises, Inc. for hazardous waste disposal services totaling $102,000.00

Major Project Funding • Resolution 0944-22 authorized amendment #4 of the TIGER agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation for the Town Branch Commons Project, involving $14,095,887.00

Technology and Security Services • Resolution 0931-22 established Burdine Security Group as a sole source vendor for maintenance and repair services (amount not specified) • Resolution 0937-22 authorized Grayshift LLC as a sole source vendor for GrayKey License renewal at $46,570.00

Personnel and Organizational Changes • Resolution 0934-22 authorized position changes in the Division of Youth Services and Parks and Recreation, with a financial impact of $5,462.25

Grant and Program Funding • Resolution 0943-22 accepted a $10,000.00 state award for EMS training equipment • Resolution 0948-22 authorized execution of FY 2023 Neighborhood Action Match Program contracts totaling $100,978.00

The largest single expenditure was the Town Branch Commons Project amendment at nearly $14.1 million, while the smallest was the personnel adjustment at $5,462.25. The actions included both ongoing operational expenses and significant infrastructure investments.

Public Comment

Two community members addressed the meeting during the public comment period on September 20, 2022.

Dottie Bean spoke about budget and spending concerns 1:30. Bean expressed concerns about current government spending practices and proposed reallocating funds from the PDR (Purchase of Development Rights) program to affordable housing initiatives. She suggested this reallocation would better serve community housing needs.

Blake Hall addressed parking policy issues 1:36. Hall expressed disappointment that the parking ZOTA (Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment) was not included on the meeting agenda. He emphasized the importance of parking reform as a necessary component for supporting housing development in the community, highlighting the connection between parking policies and housing availability.

Both speakers focused on housing-related concerns, with Bean addressing funding mechanisms and Hall focusing on regulatory barriers to development.

Contested Items

The meeting featured one contested item involving a procedural dispute over how to handle a zoning text amendment for small farm microdistilleries.

Zoning Text Amendment for Small Farm Microdistilleries

A procedural disagreement arose regarding the appropriate next steps for processing a zoning text amendment related to small farm microdistilleries. The dispute centered on whether the amendment should be sent directly to committee for review or if a presentation should first be conducted at a work session.

Council members debated the merits of each approach, with some favoring immediate committee referral to expedite the process, while others advocated for a preliminary presentation to ensure all members had adequate background information before formal committee consideration.

After discussion, the council reached a resolution to require a presentation before proceeding with the standard committee process. This compromise approach was designed to provide council members with necessary context and details about the zoning amendment while maintaining an orderly review process.

The decision reflects the council's preference for thorough preparation on zoning matters that could impact agricultural operations and local business development. The presentation requirement will allow for initial questions and clarification before the item moves to formal committee review and potential action.

*Note: Specific timestamp information and participant names were not available in the provided meeting data.*

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:01

The meeting began with a public comment period dedicated to issues listed on the agenda. This portion of the meeting was designated for members of the public to address the governing body regarding specific items scheduled for discussion during the session.

The public comment period was informational in nature, providing an opportunity for community input on agenda matters before formal deliberations began. No specific speakers or comments were documented in the available meeting materials for this portion of the proceedings.

This agenda item served as the standard opening for public participation, allowing residents and stakeholders to voice their perspectives on matters that would be considered by the governing body during the September 20, 2022 meeting.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

0:02 The council addressed the approval of requested rezonings and docket items during this portion of the meeting. Council members Ellinger and McCurn were the key speakers who participated in the discussion of these zoning matters.

The agenda item involved reviewing and voting on various rezoning requests and docket items that had been submitted for consideration. While the specific details of individual rezoning requests were not detailed in the available materials, this represents a standard procedural item where the council evaluates proposed changes to zoning classifications within their jurisdiction.

The discussion resulted in the council approving the requested rezonings and docket items that were presented for consideration. The approval indicates that the proposed zoning changes met the necessary criteria and requirements established by the municipality's zoning ordinances and planning guidelines.

This type of agenda item typically involves reviewing applications from property owners or developers seeking to change the zoning classification of specific parcels of land, which can affect how the property may be used or developed in the future. The council's approval of these items allows the requested zoning changes to move forward in the municipal approval process.

Budget Amendments

0:35

The council considered and approved various budget amendments for the current fiscal year during this agenda item. The amendments were presented as a resolution requiring council approval.

The specific details of the individual budget amendments, including dollar amounts and affected departments or programs, were not captured in the available meeting documentation. No key speakers were identified for this particular agenda item, suggesting the amendments may have been presented as part of routine administrative business.

The council proceeded to approve the budget amendments without recorded debate or discussion of concerns. The resolution passed, allowing the proposed fiscal adjustments to take effect.

This type of budget amendment process is typically used by municipal governments to make necessary adjustments to previously approved budgets, often to accommodate changing circumstances, unexpected expenses, or to reallocate funds between different budget categories or departments.

New Business

The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting 0:40. Council members Legris and Lamb were the primary speakers for this agenda item.

The discussion centered on new business matters that included contracts and grants requiring council approval. While the specific details of individual contracts and grants were not provided in the available materials, the council engaged in discussion regarding these items.

The new business items were presented as resolutions for the council's consideration. Both Legris and Lamb participated in the discussion of these matters, though the specific nature of their contributions and any particular concerns they may have raised are not detailed in the available summary.

Following the discussion, the council voted to approve the new business items that were presented. The approval encompassed the contracts and grants that had been brought before the council for consideration.

The outcome of this agenda item was approval of the new business matters, allowing the discussed contracts and grants to move forward as presented to the council.

Continuing Business/Presentations

0:50

Council Member Bledsoe presented the Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee's summary and motions during this portion of the meeting. The presentation served as an informational update to the full council regarding the committee's recent work and recommendations.

The agenda item was structured as a presentation format, allowing Bledsoe to provide details on the committee's findings and proposed actions. This type of continuing business item typically involves committee chairs or members reporting back to the full council on matters that have been under review or development within their respective committees.

The presentation was informational in nature, meaning no formal votes or decisions were required from the council at this time. Instead, the item served to keep all council members informed about the Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee's ongoing work and any motions or recommendations they had developed for future consideration.

This type of committee report is a standard part of municipal government operations, ensuring transparency and coordination between specialized committees and the full governing body. The information presented would likely inform future agenda items and decision-making processes as the committee's recommendations move through the formal approval process.

Council Reports

During the Council Reports segment, multiple council members provided updates on various community events and initiatives 1:00.

Council members Mccurn, Lamb, Reynolds, Legris, Kloiber, and Plomin each shared information about ongoing projects and upcoming community activities. The reports covered a range of topics relevant to local government operations and community engagement.

The session served as an informational update, allowing council members to keep their colleagues and the public informed about their respective areas of focus and recent activities. No formal actions were taken during this portion of the meeting, as the reports were presented for informational purposes only.

The Council Reports segment provided transparency into the various initiatives and events that council members are involved with throughout the community, ensuring that both fellow council members and residents stay informed about ongoing municipal activities and upcoming opportunities for civic engagement.

Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda

1:30

During the public comment period for issues not on the agenda, two community members addressed the meeting with concerns about city operations and policy matters.

Speakers and Topics:

• Dottie Bean - Addressed budget concerns affecting the community
• Blake Hall - Spoke about parking reform issues

The public comment session provided an opportunity for residents to bring forward matters not specifically scheduled for discussion during the meeting. Both speakers utilized their allotted time to raise issues they felt required the attention of city officials.

Bean focused her remarks on budget-related concerns, though the specific details of her budget issues were not elaborated in the available summary. Hall's comments centered on parking reform, suggesting ongoing community interest in changes to local parking policies or enforcement.

Outcome:

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken by the governing body. The public comment period served its intended purpose of allowing community members to voice concerns and bring issues to the attention of elected officials, even when those matters were not part of the formal meeting agenda.

The session concluded after both speakers had presented their remarks, with the meeting proceeding to other scheduled agenda items.