Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on September 22, 2022, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on informational presentations and community recognition, addressing two main agenda items related to local awareness initiatives and honoring community contributions.

During the session, the Council heard presentations on Hunger Action Month and participated in the recognition of Sharon Land for her community service. The meeting included two public comments from community members and resulted in two formal motions and votes by the Council. Both agenda items were informational in nature, serving to raise awareness about food insecurity issues in the community and to acknowledge outstanding civic contributions by local residents.

Attendance

The following members were present at the September 22, 2022 meeting:

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

Absent: • Plomin

Late Arrival: • J. Brown

J. Brown was initially absent but arrived late to the meeting and was subsequently marked as present.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the September 22, 2022 meeting.

Ordinance 0917-22 3:00 Council Member Ellinger motioned to approve Ordinance 0917-22, amending budgets for municipal expenditures under FY 2023 Schedule No. 12, with a second from Council Member Kay. The ordinance passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Moloney, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, and Baxter.

Resolution 0891-22 6:00 Council Member Baxter motioned to approve Resolution 0891-22 regarding Supplemental Agreement No. 5 with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the Town Branch Trail Commons Project, seconded by Council Member Kay. The resolution passed with 13 ayes and 1 nay. Council members voting in favor were: Bledsoe, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Kay, Kloiber, Lamb, LeGris, McCurn, Reynolds, Sheehan, Worley, and Baxter. Council Member Moloney cast the sole dissenting vote.

Both items required roll call votes, with the budget amendment receiving unanimous support while the transportation project agreement faced one opposing vote from Council Member Moloney.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items requiring council approval.

Medication History Services Contract

The council considered Resolution 0854-22, which authorizes an agreement with Cerner Corporation for Medication History Inquiry Services valued at $16,800. This contract will provide the city with access to medication history data services.

Town Branch Trail Construction Amendment

Resolution 0893-22 involves Change Order No. Five to the existing agreement with L-M Asphalt Partners for Town Branch Trail Phase 6 construction. This amendment increases the contract value by $240,937.98, representing a substantial modification to the original trail development project.

The two financial actions combined represent a total expenditure of $257,737.98, with the trail construction amendment comprising the majority of the financial commitment at approximately 93% of the total amount under consideration.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the council during the public comment period, both focusing on public safety concerns.

Mike Scanlon spoke at 10:00 about public safety issues in the community. Scanlon emphasized the urgent need for the city to develop a comprehensive plan to address public safety challenges. He specifically urged the council to take a more active role in budget revisions that would provide additional support for police operations and services.

Rock Daniels addressed the council at 12:00 regarding critical staffing issues at the 911 call center. Daniels highlighted that the call center is currently understaffed and that employees are receiving inadequate compensation for their essential work. He stressed that these staffing shortages and low pay rates are directly impacting emergency response times, creating potential public safety risks. Daniels urged the council to prioritize increased funding for both higher wages and additional staffing positions at the 911 call center to ensure adequate emergency response capabilities.

Both speakers' comments centered on the theme of public safety infrastructure and the need for increased municipal investment in emergency services, whether through police support or emergency dispatch operations.

Appointments

The meeting included two staff appointments that were approved during the proceedings.

New Appointments:

• Tara Chenault was appointed to the position of Administrative Specialist Sr.

• Jada Griggs was appointed to the position of Program Manager Sr.

Both appointments represent new staffing additions to support ongoing operations and program management functions within the organization.

Contested Items

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

Town Branch Trail Commons Project Funding

Resolution 0891-22, which addressed funding allocation for the Town Branch Trail Commons Project, generated opposition from at least one council member. The resolution ultimately passed with a 13-1 vote, indicating that while the majority of the council supported the funding measure, there was notable dissent.

The specific details of the disagreement, including which council member voted against the resolution and their stated reasons for opposition, were not captured in the available meeting data. The nature of the funding concerns—whether related to the project's scope, cost, timing, or other factors—also remains unclear from the extracted information.

Despite the opposition, the strong majority vote of 13-1 demonstrates that the council largely supported moving forward with the Town Branch Trail Commons Project funding as proposed in the resolution.

Hunger Action Month

2:00

The City of Lexington recognized September 2022 as Hunger Action Month through proclamation 0779-22. Mayor Gorton and Mike Halligan participated in this presentation highlighting local efforts to address food insecurity in the community.

The proclamation specifically acknowledged the work of God's Pantry Food Bank, a key organization serving the Lexington area in combating hunger. The designation of Hunger Action Month serves to raise awareness about food insecurity issues affecting local residents and promote community engagement in addressing these challenges.

This agenda item was presented as an informational proclamation without requiring council action or debate. The recognition aligns with national Hunger Action Month efforts that occur annually in September to focus attention on hunger relief initiatives and encourage community participation in supporting food assistance programs.

The proclamation represents the city's formal acknowledgment of ongoing hunger relief efforts and the importance of organizations like God's Pantry Food Bank in serving vulnerable populations within Lexington.

Recognition of Sharon Land

4:00

Mayor Gorton presented a proclamation recognizing Sharon Land for her dedicated service as a school crossing guard in Lexington. The proclamation officially declared September 22, 2022, as Sharon Land Day in the city.

The recognition highlighted Sharon Land's commitment to ensuring the safety of students and pedestrians at school crossings throughout her tenure. As a crossing guard, Land played a vital role in protecting children during their daily commute to and from school, contributing to the overall safety of the community's educational environment.

Sharon Land was present at the meeting to receive the proclamation. The agenda item was informational in nature, serving as a formal acknowledgment of her service to the community rather than requiring any council action or vote.

The proclamation represents the city's appreciation for the often-overlooked but essential work performed by school crossing guards, who serve as the first line of safety for students navigating busy streets around school zones. By dedicating a day in her honor, the city formally recognized Land's contribution to child safety and community welfare.

This recognition ceremony was part of the regular meeting proceedings, allowing the community and city officials to publicly acknowledge and celebrate the service of a dedicated public safety worker.