Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on January 31, 2023, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at the Urban County Government Center in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed four main agenda items, including public comment on agenda issues, approval of meeting summaries, budget amendments, and new business items. Council members conducted six formal votes during the session, with all substantive agenda items receiving approval. One member of the public provided comments on issues related to the meeting agenda. The meeting successfully completed its business with the approval of budget amendments and new business matters, demonstrating the council's continued work on municipal governance and fiscal management.

Attendance

The following members were present at the January 31, 2023 meeting:

Present: • Mayor Linda Gorton • Vice Mayor Wu • J. Brown • Ellinger • Fogle • Lynch • LeGris • Sheehan • Gray • Worley • F. Brown • Baxter • Sevigny • Reynolds • Plomin

Absent: • Monarrez

No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 15 members were present with 1 member absent.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted six votes during the January 31, 2023 meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

Motion to Move Public Hearing 0:02 Councilmember Ellinger moved to relocate the public hearing to the start of the meeting, seconded by Reynolds. The motion passed unanimously.

Work Session Summary Approval 0:03 Councilmember Gray moved to approve the January 17, 2023 work session summary, with Fogle providing the second. The motion passed unanimously.

New Business Approval 0:04 Councilmember Plomin moved to approve new business items, seconded by Sheehan. The motion passed unanimously with 2 abstentions. Councilmembers LeGris and Sheehan recused themselves from item I.

Police Union Agreement Resolution 0:05 Councilmember Baxter moved to place on the docket a resolution accepting a Memorandum of Agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Town Branch Lodge #83, with Ellinger seconding. The motion passed unanimously.

Neighborhood Development Funds 0:06 Councilmember Ellinger moved to approve neighborhood development funds, seconded by Plomin. The motion passed unanimously.

Meeting Adjournment 3:08 Councilmember Ellinger moved to adjourn the meeting, with Fogle providing the second. The motion passed unanimously.

All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call, with no individual vote tallies recorded. The meeting demonstrated broad consensus among council members on all agenda items presented.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council addressed several significant financial items totaling over $4 million in funding authorizations and contract approvals.

Grant Funding Acceptances

The largest financial action involved authorization to accept $2,891,826.38 from the National Opioid Settlement for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (L0041-23). Additionally, the council approved accepting $447,898 in federal funding from the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security for the Division of Police to purchase and install a MX10 thermal imaging camera system (L0090-23).

Contract Authorizations

The council approved the fourth and final renewal of an agreement with Advanced Mulching Technologies, Inc. for $59,397.00 (L0070-23). A new Purchase of Service Agreement with Gresham Smith was authorized for $150,000.00, requiring the Mayor's execution (L0075-23).

Intergovernmental Agreement

The council authorized execution of a memorandum of agreement with the University of Kentucky, committing $500,000.00 from LFUCG for the expansion of the Dorotha Smith Oatts Visitor Center at the Arboretum (L0077-23).

The combined financial actions represent approximately $4.05 million in expenditures and grant acceptances, with the National Opioid Settlement funding comprising the largest single item at nearly $2.9 million. The approved items span multiple city departments and functions, including public safety equipment, environmental services, professional consulting, and community partnerships.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one community member addressed the council regarding the National Opioid Settlement funds.

Dottie Bean spoke about the National Opioid Settlement funds, expressing concerns about how these funds would be allocated and monitored 0:01. Bean requested that the council provide more detailed information about the settlement before proceeding with a vote to accept the funds. Her comments focused on ensuring proper oversight and transparency in the use of these settlement resources.

The public comment period provided an opportunity for community input on this significant funding decision facing the council.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments and reappointments to various municipal bodies and committees.

Planning Organization • Reynolds Brown was reappointed to the Planning Organization

Infill and Redevelopment Steering Committee • Brag Ga was appointed to the Infill and Redevelopment Steering Committee • Phil was appointed to the Infill and Redevelopment Steering Committee

The appointments represent ongoing efforts to maintain staffing on key municipal committees that guide planning and development activities within the jurisdiction.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:01

The meeting opened with a public comment period where community members could address issues related to items on the agenda. Dottie Bean was the sole speaker during this session, raising concerns about the allocation of National Opioid Settlement funds.

Bean's comments focused on how the settlement funds should be distributed and utilized, though the specific details of her concerns were not elaborated in the available materials. The National Opioid Settlement represents a significant funding source for communities affected by the opioid crisis, making the allocation of these resources a matter of public interest.

This public comment session served an informational purpose, providing community input on agenda-related matters before the formal meeting proceedings began. No action was taken during this portion of the meeting, as is typical for public comment periods which are designed to gather citizen input rather than make decisions.

Approval of Summary

0:03

The council considered approval of the summary from their January 17, 2023 work session. The agenda item was presented as a resolution requiring council action.

Key speakers during this discussion included Gray and Fogle, though the specific details of their remarks are not available in the provided materials.

The council proceeded to approve the summary of the January 17, 2023 work session without apparent controversy or extended debate.

Outcome: Approved

Budget Amendments

0:05 The council considered various budget amendments during the meeting. The item was presented as a resolution requiring council approval.

Key speakers on this agenda item included Baxter and Plomin, who discussed the proposed budget modifications with the council.

The budget amendments were presented to the council for consideration, though the specific details of the individual amendments and their financial impacts were not detailed in the available materials. The discussion appeared to be procedural in nature, focusing on the approval of the amendments as presented.

The council ultimately approved the budget amendments as proposed. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this item, and the resolution passed without apparent controversy.

The approval of these budget amendments allows the necessary financial adjustments to move forward as planned by city staff and administration.

New Business

0:04

The council addressed several new business items during this portion of the meeting, with key participation from council members Plomin and Sheehan.

The new business segment focused primarily on authorizations for various grants and contracts that required council approval. While the specific details of individual grants and contracts were not provided in the available materials, the discussion centered on multiple funding and contractual matters that needed formal authorization.

Council members Plomin and Sheehan were the primary speakers during this agenda item, leading the discussion on the various authorizations under consideration. The nature of their specific comments and any debate that may have occurred was not detailed in the source materials.

The council ultimately approved all new business items presented during this session. The approval encompassed the various grants and contracts that were brought forward for authorization, allowing the city to proceed with these financial and contractual commitments.

No specific concerns or objections were noted in the available documentation regarding any of the new business items. The approval appears to have proceeded without significant controversy or extended debate.

The new business portion of the meeting concluded with all presented items receiving the necessary council approval to move forward.