Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on February 9, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognitions and community acknowledgments, with the council addressing two main agenda items during the session. The council approved a recognition for Bobby Washington and received an informational presentation recognizing the five winners of Girls Who Game. Throughout the meeting, the council conducted three motions and votes while hearing from three members of the public during the comment period.

Attendance

The following members were present at the February 9, 2023 meeting:

• Reynolds
• Sevigny
• Sheehan
• Wu
• F. Brown
• J. Brown
• Ellinger
• Elliott Baxter
• Fogle
• Gray
• LeGris
• Lynch
• Monarrez
• Plomin

Absent: Worley

Late Arrival: Worley

A total of 14 members were present for the meeting, with one member (Worley) initially absent but arriving late during the proceedings.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted three roll call votes during the February 9, 2023 meeting, with all items passing.

Ordinance 0078-23 2:00 - An Ordinance changing the zone for property located at 125 Turner Commons Way and 1409 N. Forbes Rd. was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Plomin. The ordinance passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, and Plomin.

Resolution 0042-23 5:00 - A Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an Agreement with Mavron, Inc. for prisoner transport van inserts was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Fogle. The resolution passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays. The same 15 council members voted in favor of this measure.

Resolution 0111-23 10:00 - A Resolution declaring the property located at 400 East Fifth St. as surplus and authorizing its transfer to United Way of the Bluegrass, Inc. was motioned by J. Brown and seconded by Ellinger. This resolution passed with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. The following council members voted in favor: Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Elliott Baxter, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, and Plomin. One council member abstained from voting, though the specific member who abstained was not identified in the voting record.

All three items on the agenda received strong support from the council, with two passing unanimously and one passing with only a single abstention.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items totaling $617,390.60 in expenditures and grants.

Contract Approval • Resolution 0042-23: Approved a contract with Mavron, Inc. for $117,390.60 to purchase three prisoner transport van inserts. This procurement will enhance the county's prisoner transportation capabilities with specialized vehicle equipment.

Grant Authorization • Resolution 0075-23: Authorized a $500,000 grant to the University of Kentucky for the expansion of the Visitor Center at the Arboretum. This substantial funding will support infrastructure improvements at the university's botanical facility, enhancing educational and public access capabilities.

The prisoner transport equipment represents a public safety investment, while the arboretum expansion grant demonstrates support for educational and environmental programming within the community. Both items required formal resolution approval during the meeting proceedings.

Public Comment

Three community members spoke during the public comment period, all expressing concerns about a proposed property transfer to United Way and requesting additional time for community input.

Robert Hodge 11:00 addressed the council regarding property transfer concerns. Hodge expressed concerns about the transfer of property to United Way and specifically requested that the council provide more time for community input before proceeding with the decision.

Jim Burton 12:00 spoke about the need for neighborhood input on the proposed transfer. Burton requested that more time be allocated for neighborhood associations to discuss and provide feedback on the property transfer to United Way before any final action is taken.

Rock Daniels 13:00 voiced concerns about community impact related to the property transfer. Daniels expressed worries about how the transfer would affect the broader community and joined the previous speakers in requesting additional opportunities for public input on the matter.

All three speakers focused on the same central issue - the proposed property transfer to United Way - and shared a common request for extended time to allow for more comprehensive community discussion and input before the council makes a final decision on the transfer.

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to local boards and organizations.

Reappointments: • Shirley Riley was reappointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers

New Appointments: • Angela Evans was appointed to the CASA of Lexington Board of Directors

These appointments reflect the city's ongoing commitment to supporting community organizations that serve important public safety and social service functions in the Lexington area. Bluegrass Crime Stoppers works to encourage community involvement in crime prevention and solving criminal cases, while CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Lexington provides trained volunteers to advocate for children in the court system who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Contested Items

The February 9, 2023 meeting featured one contested item that drew community opposition and required extended discussion.

Property Transfer to United Way

Community members raised concerns about a proposed property transfer to United Way during the meeting. The opposition centered on the need for additional time to review and discuss the implications of transferring the property to the organization.

Multiple residents spoke during the public comment period, expressing their desire for more thorough community input before proceeding with the transfer. The specific concerns raised by community members were not detailed in the available meeting materials, but their collective request focused on extending the timeline for consideration rather than outright opposition to the transfer itself.

The community's primary request was for additional time to allow for more comprehensive discussion of the property transfer proposal. This suggests that residents felt the current timeline did not provide adequate opportunity for public input or review of the transfer terms and conditions.

The outcome of this contested item was not specified in the available meeting documentation, leaving unclear whether the governing body agreed to extend the discussion period as requested by community members or proceeded with the original timeline for the property transfer decision.

This item demonstrated active community engagement in local government decisions, particularly regarding property matters that may impact the broader community. The request for extended discussion time reflects residents' desire to ensure proper deliberation on significant municipal property decisions.

Recognition of Bobby Washington

1:00

The city council recognized Bobby Washington through agenda item 0165-23, a proclamation honoring his contributions to the community and achievements in basketball.

Mayor Gorton presented the recognition to Washington, acknowledging his impact both on and off the court. The proclamation highlighted Washington's basketball accomplishments as well as his broader community service and positive influence.

Bobby Washington was present to receive the recognition and addressed the council during the presentation. The agenda item was categorized as a proclamation, indicating it was a formal acknowledgment of Washington's contributions rather than a matter requiring extensive deliberation.

The council approved the recognition without recorded opposition, reflecting unanimous support for honoring Washington's achievements and community involvement. The presentation served to formally acknowledge Washington's dual impact as both an athlete and community contributor.

Recognition of the 5 winners of Girls Who Game

2:30

The board recognized five students who were winners in the Girls Who Game initiative, a program focused on encouraging female participation in STEM education through gaming and technology. This agenda item (0002-23) served as an informational presentation to highlight student achievements.

Key speakers for this recognition included: • Adrienne Thakur • Ashley Faulkner • Shad Lacefield

The presentation focused on celebrating the accomplishments of the five winning students who participated in the Girls Who Game program. This initiative appears to be designed to engage female students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields through gaming-related activities and competitions.

The agenda item was classified as a presentation with an informational outcome, meaning no formal board action was required. The recognition served to publicly acknowledge the students' achievements and highlight the district's commitment to promoting STEM education opportunities for female students.

The Girls Who Game program represents the district's efforts to address gender gaps in STEM fields by creating engaging, technology-focused learning opportunities that appeal to female students through gaming platforms and activities.