Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on February 14, 2023, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber of the Urban County Government Center in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed seven agenda items, including a proclamation honoring Coach Brian Lane, requested rezonings and docket approvals, budget amendments, and new business items. The council conducted nine motions and votes during the session, with most substantive items receiving approval. Two members of the public provided comments on agenda items during the designated public comment period. The meeting also included informational reports from the General Government and Planning Committee, covering various municipal matters and planning initiatives.

Attendance

All council members were present for the February 14, 2023 meeting.

Present: • Mayor Linda Gorton • Councilmember Baxter • Councilmember Worley • Councilmember Plomin • Councilmember Sheehan • Councilmember J. Brown • Councilmember Ellinger • Councilmember Wu • Councilmember Gray • Councilmember Sevigny • Councilmember Reynolds • Councilmember LeGris • Councilmember Fogle • Councilmember Lynch • Councilmember Martin • Councilmember Albright • Councilmember Armstrong • Councilmember Wells • Councilmember Dugger • Councilmember Hamilton • Councilmember Peacher • Councilmember Burton • Councilmember Conrad • Councilmember Ford • Councilmember Walters • Councilmember Scott • Councilmember Carey

Absent: None

Late: None

The meeting achieved full attendance with all 27 council members and the mayor participating from the start of the session.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted nine voice votes during the February 14, 2023 meeting, with all motions passing unanimously.

Procedural Motions: • [00:30] Councilmember Baxter moved to relocate the proclamation for Brian Lane to the beginning of the agenda, which passed by voice vote • [16:00] Councilmember Sevigny moved to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Gray, which passed by voice vote

Administrative Approvals: • [10:00] Worley moved to approve the February 9, 2023 Council meeting docket, seconded by Plomin, which passed by voice vote • [11:00] Gray moved to approve the January 31, 2023 work session summary, seconded by Baxter, which passed by voice vote • [11:30] Fogle moved to approve budget amendments, seconded by Gray, which passed by voice vote

Legislative Actions: • [10:30] Sheehan moved to amend Resolution No. 20-2023, seconded by Ellinger, which passed by voice vote • [12:00] Baxter moved to approve new business, seconded by LeGris, which passed by voice vote

Executive Reports: • [15:00] Baxter moved to approve the Mayor's Report, seconded by Gray, which passed by voice vote • [15:30] Plomin moved to approve the Mayor's Report regarding Price Contract Bid Recommendations, seconded by Fogle, which passed by voice vote

All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call, with no recorded opposition, abstentions, or specific vote counts. The unanimous passage of all items indicates broad council consensus on the agenda items presented during this meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed multiple financial items totaling over $1.6 million in contracts and grants.

Contracts and Agreements: • Resolution L0074-23 approved a lease agreement with Brian Huddle for residential park property valued at $6,600 • Resolution L0129-23 renewed the Purchase of Service Agreement with Children's Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass for $50,000 • Resolution L0132-23 renewed the Memorandum of Agreement with Bluegrass Community and Technical College for up to $100,000 • Resolution L0163-23 authorized a professional services agreement with Ernst & Young for $250,000 to conduct City Hall programming and space needs analysis

Stormwater Quality Project Grants: The council approved several stormwater quality project incentive grants: • Resolution L0134-23 awarded a Class B Education grant of $7,150 to Providence Montessori School, Inc. • Resolution L0135-23 provided a Class B Education grant of $40,000 to Bluegrass Greensource, Inc. • Resolution L0136-23 approved a Class A Neighborhood grant of $79,500 to Walnut Hill Club at Chilesburg Owners Association Inc. • Resolution L0138-23 authorized a Class A Neighborhood grant of $65,520 to Friends of Wolf Run, Inc. • Resolution L0139-23 granted $38,475 to Friends of the Parks in Fayette County, Inc. for a Class A Neighborhood project

Federal Grant Application: Resolution L0164-23 approved an application for $1,024,000 in federal funds from the Transportation Alternatives Program to support the Brighton Trail Connection and Harrodsburg Road Trail projects.

The stormwater grants totaled $230,645 across five organizations, while the largest single expenditure was the federal grant application for trail infrastructure improvements.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the council during the public comment period of the February 14, 2023 meeting.

Dottie Bean spoke at 5:00 regarding concerns about the allocation of sewer funds for neighborhood projects. Bean argued that sewer funds should be directed toward infrastructure projects rather than other neighborhood initiatives, questioning the appropriateness of using these designated funds for non-infrastructure purposes.

Amy Clark addressed the council at 7:00 about the Intents ZOTA (Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment). Clark urged the council to avoid rushing the deliberation process on this zoning matter, emphasizing the importance of ensuring adequate public involvement and participation in the decision-making process before moving forward with any amendments.

Both speakers raised concerns about municipal processes and fund allocation, with Bean focusing on fiscal responsibility regarding sewer fund usage and Clark advocating for more deliberate public engagement in zoning decisions.

Contested Items

The February 14, 2023 meeting featured one primary contested item that drew community opposition.

Intents ZOTA

Community members raised significant concerns regarding the Intents ZOTA (Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment), with opposition centered on the lack of adequate public involvement in the process. Residents questioned the broader implications of the proposed zoning ordinance intents and expressed dissatisfaction with the level of community engagement that had occurred prior to the meeting.

The nature of the opposition focused on procedural concerns about public participation rather than specific technical aspects of the zoning amendment itself. Community members emphasized their belief that more robust public involvement was necessary before moving forward with the ZOTA intents.

The extracted data does not indicate the specific outcome of this contested item or whether any resolution was reached during the meeting. The opposition appears to have been primarily procedural in nature, with residents seeking greater transparency and involvement in the zoning amendment process.

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

Proclamation for Coach Brian Lane

1:00

The council honored Coach Brian Lane with a proclamation recognizing his outstanding achievements in coaching basketball and golf at Transylvania University. Mayor Linda Gorton presented the proclamation during the meeting.

Coach Brian Lane was recognized for his significant contributions to collegiate athletics through his coaching career at Transylvania University. The proclamation highlighted his accomplishments in leading both basketball and golf programs at the institution.

Key participants: • Mayor Linda Gorton - presented the proclamation • Coach Brian Lane - recipient of the honor • Councilmember Baxter - participated in the recognition

The proclamation was approved by the council as a formal recognition of Coach Lane's service and achievements in collegiate sports. Coach Lane was present to receive the honor in person during the meeting.

The recognition reflects the council's practice of acknowledging community members who have made notable contributions to local educational and athletic programs. Transylvania University's athletic programs have benefited from Coach Lane's leadership in both basketball and golf coaching roles.

The proclamation was unanimously approved without debate or opposition from council members present.

Public Comment on Agenda Items

5:00

During the public comment period, two residents addressed the council regarding specific agenda items.

Dottie Bean spoke about the use of sewer funds for neighborhood projects, though the specific details of her concerns or recommendations were not detailed in the available materials.

Amy Clark provided comments regarding the Intents ZOTA (Zone of Territorial Agreement), addressing matters related to this zoning or territorial issue before the council.

The public comment period served an informational purpose, allowing residents to share their perspectives on items scheduled for consideration during the meeting. No formal action was taken during this portion of the meeting, as is typical for public comment periods.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

10:00

The council considered approval of the docket for the February 9, 2023, council meeting during this agenda item. The discussion involved key speakers Worley and Plomin, who addressed the proposed docket items.

The council ultimately approved the docket as presented. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this procedural matter.

The approval allows the items included in the February 9, 2023 docket to move forward through the municipal review process.

Approval of Summary

11:00

The council considered approval of the summary from their January 31, 2023, work session. The agenda item was presented as a resolution requiring council action.

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

The council proceeded to approve the summary of the January 31, 2023, work session without recorded opposition or significant debate based on the available information.

Outcome: The summary was approved by the council.

Budget Amendments

11:30

The council considered and approved various budget amendments during the February 14, 2023 meeting. Council members Fogle and Gray were the primary speakers on this agenda item.

The resolution addressed multiple budget adjustments, though the specific details of the individual amendments were not detailed in the available materials. The discussion involved both Fogle and Gray presenting or commenting on the proposed changes to the municipal budget.

The council ultimately approved the budget amendments as presented. No significant opposition or concerns were noted during the deliberation of this item.

The resolution passed, allowing the approved budget modifications to take effect.

New Business

12:00

The council addressed several new business items during this portion of the meeting. Council members Baxter and LeGris were the primary speakers for this agenda item.

The discussion centered on various contracts and grants that required council approval. While the specific details of individual contracts and grant amounts were not provided in the available materials, the items were presented as part of the standard new business proceedings.

The council reviewed and deliberated on these business matters, with Baxter and LeGris leading the discussion and presentation of the items under consideration.

Following the discussion, the council voted to approve the new business items, including the various contracts and grants that were presented. The resolution passed, allowing the approved items to move forward.

General Government and Planning Committee Report

14:00 Councilmember Worley provided a report on the January 17, 2023, General Government and Planning Committee meeting.

The presentation served as an informational update to the full council regarding matters discussed at the committee level. Councilmember Worley delivered the report to keep all council members informed of the committee's recent activities and deliberations.

This was a standard committee report presentation with no action items or decisions required from the full council. The report fulfilled the regular practice of committee chairs updating the broader council on their committee's work and discussions.