Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on March 9, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused primarily on recognition and informational presentations, with two agenda items addressing community achievements and volunteer service. The council heard two public comments from citizens and took two votes during the proceedings. The session included recognition of RJ Corman's 50th anniversary milestone and acknowledgment of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers for their service to the community, both serving as informational presentations to highlight important community contributions.

Attendance

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

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

All 16 members were in attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the March 9, 2023 meeting, both passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0210-23 2:00 The council voted on amending certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. Council member Ellinger made the motion, which was seconded by Elliott Baxter. The measure passed with a unanimous roll call vote of 15-0-0 (15 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions).

All 15 council members voted in favor: • Sheehan • Worley • Wu • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Elliott Baxter • Fogle • Gray • LeGris • Lynch • Monarrez • Plomin • Reynolds • Sevigny

Ordinance 0161-23 7:00 The council voted to accept the bid of C3 Mechanical, LLC for HVAC York Fan Boxes. Council member Ellinger made the motion, which was seconded by Gray. This measure also passed unanimously with a roll call vote of 15-0-0.

The same 15 council members voted in favor of this ordinance as well, with no opposition or abstentions recorded for either vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant contract approvals totaling $122,350 for county infrastructure and facility improvements.

HVAC System Upgrade - Division of Community Corrections The board approved Contract 0161-23 with C3 Mechanical, LLC for $73,850 to provide HVAC York Fan Boxes for the Division of Community Corrections facility. This contract represents the larger of the two financial commitments and addresses critical climate control infrastructure needs for the corrections facility.

Gainesway Park Drainage Project Contract 0181-23 was approved for Gainesway Park Drainage Improvements, awarding $48,500 to Haire Construction, LLC. This project focuses on addressing drainage issues at the park facility to improve functionality and prevent water-related damage.

Both contracts were processed as part of the county's ongoing infrastructure maintenance and improvement initiatives, with the combined expenditure of $122,350 representing investments in essential county facilities and public amenities.

Public Comment

Two speakers addressed the council during the public comment period, both focusing on LGBTQ+ rights and community concerns.

Uma Juuls 1:00:00 presented a petition containing 4,000 signatures to the council. Juuls asked the council to take two specific actions: affirm the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and condemn anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. The petition represented a significant community effort to engage local government on LGBTQ+ issues.

Jason Shubert 1:02:00 followed with a more detailed presentation outlining five specific demands from the LGBTQ+ community. Shubert's requests focused on ensuring safety and security for LGBTQ+ residents. His demands included condemning anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and expanding minority business criteria to be more inclusive. Shubert presented these as concrete steps the council could take to support the local LGBTQ+ community.

Both speakers addressed similar themes around LGBTQ+ rights and the need for local government action in response to broader legislative concerns. The public comments demonstrated organized community advocacy, with the petition's 4,000 signatures indicating substantial local support for LGBTQ+ affirming policies. The speakers requested both symbolic gestures of support and practical policy changes to benefit LGBTQ+ residents and business owners.

Appointments

The meeting included two appointments to municipal boards and commissions.

New Appointments: • Hannah LeGris was appointed to the Affordable Housing Governing Board

Reappointments: • Hartley Feld was reappointed to the Board of Health

These appointments represent the ongoing effort to maintain active membership on key municipal boards that oversee important community functions including affordable housing policy and public health oversight.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during this meeting centered on LGBTQ+ rights and related state legislation. The disagreement involved community members expressing strong opposition to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being considered in the state legislature.

Nature of the Dispute: Multiple residents used the public comment period to voice their concerns about proposed state-level legislation that they viewed as discriminatory toward the LGBTQ+ community. The speakers called upon the city council to take a public stance affirming the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and families.

Participants: The opposition came from community members during the public comment portion of the meeting. The specific number of speakers and their individual identities were not detailed in the available meeting data.

Community Position: Residents who spoke during public comments urged the council to actively support LGBTQ+ rights and oppose what they characterized as harmful state legislation. They sought the council's formal affirmation of the LGBTQ+ community's rights within the city.

Outcome: The available meeting data does not indicate what specific action, if any, the council took in response to these public comments. No information was provided about council member responses, formal resolutions, or commitments made during the meeting regarding this issue.

This item represents a case where community members brought state-level political concerns to their local government, seeking municipal support or opposition to broader legislative efforts. The contested nature arose from the community's desire for the council to take a position on what they viewed as discriminatory state legislation affecting LGBTQ+ residents.

*Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available in the provided meeting data for this contested item.*

RJ Corman 50th Anniversary

10:00

Mayor Gorton presented a proclamation recognizing the 50th anniversary of R.J. Corman Railroad Company, officially declaring March 9, 2023, as R.J. Corman Railroad Company Day in Lexington. The presentation celebrated the milestone anniversary of the railroad company founded by Rick Corman.

Ed Quinn also participated in the presentation, though the specific nature of his remarks was not detailed in the available materials. The agenda item was designated as 0187-23 and served as an informational presentation to acknowledge the company's significant contribution to the community over five decades.

The proclamation recognized R.J. Corman Railroad Company's long-standing presence and service in the Lexington area since its founding in 1973. This ceremonial recognition highlighted the company's role in the local transportation and logistics industry throughout its 50-year history.

The presentation was purely ceremonial in nature, with no debate or concerns raised during the discussion. The outcome was informational, serving to formally acknowledge and celebrate the railroad company's anniversary milestone through official city recognition.

Recognition of CASA Volunteers

20:00

Mayor Gorton presented agenda item 0188-23, recognizing CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) volunteers for their service to the community. The presentation focused on honoring volunteers who had earned President Biden's Volunteer Services Awards for their dedication to advocating for children in the court system.

Melynda Jamison joined Mayor Gorton in the recognition ceremony, helping to present the awards to the distinguished volunteers. The CASA program relies on trained community volunteers who serve as advocates for abused and neglected children navigating the court system, ensuring their best interests are represented throughout legal proceedings.

The President's Volunteer Services Awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to volunteer service in their communities. The recipients being honored had met the rigorous criteria for these national awards through their sustained advocacy work with CASA.

This was an informational presentation with no formal action required from the council. The recognition served to highlight the valuable contribution these volunteers make to child welfare in the community and to encourage continued civic engagement through volunteer service programs like CASA.