Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on March 14, 2023, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed six agenda items, including both informational presentations and items requiring formal action by the council.

During the session, the council conducted four motions and votes, with items including approval of meeting summaries and new business matters. The meeting featured structured opportunities for public participation, with one public comment received on agenda-related issues and additional time allocated for comments on matters not appearing on the agenda. The council also heard informational presentations during the continuing business portion of the meeting and received reports from council members, providing updates on various municipal matters and ongoing initiatives within the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.

Attendance

All members were present at the March 14, 2023 meeting.

Present: • Mayor Gorton • Ellinger • Baxter • Plomin • Gray • Ford • Wu • Sheehan • Lynch • Fogle • Sevigny • Reynolds • LeGris • Brown

Absent: None

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted four votes during the March 14, 2023 meeting, all of which passed by voice vote.

Approval of March 7, 2023 Council Work Session Table of Motions 0:30 Councilmember Ellinger motioned to approve the March 7, 2023 council work session table of motions, with a second from Councilmember Baxter. The motion passed by voice vote.

Approval of New Business 2:00 Councilmember Plomin made a motion to approve new business, seconded by Councilmember Gray. The motion passed by voice vote.

Approval of Neighborhood Development Funds 10:00 A motion was made to approve neighborhood development funds. The motion passed by voice vote. The specific councilmembers who made and seconded this motion were not recorded.

Motion to Adjourn 60:00 Councilmember Fogle motioned to adjourn the meeting, with Councilmember Gray providing the second. The motion passed by voice vote.

All votes were conducted as voice votes rather than roll call votes, so individual councilmember positions were not recorded for any of the motions. No opposition or abstentions were noted for any of the four items voted upon during the meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed twelve financial items totaling approximately $408,495 in expenditures and grant applications.

Contract Amendments and Modifications: • Resolution 0206-23 approved a $163,590 amendment to the agreement with Lexington-Fayette County Health Department for an overdose prevention project • Resolution 0286-23 authorized Contract Modification No. 4 for Clays Mill Road Section 1 Improvements with CDP Engineers for $27,211 • Resolution 0268-23 approved Change Order No. 1 for graffiti removal and ADA sidewalk repairs with L-M Asphalt Partners Ltd., dba ATS Construction, for $5,000

Equipment and Service Purchases: • Resolution 0260-23 authorized the purchase of a track chipper for the Division of Environmental Services from Salsco, Inc. for $42,200.36 • Resolution 0263-23 approved a contract with Populus Technologies, Inc. for data management services totaling $9,500

Utility Franchise Renewals: Five utility franchise agreement renewals were approved with no budgetary impact: • Resolution 0274-23: Columbia Gas of Kentucky • Resolution 0275-23: Kentucky Utilities Company, Inc. • Resolution 0276-23: Blue Grass Energy Cooperative Corporation • Resolution 0277-23: Delta Natural Gas Company, Inc. • Resolution 0278-23: Clark Energy Cooperative, Inc.

Grant Applications and Agreements: • Resolution 0287-23 authorized an application for a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Grant for smoke alarm canvasses worth $24,993.75 • Resolution 0289-23 approved Supplemental Agreement No. 3 for the Rosemont Garden Sidewalk Project involving $136,000 in grant funding

The largest single expenditure was the health department overdose prevention project amendment at $163,590, while the utility franchise renewals represented ongoing service agreements with no immediate financial impact to the city budget.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one speaker addressed the meeting to express concerns about the public participation process 59:00.

The speaker criticized the administration for failing to provide a sign-up sheet for public comment during the meeting. They characterized this as part of a pattern of problematic behavior by the administration that the community has grown weary of experiencing. The speaker emphasized that such conduct would not be tolerated by community members going forward.

No other public comments were recorded during this portion of the meeting.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:15

During the public comment period for issues on the agenda, no members of the public came forward to address the governing body. The meeting proceeded without any public input on the items scheduled for discussion during the session.

This portion of the meeting was designated for community members to speak on specific agenda items before the official deliberations began. However, no speakers registered or stepped forward to provide comments, questions, or concerns regarding any of the matters listed on the day's agenda.

The absence of public comment allowed the meeting to move directly to the next scheduled item without delay.

Approval of Summary

0:30

The council considered approval of the summary from the March 7, 2023 council work session. Council members Ellinger and Baxter participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

The council voted to approve the summary of the previous work session without any recorded objections or significant debate. This represents standard procedural business for the council to formally accept the record of their prior meeting.

Outcome: The summary of the March 7, 2023 council work session was approved.

New Business

2:00

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

The discussion centered on various financial agreements and contracts that required council approval. While the specific details of individual items were not provided in the available materials, the new business segment involved the presentation and consideration of multiple proposals requiring formal council action.

Council members Plomin, Gray, and Ford were the primary speakers during this agenda item, indicating active engagement and discussion among the council regarding the proposed business matters. The nature of the items appeared to involve standard municipal business requiring legislative approval.

Following discussion and consideration of the presented materials, the council voted to approve the new business items. The approval suggests that any concerns or questions raised during the discussion were adequately addressed to the satisfaction of the voting members.

The new business portion of the meeting concluded with the successful passage of the proposed financial agreements and contracts, allowing the municipality to move forward with the approved initiatives and commitments.

Continuing Business/Presentations

10:00 Councilmember Reynolds presented a report on the Social Services and Public Safety Committee meeting that was held on January 24, 2023.

The presentation served as an informational update to the full council regarding the committee's activities and discussions from the January meeting. Reynolds provided details on the matters that were addressed during the Social Services and Public Safety Committee session.

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action required from the council. The report allowed Reynolds to communicate the committee's work to the broader council and keep all members informed of ongoing social services and public safety initiatives and discussions.

Council Reports

20:00

During the Council Reports segment, several councilmembers provided updates and announcements to the public.

Councilmember Gray offered remarks recognizing Women's History Month and highlighting local achievements within the community. The councilmember used this opportunity to acknowledge contributions made by women in the local area.

Councilmember LeGris provided additional updates during this reporting period, though specific details of their remarks were not detailed in the available materials.

Councilmember Wu also participated in the council reports segment, contributing to the various announcements and updates shared with the public during this portion of the meeting.

Councilmember Fogle rounded out the reporting period with their own updates and announcements for the community.

This agenda item served as an informational segment where councilmembers could share relevant updates, recognize community achievements, and make announcements of interest to residents. The reports covered various topics including historical recognition and local accomplishments, providing the public with updates on matters of community interest.

No formal action was taken during this segment, as it served purely as an informational update period for councilmembers to communicate with constituents about ongoing initiatives and noteworthy developments in the community.

Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda

59:00

During the public comment period for issues not on the agenda, a member of the public addressed the meeting to raise concerns about the administration's handling of public participation procedures.

The speaker criticized the administration for failing to provide a sign-up sheet for public comment, suggesting this created barriers for community members wishing to participate in the meeting process. No specific details were provided in the available materials regarding the speaker's identity or additional specifics about their concerns.

This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken by the governing body in response to the public comment. The item served as an opportunity for community input on matters not otherwise addressed during the meeting's formal agenda.