Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on April 20, 2023, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding over the session. The meeting addressed three agenda items, all of which were approved by the council. The session included two recognition items honoring William Faulconer and Donna George for their contributions to the community, as well as consideration of budget amendments for Fiscal Year 2023 Schedule No. 32. The council conducted two formal votes during the meeting and heard from four members of the public during the public comment period.

Attendance

Present: J. Brown, Ellinger, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, F. Brown

Absent: Elliott Baxter, Reynolds

Late: None

Thirteen members were present for the April 20, 2023 meeting, with two members absent and no late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

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

Ordinance 0354-23 1:30 The council voted on amending certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for FY 2023 Schedule No. 32. Council member Ellinger made the motion, seconded by Plomin. The ordinance passed with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions.

Voting in favor: J. Brown, Ellinger, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, and F. Brown.

Resolution 0381-23 4:00 The council voted to accept the bid of Bluegrass Contracting Corporation for the Rosemont Garden Sidewalk project. Ellinger again made the motion, with Plomin providing the second. The resolution passed unanimously with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions.

Voting in favor: J. Brown, Ellinger, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, and F. Brown.

Both measures received full council support with no opposition or abstentions recorded.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council addressed two significant financial matters during the April 20, 2023 meeting, totaling over $900,000 in expenditures and appropriations.

Rosemont Garden Sidewalk Contract The council approved Resolution 0381-23, authorizing a contract with Bluegrass Contracting Corporation for $563,200 to construct sidewalks in the Rosemont Garden area. This represents a substantial infrastructure investment aimed at improving pedestrian accessibility and safety in the neighborhood.

Council Capital Projects Appropriation Through Ordinance 0442-23, the council authorized an appropriation of $348,695.50 for various capital projects across multiple city divisions. The ordinance provides funding flexibility to support ongoing infrastructure and improvement initiatives throughout different municipal departments, though specific project details were not itemized in the available documentation.

Combined, these two financial actions represent $911,895.50 in municipal spending commitments, with the majority allocated to the sidewalk construction project and the remainder designated for diverse capital improvements across city operations.

Public Comment

Four residents addressed the council during the public comment period, covering topics ranging from zoning changes to housing policy.

Art Thomas 2:00:00 spoke regarding a zone change for Bread and Roses, expressing concerns about the removal of use restrictions for a property. Thomas advocated for reinstating these restrictions to protect neighborhood character.

Erica Strucker 2:03:00 also addressed the Bread and Roses zone change issue. While Strucker expressed support for a bakery, she opposed removing use restrictions, citing potential negative impacts on the surrounding neighborhood.

Dottie Bean 2:06:00 raised concerns about traffic congestion and the impact of bike lanes on vehicular traffic flow throughout the city.

Stephanie Hensley 2:09:00 focused on affordable housing and tenant protections, advocating for increased funding in these areas. Hensley shared personal experiences of housing insecurity to illustrate the need for stronger policies and support systems.

The comments reflected ongoing community concerns about balancing development with neighborhood preservation, transportation infrastructure, and housing affordability challenges facing residents.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments to various boards and organizations.

James Womack was reappointed to the Administrative Hearing Board, continuing his service on this body that handles administrative matters for the jurisdiction.

Four new appointments were made to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers, a community organization that works to prevent and solve crimes through citizen involvement:

• Danny Gibbons was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers
• Stephanie Thomas was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers
• John Wagner was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers
• Joseph Wilson was appointed to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers

These appointments represent a significant expansion of the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers board, with four new members joining the organization to support its crime prevention and community safety initiatives.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during the April 20, 2023 meeting was a proposed zone change for the Bread and Roses property. The disagreement centered on the removal of existing use restrictions, which generated significant community opposition.

Community members voiced concerns that eliminating the current use restrictions would negatively impact the character of their neighborhood. Residents expressed fears about potential changes to the area's established atmosphere and quality of life if the zoning limitations were lifted.

The nature of the opposition was rooted in community preservation concerns, with local residents advocating to maintain the existing regulatory framework that governs how the Bread and Roses property can be utilized. The specific details of what new uses might be permitted under the proposed zone change were not specified in the available materials.

The outcome of this contested item was not documented in the provided information, leaving the resolution of the community opposition and the final decision on the zone change unclear from the meeting record.

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

Recognition of William Faulconer

0:30

The city recognized William Faulconer for his Eagle Scout project through agenda item 0252-23. Mayor Gorton presented the recognition to Faulconer, who completed a community service project that involved building a food pantry for a neighborhood center.

The proclamation highlighted Faulconer's dedication to community service through his Eagle Scout achievement. His project addressed food security needs in the local community by constructing infrastructure to support food distribution efforts at a neighborhood center.

Mayor Gorton spoke during the presentation, acknowledging Faulconer's commitment to civic engagement and community improvement. William Faulconer was also present to receive the recognition.

The recognition was approved without discussion or opposition, reflecting the ceremonial nature of the agenda item. The proclamation serves to formally acknowledge Faulconer's volunteer service and the positive impact of his Eagle Scout project on the community.

Recognition of Donna George

0:45

The council approved proclamation 0433-23 recognizing Donna George for her historic achievements in education. Mayor Gorton presented the recognition, highlighting George's pioneering role as the first African American and female high school principal in Fayette County.

During the presentation, Mayor Gorton acknowledged the significance of George's groundbreaking position and her contributions to education in the community. Council Member Gray also participated in the recognition ceremony, emphasizing the importance of honoring trailblazers who have broken barriers in public service.

Donna George was present to receive the recognition and addressed the council during the proceedings. The proclamation was approved without opposition, reflecting the council's unanimous support for acknowledging George's historic achievements and ongoing impact on education in Fayette County.

The recognition serves to formally document George's role as a barrier-breaking educator and leader in the community's educational system.

Amending Budgets for FY 2023 Schedule No. 32

1:30

The council considered Ordinance 0354-23, which would amend the budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to reflect current municipal expenditure requirements for Fiscal Year 2023 Schedule No. 32.

Key speakers during the discussion included Ellinger and Plomin, who addressed the proposed budget amendments. The ordinance represents routine budget adjustments needed to align the city's financial allocations with actual expenditure requirements that have emerged during the current fiscal year.

The measure was approved by the council, allowing the necessary budget modifications to proceed. These types of budget amendments are typically administrative in nature, designed to ensure that municipal departments have appropriate funding levels to meet operational needs and fulfill their service obligations to residents.

The approval of this ordinance enables the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government to make the required financial adjustments to maintain effective municipal operations through the remainder of the fiscal year.