Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council met at 7:00 PM in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Jim Newberry presiding. The meeting covered 2 agenda items, both of which were approved: an ordinance accepting the bid of Herrick Company, Inc., and a resolution directing the preparation of a Development Plan for the Phoenix Park/Courthouse Development Area. Over the course of the meeting, the Council took 3 votes and heard 3 public comments. No presentations were noted in the meeting record.

Attendance

All 16 members were present at the January 11, 2024 Council meeting. No members were absent or late.

Present: - Jim Newberry - Blevins - Blues - Crosbie - DeCamp - Ellinger - Gorton - Gray - Henson - James - Lane - McChord - Myers - Stevens - Stinnett - Beard

Votes and Decisions

Three votes were taken during the January 11, 2024 Council meeting.

• Remove Resolution 38 from the Docket 0:02: Councilmember Ellinger moved to remove resolution number 38 from the docket. The motion passed by voice vote.

• Approve Ordinances Entitled to Second Reading 0:55: Councilmember Stevens moved, seconded by Councilmember Beard, to approve ordinances entitled to second reading. The motion passed 15–0 on a roll call vote. Voting in favor: Blevins, Blues, Crosbie, DeCamp, Ellinger, Gorton, Gray, Henson, James, Lane, McChord, Myers, Stevens, Stinnett, and Beard. No members voted against.

• Resolution 25 – Phoenix Park/Courthouse Development Area 2:07: Councilmember Ellinger moved, seconded by Councilmember Gorton, to adopt Resolution 25, directing the preparation of a Development Plan for the Phoenix Park/Courthouse Development Area. The motion passed 10–5 on a roll call vote. Voting in favor: Crosbie, DeCamp, Ellinger, Henson, James, Lane, McChord, Myers, Stevens, and Beard. Voting against: Blevins, Blues, Gorton, and Gray. *Note: The vote totals as recorded indicate 10 ayes and 5 nays, though only four members are listed in the nay column.*

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved several contracts covering infrastructure, transportation, and utility improvements during the January 11, 2024 meeting.

• Chlorination Equipment Replacement ($248,500): The Council authorized a contract with Herrick Company, Inc. for the replacement of chlorination equipment at the Town Branch Waste Water Treatment Plant. The project addresses critical utility infrastructure at the facility.

• Traffic Signal Rebuild on Nicholasville Road ($710,170): A contract was approved with Arrow Electric Company, Inc. for traffic signal rebuilding and signalization work along a portion of Nicholasville Road. This represents the largest single contract approved at the meeting and is directed at improving traffic management infrastructure along the corridor.

• Downtown Sidewalk and Streetscape Design ($1,408,100): Under Resolution No. 579-2007, the Council approved a contract with Kinzelman Kline Gossman, LLC for the design of sidewalks and streetscape improvements in the downtown area. This contract covers design services for pedestrian infrastructure enhancements in the city's core.

In total, the three contracts approved at this meeting represent approximately $2,366,770 in committed expenditures across water treatment, transportation, and urban design projects.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the Council during the public comment period, with remarks focused primarily on the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) resolution under consideration.

• Preston Pinely 1:38:36 spoke in opposition to the TIF resolution, raising concerns about what he described as a lack of a planning process and a murky understanding of the resolution's implications. His comments suggested that the Council and community had not yet developed sufficient clarity around the proposal before moving forward.

• Joe Graves 1:40:48 urged caution on the TIF resolution, citing the current national economic situation as a reason to proceed carefully. Mr. Graves recommended that the Council commission independent market research before taking further action, indicating that outside analysis could provide a more objective basis for the decision.

• Timothy Price 1:50:40 offered a contrasting perspective, speaking in support of both the CenterPoint project and the associated TIF. Mr. Price emphasized the benefits he anticipated from courthouse improvements and parking structures connected to the project.

The public comment period reflected a divided community response, with two speakers calling for greater deliberation or opposition to the TIF resolution and one speaker voicing clear support for moving ahead with the CenterPoint development.

Contested Items

• Resolution 25 – Development Plan for Phoenix Park/Courthouse: This item produced the most significant division of the meeting, passing on a 10-5 vote. The split indicates a notable minority of council members had reservations about the proposed development plan for the Phoenix Park/Courthouse area. The structured data does not specify the individual positions of members on either side of the vote or the precise nature of the objections raised, but the margin — five dissenting votes out of fifteen — reflects a meaningful lack of consensus on the plan's direction. The resolution ultimately passed in favor of moving the development plan forward.

Ordinance accepting the bid of Herrick Company, Inc.

55:21

The Council considered an ordinance to accept the bid of Herrick Company, Inc. for chlorination equipment replacement at the Town Branch Waste Water Treatment Plant.

Stevens was the key speaker on this agenda item. The ordinance was approved by the Council.

*Note: The available record for this agenda item is limited. Specific details regarding the bid amount, the discussion, any concerns raised, or the vote tally are not available in the provided data.*

Resolution directing the preparation of a Development Plan for the Phoenix Park/Courthouse Development Area

2:07:03

The Council took up Agenda Item 25, a resolution directing the preparation of a development plan for the Phoenix Park/Courthouse Development Area. The resolution also incorporated recommendations from the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) delegation as part of its scope.

Key speakers on this item were Ellinger and Gorton. The resolution was presented as a procedural step to formally initiate the planning process for the Phoenix Park/Courthouse area, directing staff to move forward with preparing the development plan.

The Council approved the resolution.