Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on February 1, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding over the session. The council addressed three agenda items during the meeting, all of which were approved by the body. The meeting included formal recognition of community members and causes, with the council approving proclamations for "Evan Jayson Smith Day" and "Wear Red Day & American Heart Month." Additionally, the council passed an ordinance amending the name of the Racial Justice and Equality Commission. Throughout the session, the council took three votes and heard from three members of the public during the public comment period.

Attendance

The following members were present at the February 1, 2024 meeting:

• Sevigny
• Wu
• F. Brown
• J. Brown
• Ellinger
• Fogle
• Gray
• LeGris
• Lynch
• Monarrez
• Reynolds
• Worley (arrived late)

Absent: • Sheehan • Elliott Baxter • Plomin

Late Arrival: • Worley

A total of 12 members were present for the meeting, with 3 members absent and 1 member arriving late.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on three items during the February 1, 2024 meeting, with all measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0051-24 2:00 was approved by roll call vote with 12 ayes and 0 nays. The ordinance amends Sections 2-519 and 2-526 of the Code of Ordinances to change the name of the Racial Justice and Equality Commission to "Racial Justice and Equity Commission." Council member Ellinger made the motion, seconded by LeGris. All twelve council members voted in favor: Sevigny, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, and Reynolds.

Resolution 0093-24 4:00 passed by roll call vote with 12 ayes and 0 nays. The resolution ratifies the permanent classified civil service appointment of Patrick Jorgensen as Municipal Engineer Sr. Reynolds made the motion, with Wu providing the second. The same twelve council members voted unanimously in favor.

Resolution 0107-24 5:00 was approved unanimously with 12 ayes and 0 nays. This resolution accepts the bid of Marrillia Design and Construction for construction of the Douglass Park Pool Aquatic Center. Fogle made the motion, seconded by Reynolds. All council members present voted to approve the resolution.

No council members voted against any of the three measures, and there were no abstentions recorded for any vote. The unanimous support across all items demonstrates broad council consensus on these administrative and infrastructure matters.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three financial items totaling $222,790.50 across various municipal services and projects.

Resolution 0011-24 authorized a $5,800 contract with Hyatt Regency Lexington for catering services for the Senior Intern Alumni Luncheon. This contract covers food and beverage services for the event recognizing former municipal interns.

Resolution 0044-24 approved a $40,000 grant to Bluegrass Greensource, Inc. for a Stormwater Quality Project. This grant funding supports environmental infrastructure improvements to enhance local water quality management systems.

Resolution 0049-24 authorized the largest expenditure of $176,990.50 for the purchase of cardiac monitors, upgrades, and batteries from ZOLL. This equipment purchase represents a significant investment in emergency medical services capabilities, ensuring first responders have access to current cardiac monitoring technology and necessary replacement components.

The three resolutions collectively demonstrate municipal spending priorities spanning community events, environmental projects, and emergency services equipment. The cardiac monitor purchase represents approximately 79% of the total financial commitments addressed during this meeting.

Public Comment

Three speakers addressed the Council during the public comment period, all focusing on the same topic regarding the conflict in Gaza.

Maissa Abdallah 7:00 spoke about the conflict and devastation in Gaza, asking the Council to issue a resolution supporting a cease-fire.

Saria Santiago 8:00 shared stories and experiences from those currently living in Gaza, imploring the Council to issue a resolution supporting a cease-fire.

Ala Hassan 9:00 represented Lexington for Palestine and urged the Council to pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

All three speakers requested that the Council take action by issuing or passing a resolution in support of a cease-fire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Appointments

The council made three appointments to various city boards and commissions during the meeting.

Two new members were appointed to the Access Lexington Commission: • Jason Jones was appointed to the Access Lexington Commission • Christina Espinoza was appointed to the Access Lexington Commission

Additionally, Christina Dudek was appointed to the Affordable Housing Governing Board.

All three appointments were approved by the council during the February 1, 2024 meeting.

Contested Items

The meeting featured significant community engagement around a cease-fire resolution for Gaza, which emerged as the primary contested item during the public comment period.

Gaza Cease-fire Resolution

Several community members spoke passionately during public comments advocating for the City Council to pass a resolution supporting a cease-fire in Gaza. The speakers expressed strong views about the need for local government action on this international issue, generating notable community opposition and debate.

The nature of the contention centered on whether the local council should take a position on international conflicts and foreign policy matters. Community members who spoke in favor argued for the importance of local government bodies taking moral stands on humanitarian issues, while the disagreement appeared to stem from questions about the appropriateness and scope of municipal government involvement in international affairs.

The extracted data does not indicate the specific outcome of this contested item or whether the Council took any formal action in response to the community input. No transcript timestamps were provided in the source materials to reference specific portions of the discussion.

This item represents a common type of municipal government tension where community members seek to have their local representatives take positions on broader national or international issues, creating debate about the proper role and jurisdiction of city councils in addressing matters beyond their direct governmental responsibilities.

Evan Jayson Smith Day

1:00

The Lexington government issued Proclamation 0122-24 declaring February 1, 2024, as "Evan Jayson Smith Day" in recognition of heroic actions taken to stop a gunman.

Mayor Gorton presented the proclamation honoring Evan Jayson Smith for his courageous intervention in a dangerous situation involving an armed individual. The proclamation formally recognizes Smith's heroic actions that helped protect others from harm.

During the presentation, both Evan Jayson Smith and Kurt Smith were present to receive the recognition. The proclamation was approved without opposition, acknowledging the significance of Smith's brave actions in the community.

The designation of February 1, 2024, as Evan Jayson Smith Day serves as an official recognition of extraordinary citizenship and heroism displayed during a critical public safety incident. The proclamation was unanimously approved by the governing body.

Wear Red Day & American Heart Month

2:00

The Lexington city government issued proclamations recognizing both Wear Red Day and American Heart Month during the February 1, 2024 meeting. Mayor Gorton and Andrea Eden were the key speakers for this agenda item, which was designated as proclamation 0091-24.

The proclamations officially declared February 2, 2024, as Wear Red Day in Lexington and designated the entire month of February 2024 as American Heart Month. These proclamations align with national awareness campaigns aimed at raising consciousness about heart disease and promoting cardiovascular health in the community.

Wear Red Day is an annual observance that encourages people to wear red clothing to show support for women's heart health awareness. American Heart Month is a broader initiative that focuses on educating the public about heart disease prevention and the importance of maintaining cardiovascular wellness throughout the month of February.

The proclamations were approved without recorded opposition or debate during the meeting. This type of ceremonial proclamation is typically used by local governments to show support for important health awareness initiatives and to encourage community participation in national health campaigns.

The timing of these proclamations coincides with the American Heart Association's annual "Go Red for Women" campaign, which specifically targets heart disease awareness among women, as cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death for women in the United States.

Ordinance amending Racial Justice and Equality Commission name

2:00

The council considered Ordinance 0051-24, which proposed changing the name of the Racial Justice and Equality Commission to the Racial Justice and Equity Commission. The ordinance focused on updating the commission's name to better reflect its mission and purpose.

Key speakers during the discussion included Ellinger and LeGris, who addressed the proposed name change. The discussion centered on the distinction between "equality" and "equity" in the commission's title, with the proposed change emphasizing equity as a more appropriate term for the commission's work.

The ordinance was approved by the council, officially changing the commission's name from the Racial Justice and Equality Commission to the Racial Justice and Equity Commission. This name change represents a shift in terminology to better align with the commission's goals and contemporary understanding of racial justice work.