Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on March 21, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed two agenda items, including an informational presentation on the 50th Anniversary/Council Reunion and consideration of an ordinance amending Civil Service authorized strength. The council took two votes during the session and heard from three members of the public during the comment period. The ordinance regarding Civil Service authorized strength was approved by the council.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on March 21, 2024:

• Fred Brown
• James Brown
• Ellinger
• Baxter
• Fogle
• Gray
• LeGris
• Lynch
• Monarrez
• Plomin
• Reynolds
• Sevigny
• Sheehan
• Worley
• Vice Mayor Wu

No members were reported as absent or late for this meeting. All fifteen members were in attendance.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the March 21, 2024 meeting, with both measures passing unanimously.

Ordinance 0196-24 0:00 Council member Worley motioned to approve an ordinance amending the Civil Service authorized strength by creating one Classified Civil Service Position of Public Service Supervisor. The motion was seconded by Ellinger. The ordinance passed with a unanimous vote of 15-0-0.

Voting in favor: Fred Brown, James Brown, Ellinger, Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, and Vice Mayor Wu.

Resolution 0176-24 0:00 Worley also motioned to approve a resolution authorizing and directing the Mayor to execute Change Order No. 1 to the Grant Agreement with Lakes Edge Condominium Association, Inc. Ellinger seconded this motion as well. The resolution passed unanimously with a 15-0-0 vote.

The same fifteen council members voted in favor: Fred Brown, James Brown, Ellinger, Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Plomin, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, and Vice Mayor Wu.

Both votes demonstrated complete council consensus, with no members voting against either measure and no abstentions recorded. The unanimous approval of both the civil service position creation and the grant agreement change order reflects the council's unified support for these administrative and community development initiatives.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial items totaling over $1.1 million in expenditures and contract amendments.

Equipment Purchase The council approved Resolution 0193-24 authorizing the purchase of a new baler for the Material Recovery Facility from BE Equipment Inc. for $889,456.33. This equipment purchase represents a substantial investment in the city's waste management infrastructure.

Health Services Contract Amendment Resolution 0184-24 was approved, amending the Health Services Agreement with CHS TX, Inc. The amendment involves $281,369.68 and modifies the existing contract terms with the healthcare service provider.

Both resolutions were presented as part of the meeting's financial agenda, with the combined financial impact totaling $1,170,826.01 across equipment acquisition and service contract modifications.

Public Comment

Three community members addressed the council during the public comment period on March 21, 2024.

Henry Jackson spoke about climate change concerns, urging the council to pause USB expansion plans until a comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessment could be conducted 0:00. Jackson emphasized the importance of understanding potential climate impacts before proceeding with infrastructure expansion.

Judith Humble also addressed climate change issues, taking a different approach by expressing gratitude for the council's existing actions on climate change initiatives 0:00. Humble presented a book to the council members, stating it was intended to inspire further action on environmental issues.

Sophia Shalosh raised concerns about a ceasefire resolution, criticizing the council for failing to pass such a measure 0:00. Shalosh also highlighted what she described as disparate treatment of speakers during public comment periods, suggesting inconsistencies in how different community members were being handled during the meetings.

The public comments covered two main areas of concern: climate change policy and international affairs. Two speakers focused on environmental issues, though with different perspectives - one calling for more caution in development plans and another acknowledging progress while encouraging continued action. The third speaker addressed foreign policy matters and procedural fairness in council meetings.

Appointments

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

Downtown Lexington Management District Board of Directors • Beverly Fortune was appointed to serve on the Downtown Lexington Management District Board of Directors

Human Rights Commission • Nakia Coffman was appointed to serve on the Human Rights Commission

Both appointments were approved by the council during the meeting proceedings.

Contested Items

During the March 21, 2024 meeting, one primary contested item emerged from community input regarding the council's handling of a ceasefire resolution.

Ceasefire Resolution

Community members voiced strong dissatisfaction with the council's inaction on passing a ceasefire resolution. The disagreement centered on the council's failure to take a formal position on what appears to be an ongoing conflict situation through the adoption of a resolution calling for a ceasefire.

The nature of the opposition was characterized as community-driven, with residents expressing frustration over the council's lack of action on this matter. Community members appeared to be advocating for the council to take a more active stance by formally adopting a ceasefire resolution, while the council had not moved forward with such action.

The specific details of which conflict the proposed ceasefire resolution would address, the number of community members who spoke on this issue, and the council's response or explanation for their inaction were not detailed in the available meeting information. Additionally, no outcome or resolution to this disagreement was documented, suggesting the matter may remain unresolved following this meeting.

This contested item highlights a disconnect between community expectations for council action on broader geopolitical issues and the council's approach to such matters, though the full context and reasoning from both sides would require review of the complete meeting proceedings.

50th Anniversary / Council Reunion

0:00

The council held a special celebration recognizing the 50th anniversary of the merged government, with former mayors and council members in attendance for a reunion event. This agenda item (0163-24) served as a ceremonial presentation to commemorate this significant milestone in the city's governmental history.

Mayor Linda Gorton served as the key speaker for this commemorative presentation. The event brought together past and present city leadership to mark five decades since the government merger that shaped the current municipal structure.

This was an informational item that provided an opportunity for the council and community to reflect on the city's governmental evolution over the past 50 years. The presence of former mayors and council members offered a unique perspective on the changes and continuity in local governance since the merger took place.

The reunion format allowed for recognition of the contributions made by previous elected officials and provided context for understanding how the merged government has developed over the past half-century. This type of commemorative event serves both to honor past service and to educate current residents about their city's governmental history.

As a presentation item, no formal action was required from the council, and the outcome was purely informational and ceremonial in nature.

Ordinance amending Civil Service authorized strength

0:00

The council considered Ordinance 0196-24, which creates a new Classified Civil Service Position of Public Service Supervisor. This ordinance amends the city's authorized civil service strength by adding this supervisory role to the classified employee structure.

Key speakers during the discussion included Worley and Ellinger, who addressed the council regarding the proposed position creation.

The ordinance was approved by the council, establishing the new Public Service Supervisor position within the city's civil service framework. This addition expands the authorized strength of classified positions and creates a supervisory role within the public service department structure.