Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on April 23, 2024, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The council addressed 10 agenda items during the session, covering a range of municipal business including zoning matters, budget considerations, and administrative approvals. The council conducted 9 formal votes throughout the meeting, with most substantive items receiving approval including requested rezonings, new business items, continuing business matters, the mayor's report, and price contract bids. No public comments were recorded during either of the designated public comment periods for issues on the agenda or issues not on the agenda. The meeting covered both informational items such as budget amendments and council reports, as well as action items that required formal council approval.

Attendance

All council members were present for the April 23, 2024 meeting.

Present: • Mayor Linda Gorton • Vice Mayor Wu • Council Member J. Brown • Ellinger II • Fogle • Lynch • LeGris • Monarrez • Sheehan • Gray • Worley • F. Brown • Baxter • Sevigny • Reynolds • Plomin

Absent: None

Late: None

The meeting achieved full attendance with all 16 members present at the start of the session.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted nine voice votes during the meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

Zoning Changes and Docket Items

Council Member Sheehan motioned to add an ordinance changing the zone from P-1 to R-3 for property at 92 Eureka Springs Drive, seconded by Council Member Plomin. The motion passed by voice vote 2:30.

Council Member Reynolds motioned to discharge committee to place a resolution for a grant application to the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management on the docket, seconded by Vice Mayor Wu. The motion passed by voice vote 4:30.

Council Member Worley motioned to place an ordinance changing the zone from R-1B to R-4 for property at 766 Paradise Lane on the docket, seconded by Council Member Gray. The motion passed by voice vote 6:00.

Administrative Approvals

Council Member Baxter motioned to approve work session motions from April, seconded by Council Member Monarrez. The motion passed by voice vote 8:00.

Council Member Sheehan motioned to approve new business items, seconded by Vice Mayor Wu. The motion passed by voice vote 10:00.

Council Member Baxter motioned to approve council capital projects, seconded by Council Member Monarrez. The motion passed by voice vote 12:00.

Council Member Baxter motioned to approve the mayor's report, seconded by Council Member Sheehan. The motion passed by voice vote 14:00.

Council Member Gray motioned to approve price contract bids, seconded by Council Member Monarrez. The motion passed by voice vote 16:00.

Adjournment

Council Member Fogle motioned to adjourn the meeting, seconded by Council Member Sevigny. The motion passed by voice vote 18:00.

All votes were conducted by voice vote with no recorded individual vote counts or opposition noted.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council addressed multiple financial items totaling over $5.8 million in contracts, grants, and appropriations during the April 23, 2024 meeting.

Major Contracts and Agreements: • L0424-24: Engineering Service Agreement with Strand Associates for the Alumni Drive Shared Use Path Project for $541,401 • L0384-24: Change Order No. 2 with BMI Builds, LLC for the Dunbar Community Center project totaling $158,358 • L0413-24: Agreement with Greater Lex, Inc. for the Regional Economic Development Collective for $130,000 • L0395-24: Consulting services agreement with CivicLex, Inc. for $95,000 • L0400-24: Document digitization software and services procurement from Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A, Inc. for $21,509 • L0418-24: Professional Service Agreement with Cushman & Wakefield, U.S., Inc. for Legacy Business Park marketing at 6% of land sales • L0411-24: Purchase of Service Agreement with Frontrunners Lex for Pride Run services for $1,100

Grant Funding: • L0422-24: Submission of 2024 Consolidated Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for $4,034,940 in HUD programs • L0423-24: Supplemental Agreement No. 1 with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for Alumni Drive Shared Use Path Project adding $263,000 • L0421-24: Victims of Crime Act Grant from Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for Department of Social Services totaling $100,000 • L0420-24: Victims of Crime Act Grant from Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for Division of Police totaling $51,208

Other Financial Actions: • L0429-24: Dissolution of Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Public Library Corporation with $615,000 appropriation to Lexington Public Library • L0419-24: Acceptance of $3,900 donation from Woodsongs Troubadour Concert Series for Kentucky Theatre stage lighting improvements • L0363-24: Extension agreement with Securus Technologies, LLC for inmate phone and tablet services at no additional cost • L0396-24: Education agreement with St. Joseph Health for paramedic training at no cost

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

1:00

During the public comment period for issues on the agenda, no members of the public came forward to address the board or council. This portion of the meeting was opened for public input on any items scheduled for discussion during the session, but no speakers registered or approached the podium to provide comments.

The public comment period is a standard component of government meetings that allows community members to voice their opinions, concerns, or support regarding specific agenda items before official deliberation begins. This opportunity enables public participation in the democratic process and provides elected officials with community input prior to making decisions.

With no public participation during this segment, the meeting proceeded directly to the next scheduled agenda item without any public input to consider on the matters at hand.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

2:30

The council considered several proposed zoning changes for addition to the official docket during this agenda item. Council Member Sheehan, Council Member Reynolds, and Council Member Worley participated in the discussion of the requested rezonings.

The agenda item involved reviewing multiple zoning change requests that required formal approval to be placed on the docket for future consideration. While the specific details of individual rezoning requests were not provided in the available materials, the council moved forward with approving the addition of these items to the docket.

The discussion among the three council members resulted in approval of the requested rezonings for docket inclusion. This procedural step allows the zoning change requests to move forward in the official review process, though it does not constitute final approval of the actual zoning changes themselves.

The council approved the addition of the requested rezonings to the docket, enabling these items to proceed through the standard municipal review and approval process for zoning modifications.

Approval of Summary

8:00

The council considered approval of the summary from the previous work session. Council Member Baxter and Council Member Monarrez participated in the discussion of this agenda item.

The summary was approved by the council without recorded opposition or significant debate. No specific concerns were raised regarding the accuracy or completeness of the previous meeting's summary during the discussion.

Outcome: Approved

Budget Amendments

9:00

Budget amendments were presented to the meeting for informational purposes only. The item was included on the agenda as a resolution-type matter but required no formal action from the governing body.

No specific speakers were identified during the presentation of the budget amendments, and the item appears to have been handled as a routine informational update rather than a matter requiring extensive discussion or debate.

The amendments were presented without recorded concerns or questions from meeting participants, suggesting they may have been technical adjustments or previously discussed modifications to the budget that required formal acknowledgment.

The outcome was purely informational, with no votes taken or formal decisions made regarding the budget amendments during this portion of the meeting.

New Business

10:00

The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting. Council Member Sheehan and Vice Mayor Wu were the primary speakers for this agenda item.

The new business items were presented to the council for consideration and approval. The specific details of what constituted the new business were not elaborated upon in the available materials, but the items were presented as a collective matter for council action.

Following the presentation, the council proceeded to vote on the new business items. The items were approved as presented without recorded opposition or significant debate.

Outcome: The new business items were approved.

Continuing Business/Presentations

12:00

The council addressed continuing business items and presentations during this portion of the meeting. The primary focus was on council capital projects, which were presented for consideration and approval.

Council Member Baxter and Council Member Monarrez served as the key speakers during this agenda item, leading the discussion on the proposed capital projects. The presentation covered various municipal infrastructure and improvement initiatives requiring council authorization and funding allocation.

Following the presentation and discussion among council members, the capital projects were approved. The council reached consensus on moving forward with the proposed initiatives, though specific details about individual projects, funding amounts, or implementation timelines were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The approval of these capital projects represents the council's commitment to ongoing municipal improvements and infrastructure development within the community.

Council Reports

13:00

During the Council Reports segment, four council members provided updates on their recent activities and community engagement efforts.

Key Speakers: - Council Member Baxter - Council Member Gray - Council Member Lynch - Council Member Fogle

The reports covered various council member activities and community events, though specific details of each member's presentation were not captured in the available meeting documentation. This agenda item served an informational purpose, allowing council members to share updates with both their colleagues and the public about their recent work and community involvement.

The Council Reports segment is a standard component of council meetings that provides transparency regarding individual council member activities and helps keep the public informed about ongoing council initiatives and community engagement efforts.

Outcome: Informational presentations with no formal action required.

Mayor's Report

14:00

Mayor Linda Gorton presented the Mayor's Report during the April 23, 2024 meeting. The report was subsequently approved by the council.

Key Speaker: • Mayor Linda Gorton

Outcome: The Mayor's Report was approved.

*Note: Specific details of the mayor's presentation were not available in the provided materials. The report covered standard mayoral updates and was accepted by the council without recorded opposition.*

Price Contract Bids

16:00

The council reviewed and considered price contract bids during this agenda item. Council Member Gray and Council Member Monarrez participated in the discussion of the proposed contracts.

The price contract bids were presented to the council for approval, though the specific details of the contracts, vendors, or monetary amounts were not detailed in the available meeting materials. The item was structured as a resolution requiring council action.

Following the presentation and discussion by the key speakers, the council moved to approve the price contract bids as they were presented. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the deliberation process.

Outcome: The price contract bids were approved as presented.

Key Participants: • Council Member Gray • Council Member Monarrez

Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda

17:00

During the public comment period for issues not on the agenda, no members of the public came forward to address the meeting body. The session was opened for public participation but concluded without any speakers or comments being presented.

This agenda item provides an opportunity for community members to bring forward concerns, suggestions, or information about matters that are not specifically listed on the meeting agenda. The absence of public comment during this portion of the meeting indicates that no additional issues were raised by attendees for consideration or discussion by the governing body.

The item was informational in nature and concluded without any action required or taken by the meeting participants.