Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on June 13, 2024, at 6:03 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed three agenda items, including two proclamation requests and one budget matter for the Downtown Lexington Management District. Council members took two formal votes during the session and heard from three members of the public during the comment period.

The meeting's primary accomplishments included the approval of a proclamation for Yvonne Giles Day, while a similar request for Lonnie Cowan Day was removed from consideration. The council also addressed the FY 25 Budget for the Downtown Lexington Management District, though this item was ultimately closed without final action. The session provided opportunities for public engagement through the comment period, allowing community members to address the council on matters of local concern.

Attendance

The following members were present at the meeting on June 13, 2024:

Present: • Mayor Gorton • LeGris • Lynch • Monarrez • Plomin • Reynolds • Sevigny • Worley • Wu • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Elliott Baxter • Fogle • Gray

All expected attendees were present for the meeting. No members were reported as absent or arriving late.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted two roll call votes during the June 13, 2024 meeting, both of which passed unanimously or nearly unanimously.

Ordinance 0539-24 1:30 - Ms. Reynolds motioned to approve an amendment to Section 4-13 of the Code of Ordinances that prohibits the sale of dogs and cats by pet retail stores, with Ms. Fogle providing the second. The ordinance passed with 14 ayes, 0 nays, and 1 abstention. Mr. Worley recused himself from the vote.

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

Resolution 0540-24 6:21 - Mr. Ellinger motioned to ratify and approve the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget of the Downtown Lexington Management District, seconded by Ms. Elliott Baxter. This resolution passed unanimously with all 15 council members voting in favor and no opposition or abstentions.

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

Both measures received strong support from the council, with the pet retail ordinance facing only one abstention and the downtown management district budget receiving unanimous approval from all participating members.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed three significant financial items totaling $304,081.64 in expenditures and agreements.

Resolution 0492-24 authorized a $123,000 agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for the maintenance and operation of stream flow and precipitation gauges. This contract supports ongoing environmental monitoring infrastructure within the jurisdiction.

Resolution 0511-24 approved a lease agreement with United Way of the Bluegrass for $8,081.64. The lease covers space at the Black and Williams Neighborhood Center, providing the organization with facilities to continue community services and programming.

Resolution 0580-24 authorized the purchase of a full body security screening system from Romaine Companies for $173,000. This represents the largest single expenditure among the three items and will enhance security screening capabilities at municipal facilities.

All three resolutions involved different types of financial commitments: an ongoing service contract with a federal agency, a facility lease with a nonprofit organization, and a capital equipment purchase from a private vendor. The items collectively demonstrate the municipality's investments in environmental monitoring, community partnerships, and public safety infrastructure.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the council during the public comment period, covering international and local concerns.

Gaza Ceasefire Calls

Isaac Bandy spoke first, urging the council to call for a ceasefire in Gaza 3:00. Bandy criticized the use of tax dollars for what he described as genocide, calling on local officials to take a stance on the international conflict.

Mack Thompson followed with similar concerns about Gaza 3:30. Thompson called for a permanent ceasefire, emphasizing the humanitarian crisis and highlighting the high civilian death toll in the ongoing conflict.

Housing Affordability Concerns

Gleah Redman shifted focus to local housing issues 4:00. Redman expressed concern over rising rent costs in Lexington, warning that continued increases could lead to more homelessness in the community. She highlighted the connection between housing affordability and the city's homeless population.

The public comment period reflected both international advocacy and local housing concerns, with two speakers focusing on foreign policy issues while one addressed immediate community challenges related to housing costs.

Appointments

The meeting included several appointments and reappointments to various city boards and committees.

New Appointments: • Steven Wides was appointed to the Administrative Hearing Board • Lee Steele was appointed to the Animal Care and Control Advisory Committee

Reappointments: • Chad Walker was reappointed to the Board of Adjustment

These appointments fill positions on key municipal bodies that provide oversight and advisory functions for city operations. The Administrative Hearing Board handles administrative appeals and hearings, while the Animal Care and Control Advisory Committee provides guidance on animal welfare policies and programs. The Board of Adjustment reviews zoning variance requests and appeals.

Contested Items

The meeting included one contested item that drew community opposition and required clarification.

Prohibition of Sale of Dogs and Cats

The primary contested issue involved an ordinance prohibiting the sale of dogs and cats by pet retail stores. The item faced community opposition, with some members expressing concerns about the implications of the proposed regulations.

The ordinance underwent amendments during the meeting to clarify enforcement procedures. However, the specific details of the community concerns, the nature of the amendments made, and the final outcome of the vote were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

The disagreement centered on the practical implications of implementing such a prohibition on local pet retail establishments, though the exact positions of opposing parties and the resolution of their concerns require reference to the full meeting transcript for complete understanding.

*Note: Specific timestamp references and detailed outcomes would require access to the complete meeting transcript and voting records.*

Lonnie Cowan Day

0:30

Agenda item 0467-24, designated as "Lonnie Cowan Day," was scheduled as a presentation during the June 13, 2024 meeting. However, Vice Mayor Wu announced that this agenda item would be removed from the docket due to the absence of the honoree, Lonnie Cowan.

No presentation or discussion took place regarding this item, as the individual being honored was not present at the meeting. The item was formally removed from consideration without further deliberation.

The outcome was the removal of the agenda item from the meeting's proceedings.

Yvonne Giles Day

1:00

Mayor Gorton issued a proclamation designating June 13, 2024, as Yvonne Giles Day in Lexington under agenda item 0468-24. The proclamation honored Yvonne Giles for her significant contributions to preserving African-American history in the community.

The mayor presented the proclamation recognizing Giles' work in historical preservation efforts. Yvonne Giles was present to receive the honor during the meeting.

The proclamation was approved without discussion or opposition from the council.

FY 25 Budget Downtown Lexington Management District

6:20

The Urban County Council held a public hearing for agenda item 0639-24 regarding the FY 25 Budget for the Downtown Lexington Management District. Mayor Gorton presided over the hearing, which was conducted to allow public input on the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The public hearing provided an opportunity for community members and stakeholders to comment on the Downtown Lexington Management District's budget proposal for fiscal year 2025. However, no members of the public came forward to offer comments or testimony during the hearing period.

With no public input received, Mayor Gorton closed the public hearing. The lack of public comments suggests either general satisfaction with the proposed budget or limited public awareness of the hearing, though the specific budget details and amounts were not discussed during this portion of the meeting.

The Downtown Lexington Management District budget hearing represents part of the city's standard budget approval process, ensuring transparency and public participation in municipal financial planning. The closure of the hearing allows the council to proceed with their consideration of the budget proposal through the normal legislative process.