Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on August 22, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding over the session. The council addressed four main agenda items during the meeting, including second reading ordinances that were approved, first reading ordinances and resolutions that advanced through the initial review process, and mayoral appointments that received council approval.

The council conducted four motions and votes throughout the evening, demonstrating active deliberation on the matters before them. Two members of the public provided comments during the designated public comment period, offering community input on issues of local concern. The meeting successfully moved several legislative items forward in the approval process, with second reading ordinances completing their passage and first reading items beginning their journey through the council's review procedures.

Attendance

The following members were present at the August 22, 2024 meeting:

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

Absent: • Plomin

Late Arrival: • Worley

A total of 14 members were present for the meeting, with one member absent and one member arriving late.

Votes and Decisions

The council conducted four roll call votes during the meeting, with all items passing.

Ordinance 0747-24 1:00 - Amending certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for FY 2025 Schedule No. 4 was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Elliott Baxter. The ordinance passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. Voting in favor were Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, and Monarrez.

Resolution 0754-24 5:00 - Agreement and Certification with the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury for participation in the Federal Equitable Sharing Program was motioned by Reynolds and seconded by Sevigny. The resolution passed with 13 ayes and 0 nays. Voting in favor were Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, and Monarrez.

Resolution 0757-24 6:00 - Purchase eSoph Background Software System from MillerMendel Inc. was motioned by Reynolds and seconded by Sevigny. The resolution passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All council members present voted in favor: Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, and Monarrez.

Resolution 0760-24 7:00 - Agreement with the University of Kentucky for an Onboard Wellness Coordinator was motioned by Reynolds and seconded by Sevigny. The resolution passed with 12 ayes, 0 nays, and 2 abstentions. Voting in favor were Reynolds, Sevigny, Worley, Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Gray, Lynch, and Monarrez. Two council members abstained from this vote.

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed two significant financial contracts totaling $183,832 in expenditures.

Sewer Infrastructure Monitoring Contract Resolution 0753-24 authorized a contract with ADS Environmental Services (ADS, LLC) for $83,832 to provide sewer overflow monitoring and reporting services. This contract addresses infrastructure monitoring requirements for the municipal sewer system.

Wellness Coordinator Services Agreement Resolution 0760-24 approved a $100,000 contract with the University of Kentucky to onboard a Wellness Coordinator. This agreement establishes a partnership with the university to provide wellness coordination services.

Both resolutions represent ongoing operational expenditures for essential municipal services, with the combined financial commitment of $183,832 supporting infrastructure monitoring and employee wellness initiatives.

Public Comment

Two speakers addressed the council during the public comment period, both focusing on international conflict and calling for local government action.

Izzy Bandy 19:00 spoke in support of a ceasefire ordinance, urging the council to take a position on the ongoing conflict. Bandy emphasized the impact of the conflict on Palestinian civilians and encouraged the council to support measures calling for a ceasefire.

Arsh 20:00 followed with criticism of the council's response to what they characterized as genocide in Gaza. Arsh urged the council to break their silence on the issue and take a public stand by calling for a ceasefire, expressing frustration with the lack of local government action on the international conflict.

Both speakers focused their comments on urging the council to adopt a ceasefire resolution or ordinance related to the conflict in Gaza, representing coordinated advocacy for municipal action on international affairs.

Appointments

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

Christina Dudek was reappointed to the Affordable Housing Governing Board, continuing her service on this body that oversees affordable housing initiatives in the city.

Three new appointments were made to community boards:

• Ryessia Russell was appointed to the Carnegie Center for Literacy Board of Directors, joining the governing body of this educational organization

• John Burrell was appointed to the Charles Young Neighborhood Center Board, taking on a role in overseeing this community facility

• Jeffrey Johnson was also appointed to the Charles Young Neighborhood Center Board, joining Burrell as a new board member for the neighborhood center

These appointments represent the city's ongoing efforts to fill volunteer positions on various boards and commissions that provide oversight and guidance for community services and programs.

Contested Items

The primary contested item during the August 22, 2024 meeting centered on a ceasefire ordinance related to the conflict in Gaza.

Ceasefire Ordinance Opposition

Community members expressed strong opposition to the council's inaction regarding a proposed ceasefire ordinance addressing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The disagreement focused on the council's failure to take action on this matter, with residents voicing their dissatisfaction during the public comment period.

The nature of the opposition was characterized as community-driven, with multiple speakers addressing the council about their concerns over the lack of progress on the ceasefire resolution. The specific details of the proposed ordinance and the council's response to the community opposition were not detailed in the available meeting materials.

No specific outcome or resolution regarding the ceasefire ordinance was documented in the provided information, suggesting the matter may remain unresolved or require further council consideration at future meetings.

*Note: Specific timestamp information was not available in the provided meeting materials for this contested item.*

Ordinances – Second Reading

1:00

The council conducted the second reading of an ordinance amending certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for FY 2025 Schedule No. 4.

The discussion was led by key speakers Ellinger and Elliott Baxter, who presented the budget amendment ordinance to the council for final consideration. This represented the second and final reading of the ordinance, following standard municipal procedures that require two separate readings before final adoption.

The ordinance addressed specific budget adjustments for the fiscal year 2025, designated as Schedule No. 4, indicating this was the fourth set of budget modifications for the current fiscal year. The amendments involved reallocating funds within various departments and programs of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government.

Following the presentation and any discussion among council members, the ordinance was approved by the council. The approval of this second reading means the budget amendments are now officially adopted and will take effect as specified in the ordinance.

The successful passage of this ordinance allows the urban county government to proceed with the approved budget modifications, ensuring proper allocation of resources for municipal operations and services during the remainder of FY 2025.

Ordinances – First Reading

2:00

The council conducted first readings of several ordinances during this portion of the meeting. Wu served as the primary speaker presenting the various ordinances to the council.

The first reading session included multiple types of legislative items:

• Zoning changes
• Budget amendments
• Tax levies

During first reading, ordinances are typically presented to introduce the proposed legislation to the council and public without formal debate or voting. This procedural step allows council members and the community to review the proposed changes before the ordinances return for second reading and potential adoption at a future meeting.

The specific details of each individual ordinance, including the exact zoning changes proposed, budget amendment amounts, and tax levy rates, were not detailed in the available materials. As standard practice for first readings, the ordinances will require additional review and formal action at subsequent council meetings before taking effect.

This agenda item represents the initial step in the legislative process for these municipal ordinances, with further discussion and voting to occur during future council sessions.

Resolutions – First Reading

8:00

The council conducted first readings of several resolutions during this agenda item, with Reynolds serving as the primary presenter. First readings represent the initial formal presentation of proposed resolutions before the council, allowing members to review the measures before potential adoption at future meetings.

The resolutions presented included various contracts for services, agreements, and grant applications that require council approval. During first readings, resolutions are typically introduced and briefly explained, but no formal action or voting takes place at this stage.

Reynolds guided the council through each resolution, providing basic details about the proposed measures. The first reading process allows council members time to review the full text of each resolution, consider their implications, and prepare for more detailed discussion during second readings when formal votes would occur.

This procedural step ensures transparency in the legislative process by giving both council members and the public advance notice of upcoming decisions. The resolutions will return to future council meetings for second readings, where more substantive debate and final votes will take place.

The completion of first readings moves these resolutions forward in the approval process, setting the stage for more detailed consideration at subsequent meetings.

Communications From The Mayor (Appointments)

15:00 The mayor presented several appointments and reappointments to various boards and commissions for council consideration during this agenda item.

Elliott Baxter and Sheehan served as key speakers during the discussion of the mayoral appointments. The appointments covered multiple boards and commissions, though the specific positions and appointees were not detailed in the available materials.

The council reviewed the mayor's recommendations for these various civic positions. These types of appointments typically involve citizens volunteering to serve on municipal boards that oversee different aspects of city operations and policy.

The appointments were approved by the council following the presentation and any discussion that took place regarding the nominees' qualifications and the roles they would fill.

*Note: Specific details about individual appointees, board names, and the nature of the discussion were not available in the source materials provided.*