Urban County Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council held a meeting on December 2, 2008, presided over by Mayor Newberry. The council worked through a full agenda of 8 items, all of which were approved, covering a range of administrative and legislative matters including construction easements, contract amendments, and updates to the Code of Ordinances. A total of 8 votes were taken during the meeting, and 2 public comments were heard. No presentations are noted in the meeting record.

Key business included authorization to accept a deed of temporary construction easement for the 3184 Trinity Road Storm Sewer Rehabilitation Project, approval of Change Order No. 1 with CR Cable Construction, Inc., multiple amendments to Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances, an amendment to Section 9 of Ordinance No. 330-2001, an amendment to Sections 21-37.1 and 21-38 of the Code of Ordinances, and approval of 2009 General Term Orders for the Fayette County Sheriff and Fayette County Clerk.

Attendance

All 17 members of the Council were present at the February 12, 2026 meeting. No members were absent or late.

Present: - Mayor Newberry - VM Gray - CM DeCamp - CM Gorton - CM Lane - CM Crosbie - CM Ellinger - CM Myers - CM Beard - CM Blues - CM McChord - CM Henson - CM Stevens - CM Stinnett - CM Blevins - CM James - CM Koch

Votes and Decisions

The Council took action on eight items during the February 12, 2026 meeting. Seven passed by voice vote and one by roll call.

Voice Votes

• Resolution authorizing the transfer of a portion of the Henry Clay Estate property back to the Henry Clay Memorial Foundation — Moved by CM DeCamp, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed by voice vote. 2:36

• Ordinance expanding and extending full urban services district #1 — Moved by CM Lane, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed by voice vote. 3:07

• Ordinance expanding and extending partial urban services district #3 — Moved by CM Lane, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed by voice vote. 4:09

• Ordinance approving the 2009 calendar for the Urban County Council — Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed by voice vote. 5:13

• Approval of the summary of 11/25/08 — Moved by CM Beard, seconded by CM Myers. Passed by voice vote. 5:44

• Approval of budget amendments — Moved by CM Myers, seconded by CM Beard. Passed by voice vote. 6:15

• Approval of new business items A–M — Moved by CM Ellinger, seconded by CM DeCamp. Passed by voice vote. 6:47

Roll Call Vote

• Resolution inviting the Kentucky State Auditor to examine issues related to the administration of Bluegrass Airport — Moved by VM Gray, seconded by CM Beard. Passed 11–4. 1:02:41
• *Voting yes (11):* VM Gray, CM Beard, CM Gorton, CM Blues, CM Blevins, CM James, CM Stinnett, CM Koch, CM Henson, CM Crosbie, CM Myers
• *Voting no (4):* CM DeCamp, CM Stevens, CM Lane, CM McChord

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed several financial items at the February 12, 2026 meeting, spanning pension benefits, construction contracts, and housing development funding.

• Resolution 642-08 authorizes an amendment to the City Employees Pension Fund, increasing the funeral benefit for retirees from $5,000 to $7,500. The change is estimated to cost approximately $15,000 annually.

• Resolution 643-08 approves a change order increasing the bid of C&C Fire Sprinkler by $8,219.63 for work on the Kenwick Community Center Fire Suppression System.

• Resolution 644-08 approves Change Order No. 1-Final to the construction contract with The Allen Company, Inc. in the amount of $31,716.82 for the Appomattox Road Culvert Replacement Project.

• Resolution 645-08 authorizes the execution of a HOME Agreement with First Presbyterian Church Apartments, LLLP for $250,000 in HOME funds to support the development of a rental housing project.

• Resolution 651-08 approves Change Order No. 1 to the construction contract with Central Rock Mineral Company, LLC in the amount of $14,556 for the Loudon Avenue Improvements Project.

In total, the construction-related change orders across the three active projects amount to approximately $54,492.45. The largest single financial commitment approved was the $250,000 HOME grant agreement with First Presbyterian Church Apartments, LLLP for affordable rental housing development.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period at the February 12, 2026 meeting.

• Lewis Cobb 1:17:20 spoke on the topics of community involvement and economic development. Cobb emphasized the importance of community participation in local initiatives and expressed his personal willingness to contribute to Lexington's economic development through various means.

• Eric Patrick Marr 1:20:40 addressed the Council on the subjects of leadership and downtown development. Marr discussed the role that strong leadership plays in driving successful change initiatives and offered ideas for enhancing development in downtown Lexington.

Both speakers focused on themes related to Lexington's growth and civic engagement, with Cobb centering his remarks on community involvement and Marr highlighting the connection between effective leadership and downtown revitalization efforts.

Contested Items

• Resolution to Invite Kentucky State Auditor to Examine Bluegrass Airport Administration

The council voted on a resolution to invite the Kentucky State Auditor to examine issues related to the administration of Bluegrass Airport. The item drew a divided response among council members, reflecting differing views on whether an external audit was warranted in light of recent reports concerning the airport's administration. The resolution passed by a vote of 11–4, with the majority supporting the call for an audit and four members voting in opposition.

Authorization to Accept a Deed of Temporary Construction Easement for the 3184 Trinity Road Storm Sewer Rehabilitation Project

The Council considered Resolution 640-08, which sought authorization to accept a deed of temporary construction easement in connection with the 3184 Trinity Road Storm Sewer Rehabilitation Project.

Key speakers on this item included Martin and Taylor. The resolution called for the acceptance of a temporary construction easement covering 518 square feet at a cost of $200, providing the access necessary to carry out the storm sewer rehabilitation work at the specified location.

The Council approved the resolution.

Authorization for Approval of Change Order No. 1 with CR Cable Construction, Inc.

Agenda Item 641-08 | Resolution

The Council considered a resolution authorizing Change Order No. 1 with CR Cable Construction, Inc. in connection with the West Hickman Fiber Project. The change order would upgrade the fiber cable specification from a 12-pair to a 24-pair configuration, at an additional cost of $2,865.

Key speakers on this item included Martin and Taylor. The resolution was presented as a straightforward capacity upgrade, with the increased pair count intended to expand the fiber infrastructure's capability for the West Hickman project.

The Council approved the resolution.

Authorization to Amend Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances

Agenda Item 646-08

The Council considered an ordinance to amend Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances, which would restructure staffing classifications within the Division of Water Quality. Specifically, the ordinance proposed abolishing three positions of Engineering Technician and creating three positions of Environmental Inspector in their place, with the incumbents currently holding those Engineering Technician roles to be reclassified into the new Environmental Inspector positions.

Key speakers on this item were Allen and Taylor. The item was presented and discussed before the Council, though no specific concerns or points of debate are noted in the record beyond the substance of the reclassification itself.

The Council approved the ordinance. Upon passage, the three Engineering Technician positions in the Division of Water Quality will be formally abolished, and three Environmental Inspector positions will be established, with the affected incumbents reclassified accordingly under the updated Code of Ordinances.

Authorization to Amend Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances

Agenda Item 647-08

The Council considered an ordinance to amend Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances affecting staffing classifications within the Division of Water Quality. The ordinance proposed abolishing one position of Pre-Treatment Manager and creating one position of Water Quality Manager in its place, with the change resulting in a reclassification of incumbents within the division.

Key speakers on this item were Allen and Taylor. The ordinance was presented as an administrative restructuring measure, aligning the position title and classification with the current scope of responsibilities within the Division of Water Quality.

The Council approved the ordinance.

Authorization to Amend Section 9 of Ordinance No. 330-2001

Agenda Item 648-08

The Council considered an ordinance to amend Section 9 of Ordinance No. 330-2001, which governs benefits provided to city employees who are activated for service in the Armed Forces Reserve or National Guard. The proposed amendment would extend the provisions of Section 9 from their previous expiration date of January 1, 2009, to a new expiration date of January 1, 2013, ensuring that activated employees continue to receive the benefits outlined under the ordinance.

Key speakers on this item included Allen and Koch. The ordinance was presented as a continuation measure, maintaining existing protections and benefits for employees called to military service rather than introducing new or altered provisions.

The Council approved the ordinance.

> *Note: No transcript timestamp is available for this agenda item. For the full discussion, please refer to the meeting recording for the February 12, 2026 Council meeting.*

Authorization to Amend Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances

Agenda Item 649-08 | Ordinance

The Council considered an ordinance to amend Section 21-5 of the Code of Ordinances, which would make a personnel classification change within the city's staffing structure. Specifically, the ordinance abolishes one position of Administrative Officer Sr. and creates one position of Budget Officer Sr. in its place, with the change to take effect upon passage by Council.

Key speakers on this item were Allen and Koch. The ordinance was approved by the Council.

*Note: Detailed transcript timestamps and a fuller account of the discussion, any concerns raised, and the specific arguments presented are not available in the source materials for this item.*

Authorization to Amend Section 21-37.1 and 21-38 of the Code of Ordinances

Agenda Item 650-08 | Ordinance

The Council considered an ordinance to amend Sections 21-37.1 and 21-38 of the Code of Ordinances. According to the presentation, the amendments are intended to accommodate changes in timekeeping and the award of holiday swing hours necessitated by the City's implementation of PeopleSoft, an enterprise resource planning system.

• Koch was the key speaker on this item, presenting the ordinance to the Council.
• The ordinance addresses adjustments to existing code language to align with the operational and administrative requirements that accompany the PeopleSoft system rollout, specifically as they relate to how timekeeping is recorded and how holiday swing hours are calculated and awarded to employees.
• No significant debate or concerns are noted in the available record for this item.

The Council approved the ordinance.

Authorization for Approval of 2009 General Term Orders for Fayette County Sheriff and Fayette County Clerk

Agenda Item 652-08

The Council took up Resolution 652-08, which sought approval of the 2009 General Term Orders for both the Fayette County Sheriff and the Fayette County Clerk.

• Koch was the key speaker on this item, presenting the resolution for the Council's consideration.
• The resolution covered the General Term Orders for two county offices — the Fayette County Sheriff and the Fayette County Clerk — for the year 2009.
• No specific concerns or debate are noted in the record for this item.

The resolution was approved by the Council.