Urban County Council Meeting

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council convened on December 9, 2008, at 6:00 P.M. in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Jim Newberry presiding. The meeting's agenda included 5 items, all informational in nature, covering an invocation, a recognition ceremony, and three commemorations honoring community members. During the session, the Council recognized the Idle Hour Ravens and commemorated Howard Leo McMillen, Richard S. "Dick" DeCamp, and Dr. David B. Stevens. The Council took 2 votes over the course of the meeting and heard 1 public comment.

Attendance

The following members were present at the June 16, 2026 Council meeting:

• Jim Newberry
• Henson
• James
• Lane
• McChord
• Stevens
• Stinnett
• Beard
• Blevins
• Blues
• Crosbie
• DeCamp
• Ellinger
• Gorton
• Gray

Absent: Myers

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

Two roll call votes were held during the June 16, 2026 Council meeting, both resulting in unanimous passage.

• Approval of Ordinances Given Second Reading 37:58: Motioned by Stevens and seconded by DeCamp, the Council voted to approve ordinances given second reading. The motion passed 14–0. Voting in favor: Henson, James, Lane, McChord, Stevens, Stinnett, Beard, Blevins, Blues, Crosbie, DeCamp, Ellinger, Gorton, and Gray. No members voted against, and no abstentions were recorded.

• Approval of Resolutions Given Second Reading 54:07: Motioned by DeCamp and seconded by Stevens, the Council voted to approve resolutions given second reading. The motion passed 13–0. Voting in favor: Henson, James, Lane, McChord, Stevens, Stinnett, Beard, Blevins, Blues, DeCamp, Ellinger, Gorton, and Gray. No members voted against, and no abstentions were recorded. Crosbie, who was present for the first vote, did not cast a vote on this motion.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved three contracts covering facility improvements and emergency response equipment purchases.

• Bell House Egress Door Improvements: The Council approved a contract with Eubank & Steele Construction Company in the amount of $16,800 for egress door improvements at Bell House.

• Hazardous Materials Apparatus: A contract with Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. was approved for $597,417 for the purchase of a hazardous materials apparatus, intended to support the city's emergency response capabilities.

• Heavy Duty Rescue Vehicle: The Council also approved a second contract with Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. in the amount of $587,738 for a heavy duty rescue vehicle.

Combined, the two Pierce Manufacturing, Inc. contracts total $1,185,155 in emergency services equipment. No resolution numbers were available in the meeting record for any of the three items.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period. 1:19:39

• Mr. Maher spoke on the topics of public engagement and Council effectiveness. He raised concerns about whether the Council's current structure is adequately serving the city's needs, specifically questioning whether the part-time nature of Council positions is sufficient for the demands of the role. Mr. Maher also called for improved public engagement practices from the Council.

No other public comments were recorded during this portion of the meeting.

Appointments

The Council took action on two reappointments to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities during the June 16, 2026 meeting.

• Rick Curtis was reappointed to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities.
• Kristy M. Stambaugh was reappointed to the Commission for Citizens with Disabilities.

Both individuals were reappointed to continue their service on the commission, which is dedicated to matters affecting citizens with disabilities in the community.

Invocation

1:07

The meeting opened with an invocation delivered by David Thomas, Senior Pastor of Centenary United Methodist Church. The invocation was informational in nature, with no discussion, debate, or action taken.

Recognition of Idle Hour Ravens

3:55

Council Member Andrea James recognized the Idle Hour Ravens football team for their outstanding achievements in competition. The recognition highlighted the team's success across multiple levels of tournament play, including wins at the city, state, and national levels.

Donta Key also participated in the recognition presentation. No debate or concerns were raised during this agenda item, as it was purely celebratory in nature.

The item was informational, with no vote or formal action taken by the Council.

Commemoration of Howard Leo McMillen

18:44

Mayor Jim Newberry recognized Howard Leo McMillen during this portion of the meeting, honoring McMillen for his 27 years of service as Director of the Division of Streets, Roads, and Forestry. Both Mayor Newberry and Howard Leo McMillen were noted as key speakers during the commemoration.

This item was presented as a proclamation and was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action required by the Council.

Commemoration of Richard S. "Dick" DeCamp

24:05

Mayor Jim Newberry recognized Richard S. "Dick" DeCamp for his service on the Urban County Council. The commemoration was presented as a proclamation honoring DeCamp's contributions during his time as a Council member. Both Mayor Newberry and Richard S. DeCamp were noted as key participants in this portion of the meeting. The item was informational in nature, with no vote or further action taken by the Council.

Commemoration of Dr. David B. Stevens

29:04

Mayor Jim Newberry recognized Dr. David B. Stevens for his 16 years of service on the Urban County Council. Both Mayor Newberry and Dr. Stevens were noted as key speakers during this portion of the meeting.

This item was presented as a proclamation and was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action required by the Council.