Urban County Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on January 13, 2009, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting featured two agenda items, both informational in nature: a presentation on Destination 2040 and a report from the Storm Water Fee Task Force. Over the course of the meeting, the Council heard 2 public comments and conducted 6 motions and votes. The session was focused primarily on receiving information and updates rather than taking formal legislative action, with both agenda items serving as briefings for the Council.

Attendance

All members were present at the January 13, 2009 Council meeting. The following officials attended:

• Mayor Newberry
• VM Gray
• CM Gorton
• CM Myers
• CM Ellinger
• CM Lane
• CM Blues
• CM Feigel
• CM James
• CM McChord
• CM Beard
• CM Stinnett
• CM Crosby
• CM Henson

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took six votes during the January 13, 2009 meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

• Approval of the January 6, 2009 Summary 4:25: Moved by CM Gorton and seconded by CM Myers, the Council unanimously approved the summary of the previous meeting.

• Approval of New Business Items A–G 4:57: Moved by CM Gorton and seconded by CM Beard, the Council unanimously approved the full slate of new business items A through G as a package.

• Invitation to State Auditor 1:51:34: Moved by VM Gray and seconded by CM Gorton, the Council unanimously voted to invite the State Auditor to present the report on the airport board.

• Enter into Closed Session 2:13:10: Moved by VM Gray and seconded by CM Crosby, the Council unanimously voted to enter into closed session.

• Return to Open Session 2:14:13: Moved by CM Lane and seconded by CM Beard, the Council unanimously voted to return to open session.

• Place Settlement Agreement Resolution on the Docket 2:14:46: Moved by CM Feigel and seconded by CM Blues, the Council unanimously voted to place on the docket a resolution ratifying the Department of Law's execution of a settlement agreement.

All six votes were unanimous. No roll call votes were recorded, and no nays or abstentions were noted for any motion.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed two financial items during the January 13, 2009 meeting, covering an engineering services contract and a grant application.

• Resolution 032-09 authorized an Engineering Services Agreement with GRW Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $380,000 for work on the Expansion Area 2A Pumping Station and Force Main Project. This contract engages GRW Engineers, Inc. to provide engineering services in support of the infrastructure expansion effort.

• Resolution 034-09 authorized a grant application to the Kentucky Office for Local Government in the amount of $75,000 for the Coolavin Rail Trail project. This resolution directed the submission of the application seeking state funding to support the trail initiative.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period.

• Bill Farmer, Jr. 1:35:38 spoke about parking meters in the Chevy Chase area. Mr. Farmer requested that the Council direct the parking authority to refrain from activating the municipal parking meters in Chevy Chase for a period of at least six months, citing concerns about the potential negative impact on local businesses in the area.

• Lewis Cobb 2:07:13 raised several issues related to the future direction of Lexington. Mr. Cobb spoke to his concerns about the city's overall vision and emphasized the importance of ensuring that minorities are meaningfully included in future plans for the community.

Contested Items

Parking Meters in Chevy Chase

The proposed installation of new parking meters in the Chevy Chase area drew opposition from local business owners at the January 13, 2009 council meeting. Bill Farmer, Jr., along with other merchants from the area, appeared before the council to voice concerns about the potential impact the meters would have on local businesses. The merchants requested a delay in the activation of the new meters, suggesting that the change could negatively affect customer traffic and the overall commercial environment in the Chevy Chase neighborhood.

The structured record does not indicate a final outcome or council vote on the merchants' request for a delay.

Destination 2040 Presentation

5:59

Charlie Boland delivered a presentation on the Destination 2040 vision to the Council. The presentation focused on the long-term planning framework, with an emphasis on achieving balance between urban and rural development. Community engagement was highlighted as a central component of the Destination 2040 initiative.

The item was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action taken by the Council as a result of the presentation.

Storm Water Fee Task Force Report

1:29:56

CM Gorton presented an update to the Council on the work of the Storm Water Fee Task Force, reporting on two key decisions reached by the group.

The Task Force addressed the question of storm event planning standards, deciding to base its planning around a 25-year storm event. This determination establishes the scale and capacity that storm water infrastructure improvements would need to meet.

The Task Force also reached a decision to move forward with implementing a fee structure to fund storm water management efforts. CM Gorton's report indicated that the group had worked through the foundational policy questions necessary to begin developing such a fee.

This agenda item was informational in nature, with CM Gorton's remarks serving to keep the full Council apprised of the Task Force's progress. No vote or formal action was taken by the Council as a result of this report.