Urban County Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council held a meeting on January 27, 2009, presided over by Mayor Newberry. The council worked through five agenda items during the session, taking a total of 5 votes and hearing 1 public comment. Four of the five agenda items were approved outright, covering the approval of a summary, authorization to accept donations, an exchange of information agreement, and the purchase of Rain Tainers. The remaining item, an amendment to the Code of Ordinances, was referred rather than acted upon directly. No presentations were recorded for this meeting.

Attendance

All members of the Council were present at the January 27, 2009 meeting. The following individuals were in attendance:

• Mayor Newberry
• CM Gorton
• CM Ellinger
• CM James
• CM Beard
• CM Blues
• CM Crosby
• CM Stinnett
• CM Lane
• CM Lawless
• CM Martin
• CM McChord
• CM Meyers
• CM Henson
• CM Feigel

No members were absent or late. The meeting had full attendance with Mayor Newberry and all 14 Council Members present.

Votes and Decisions

The following motions were considered and decided at the January 27, 2009 Council meeting. 2:04

• Approval of the January 20th Summary: Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote, with one abstention.

• Resolution 037-09 – Authorization to Accept Donations from Hunter Presbyterian Church, Joshua C. Santana, PSC, and Richard and Judith Flewelling: Passed by voice vote.

• Resolution 054-09 – Authorization of an Exchange of Information Agreement with the Commonwealth of Kentucky: Passed by voice vote.

• Resolution 055-09 – Authorization to Purchase Rain Tainers for the Creation of the 'Lily' Program: Passed by voice vote.

• Resolution 056-09 – Authorization to Amend Article I, Chapter 16 and Create Article X, Chapter 16 of the Code of Ordinances: Moved by CM James, seconded by CM Stinnett. This item was referred by roll call vote, 13 ayes to 2 nays. Voting in favor of referral were CM Gorton, CM Ellinger, CM James, CM Beard, CM Crosby, CM Stinnett, CM Lane, CM Lawless, CM Martin, CM McChord, CM Meyers, CM Henson, and CM Feigel. Voting against were CM Blues and CM Stinnett.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed two financial items during the January 27, 2009 meeting.

• Resolution 037-09 authorized the acceptance of $850 in donations for the Department of Social Services, Division of Adult & Tenant Services, Cardinal Valley Center. The donations were contributed by Hunter Presbyterian Church, Joshua C. Santana PSC, and Richard and Judith Flewelling.

• Resolution 055-09 approved a $70,000 purchase of Rain Tainers for the "Lily" Program.

Public Comment

During the January 27, 2009 Council meeting, one individual submitted a request to address the Council during the public comment portion of the proceedings.

• Former Council Member Bill Farmer, Jr. requested to speak following the Parking Authority presentation. His comments were tied specifically to that agenda item, and he asked that he be recognized after the Parking Authority had completed its presentation to the Council.

No timestamp is available for this portion of the meeting. No additional public speakers are reflected in the meeting record for this session.

Contested Items

• Amendment to Code of Ordinances for Stormwater Control: This item generated disagreement among council members, resulting in a split vote. The council considered a motion to refer a proposed ordinance related to stormwater control to the Planning Committee rather than acting on it directly. The motion to refer passed by a vote of 13-2, indicating that while the majority of council members supported sending the ordinance to committee for further review, two members were opposed. The specific points of contention among council members are not detailed in the available record, but the divided vote reflects differing views on either the substance of the proposed stormwater control ordinance or the procedural question of whether it warranted additional committee review before a full council vote.

Approval of Summary

2:04

The Council took up the approval of the summary from the January 20th meeting. CM Gorton and CM Ellinger were the key speakers on this item. The summary was approved.

Authorization to Accept Donations

2:04

The Council considered Resolution 037-09, which sought authorization to accept donations designated for the Department of Social Services.

The donations came from the following contributors:

• Hunter Presbyterian Church
• Joshua C. Santana, PSC
• Richard and Judith Flewelling

CM Helm was the key speaker on this item. No significant debate or concerns were noted in the record regarding the resolution.

The Council approved the resolution.

Exchange of Information Agreement

2:04

The Council took up Resolution 054-09, which sought authorization for an Exchange of Information Agreement with the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The purpose of the agreement was to facilitate the sharing of information required for official government purposes between the two parties.

CM O'Mara and CM Koch were the key speakers on this agenda item. The resolution was presented as a straightforward administrative matter enabling the formal exchange of government information with Kentucky.

The resolution was approved by the Council.

Purchase of Rain Tainers

2:04

The Council took up Resolution 055-09, authorizing the purchase of Rain Tainers for the creation of the "Lily" Program as an EPA Green Infrastructure Project.

CM Taylor was the key speaker on this agenda item. The resolution was presented to the Council for consideration and approval.

The Council approved the resolution.

Amendment to Code of Ordinances

2:04

The Council took up agenda item 056-09, an ordinance concerning amendments to the City's Code of Ordinances related to stormwater control structures. Specifically, the item sought authorization to amend Article I, Chapter 16 and to create a new Article X, Chapter 16 of the Code of Ordinances.

Key speakers on this item included CM Martin and CM Taylor. The ordinance was ultimately referred rather than acted upon at this meeting, indicating that the Council determined additional review or committee consideration was needed before moving forward with a final vote.

The proposed changes would establish new provisions governing stormwater control structures, reflecting the City's efforts to update its regulatory framework in this area. The creation of a new Article X within Chapter 16 suggests a substantive expansion of the existing code rather than a simple modification, pointing to a broader policy initiative around stormwater management.

No additional details regarding specific concerns raised or the precise committee or body to which the item was referred are available from the meeting record.