Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council convened on June 30, 2009, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting covered 8 agenda items spanning routine administrative approvals, budget matters, new business, and several informational presentations. Over the course of the meeting, the Council took 14 votes and heard 4 public comments on agenda items.

The Council approved a number of substantive items, including budget amendments and a slate of new business items designated A through U, in addition to approving the docket and the summary from the June 23, 2009 meeting. Three agenda items were informational in nature, with presentations delivered on the Lyric Theatre, a Downtown Master Plan Update, and the South Limestone Streetscape Project, providing the Council and public with updates on ongoing initiatives in the community.

Attendance

All members were present at the June 30, 2009 Council meeting. The following individuals were in attendance:

• Mayor Newberry
• CM Beard
• CM James
• CM Gorton
• CM Ellinger
• CM Stinnett
• CM Myers
• CM Blues
• CM Martin
• CM McChord
• CM Lawless
• CM Lane
• CM Gordon
• CM Feigel
• CM Figal
• CM Henson

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

All motions brought before the Council at the June 30, 2009 meeting passed unanimously. No roll call votes were recorded; individual aye and nay counts were not tallied.

• Approval of the docket — Moved by CM Beard, seconded by CM James. Passed unanimously. 0:44

• Approval of the summary of 6/23/09 — Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM Ellinger. Passed unanimously. 8:33

• Approval of budget amendments — Moved by CM Stinnett, seconded by CM Myers. Passed unanimously. 9:06

• Approval of new business items A–U — Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM Blues. Passed unanimously. 9:37

• Approval of additional 5–7 minutes for a presentation — Moved by CM Myers, seconded by CM James. Passed unanimously. 58:53

• Place on docket an ordinance amending salary schedules — Moved by CM Martin, seconded by CM Myers. Passed unanimously. 2:06:06

• Place on docket a resolution with Kentucky American Water Company — Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM McChord. Passed unanimously. 2:13:46

• Add $12,000 to the Animal Care & Control 2010 budget — Moved by CM Stinnett. Passed unanimously. 2:27:09

• Amend item 22 under first reading resolutions — Moved by CM Lawless, seconded by CM Blues. Passed unanimously. 2:29:20

• Place on docket a resolution with Lexington Public Library — Moved by CM Myers, seconded by CM Lawless. Passed unanimously. 2:39:27

• Place on docket an ordinance to establish the Corridors Commission — Moved by CM Blues. Passed unanimously. 2:40:35

• Place on docket an ordinance to accept a grant for hazardous waste recycling — Moved by CM Blues, seconded by CM Gordon. Passed unanimously. 2:41:06

• Place on docket an ordinance to accept a grant for latex paint recycling — Moved by CM Blues. Passed unanimously. 2:41:41

• Place on docket a resolution for continuation of acting assignment pay for Mary Fister — Moved by CM Lane, seconded by CM Martin. Passed unanimously. 2:45:04

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed several financial items at the June 30, 2009 meeting, covering contracts, grants, and personnel compensation.

• Kentucky American Water Company Contract: The Council approved an agreement with Kentucky American Water Company valued at $434,760 for billing, accounting, and collecting of the water quality management fee. This arrangement delegates fee collection responsibilities to the private water utility.

• Household Hazardous Waste Recycling Grant: A grant of $113,154 was accepted from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to support a one-day household hazardous waste recycling event. The funding will help offset the costs of providing residents with a safe disposal option for hazardous household materials.

• Latex Paint Recycling Partnership Grant: The Council also accepted a second grant from the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet in the amount of $14,035 to support a partnership with Lexington Habitat for Humanity for latex paint recycling. This initiative channels usable paint materials through a community organization rather than directing them to waste disposal.

• Acting Assignment Pay for Mary Fister: The Council approved the continuation of acting assignment pay for Mary Fister, reflecting a 16.77% increase in compensation tied to her acting role. No resolution number or specific position title was included in the available record.

No resolution identifiers were available in the source data for any of the above items.

Public Comment

Four members of the public addressed the Council during the meeting, with all comments centered on the Lyric Theatre and its proposed renovation.

• Sherry Maddock 0:02 opened public comment by thanking the Council for the opportunity to speak. She emphasized the importance of the Lyric Theatre's renovation to the broader community.

• Bob Ball 5:38 echoed those sentiments, speaking to the community's passion for restoring the Lyric Theatre and underscoring its significance for Lexington.

• Griffin Van Meter 1:44:29 offered support for the Lyric Theatre project, framing it in economic terms. Van Meter argued that the theatre has the potential to serve as a catalyst for economic development and revitalization in the surrounding area.

• Mr. Cobb 3:13:39 addressed the Council later in the meeting, opening his remarks with an apology for previous comments he had made. He spoke to the need for unity and stressed the importance of maintaining exclusive cultural spaces for the Black community in Lexington.

Taken together, the public comments reflected strong community investment in the Lyric Theatre renovation, with speakers highlighting its cultural, historical, and economic significance to Lexington.

Contested Items

South Limestone Streetscape Project

The South Limestone Streetscape Project generated heated discussion during the June 30, 2009 Council meeting. Concerns were raised regarding the project's cost, its timeline for completion, and the potential impact the work could have on local businesses and traffic in the affected area.

The structured data available for this meeting does not identify the specific council members or other individuals involved in the debate, nor does it record a specific outcome or vote result from the discussion. No timestamps are available for this item.

Public Comment on Issues on Agenda

0:08

The Council invited public comment on issues listed on the agenda. Two speakers addressed the Council during this portion of the meeting, both speaking to the topic of the Lyric Theatre renovation.

• Sherry Maddock and Bob Ball each appeared before the Council to offer comments related to the Lyric Theatre renovation item on the agenda.

No formal action was taken as a result of public comment; this portion of the meeting was informational in nature.

Approval of Docket

0:44

The Council moved to approve the docket for the June 30, 2009 meeting. CM Beard and CM James were the key speakers on this item. No debate or dissent was recorded, and the docket was approved without objection.

Approval of Summary of 6/23/09

8:33

The Council took up the approval of the summary from its previous meeting, held on June 23, 2009. CM Gorton and CM Ellinger were the key speakers during this agenda item. The summary was approved without noted objection or significant debate.

Budget Amendments

9:06

The Council took up a resolution on budget amendments during the June 30, 2009 meeting. Council Members Stinnett and Myers were the key speakers on this item.

The resolution was approved without dissent.

*No additional details regarding the specific content of the amendments, any debate, or concerns raised were available in the meeting record.*

New Business Items A-U

9:37

The Council considered New Business Items A through U as a block. CM Gorton and CM Blues were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The items were presented and moved together without dissent, and the Council approved all items from A through U.

No concerns or debate were recorded for this agenda item.

Lyric Theatre Presentation

41:49

Shaye Rabold presented an update on the Lyric Theatre's proposed business plan to the Council. The presentation covered the theatre's financials, programming plans, and anticipated community impact. Dr. Everett McCorvey also participated as a key speaker during this agenda item.

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

Downtown Master Plan Update

1:49:01

Harold Tate presented an update on the downtown master plan to the Council. The presentation covered three primary areas: land use, residential development, and streetscape improvements.

No additional speakers, debates, or specific concerns are recorded in the available meeting data for this item. The presentation was informational in nature, and no vote or formal action was taken by the Council as a result.

South Limestone Streetscape Project

2:29:20

The Council held a discussion regarding the South Limestone Streetscape Project, with Commissioner Webb and CM Lawless identified as the key speakers on this item.

The discussion centered on several areas of concern related to the project, including:

• Cost — Council members raised questions about the financial aspects of the project.
• Timeline — The scheduling and duration of the project were discussed.
• Impact on local businesses — Concerns were expressed about how the streetscape work would affect businesses operating in the area.

The item was informational in nature, and no formal vote or action was taken as an outcome of the discussion.

*Note: The available data for this agenda item is limited. For full details on the specific arguments made, figures cited, or positions taken by individual speakers, viewers are encouraged to consult the meeting video beginning at timestamp 2:29:20.*