Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on August 11, 2009, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting covered six agenda items, ranging from rezoning requests to budget amendments and new business. Over the course of the session, the Council heard 3 public comments and took 13 votes, approving items across several categories including requested rezonings, a summary approval, budget amendments, and new business matters. The meeting also included informational segments for public comment and continuing business and presentations. The majority of action items brought before the Council received approval.

Attendance

All members were present for the Council meeting on August 11, 2009. No members were recorded as absent or late.

Present: - Mayor Newberry - CM Stinnett - CM Gorton - CM Crosbie - CM McChord - CM Blues - CM Martin - CM Beard - CM Ellinger - CM Lane - CM Myers - CM James - CM Lawless - CM Hinson - CM McCord - CM Wallace - CM Crosby - CM Feigel - CM Gordon - CM Stennett

Votes and Decisions

The Council took the following actions during the August 11, 2009 meeting, all by voice vote unless otherwise noted:

• Rezoning ordinances placed on docket without a hearing 0:39: Moved by CM Stinnett, seconded by CM Gorton. Passed; CM Martin recused.

• Amended docket approved 2:16: Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM McChord. Passed.

• Summary of 7/7/09 approved 2:46: Moved by CM Crosbie, seconded by CM Blues. Passed.

• Budget journal 35940 amended 3:53: Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM Crosbie. Passed.

• Budget amendments approved 5:28: Moved by CM Gorton, seconded by CM Stinnett. Passed.

• New business items A through Il approved, except item DD 20:54: Moved by CM Beard, seconded by CM Ellinger. Passed; CM Martin recused.

• Item DD tabled 35:16: Moved by CM McChord, seconded by CM Beard. Passed; CM Martin recused.

• New business items approved as amended 35:50: Passed.

• Item DD brought off the table and amended 45:46: Moved by CM Crosby. Passed; CM Martin recused.

• Ethics Commission composition referred to the Intergovernmental Committee 48:20: Moved by CM Crosby. Passed.

• Issue of slaughtering livestock and processing of game and wildlife within the urban service boundary referred to the Services Committee 48:57: Moved by CM Hinson, seconded by CM James. Passed.

• NDF approved 1:09:56: Moved by CM Ellinger. Passed.

• Substitution of a reimbursement resolution for the budget amendment proposal 2:56:18: Moved by CM Beard. Passed by roll call vote, 10 ayes to 4 nays.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed several budget and financial items during the August 11, 2009 meeting, including a budget amendment and two grant authorizations.

• Budget Amendment: The Council considered an amendment to budget journal 35940 in the amount of $125,990 related to utility truck bodies. No vendor or recipient was specified in the record for this item.

• Home Network Project Grant (Resolution 464-09): The Council authorized acceptance of an award from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department to support the Home Network Project. No specific dollar amount was recorded for this grant authorization.

• Law Enforcement Service Fee Grant Program (Resolution 465-09): The Council authorized acceptance of an award from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for the Law Enforcement Service Fee Grant Program. No specific dollar amount was recorded for this grant authorization.

Taken together, these actions reflect the Council's management of both internal budget adjustments and external funding opportunities. The budget journal amendment of $125,990 represents the only confirmed dollar figure among the financial items considered at this meeting, while the two grant resolutions — 464-09 and 465-09 — formalized the city's acceptance of awards from county and state agencies respectively.

Public Comment

Three residents addressed the Council during the public comment period.

• Graham Pohl 3:00:34 raised concerns about plans for power lines along the Newtown Pike extension. Pohl urged the Council to consider burying the lines rather than running them above ground, citing the importance of preserving the aesthetic appeal of the area.

• Clive Pohl 3:06:49 echoed those concerns, also speaking to the issue of power lines along the Newtown Pike extension. Clive Pohl emphasized that burying the lines would help maintain a visually appealing entrance to the city.

• Mr. Cobb 3:19:53 addressed a separate matter, calling on the Council to take urgent action to improve representation and job creation for the Black community. Cobb stressed the need to address economic disparities and indicated that the situation required immediate attention.

The Newtown Pike extension power line issue drew the most sustained comment, with two speakers independently urging the Council to pursue underground installation as a means of protecting the corridor's visual character.

Contested Items

PeopleSoft HCM Implementation Funding 1:09:56

The council engaged in a lengthy and heated discussion regarding an additional $600,000 needed to fund the PeopleSoft Human Capital Management (HCM) implementation. The debate centered on two primary concerns: the proposed use of the Urban Services Fund as a funding source, and the need for a reimbursement resolution to accompany the expenditure.

Council members raised questions about the appropriateness of drawing from the Urban Services Fund for this purpose, reflecting broader concerns about how the costs of the technology implementation would be allocated and whether that fund was the proper mechanism for covering the shortfall. The discussion also focused on ensuring that a reimbursement resolution was in place, which would establish a formal commitment to repay the fund from other revenue sources.

The extracted data does not specify which individual council members led the debate or detail the precise outcome of the vote, but the discussion was notable for its length and intensity, indicating significant disagreement or uncertainty among council members before any resolution was reached.

Public Comment

0:06

No members of the public came forward to offer comments on the issues on the agenda during this portion of the August 11, 2009 Council meeting.

Requested Rezonings / Docket Approval

0:39

The Council took up Agenda Item II, concerning the approval of placing rezoning ordinances on the docket. The discussion was led by CM Stinnett and CM Gorton.

The item involved a procedural step to place rezoning ordinances on the docket without requiring a hearing at this stage. No specific concerns or debate were recorded in the available data for this item.

The Council approved the measure.

Approval of Summary

2:46

The Council took up Agenda Item III, the approval of the summary from the July 7, 2009, work session. CM Crosbie and CM Blues were the key speakers on this item. The summary was presented for the Council's review and acceptance without notable debate or concerns raised on the record. The Council approved the summary.

Budget Amendments

3:53

The Council took up Agenda Item IV, a resolution addressing budget amendments for the current fiscal period.

CM Gorton and CM Crosbie were the key participants in the discussion of this item. The Council considered an amendment to budget journal 35940 as part of the action before them.

The resolution was approved by the Council.

New Business

20:54

The Council took up several New Business items under Agenda Item V, covering authorizations to amend sections of the Code of Ordinances as well as the acceptance of awards and agreements.

Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included CM Beard and CM Ellinger. The discussion addressed the various resolutions and actions presented under this agenda item, with the Council reviewing the proposed amendments and agreements before moving toward a vote.

All items brought forward under New Business were approved by the Council.

Continuing Business / Presentations

35:50

CM Stinnett presented on behalf of the Budget & Finance Committee, providing the Council with an update that included preliminary year-end results and revenue reports. The presentation was informational in nature, offering members an overview of the municipality's financial standing as the fiscal year drew to a close.

The update covered preliminary year-end results, giving the Council an early look at how actual revenues and expenditures compared to budgeted figures, as well as revenue reports detailing incoming funds across relevant categories. No vote or formal action was taken as a result of this agenda item, as it was intended to keep Council members informed of the municipality's financial position.