Council passes multiple ordinances and resolutions; second-reading votes, appointments and procurements approved

The Lexington City Council took several formal votes on Jan. 27, approving a group of ordinances on second reading and passing a package of resolutions and procurements listed on the meeting agenda. Council members completed roll-call votes recorded on the transcript; where individual abstentions or recusals were recorded those are noted below.

Key adopted ordinances (second reading)

1) Package including short-term rental regulations in agricultural zones and related code changes (ordinance items 1–2 in the meeting packet). The ordinances were read on second reading and approved by roll call. Council member Ellinger recorded an abstention on ordinances 1 and 2; all other members present voted yes. The planning and zoning-related amendments read during this item included references to code sections (see authorities).

2) Additional ordinances (items 3–6) addressing budget technical corrections, a small-farm conservation easement program (creation of chapter 27), and specific authorized-strength changes in the police division (abolishing one evidence specialist position and one intelligence specialist position; and creating one behavioral health and wellness coordinator). These ordinances were approved by roll call; Council member Ellinger voted yes on these items.

Resolutions, appointments and procurements

- The council approved a large slate of resolutions on consent, including bids, grant acceptances and contract awards read under the resolutions section. A consolidated roll call approved the package; the transcript records a small number of recusals recorded by individual members for specific items (see actions below).

- The council authorized procurements and two suspended-rule second-readings later in the meeting for specific items: a purchase of software from Magnet Forensics LLC for the police division (item 32, $57,109.50), acceptance of Kentucky Office of Highway Safety grant funds for a training course (item 33, $16,500) and a correction to the fiscal year for an agreement with DNA Labs International (item 36). Those items were approved on motions to suspend the rules and then by roll call; the transcript records all members voting yes on those specific approvals when taken.

Votes at a glance (selected items with roll-call notes)

- Ordinances (items 1–6, second reading): Approved by roll call. Ellinger abstained on items 1 and 2; Ellinger voted yes on items 3–6. (All other members present voted yes on all six items.)

- Resolution items (consent package): Approved by roll call. The transcript records specific recusals/comments for a subset of items in the consent block (for example, a recusal recorded for Council member LaGree on one grant item and a recusal by Council member Morton on another contract item); the full resolution list and the transcript should be consulted for item-level recusals.

- Magnet Forensics software (item 32): Motion to suspend rules and approve purchase ($57,109.50); council approved on roll call.

- Kentucky Office of Highway Safety grant (item 33): Approved on roll call; $16,500 for the Fundamentals of Traffic Crash Dynamics training.

- DNA Labs International fiscal-year correction (item 36): Motion to suspend the rules and approve amendment to prior resolution; approved on roll call.

What council recorded in the transcript

The meeting transcript records roll-call answers name-by-name at each major vote. For the ordinance second-reading block (items 1–6) the roll call sequence shows Council member Ellinger stated: “Abstain on 1 and 2 yes on the rest.” For the later suspended-rule votes the transcript records unanimous yes votes on those items when the suspensions were moved and seconded and then approved by roll call.

Provenance and next steps

- The ordinances and resolutions were read aloud in the meeting starting near the 01:33:07 mark of the transcript (the second-reading block of ordinances begins at that point in the recording) and voted upon immediately afterward by roll call.

- Council asked some items to be circulated and follow-ups to be scheduled with the administration for specific procurement and staffing requests mentioned during the meeting. For item-level details (full bid amounts, contracts and grant conditions), the meeting packet and the signed resolutions in the council records provide the official text and legal citations.

Ending

All items read and voted on during the Jan. 27 meeting were recorded as adopted in the meeting transcript and will be posted with the council’s official minutes and resolution/ordinance texts. Council members who recorded abstentions or recusals noted those on the record; staff will incorporate any required administrative follow-up steps (contract signatures, procurement execution and budget transfers) as authorized by the votes.