# Urban County Council - September 3, 2024 > Auto-transcribed civic record · September 3, 2024 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6206 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/6206?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2024-09-03 - **Last revised**: September 3, 2024 - **Length**: 1,352 words - **Speakers**: Mayor > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed with OpenAI's open-source Whisper large-v3-turbo model, run locally by The Lexington Times. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude. Verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The Urban County Council convened on September 3, 2024, at 1:00 PM in the Council Chambers of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting focused on three tax-related ordinances, all of which were approved by the council. The session included three motions and votes, with no public comments recorded during the proceedings. The council successfully addressed municipal tax levies, a health department request, and soil and water conservation district funding through the passage of ordinances 0827-24, 0828-24, and 0829-24. ## Attendance The following members were present at the September 3, 2024 meeting: **Present:** • Mayor Gorton • Wu • F. Brown • J. Brown • Ellinger • Elliott • Baxter • Fogle • Gray • LeGris • Lynch • Monarrez • Reynolds • Sevigny • Sheehan **Absent:** • Worley • Plomin No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 15 members were present, with 2 members absent. ## Votes and Decisions The council conducted three roll call votes during the September 3, 2024 meeting, all of which passed unanimously. **Ordinance 0827-24** - An Ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes for the fiscal year July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Fogle. The ordinance **passed** with a vote of 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions. All council members voted in favor: Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott, Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Reynolds, Sevigny, and Sheehan. **Ordinance 0828-24** - An Ordinance adopting the request of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department and levying a special ad valorem public health tax was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Fogle. The ordinance **passed** unanimously with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions. The same fourteen council members voted in favor: Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott, Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Reynolds, Sevigny, and Sheehan. **Ordinance 0829-24** - An Ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for purposes of support of the Soil and Water Conservation District was motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Fogle. This ordinance also **passed** unanimously with 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions. All fourteen council members voted in favor: Wu, F. Brown, J. Brown, Ellinger, Elliott, Baxter, Fogle, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, Monarrez, Reynolds, Sevigny, and Sheehan. All three ordinances related to tax levies for the upcoming fiscal year and received unanimous support from the council. No transcript timestamps were available for these votes. ## 0827-24 An Ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes The council considered Ordinance 0827-24, which establishes ad valorem tax rates for municipal purposes for the fiscal year July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. The ordinance applies to the assessed value of all taxable property within the taxing jurisdictions of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. Council members Ellinger and Fogle participated in the discussion of this tax levy ordinance. The ordinance represents the annual process by which the local government sets property tax rates to fund municipal operations and services for the upcoming fiscal year. The ordinance was approved by the council, establishing the tax rates that will be applied to property assessments throughout Lexington-Fayette County for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This approval allows the Urban County Government to collect the necessary revenue to fund municipal services and operations as outlined in the adopted budget. The passage of this ordinance is a routine but essential governmental function that enables the collection of property tax revenue needed to support local government services, infrastructure, and programs throughout the fiscal year. ## 0828-24 An Ordinance adopting the request of the Lexington-Fayette County Health The council considered Ordinance 0828-24, which adopts the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department's request under Kentucky Revised Statute 212.755 to levy a special ad valorem public health tax for fiscal year 2024-2025, covering the period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Council members Ellinger and Fogle participated in the discussion of this ordinance. The measure represents the annual process by which the local government authorizes the health department to collect property tax revenue to fund public health services and operations. Under KRS 212.755, local health departments are permitted to request special tax levies to support their operations, subject to approval by the local legislative body. This ordinance formally adopts the health department's funding request for the current fiscal year. The council approved the ordinance, allowing the health department to proceed with collecting the special ad valorem tax to support public health services in Lexington-Fayette County during the 2024-2025 fiscal year. *Note: Specific transcript timestamps are not available for this agenda item.* ## 0829-24 An Ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for purposes of support of the Soil and Water Conservation District The council considered Ordinance 0829-24, which establishes ad valorem tax levies to support the Soil and Water Conservation District for fiscal year 2024-2025, covering the period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Key speakers during the discussion included council members Ellinger and Fogle, who participated in the deliberation of this annual tax levy ordinance. The ordinance represents the standard annual process of setting property tax rates specifically designated to fund the operations and programs of the local Soil and Water Conservation District. These districts typically provide services related to soil conservation, water quality protection, erosion control, and agricultural best practices within their jurisdictions. The council approved the ordinance, allowing the tax levy to proceed as proposed for the upcoming fiscal year. This approval ensures continued funding for soil and water conservation programs and services in the community. *Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available for this agenda item.* --- ## Decisions - **0827-24** — passed (13-0): An Ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes for the fiscal year July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. - **0828-24** — passed (13-0): An Ordinance adopting the request of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Dept. and levying a special ad valorem public health tax. - **0829-24** — passed (13-0): An Ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for purposes of support of the Soil and Water Conservation District. --- ## Full transcript on a bicycle in the middle of winter. Yep. You may see them in the pouring rain, whatever, but with all the activities downtown in the summer, they're going to be busy, right? All the parades and things, very busy. Great time to talk to them. All right, so join us next month for your next episode of Your Lex PD. We'll be right back. We'll see you next time. Makes you give in a cry Live and let die Live and let die Live and let die Live and let die Thank you. I'm out. Even you're here, but I'll be there for you I'll be there for you I'll be there for you Cause you're there for me too Still in bed at 10 and work again at 8 Burned your record so far, things are going great Your mother warned you there'd be days like these But what you're gonna tell you when the world is brought down to your knees I'll be there for you I'll be there for you I'll be there for you Cause you're there for me too No one could ever know me No one could ever see me Seems you're the only one who knows What it's like to be me Someone to face the day with Making through all the mess with Someone I've always laughed with Even though my worst stuff ends with you It's like you're always stuck in second gear When it hasn't been your day You'll be the months Even though you're here I'll be there for you When the rain starts to fall I'll be there for you. I've been there for you. I'll be there for you. Cause you're there for me too. I'll be there for you. I'll be there for you. I'll be there for you. Cause you're there for me too. I'm sorry. Thank you. I'm out. When some cold tomorrow finds you When some subtle dream reminds you How the endless road unwinds you While you see a chance, take it Come on, romance, take it Because it's all on you Don't you know by now Don't give you anything Don't you wonder how you keep on moving One more day Your way Oh, your way When there's no one left to leave you Even you don't quite believe you That's when nothing can deceive you Oh, you see a chance, take it Find romance, break it Because it's all on you Start up in a blue morning Until you see What can be alone in a cold day, don't it? Are you still free? Can you be? Thank you. Take it And romance Break it Because it's all On you While you see a chance Take it Find romance While you see a chance Take it Find romance While you see a chance Take it Find romance While you see a chance Take it Find romance While you see a chance Take it You found a man from a family friend While you need a care Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to go to the next video. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. it's one o'clock and so i'd like to go ahead and call to order the urban county council meeting of September 3rd, 2024, and I'll ask the clerk to call the roll please. Council Member Worley? Vice Mayor Wu? Here. Council Member Fred Brown? Here. Council Member James Brown? Here. Council Member Ellinger? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Baxter? Yes. Council Member Focal? Yes. Council Member Gray? Present. Councilmember Legree? Yes. Councilmember Lynch? Present. Councilmember Menares? Here. Councilmember Plowman? Councilmember Reynolds? Here. Councilmember Sevigny? Here. Councilmember Sheehan? Here. Thank you. Thank you very much. We have a quorum, so I will talk here for a second about the public hearing. A 1979 state law of a special legislative session requires the urban county government to provide an opportunity for citizens to make comments about the ad valorem tax rates for the upcoming fiscal year if the proposed rates exceed the compensating rates. The compensating rate is a rate that produces approximately the same amount of revenue as as that produced in the preceding year, excluding new property and personal property. A summary of last year's rates, the compensating rates, and the proposed rates for fiscal year 2025 were published in the Lexington Herald-Leader. Copies of the summary are on the table at the back of this room. The public hearing is now in session. Are there any comments from the public? Seeing none, are there any comments from council members? All right, I'll declare the public hearing closed, and I'll ask the clerk to give second reading to the ordinances. Ordinance number one, an ordinance levying ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes for the fiscal year July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, On the assessed value of all taxable property within the taxing jurisdictions of the Lexington Fair, Urban County Government. All taxes on each $100 of assessed valuation as of the January 1, 2024 assessment date as follows. General Services District $0.076 on real property, including real property of public service companies. $0.0891 on personal property, including personal property of public service companies, non-commercial aircraft and non-commercial watercraft. $0.1500 on insurance capital, $0.0150 on tobacco and storage. $0.0450 on agricultural products and storage full urban or partial urban services district based on urban services available on real property, including real property of public services companies. $0.139 for refuse collection, $0.027 for street lights, $0.009 for street cleaning, $0.0920 on insurance capital, $0.0150 on tobacco and storage, $0.0450 on agricultural products and storage, abandoned urban property $1 and Levying an ad valorem tax for municipal purposes at the rate of $0.088 on each $100 of assessed value on motor vehicles and watercraft within the taxing jurisdiction of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government as of January 1, 2025 assessment date. Item number two, an ordinance adopting the request of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department under KRS 212.755. And levying a special ad valorem public health tax for fiscal year July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. the assessed value of all taxable real and personal property within the taxing jurisdiction of the Lexington Irving County Government. Including real and personal property of public service companies, non-commercial aircraft, non-commercial watercraft, and inventory and transit and excluding insurance capital, tobacco and storage, and agricultural products and storage. At the rate of $0.0243 on each $100 of assessed value as of the January 1, 2024 assessment date. And levying a special Avalor and public health tax at the rate of $0.0243 on each $100 of assessed value on all motor vehicles and within the taxing jurisdiction of the Lexington-Feya Urban County Government as of the January 1, 2025 assessment date. And item number three, an ordinance levying at below our own taxes for purposes of support of the soil and water conservation district for the fiscal year, July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, on the assessed value of all taxable real property within the taxing jurisdiction of the Lexington-Feya Urban County Government, including real property of public service companies at a rate of $0.001 on each $100 of assessed valuation as of the January 1, 2024 assessment date. Thank you. Thank you very much. Is there a motion to approve? Motion to approve. Second. Councilmember Ellinger moves. Councilmember Fogle seconds. And when you are ready, if you'll take a roll call vote, please. Councilmember Worley? Councilmember, Vice Mayor Wu? Yes. Councilmember Fred Brown? Yes. Councilmember James Brown? Yes. Council Member Ellinger. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Baxter. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Fogle. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Gray. Yes. Council Member Legree. Yes. Council Member Lynch. Yes. Council Member Reynolds. Yes. Council Member Sevigny. Yes. Council Member Sheehan. Yes. And Council Member Menares. Yes. All right. Thank you very much. Those ordinances passed. And at this time, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. Thank you, Council Member Sevigny, Council Member Gray. All those in favor, say aye. All right, we are adjourned. Thank you very much.