# Council Work Session - February 18, 2025 > Auto-transcribed civic record · Council · February 18, 2025 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6342 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/6342?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2025-02-18 - **Body**: Council - **Last revised**: March 27, 2026 - **Length**: 4,117 words - **Speakers**: Mayor > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed by OpenAI Whisper-1, with speaker labels folded in from Granicus closed-captioning. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude Sonnet. Speaker labels and verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council held a meeting on February 18, 2025, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, presided over by Mayor Gorton. The council worked through 7 agenda items spanning rezonings, budget amendments, new business, and several mayoral communications covering appointments, donations, and procurements. The majority of items were approved, with one agenda item — public comment on issues on the agenda — serving an informational purpose. Across the meeting, 9 motions and votes were taken, no formal presentations were recorded, and no public comments were heard. ## Attendance All 15 council members were present at the February 18, 2025 meeting. No members were absent or late. **Present:** Wu, J. Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, LeGris, Curtis, Sheehan, Gray, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Boone. ## Votes and Decisions All nine motions brought before the Council on February 18, 2025 passed by voice vote. No roll call votes were taken, so individual yea/nay counts are not available for any item. - **Place Fire Department recognition under presentations** — Moved by the Vice Mayor, seconded by Ellinger. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:04] - **Approve February 11th Council Work Session table of motions** — Moved by the Vice Mayor, seconded by Sheehan. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:05] - **Approve budget amendments** — Moved by Gray, seconded by Sheehan. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:05] - **Approve docket** — Moved by Savigny, seconded by Gray. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:06] - **Place resolution for grant acceptance on docket** — Moved by Baxter, seconded by Lynch. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:06] - **Approve new business** — Moved by Baxter, seconded by Savigny. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:07] - **Approve mayoral appointments** — Moved by Curtis, seconded by the Vice Mayor. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:23] - **Approve donations** — Moved by Ellinger, seconded by Sheehan. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:23] - **Approve procurements** — Moved by the Vice Mayor, seconded by Baxter. Passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 0:24] ## Budget and Financial Actions The Council addressed four financial items at the February 18, 2025 meeting, covering contract modifications and a federal grant subaward. - **Resolution 0157-25** approved Change Order No. 1 for the Squires Road Sidewalk Project, authorizing an additional **$59,844.55** to Hinkle Construction Services, LLC. [timestamp: not available] - **Resolution 0158-25** authorized Professional Services Agreements totaling **$68,167** for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program. The agreements were distributed among seven individual providers: Bethanie Logdon, Eva Harrison, Kristin Beers, Kayla Keeping, Marinda Beasley, Megan Magsam, and Angela Wallace. - **Resolution 0166-25** accepted a federal subaward of **$733,100** from the Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Public Health to fund home-visiting services. This represents the largest single financial action taken at the meeting. - **Resolution 0168-25** approved Change Order No. 2 for the Meadows/Northland/Arlington Public Improvements Project, authorizing an additional **$42,842.11** to Lagco, Inc. In total, the four items represent approximately **$903,953.66** in authorized expenditures and received funding. The two change orders together added over $102,000 to existing construction contracts, while the SANE Program agreements and the home-visiting services subaward directed funds toward public health and safety services. ## Public Comment - Issues on Agenda [timestamp: 04:31] No members of the public came forward to offer comments on issues appearing on the agenda. ## Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval [timestamp: 06:03] The Council took up the approval of the meeting docket under this agenda item. Savigny and Gray were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The docket was approved without noted complications or dissent recorded in the structured meeting data. ## Budget Amendments [timestamp: 05:32] The council took up a resolution on budget amendments for the current fiscal year. Key speakers on this item were Gray and Sheehan. The resolution was approved by the council. *Note: Detailed information about the specific amendments discussed, amounts involved, any debate or concerns raised, and the vote breakdown are not available in the provided data for this agenda item.* ## New Business [timestamp: 07:06] The Council took up several new business items involving changes to staff positions and contracts. Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included Baxter, Savigny, Morton, and Beasley. The Council discussed and voted on the items presented. All new business items were approved. *Note: Detailed specifics regarding the individual staff position changes and contract terms were not available in the source data for this summary.* ## Communications From the Mayor - Appointments [timestamp: 23:15] The Council considered a set of appointments recommended by the Mayor. The item was brought forward and approved by the Council without noted opposition. Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included Curtis and the Vice Mayor. No specific concerns or debate are reflected in the available record for this item. - **Outcome:** The mayoral appointments were approved by the Council. *Note: The specific names of appointees and the boards or bodies to which they were appointed are not available in the provided meeting data.* ## Communications From the Mayor - Donations [timestamp: 23:45] The Council took up the matter of donations as recommended by the mayor. Ellinger and Sheehan were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The Council approved the donations as presented. *Note: Detailed information about the specific donations, their amounts, recipients, or any discussion and debate surrounding them is not available in the provided meeting data.* ## Communications From the Mayor - Procurements [timestamp: 24:15] The Council took up the Communications From the Mayor - Procurements agenda item, which included procurement recommendations submitted by the Mayor for Council approval. Baxter and the Vice Mayor were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The available record does not detail the specific contracts, vendors, amounts, or scope of the individual procurement items discussed, nor does it reflect any particular concerns or debate raised during the item's consideration. The Council approved the procurement recommendations. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the February 20, 2025, Council Meeting Docket, as amended - **Motion** — passed (0-0): place on the docket for the February 20, 2025, Council Meeting, a resolution authorizing the Mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to accept a grant in the amount of $143,654.00 from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for the State Crisis Intervention Program, to provide any information requested in connection with the grant application, to execute any documents necessary for acceptance of the grant, and to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget, all retroactive to February 18, 2025 - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the February 11, 2025, Work Session Summary - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Budget Amendments - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve New Business - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor- Appointments - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor- Donations - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor- Procurements - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Council Capital Projects - **Motion** — passed (0-0): adjourn at 4:01 p.m --- ## Full transcript And we never had a doubt We were runnin' with the night Playin' in the shadows Just you and I Till the morning light We were runnin' Runnin' with the night Ooh, ooh, ooh We were so in love, you and me Always a good one, wild and free This is all we got, laid it down Takin' every shot, took the town We were runnin' with the night Playin' in the shadows Just you and I Till it was all right . . . . . . . . . . . . So, I'll go ahead and call to order the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council Work Session. Today is February 18th, 2025 and it looks like we have a quorum today. So, I believe our Vice Mayor will have a motion. We'll just give him a second. Welcome. Take a breath. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Mayor. I move to place under presentations for today a recognition to the Fire Department. So moved. Second. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger seconds. Are there any questions? All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you, Vice Mayor. It's time for public comment for issues on the agenda, but it looks like we do not have anyone who wants to speak to issues on the agenda. So, that moves us to the February 11th Council Work Session table of motions. I'll entertain a motion to approve. So moved. Second. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Council Member Sheehan, are there any questions? All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? That motion passes. Next, we have budget amendments. Could I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Council Member Gray seconded by Council Member Sheehan. If you'll log in if you have questions. All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That passes. Oh, way back toward the beginning, I accidentally skipped over docket approval. We'll go back to that and I'll entertain a motion to approve. Council Member Savigny moved. Council Member Gray seconded. Now, if you'll log in with your questions, please. Council Member Baxter. Thank you, Mayor. I have a walk-on. I move to place on the docket for the February 20th 2025 Council meeting a resolution authorizing the Mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to accept a grant in the amount of $143,654 from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for the State Crisis Intervention Program to provide any information requested in connection with this grant application to execute any documents necessary for acceptance of this grant and to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget, all retroactive to February 18th 2025. So moved. Second. Thank you. Council Member Lynch seconds. Are there questions? All right. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Is there anything else for the docket? All right. All those in favor of approving the docket as amended, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Thank you. Council, you have for your information only budget adjustments and that brings us to new business. Is there a motion? Second. Let's see. Council Member Baxter, was that you? And Council Member Savigny seconded. All right. Please log in if you have questions. Council Member Morton. I have a question for Item B. A couple questions. So I know that specifically, I mean this is a pretty loaded resolution. I'll start with the educational program aids. I'm familiar that I guess that some of these positions have been hard to fill, at least one of them. We had attempted to fill them in 2023. We successfully filled one in 2024. Can we elaborate on the challenges to fill these positions? Yes. So these positions were gained when we took over the programming at what was then Gainesway and what is now Tate's Creek Community Center. They were created in the Division of Social Services. So their job descriptions were very specific. 20 hour a week educational program aids. Working with HR, we really could only use that in a therapeutic recreation setting. So we had trouble filling them. And so looking at our best use of resources is why we approached this for a change in those positions. And this position is essentially, so the two education program aids are going to go into one position that's now going to go to Kelly's Landing? We're proposing the abolishing a staff assistant position and the two educational program aids. And then there's some seasonal dollars that we're adding into that. So there will be fund two positions. Two full time year round positions, civil service positions. One will be in natural areas so it will service not only Kelly's Landing but Raven Run, Nature in Your Neighborhood, multiple aspects of our natural areas. The other one will be about volunteer program and data management. So do we consider revamping these positions to focus on recreational activities and partnerships that are conducive to recreational programs and Lexington Parks and Recreation? So taking those two positions and refitting them to be program staff? There will be programmatic as far as the natural areas position. It will definitely be leading and delivering programs. The volunteer really is culminating all of those partner programs as well as all of our volunteer work. So delivering a lot of different programs but not necessarily specifically in recreation just for a certain aspect. So specifically those two folks coming from the Taste Creek Community Center, we didn't look at keeping those in Taste Creek Community Center and refitting them to that center? We did not. Our community centers each have a staffing model and the staffing model that we're using there are consistent with what we use at Dunbar, William Wells Brown, Castlewood and Kenwick. Thank you for that. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Beasley. Thank you, Mayor. It's still you. Thank you. So I emailed you all earlier the questions that I wanted to ask today. I did get the job descriptions for them. Thank you. And you said they're not just going to Kelly's Landing. When we talk about these positions not still being at the Gaines Way, sorry, at the Taste Creek Community Center, could we not put this same type of model that we're using, this same volunteer resource person, could they not be at every community center? The person that, or the position that we're suggesting, the volunteer and data management, will service the entire park system. So they'll gather that data and coordinate the volunteers at every level, whether that be in community centers, whether that be in natural areas, our golf courses utilize them, aquatics, our adopt-a-park program, our partnership program. So it's very vast. I don't know that we could have one or necessarily would need one in each and every community center. Could they not be program directors? Let me just say where I'm having trouble. So I'm having trouble with doing away with two positions that we're already funding at a community center, right? Because they're already funded, right? They're already in the budget. That's correct. So I'm having trouble supporting getting rid of two people, or even making that one person at a community center when we don't have enough programming in our community centers currently. Where if we could make this one full-time support person for the directors and stuff that's already there, maybe we could have longer hours and more programming at our community centers, and that's where I am with the questions that I'm asking you, and the questions that I emailed earlier. That's why. I don't know why we would take two people from one community center and put them over everybody. You know what I mean? Sure. Absolutely. And I think when we took over the community center from social services, I think we knew at that time that the positions weren't really fit for parks and recreation community center staffing models. So each of the community centers has a director, and then they have a number of staff who support those programs year-round. In fact, more so than we've ever had supporting those programs. So to look at staffing them differently, I think we would want to look at all of them if we want to look at staffing the centers differently. So when did we take over the Tades Creek Community Center? What year was that? We took it over in 2023? October 2022. So how come we're just now doing away with the positions? We went through the budget process and worked with HR and finance to really look at what positions were not filled, and we were having trouble filling. So we looked at that in our maintenance operation. We looked at it in recreation operation, and that's when we really looked at what the needs are for parks and recreation, and we feel like what the needs are for delivering these services, and that's where we came up with it. So you said that these particular people, they would be best served as therapeutic recreation? The only way that we could, when working with HR, the only position we found that we could use the job description for educational program aid, it was a 20-hour position, was in our therapeutic recreation. So we put it out several times to try to hire folks to do that position and to do the work specific to the job description, but we're not successful. And do we not think that the Tades Creek, sorry, it's hard for me, the Tades Creek Community Center needs a therapeutic recreation person or has a need for it, or we just couldn't get anybody to fill that job description? So we don't currently do any, all of our programs have an inclusivity and accessibility aspect to them, but our therapeutic recreation program currently operates out of Dunbar, Castlewood, Woodland for summer camp, and then of course it will have a presence and a home at the new Senior Therapeutic Center. So do kids who might need therapeutic recreation though go to the Senior Citizen Center? Or can they go to the Senior Citizen Center? Our therapeutic recreation program utilizes the Senior Center for several different events and programs throughout the year, the one on Lifeline. At the new Senior Therapeutic Center at Shillito Park, they will have a presence where they will have programming alongside seniors. Okay. And then I did ask how much we paid, that position paid, and I got back a grade and class thing, but I'm still not exactly sure what that means. Do you have a dollar amount to go with that? For which one? For both? I don't think I do, but I'll be happy to send it to you. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. Adrienne's got it. Good afternoon, Council Members. Council Member Beasley, thank you for your questions and the opportunity to share information with you. The Recreation Specialist Senior position, I'm Adrienne Taucor, Deputy Director of Recreation. The Recreation Specialist Senior position is a grade 516 and effective 7124. The low end range for that is $43,378.40. The mid range is $54,223.52. And the high end level of it is $65,068.64. And then for the Recreation Supervisor position, for the same effective date, the low is $41,315.04, the mid is $51,642.24, and the high is $61,969.44. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger. Thank you, Mayor. Number A, please. Commissioner George. She's Director. I'm a Director, I'm sorry. You certainly could be a Commissioner. Could you tell me what's happening here and are we getting rid of this position? We're moving it? So what we're doing here is, as you know, there is in the CAO's office, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. And what we're doing here is moving the position to the Division of Human Resources and changing the job title. And so then that position will go from a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer to an Administrative Officer, which will allow for that position to do expanded job duties. So will we still have something in the CAO? Will that position still be there? So that will be abolished then? Well, it's not abolished, it's just being transferred. Just a transfer position? Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Gray. Thank you, Mayor. I have a question regarding Letter K. Thank you, Director Burton. I just pass this area all the time, even though it's 1st District, it's not 6th District. This has been work that has been going on for some time, and I see that we have a price increase. Is that due to the delay or the length of time that it's taking? No, it's just the final closing change out. Anytime you have any construction project, you're going to end up finding things in the field that are slightly different than what the plans and surveys say. So this is just a minor change order to close out that project, because construction is finished. We're wrapping that up before we can obviously start the next phase. But no, this is just the standard operating procedure for the final close out. Thank you, sir. Yep. Thank you. Council Member Morton. Thank you. Mr. Burton, why have you? Thank you for the work on this very long project, as Council Member Gray stated. Could you just give a timeline of where we are in terms of this project and how impactful this will be for this area? So this is Segment 6, and there's probably 50 different segments in overall M&A, and we've been working on it for 20-plus years. And we'll probably be working on it for 20-plus more. The next phase is Segment 7, and it's just north of here on North Limestone. It's a fairly small one or two street segment. And then we'll actually have to... Well, we won't have to pause. We're trying to work it out so that we don't have to pause, but the entire area of North Lime drains to North Limestone. And we have a larger project that is a drainage and sidewalks project that's going to happen that we're working on the design now. But that project has to happen first, and that's funded by FSLX dollars before we can continue doing the M&A with CDBG dollars. The reason being is that all that water flows to North Limestone. So we have to make the upgrades to North Limestone before we can start back with the other phases of M&A. So that project hopefully will start construction in 2027. The M&A 7 will probably start in late 5 or 6. So there will constantly be construction out there, but the timing and phasing of it is what's critical because of, frankly, where the water flows. Great. Thank you. And then lastly, I have a couple questions for item F. Thank you. Thank you. Is it common to have a trade for service agreements for items such as this, like golf? This is one that we've had for years. It's really the only one that we have. We've been doing this agreement with Cumulus for a number of years. What is the worth of this trade in financial terms? So it's about $10,000 worth of advertising that we receive from the trade agreement. And our costs are somewhat varied because they use them at different courses. We have about a 70% redemption rate on the cards. So I certainly think that we're getting a good deal for the trade. We've seen great growth in our golf programming, in our golf junior program. I think it's very effective at hitting those targeted market shares. So I guess, so then, and this may just be lack of knowledge, about what is the price then just to go use that golf cart for just a regular citizen? Yeah, it ranges per course and per day of the week, but we have all those on our website and happy to send them to you as well. Cool. Do we have any programs in place for like undervalued communities, underprivileged communities to come out and use some of those courses? We do. We did and I'm not sure Michael might be able to speak to this, but we had a great agreement with Deep Springs Elementary where we did a lot of golf on course. We also do one with one of the police organizations and do for underserved kids on course. And then we also have our Count Me In scholarship program which allows kids to participate in our camps or in our programs. Did I miss anything on that? No. Force on the course. Force on the course. Do something extraordinary with Deep Springs and our junior program, of course, has all the scholarships. Any way we can get anybody outside, we will try to find a way to do that. Cool. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other questions about new business? Alright. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Alright. That motion passes. We do have communications from the mayor. First are appointments. I can have a motion. Motion. Council Member Curtis. Vice Mayor seconds. Are there any questions? Alright. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? That passes. Next we have donations. Could I have a motion? Motion approved. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger. Second. Council Member Sheehan seconds. Are there questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? Alright. That motion passes. And then communications regarding procurements. I'll entertain a motion. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Second by Council Member Baxter. Are there questions? Alright. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Alright. That motion passes. Next we start continuing business presentations and I'll entertain a motion for our capital project. Council Member Baxter. Council Member LaGree seconds. Are there any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? Alright. That motion passes. And next I'll turn it over to Council Member Brown for Budget Finance and Economic Development. Thank you, Mayor. The Budget Finance Economic Development Committee January 2021 January 21, 2025 report our summary of motions. The meeting began at 1 PM. The first item on the agenda was the election of committee chairs and selection of vice chair. First, the committee unanimously elected James Brown as chair of the Budget Finance Economic Development Committee. Brown selected Council Member Ellinger to serve as his vice chair. Next, the committee unanimously approved the November 19, 2024 committee summary. The third item is the quarter two financial updates. Commissioner Hensley presented the financials through December 2024. Revenue collections are slightly exceeding budget through quarter two with a positive variance of 2.6% revenues have trended closer to budget over the past three months showing a tightening of revenue variance that has not been experienced in recent years. The budget team continues to monitor operating variances and to assess if dollars become available for reallocation. To date, much of the variance is encumbered for contracted expenditures. No action was taken on this item. The next item was the annual comprehensive financial review of FY 2024. Next, Commissioner Hensley introduced Crossland as LFUCG's new auditing firm. John Crossland and Jacob Smith presented on the annual comprehensive financial review. LFUCG received an unmodified audit opinion from Crossland. LFUCG qualified as a low-risk oddity to fiscal year for fiscal year 2024. As a result, Crossland is testing federal major program expenditures to achieve a minimum of 20% coverage of total federal expenditures of $56 million. In conclusion, LFUCG received an unmodified opinion meaning that the entire ACFR is free of any material mistake. No action was taken on this item. Next, we have the annual status review of committee referrals. Three items were removed from committee during the annual status review and the meeting adjourned at 1.45 p.m. That concludes my report. Thank you very much. Does anyone have a question for Councilmember Brown? Thank you. All right. We have two special presentations. All right. All right. First, I'd like to invite Director Jonelle Patton and Amy Ross to join me at the podium. All right. First, I'd like to invite Director Jonelle Patton and Amy Ross to join me at the podium. All right. First, I'd like to invite Director Jonelle Patton and Amy Ross to join me at the podium. I want to thank Amy for being here. Amy is a veteran dispatcher in the city's division of Enhanced 911 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .