# Urban County Council - March 26, 2026 > Auto-transcribed civic record · Council · March 26, 2026 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6734 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/6734?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2026-03-26 - **Body**: Council - **Last revised**: April 3, 2026 - **Length**: 31,242 words - **Speakers**: Mayor, Chair > ⚠️ **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 Urban County Council met on March 26, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, with Elizabeth Rivera presiding. The meeting included 6 agenda items, spanning routine administrative matters, a presentation, and several legislative actions. One presentation was given, recognizing the Frederick Douglass High School Cheerleading program. The Council heard 22 public comments over the course of the meeting. The Council took 1 vote and approved 4 ordinances covering a range of topics: amendments to stormwater controls, the declaration of Shaker Dr. as a public way, amendments to the FY 2026 budgets, and the creation of a Senior Accountant position. The minutes from the March 12, 2026 Council meeting were also approved. ## Attendance All 15 council members were present at the March 26, 2026 Council meeting. No members were absent or late. **Present:** - Council Member Baxter - Council Member Beasley - Council Member Boone - Council Member Brown - Council Member Curtis - Council Member Eblen - Council Member Ellinger - Council Member Hale - Council Member Higgins-Hord - Council Member Lynch - Council Member Morton - Council Member Reynolds - Council Member Savicny - Council Member Sheehan - Vice Mayor Wu ## Votes and Decisions The Council took one recorded vote during the March 26, 2026 meeting. **Resolution 0098-26 — Ground Lease Agreement for Haley Pike Solar Lease** [timestamp: 2:27:43] - The motion was made by Council Member Morton and seconded by Council Member Beasley. - The resolution passed on a roll call vote of **10 ayes to 3 nays**, with no abstentions. - **Voting in favor (10):** Council Members Ellinger, Higgins-Hord, Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Savicny, Sheehan, Beasley, Boone, and Brown, along with Vice Mayor Wu. - **Voting against (3):** Council Members Eblen and Hale. - The resolution was approved with the condition that a **Community Benefit Agreement must be approved in conjunction with the Industrial Revenue Bond**. ## Budget and Financial Actions The Council considered one financial action at the March 26, 2026 meeting. - **Resolution 0206-26** authorizes a contract with **CY, LLC d/b/a Leanfeast** in the amount of **$30,345** for catering services for the **Family Care Center**. ## Public Comment Twenty-three residents addressed the Council during public comment, with remarks clustered around four main topics: the Lexington Model Airplane Club, the Haley Pike Solar Project, Flock Safety cameras, and other community concerns. **Lexington Model Airplane Club** Ten speakers voiced concern about the club's potential displacement due to the solar project. Mickey Bruning [timestamp: 40:45] and James Newberry [timestamp: 41:15] emphasized the club's community value and historical significance, urging the Council to find a coexistence solution. Chris Chapman [timestamp: 49:10] read letters from community members describing the club's influence on careers in aviation and engineering. Brandon Chavez [timestamp: 58:30] and John Fox [timestamp: 1:25:40] spoke to the club's personal and professional impact. Theodore Payne [timestamp: 1:04:54] proposed specific solutions for coexistence, while Jim Martin [timestamp: 1:10:46] raised FAA regulations and relocation challenges. Dale Arvin [timestamp: 1:17:14] and Dean Hammond [timestamp: 1:30:26] stressed the difficulty of finding a suitable alternative site. Matt Hanson [timestamp: 1:21:00] highlighted the club's STEM education role and its partnership with Lockheed Martin. Keith Hollifield [timestamp: 1:38:20] proposed a partnership with Newton's Attic to enhance STEM programming alongside the club. **Haley Pike Solar Project** Three speakers supported the solar project. Brayden Stamper [timestamp: 1:36:46] cited its importance for electricity supply and cost control. Matt Partymiller [timestamp: 1:47:46] addressed technical and timeline challenges, urging Council approval. Jeremy Jenkins [timestamp: 1:50:54] highlighted benefits related to land use and job creation. **Flock Cameras** Six speakers opposed the city's use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs). Isaac Looney [timestamp: 3:06:58] urged the Council to terminate the contract with Flock Safety over privacy concerns. Finley Van Hook [timestamp: 3:09:43] warned of potential litigation and financial risk. Cassidy Child [timestamp: 3:10:15] and Willow Jordan [timestamp: 3:15:34] raised concerns about data misuse. Herbert Lynn [timestamp: 3:12:19] questioned the cameras' crime reduction effectiveness. Dylan Born [timestamp: 3:19:51] cited security vulnerabilities in the system. **Other Topics** Gary Jones [timestamp: 3:17:08] raised concerns about gentrification and its effects on long-term residents. Trevor Davis [timestamp: 3:21:59] criticized delays in allocating opioid abatement funds and called for a clear plan to address community needs. ## Appointments The Council approved the following appointments and reappointments to city boards and commissions: - **Joy Harris** was reappointed to the **Charles Young Neighborhood Center Board**. - **Grant Klinksiek** was appointed to the **Commission on Veterans' Affairs**. - **Janet Cabaniss** was appointed to the **Masterson Station Park Advisory Board**. - **Susan Pollack** was appointed to the **Masterson Station Park Advisory Board**. - **Seth Church** was appointed to the **Racial Justice and Equity Commission**. - **Meckaela Sellers** was appointed to the **Racial Justice and Equity Commission**. - **Hil Boone** was reappointed to the **Raven Run Citizens Advisory Board**. In total, the Council confirmed seven actions across five boards and commissions. Two individuals — Joy Harris and Hil Boone — were reappointed to bodies on which they had previously served, while the remaining five received new appointments. The Masterson Station Park Advisory Board and the Racial Justice and Equity Commission each received two new members. ## Contested Items **Haley Pike Solar Project** The council debated a resolution authorizing a lease agreement related to the Haley Pike Solar Project, with discussion centering on the project's impact on the Lexington Model Airplane Club. The item drew enough disagreement among council members to result in a split vote on the resolution, though the specific vote tally and final outcome are not detailed in the available data. **Flock Cameras** The council's relationship with Flock Safety, a camera surveillance contractor, drew notable pushback from members of the public during the meeting. Multiple speakers submitted comments expressing privacy concerns and called on the council to terminate the existing contract with the company. The nature and extent of the council's response to this community opposition is not specified in the available data. ## Minutes from the March 12, 2026 Council Meeting **Agenda Item 0266-26** [timestamp: 04:31] The Council took up the approval of the minutes from the previous Council meeting held on March 12, 2026. This was a procedural agenda item focused on formally adopting the written record of that prior session. Vice Mayor Wu and Council Member Higgins-Horde were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. No significant debate or concerns were recorded in connection with this item. The minutes were **approved**. ## Frederick Douglass High School Cheerleading [timestamp: 05:02] The Council took up agenda item 0267-26, a presentation recognizing the Frederick Douglass High School cheerleading team for their championship achievement. The team was honored for winning the **2025 KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletic Association) state cheerleading title in the all girls large division**. The presentation was informational in nature, celebrating the accomplishment of the program and its athletes. Key speakers during this item included **Coach Kequan Ellis**, who represented the cheerleading program, and **Council Member Lisa Higgins-Horde**, who was involved in bringing the recognition before the Council. No debate or concerns were raised during this agenda item, as it served as a celebratory acknowledgment of the team's state championship performance. ## Ordinance Amending Stormwater Controls [timestamp: 1:52:59] The Council took up agenda item **0184-26**, an ordinance amending sections of the Code of Ordinances to adopt a maintenance manual for post-construction stormwater controls. - The item was presented by **Council Office, Hall**. - The ordinance focuses on incorporating a maintenance manual into the existing code framework governing post-construction stormwater management, establishing standardized guidance for the upkeep of stormwater control infrastructure. - The Council approved the ordinance. No additional speakers, debate, or concerns were recorded in the available data for this item. ## Ordinance Declaring Shaker Dr. as Public Way **Agenda Item:** 0200-26 [timestamp: 1:52:59] The Council took up Ordinance 0200-26, an ordinance declaring a portion of Shaker Dr. to be dedicated as a public way and formally accepting that dedication. - The item was presented by the Council Office, with Hall serving as the key speaker on the matter. - The ordinance addresses the formal legal process of designating the specified portion of Shaker Dr. as a public way, which involves the municipality accepting the dedication of that roadway segment into public ownership and maintenance. The Council approved the ordinance. No additional speakers, concerns, or debate are reflected in the available record for this item. ## Ordinance Amending Budgets for FY 2026 **Agenda Item 0223-26** [timestamp: 1:52:59] The Council took up Ordinance 0223-26, an ordinance amending certain budgets to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriating funds for Fiscal Year 2026. The item was presented by Lueker from the Division of Budgeting. The ordinance was described as a budget amendment measure intended to align appropriations with the municipality's current operational and expenditure needs for the fiscal year. The Council approved the ordinance. ## Ordinance Creating Accountant Sr. Position [timestamp: 1:52:59] The Council considered ordinance **0194-26**, which proposed amending the city's authorized strength by creating a new classified position of **Accountant Sr.** within the **Department of Housing Advocacy and Community Development**. The item was presented by **George** from the **Division of Human Resources**. The ordinance would formally establish the senior accountant role as a classified position within the department, reflecting an adjustment to the city's authorized staffing structure. No additional details regarding debate, concerns raised, or further discussion are reflected in the available record for this item. The ordinance was **approved** by the Council. --- ## Decisions - **Resolution 0098-26** — passed (10-3): Authorize a Ground Lease Agreement for Haley Pike Solar Lease --- ## Full transcript **Elizabeth Rivera Intro** So I will go ahead and call to order the Lexington Fayette-Urban County Government Council Meeting and today is March 26th, 2026 and the first item on our docket is the roll call. Council Member Eblen? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Ellinger? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Baxter? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Hale? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Higgins-Hord? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Lynch? Present. Council Member Morton? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Reynolds? Here. Council Member Savicny? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Sheehan? Here. Vice Mayor Wu? Here. Council Member Beasley? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Boone? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Brown? Here. Council Member Curtis? Here. Thank you. Thank you very much. We have a quorum. So at this time, I'd like to welcome Reverend Daryl Baker, who is a retired pastor, and he is going to give our invocation. Welcome. Let us pray. Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of this season, for this day, for this opportunity to serve, to consider, to decide. We pray your wisdom may be granted to those in leadership on the council as they discuss and work through the issues of the day for the common good of the citizens of this great county. Pray blessings on all who speak, that they may speak clearly and respectfully, and that all that may be done may be done to your glory. Amen. Thank you so very much. All right. Vice Mayor Wu has a motion. Thank you, Mayor. I move to amend the docket for tonight's council meeting to include an update by CAO Hamilton regarding item number one under resolution second reading, which shall occur right before public comment for issues on the agenda. So moved. Council Member Reynolds seconds. Are there any questions? This will be, I believe, Vice Mayor, you would like this before public comment. Okay. Any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that passes. Thank you. The next thing we have is March 12, 2026 minutes from the council meeting. Could I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Thank you, Vice Mayor Wu. Second by Council Member Higgins-Horde. Are there any corrections or additions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you. And at this time, we have a special presentation. So we have Frederick Douglass Chair in the house or outside the house. It's time for them to come in. And I'll wait just a second to see who's. So I'd like to ask Coach Kequan Ellis and Council Member Lisa Higgins-Horde to join me at the podium and welcome. You want to come right up? Just pack this space full. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you so much. You've got a lot. All varsity. Okay. Would you join me? Thank you. Coach Ellis is the head coach of the Frederick Douglass High School cheerleading team. You see the ladies right here. We're joined by members of the team this evening and we thank you all for being here. The Frederick Douglass cheerleaders recently won the 2025 KHSAA state cheerleading all girls large division state title. And this is a very exciting accomplishment. Coach Ellis, we congratulate you and the entire team on your success. And I would like to read and present you all with a proclamation. And here's how it goes. Frederick Douglass cheerleading day. Whereas the Frederick Douglass cheerleaders won the 2025 KHSAA state cheerleading all girls large division state title. And whereas the team's success comes after countless hours of training, dedication and perseverance by each cheerleader and the coach. And whereas the Broncos consistently represent their school and the Lexington community with pride and integrity. And whereas we congratulate the Frederick Douglass cheerleaders on this achievement and wish them continued success. Now therefore I, Linda Gorton, Mayor of Lexington, do hereby declare March 26, 2026 Frederick Douglass cheerleading day in Lexington. Congratulations. All right. Now, Coach has passed on the comments, but I'd like to ask Councilmember Higgins' word to say a few words. Welcome. Thank you, Mayor. To the Frederick Douglass High School community, and most importantly, these athletes, congratulations. I had a chance to view some of the clips from your competition, and they were outstanding. Thank you. Thank you for all of your hard work. And being a mom of a former high school athlete, I understand all the hours committed to a sport. So we really appreciate that. So thank you to the parents and for all of the staff for the countless hours you've invested in these young women. The 2025-2026 all-girls large varsity state title, that's a mouthful, is officially back in Lexington where it belongs. Earning a state championship is no small feat. This win marks the second state title in your program's history. But this is particularly special because it marks a back-to-back win, I believe, right? No? It doesn't? Well, who gave me that information? Oh, well, 19 and 20. Okay, so it's not back-to-back, but it's close. Yes, yes, there's two. Okay. But I want to say thank you to the Broncos for this, and we are so proud of everyone who worked to bring this victory home. Thank you so much. Thank you all. Thank you. You are going to go up and get a group photo right up here with the council. Okay, is everybody in? Is everybody in? All right. Now, before we have public comment, we are going to honor the vice mayor's motion, which passed, and that is to hear from our chief administrative officer, Sally Hamilton, who has been looking around and doing some research. Welcome. Thank you very much. I think the mic's on. I sent an e-mail to council reiterating certain things that we have found, and I also sent that to the airplane club and also to Edelin Renewables, so they've all seen that. What I want to do, though, is sort of go over some things that I didn't put in that e-mail, and it's a few more facts. We met with Edelin Renewables once, and then I met with the airplane club twice. That's during the last two weeks. I didn't concentrate on those flight patterns. Remember we talked about flying this way or flying that way, but the Haley Pike site itself. As the chart shows, and you had that in your packet, and it comes up on the screen, what happens is that site doesn't accommodate all three of us. It doesn't accommodate the solar, what LFUCG needs, and what the airplane club needs. So that's where I spent my time, looking at site. So I started with the premise that somebody has sort of got a compromise in here, and of course it wasn't us, so, you know, we took ourselves out. So as I stated in my e-mail, I went and talked with Edelin Renewables, and they stated that basically they needed that 54 acres, and they needed it for two reasons. One was to make the project financially feasible, and the second one was structurally feasible, because there's like a power station that hooks up right there in that area. Now I didn't go into details with show me why that's financially feasible or show me how that all connects to engineering. I took their word for exactly what they told me. And basically it was that they could not move off of that 54 acres because, again, to reiterate, it was financially and structurally impossible for them to do and carry on with the project. So then I met with the airplane club, and I met with representatives of the airplane club, and as I stated in my e-mail, and they don't want to move from there for various reasons, and they're all good reasons. Number one is, the primary one, is that site already has the FAA clearance that they need, and that's going to be hard to get at another site. They already have that clearance. They feel that the site is the best one in the area and probably the best one in the state. They have been a great community partner and offer a family-friendly activity. They are included on our parks map, and they feel that they have been contributing, both as a community, into the community, and also financially. In the financial realm, what has happened is in the last 10 years, they have spent approximately $10,000 a year in just maintenance. Over the whole time they've been involved, and they've been out at Haley Pike since 1999, and then before that they were at Kearney and Masterson. So we took just an estimate of $100,000 worth of improvements made over that course of those years. Now, they have a lease with us, and I want to be sure I'm telling both sides of this. The lease with us is for $1 a year. We don't charge anything but the dollar. They feel like their project was never fully discussed. They did receive a letter, and that letter was dated in August of 2005. What that letter said, I've got it in here, but just in general, it said that you're not going to be able to have an automatic renewal. We've gone for years with just that lease automatically renewing. And that was said because there was anticipation of us doing some kind of master plan out there and also that Edel and Solar might come out there. So this was set in August. Now, the Airplane Club, and there will be other people that I'm sure they'll address this, they don't really feel that they were talked to in this situation. And you know how letters sometimes are sent to you and it says, I'm going to do something in April, you know, of 22, and you sort of say, well, I'll worry about that later. So I think we've gotten to a real timing problem here. They also discussed about what they wanted to do in the future, and they want to do like a STEM project out there, all about aviation and with BCTC. And I'm sure there are other speakers that will address that. So not knowing exactly how we were going to solve this, I went to see, can I find other sites? Is there any place else in case the council said, we've got to go with Edel and Renewal, but we want to do something for you, and are there any other sites that we can go to? Well, we looked first out at Locust Farm and all those things out there toward Masterson and Coal Stream and everything, and they come right over the flight path for the airport. So it sort of throws all that out of question. Then we also talked about, how about our pad out there on Old Frankfurt Pike? We could possibly do that on the weekends. Well, the problem there is, I know more about aviation than I ever thought I would. For those of you who don't know, it's a 400-foot clearance out there, and they fly around 1,600. So that doesn't work at all. And then those planes would be going over New Circle. So I think that might be a problem for us. So then we took one more thing, and that was our treatment plant at West Hickman. So the staff went out there and looked at our treatment plant at West Hickman. We could do it out there. As Charlie said, if a plane hits the treatment plant, it's not going to hurt the treatment plant. But the expense is very, very large. I think I sent you, told you what it was going to cost. We had estimates, and this is if you took them and put out at West Hickman what they have now, and I'm going to put up on the screen in a minute what they have now. So you can see there's pavilions and there's a long runway, and you'd have to do a lot of grading out there to do that. I then turned around and said, okay, if you don't do all the grading, what would it cost us to get electric and also do the runway? And that's going to be in that ballpark of $600,000 to do that. Now, they really are not keen on that site. And the reason is that, first of all, they don't think they can get, and I think it's called a FIA? It's a FRIA. A FRIA, the FAA clearance out there. And when you don't get that, you have to attach something to the plane and then do it like on an app time by time to be able to clear your height is what it is. So it would be a lot of trouble where over at the other place you can do that. You don't have to do all of that. So they really weren't particularly delighted with that spot. So I even suggested, and this is without any authority, so please, without any authority, wonder if we contributed some money to relocate you to another club. Not in that $600,000 range, but to another club. And that was something about, it went back to the fact of we have the best club and we have the best spot, and these surrounding ones are nowhere near as good or as FAA cleared as our spot out there is. So as you can tell, I'm not gaining much ground here. So now comes, I went back to Edlin, and I said, okay, if something happens and the council decides that they want to go on with your project, and I have the airplane club out here, when would the airplane club have to leave? Because we can't be operating those two leases at one time. So Edlin Renewables told me, number one is, and you've heard this before, they're going to have to start out there by the 15th of June. And what they intend to do on the 15th of June is they intend to start with the concrete pad and then fencing. And they have to keep moving along. The government's not going to just say, hey, you put that out there, now your time is okay. So they have to keep moving. That means that they can give an extension to May 22nd. Now, remember that our lease expires on April 22nd. So that's a 30-day extension and approximately 60 days from now. So Evan Thompson has been working on, they also wanted, Edlin wants an MOU with the airplane club so that they're not liable for anything. So Evan has been working on the lease would have to be changed and then the possibility of the MOU. Okay, now this is a summary of what we learned. And we've been totally transparent. And I think that both parties will tell you that we've been real upfront with them on this whole thing. We've had really good, productive meetings. Our main problem is we're up against the clock, is everybody's got timing issues on this. The solar has a deadline and the airplane club would need to move, if they had to move, very quickly. And they're not ready to do that. I certainly am glad to continue, if you decide that you're going on with the solar lease, I am certainly glad to continue working with the airplane club to find something suitable. Because I know that if you do go on with it, you would want me to keep working with them to find something. And I really like them anyway. Okay, so they're my airplane buddies now. So I'm sorry, I apologize to you. I was hoping that I could work this out, and I just failed. I couldn't. So this is a really difficult situation because both of these projects are really, really good. They just can't coexist with each other. Thank you, and I hope I gave you the information you needed. Thank you. You did a wonderful job. And I can tell you spent a lot of time on this. Thank you very much. I guess what I would ask is if council members have any questions for CAO Hamilton before we have public comment. Does anyone? All right. Thank you very much, Sally. Do you have a question? Council Member Morton. My question is just for clarification, but then also for the record. I know that we amended this resolution adding the CBA must come back to the council for approval. Can you just confirm that the council will have another vote to come back before us? I'm going to let the lawyers. I wasn't involved in that part. You're confirming? It's confirmed that it would be. If this went through today, this is just a step forward in the process, but this is not final approval. That's correct. Thank you. Does anyone else have a question for CAO Hamilton? Council Member Reynolds. Thank you, Mayor. When we looked at West Hickman, we don't know for sure that the FAA clearance would be impossible. We're just concerned that it might be. We did not naturally check with the FAA, but the people that worked with all of this, they seriously doubt that you could get that clearance again. That you could get that clearance again. The club who paid originally for the runway that they have now. I think we paid for that runway. We paid for that runway. Okay. There's been all kinds of other things done out there. Put that slide up again. There's been all kinds of things done out there. When I mentioned the $10,000 a year, that is things like cutting, mowing, the electric, all kinds of things. As you can see, there are buildings out there. They've done a lot of work, but we did the runway. We did the runway. We didn't do the first runway. Correct. But we have done the runways after that as they moved. But the price just for the runway at West Hickman would be less than $600? I think it would be around $600 because of the grading. Okay. I thought we could just throw some blacktop out there and call it the day. But it doesn't work like that. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Brown. Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, Sally, for your work. You didn't have to apologize to us. We know that you were on a tight time frame and a tight clock, and you did what you could in a short amount of time. But I think what you said that I really heard is that if we decide to go forward, that you're still willing to work to try to find a location or find a solution. And I guess my question is going to be, so these potential solutions that were recommended, were they all from our side? Are these things that you presented to them? These were all from our side, done in a two-week fashion. I didn't consider Heisel because, if you remember, we had a problem with Heisel before. So I didn't look at that. Because, remember, that was the ROTC was out there. And I figured if that was a problem, these planes would really be a problem. This is hard to locate them because they're just like us. They do things that's hard to put around other people. You have to be careful of the houses. You have to be careful of all the roads they're flying over, and then to get the clearance. But, you know, we only took two weeks. And if that, I'm not saying that the council should decide one way or the other. But I'm just saying that I, for one, would be glad, and all our staff would be, because I am, would be glad to continue to look at this. Yeah, and I think that's important. I think there's, you know, two weeks is one thing, and you haven't exhausted all options. And then I think the club might even, if we move forward to explore, might come up with some options that we haven't considered that we can look at. I wouldn't completely rule out Heisel Park. I know we displaced the ROTC just for perception reasons and, I think, safety reasons. But I think taking a look at it for this use and this purpose may be something that we might want to consider. So if this moves forward, I appreciate the opportunity to continue looking and looking for solutions for this problem. So thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Does anyone else have a question for CAO Hamilton? All right. Thank you very much. Thank you again. Great job. Now, we're going to have public comment, and we have lots of people signed up, and so I want to go over the rules of how this works. When I call your name, you'll come to the podium, and you'll need to restate your name for the record, and please tell us your council district. Now, the council has rules. You're not to clap or boo or shake signs or anything like that, just for the decorum in here. And there are many people who have yielded their time to others, so I'm going to need to go through and confirm that all of you are present. Okay. So we're going to do that first. And if no one has yielded to you, you will have three minutes, and the timer will go off when your time is up. So let's see. Is Mickey Brunig here? I massacred your name last time, I think. I'm sorry. We have a number of people outside, so let me ask, is Lester Ware here? I'm sorry, where are you? Oh, okay. Lester, are you yielding your time to Mickey? Yes, ma'am. All right. Thank you. Is Curtis Adams here? Yes, ma'am. All right. And you're yielding your three minutes to Mickey? Yes. Mickey, you're here? Okay. We're not quite ready for you. We're just confirming all the folks are here who are yielding. So, Mickey, you will have nine minutes. Now, is James Newberry here? Yes, thank you. Is Dayna Fuller here? And are you yielding to James? Okay. And is Rodney, is it Aggie? I'm sorry. And you're yielding to James. Okay. Is Chris Chapman here? Where are you? Oh, you're over there. Thank you. And where is Jacob Chapman? And you're yielding to Chris. Okay. And where is John Royalty? And are you yielding to Chris? Okay. Thank you. So, or to James. I'm sorry. James, you will have nine minutes. Now, or Chris, I'm sorry. Brandon Chavez? Where are you? He's in the hall. Okay. Will someone ask? Okay. Thank you. And Terry Booth, are you here? And are you yielding to Brandon? Yes. Okay. And Sylvester Hale? Here. Okay. And are you yielding to Brandon? Yes. Okay. So, Brandon Chavez will have nine minutes. All right. Theodore Payne? Here. All right. And Terry Booth? Where is Terry? Are you yielding to? I'm sorry. Wait a second here. Are you yielding to Brandon? You can only yield once. Okay. Let's see here. So, Brandon, you have nine minutes. Theodore Payne, well, let's go to Eli Fuller. Are you here? All right. And are you yielding your time to Teddy Payne? Yes. Okay. Is Jenny Waybright here? Yes. And you're yielding to Teddy Payne? Yes, ma'am. Okay. So, Teddy, you'll have nine minutes. Jim Martin? Yes, ma'am. Okay. Dr. David Price? Yes. Okay. Are you yielding to Jim? Yes, ma'am. And Charles Beaton, are you yielding to Jim? Yes, ma'am. Okay. So, Jim Martin, you'll have nine minutes. Dale Arvin? All right. And Christopher Reed? Here. You're yielding to Dale? Yes. All right. And Clint Cummins? Are you here? Yes, ma'am. Okay. Are you yielding to Dale Arvin? Yes, ma'am. Okay. So, Dale, you'll have nine minutes. Matt Hanson? Here. All right. And I've got Chris Waybright? Okay. And Jeff Cummings? Yes. Are you both yielding to Matt? Yes, ma'am. Okay. You'll have nine minutes. John Fox? Yes, ma'am. Okay. And Debra Stephens and Kenny Stephens, where are you? Okay. Are you both yielding to John Fox? Yes, ma'am. All right. So, John Fox, you'll have nine minutes. Now, hang on. We're going to the second page. Dean Hammond? Yes, ma'am. And Martin Weinstock? Here. You're yielding to Dean? Yes, ma'am. And Charles Aldrich? Yes, ma'am. I'm yielding. Okay. And Brayden Stamper? Where's Brayden? Do we have Brayden Stamper? Okay. Are you yielding your time? No, ma'am. You're not? No. Okay. All right. Let's see. So, Dean, you'll have nine minutes. We have Brayden Stamper. Keith Hollifield? Here. Are you yielding your time? No. You're not. Okay. I don't think Juliana Booth, are you yielding to Keith? Yes. Where are you? Okay. And Chess Fuller? Are you yielding to Keith? Okay. So, Keith, you'll have nine minutes. And then I think everybody else, there are a few people who will be speaking later in the meeting because they have issues that are not on the agenda. So everybody else is not yielding. So here we go. We will start with Mickey Bruning. And you have nine minutes. Welcome. Thank you. I am the president of the Lexington Model. Excuse me. You need to state your name for the record in your council district. Thank you. Michael Bruning, District 12. Go ahead, please. Okay. I am the president of the Lexington Model Airplane Club. My name is Mickey Bruning. I first joined LMAC when it was at Masterson Station Park in 1994. I learned to fly models there. I remember the patience and kindness I was treated with and how easy it was to learn in capable hands. Unfortunately, that time was short. Within six months, I moved to Erlanger for work and had to put my hobby on hold. There were no facilities close and none in that area that compared to LMAC. When I returned to the Lexington area in 2009, I had one requirement for the home that I bought. It had to have a basement for model airplanes. I rejoined the Lexington Model Airplane Club in 2010 and have been a member since. I remember several of the people I met back in 1994, and now I'm flying with them and their children as well as their grandchildren. My story is not much different than many others. About a month ago, I received an email from a gentleman in Cincinnati who is about to retire. He and his wife were planning to move to Lexington, and he was asking how to join the club because model airplanes are part of his retirement plan. I had to tell him things are on hold right now because of this situation. The last time we were here, Mr. Dugas claimed that we had not responded to him after he sent us a letter until January. I want to clarify that. As the person responsible for the club, I've been sending emails to our councilperson about this issue since November of 2024. There's a new councilman now, and I've been corresponding with him since July of 2025. I was finally able to begin an actual conversation in August of 2025. At that time, he wasn't even aware that the model airplane club existed. On August 14th, I had a conversation with the councilman where we discussed shared use of the landfill. I sent drawings of a proposal that included the flying area and a safe buffer zone. That proposal was turned down within a few days with the reason given that it would be a liability issue and it would not be allowed. Around August 28th, we received what was essentially an eviction notice. This is the letter Mr. Dugas referred to. The letter stated that our lease would not be automatically renewed and that if we had any questions, we could contact him. It was not presented as an invitation for a conversation, and it did not indicate that he was the only person who could present information to the work group. It read as a notice from the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works. In an email dated September 4th, 2024, I requested to speak with the committee or the city council about the proposed solar project. I also asked the councilman to visit our field so he could see that this is not just a location on a map, but a place of real importance to the community. We've scheduled a visit for September 24th. That day, it was pouring rain. He made it to the back of the pavilion, but no further. Around that time, I was told I would not be allowed to speak to the work group. At that point, I felt like the decision had already been made. It didn't seem to matter what the club does or what it would take to relocate us. It felt like the value of what was already there had not been considered. By then, many of us in Fayette County had heard statements like, there's nothing out there, or the land can't be used for anything else. But what was already there did matter, and still does. Since we've been relocated several times in the past, I requested that a search begin for a new location. On November 6th, I was told there was no location available within the Parks Department, but the green space inventory would soon be available. On January 6th, I followed up to ask if the inventory was available, whether there was a suitable place for us to move, and if there were any updates on the solar project. I sent additional emails between January 8th and March 2nd, asking similar questions and received only brief responses. I also emailed all council members on February 8th and received few replies. I never received updates on the project's progression through the council. I did what I believe a citizen should do to be recognized and heard. As reasonable and responsible citizens, we felt we had not been fully considered and that we needed to be recognized for the asset that we are and have been for nearly 70 years in Fayette County. We felt the value of our facility had not been fully understood. All of that frustration and the feeling of not having a voice came to a head on March 12th. That felt like our last opportunity to be heard. This is a decision that cannot be undone. The City Council has been asked to move quickly through this process. We hope now that there is a clearer understanding that something of real value already exists on the Haley Pike Landfill, something that has served this community for decades. We respectfully ask that you recognize that value and choose a path that preserves it, while still allowing for solutions that can benefit the city as a whole. Thank you. We're going to try to queue people up. We have about two hours worth of public comment, so if you'll queue up. Next is James Newberry, followed by Chris Chapman, followed by Brandon Chavez. Welcome. Good evening, Mayor Gordon, members of the council. Excuse me, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. James Newberry, 12th District. Not the guy on the wall. Excuse me one minute. When you reset the clock, he has nine minutes. Nine. Thank you. All right, welcome. Okay, we'll try again. Good evening, Mayor Gordon, members of the council, and fellow citizens of Lexington. I stand before you today representing the Lexington Model Airplane Club. We are a group that has been a thread in the fabric of this community since 1959. For over 65 years, we have taught generations of Lexingtonians about the laws of physics, the thrill of flight, the value of mentorship. We aren't just hobbyists. We are a spark. A spark that leads many young people to careers in aviation and engineering. And we aren't just a hobby club. We are a community partner. For years, we have maintained a deep, meaningful commitment and collaboration with Easterseals Bluegrass. As retired Easterseals Executive Director Jenny Wurstbach recently commented, our field has been a sanctuary for children and adults with physical and cognitive challenges. Through our annual fall fly-in, we provide VIP experience for their day health program clients, many of whom are practicing wheelchair and mobility skills. In fact, members of our club personally funded and built upgraded ramps at our field specifically to ensure that the area was totally acceptable for these citizens. For these young adults, a trip to our field isn't just a community outing. It's a highlight in their therapy and a rare moment of joy and inclusion. However, despite the recent progress, our history remains one of constant displacement. We are a nomadic community, not by choice, but by necessity. At Kearney, we built a dedicated facility, only to be moved so the city could build a golf course. We moved to Masterson Station Park, where we rebuilt with the city's help, only to be moved again when residential rooftops reached the park's edge. From Masterson, we moved to the landfill, again with the city's help. We turned a literal wasteland into a place of joy and community. For 26 years, we have called the landfill property home. We have been good neighbors and quiet tenants. Now we are told that progress in the form of solar panels is once again requiring us to pack up our wings. Before we discuss the future, we must correct a critical piece of misinformation presented to this council on March 12. You were led to believe that flight over solar panels is legally prohibited. That is factually incorrect. Under KRS 511.1, the law specifically allows the overflight of such facilities with the permission of the landowner, which in this case happens to be the city. The statute only classifies overflight as a violation where there is specific intent to cause harm or property damage. Furthermore, there are model aircraft clubs where overflight of solar arrays is managed safely every single day. Why does Edelen Renewables choose to interpret compatibility as exclusion when other municipalities have found a way for green energy and community recreation to coexist? To suggest a legal barrier exists is a misrepresentation of Kentucky law and should not be used as a false justification to ground our club. While we support green energy, we face a new modern hurdle, the Federal Aviation Administration. Our current site is an FAA recognized identification area called a FRIA for short. This status allows our members to fly without the burden of costly remote identification hardware on each and every aircraft that we fly. The reality, FRIA status is tied to the land, not to the club. It is based on geographic location. If we move, there is no guarantee the FAA will approve a new location. Moving us doesn't mean just a change of address. It risks a federal regulatory grounding that could end our club forever. The city's own estimate suggests that moving our facility, the runways, the safety structures, the infrastructure could cost $2 million. I would argue that the permanent loss of our facility is disproportionate sacrifice for the negligible revenue the city expects to gain from the solar project. To displace a historic club for the third time without a funded, concrete, and permanent solution is an existential threat. We are not against solar. Not at all. We are opposed to this project as it is currently proposed and urge the council not to approve it in its current form. However, if the city moves forward with this solar project, we ask for three things. One, a permanent home. A site with a long-term lease that won't be threatened by the next development cycle. Secondly, FAA security. A commitment from the city to assist in the complex federal re-application process for FREIA status at a new site. Thirdly, financial support. The $2 million cost of relocation must be integrated into the project budget. The club cannot carry the weight of the city's changing priorities alone. In 1959, we started flying. We have always been cooperative, but we are running out of sky. Let's find a way to power the city with the sun, without grounding the dreams of our citizens. Let's keep the Lexington Model Airplane Club in the air. Mayor Gordon, members of the council, thank you for listening, and I thank you for what you do for the city of Lexington. Thank you. Next is Chris Chapman, followed by Brandon Chavez, and they will both have nine minutes. Good evening. Hang on one second. I apologize for working with the timer. There you go. Good evening. My name is Chris Chapman, District 10. When I addressed the council two weeks ago, one of the benefits I mentioned to the Model Airplane Club was the lifelong friendships that are developed. So since that meeting, I reached out to two lifelong friends that I've gotten to know in the Model Airplane Club and asked them for their support. They each emailed the council. I'm not sure if you guys had a chance to read that. They did send me a copy of it, and after reading it, I thought, everybody in this room really needs to hear it. I do have their approval to read their emails. I have shortened them. In the interest of time, one of them is super long, so that's why they are shortened. The first one, dear members of the Lexington City Council, My name is Alan Walgerman, and I am the former president and CEO of Lexmark International, a company that has called Lexington home since its founding in 1991. I'm writing in strong support of the Lexington Model Airplane Club and their proposed mixed-use development plan that would allow the club and a solar farm to coexist at their current flying field. I have a uniquely personal perspective on both sides of this issue. I began flying RC aircraft at the age of seven, and my connection to the Lexington RC community stretches back to 1986. While the demands of career and life have occasionally interrupted my formal club membership, my involvement with and affection for this community has never wavered. That passion didn't stay a hobby. It became the foundation of my career. My love of RC aviation is what drove me to become an engineer, and that engineering path ultimately led me to the presidency and CEO role of one of Lexington's largest and most recognized technology companies. LMAC and clubs like it don't just fill afternoons. They shape futures. As CEO of Lexmark, I also led the development of what became the largest ground-mounted corporate solar array in the state of Kentucky. A $4 million, 2-megawatt installation on a 10-acre site at our Lexington headquarters, with groundbreaking attended by Governor Beshear and Lieutenant Governor Coleman. That project began as a brownfield, an idle and operative piece of land, and was transformed into a productive, renewable energy facility and educational green space, complete with walking trails, a wildlife habitat, a butterfly garden, and pollinator plantings. We also used it to further Lexmark's long-standing support of STEM education for local schools. The lesson I took from that experience is one directly relevant to what LMAC is proposing. With creativity and collaboration, solar development and community assets not only can coexist, they can reinforce one another. I believe LMAC's mixed-use proposal reflects exactly that same spirit. LMAC has been a contributing member of this community since 1959. It is far more than a hobby club. It is a hands-on STEM learning environment that develops engineering thinking, problem-solving, and technical discipline in young people. I'm living proof of that. As the former leader of a global technology company, I can say with confidence that the skills shaped through model aviation are precisely the kind of community our economy needs to cultivate. I respectfully urge you to support LMAC's proposal and preserve this irreplaceable community resource for another generation of Lexantonians. Thank you for your service to our city and for your consideration. Sincerely, Alan Waggerman, former President and CEO of Lexmark International. The second one is from Ben Diachon, and I'll let him speak for himself. Dear members of the Urban County Council, my name is Ben Diachon. I'm an aerospace executive, commercial pilot, and proud product of Lexington, Kentucky. I am writing to respectfully ask that you preserve the Lexington Model Airplane Club airfield as you consider the evening renewable solar lease on March 26. I believe Lexington can have both clean energy and the community resource that launched my career into spaceflight. This letter explains why that matters. As a teenager in Lexington, before I could drive, my parents brought me to LMAC Field. I did not come from a family of engineers or pilots, but the members of that club took me under their wing. They taught me to use tools, to think through problems, to design and build and test until something flew. They exposed me to engineering, aerodynamics, and full-scale aviation. By 16, I had soloed a full-scale airplane and earned my pilot's license on my 17th birthday. That early experience at LMAC set me on a path that I could not have imagined. I earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and a master's in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University. I spent 16 years at Scale Composites in Mojave, California, rising from design engineer to president of the company. During that time, I was part of the team that created Spaceship One, the first commercial crewed spaceship, which now resides in the Smithsonian Institute's National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Over my career, I have contributed to the creation of 17 aircraft and spacecraft. My path in life started at a model airplane field on Hedger Lane. Today, I serve on the board of directors of the Experimental Aircraft Association, where I champion youth STEM initiatives in aviation workforce development and advise Purdue University's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. In every one of these roles, when people ask how I got started, the answer traces back to Lexington and the people at LMAC. So my story is not unique in this pattern, only its outcomes. Model aviation clubs across the country serve as the entry point for careers in aviation, aerospace engineering, and the skilled trades. This matters more today than ever. I learned about this situation from Chris Chapman, a fellow LMAC member and professional engineer. Chris and I met at the field when we were teenagers a couple years ago. He still flies there today, and now his son flies with him. That single fact captures what LMAC represents, a place where skills, mentorship, and passion for aviation pass from one generation to the next. I want to be clear. I'm not here to argue against solar energy. I drive an electric vehicle, I have solar panels on my roof, and I have spent years of my career developing electric-powered aircraft. Renewable energy is essential to our future, but this does not have to be an either-or decision. If this field closes, Lexington not just loses a place to fly model airplanes, it loses a 70-year institution that teaches young people to build, to think, to solve problems, and to dream about flight. It loses a proven pathway into STEM careers at a time when the nation can't afford to close a single door to the next generation of pilots and engineers. It loses a multi-generational community gathering place that serves veterans, students, retirees, and families. It loses an economic contributor that draws visitors and events to the region. And it loses something that once gone will be extraordinarily difficult to replace. I urge all members of the Council to find a path that preserves LMAC's airfield alongside the solar development. The two are not in conflict. With thoughtful planning, Lexington can have both clean energy and a community institution that helped launch a kid from Hedger Lane to the team that sent the first commercial spaceship into the sky. So I'll make one last offer. I'm an engineer at Denim Blythe Company, and we would love to offer some of our time to help find a solution, whether it's laying out facilities or helping with the solar electrical grid. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next is Brandon Chavez, followed by Theodore Payne, followed by Jim Martin, and they will all have nine minutes. Welcome. Good evening. Brandon Chavez. We're speaking for District 12. Good evening. My name is Brandon Chavez. I'm currently out of Lee County, Kentucky. I moved here about five years ago from Connecticut. That was after I'd gotten out of the Marine Corps. I'd spent 12 1⁄2 years there, and what I did there was aviation-based. The reason it was aviation-based was because when I was a young child, you know, digging around in your father's closet, as you do as you're a child, I found his Jepson training manuals, right, and I was maybe seven years old. Jepson, if you don't know, is an aviation training system that they put out. Well, it was there, and I started reading it, and it really intrigued me. This is something that really stuck with me as a child, and I kind of carried it on. Finding model aviation was something that became very important to me. My first model was something I picked up at a garage sale, actually, and it wasn't even all there. So as a child, I had to figure out how to put this thing together and then how to fly it, and finding a community to help me do that was very difficult at the time. We're, you know, back in the early 90s, and, you know, the Internet really wasn't a thing. So reading books and doing these things, this was all, you know, part of our childhood. So the amount of effort I had to put into that was something, right? As a kid, I really wanted to foster that, and it really had a hold on me. So after I, you know, kind of moved away from there, it kind of stayed with me. I joined the Marine Corps in 2005. Because I scored fairly high on my ASVAB, I was able to get an aviation career. So I went in as a 6113 helicopter mechanic. Quickly, you know, was intrigued by everything they had to offer there, so I became an aerial gunner and aerial observer. So doing that really kind of, you know, fostered everything that I had done in aerospace ever since I was a child, and it really kind of continued to emerge. Model aviation was there with me the whole time. I was in Iraq at the barracks flying a radio-controlled helicopter. I don't know if that was legal, if it wasn't, you know, sorry. But it was part of me. It was part of my life. It was part of my lifestyle. It was something that everybody knew that I did, and it intrigued them too. Now, I'm into the RC helicopters, which, you know, that really kind of goes into another realm of the technology, but something that's very important even to this day. When I got out of the Marine Corps, I was able and given the opportunity to go work for Lockheed Martin. So now I work for Lockheed Martin. We develop software that integrates with the most important aircraft in the world. So that's just part of the whole evolution of that. I still fly today. You know, I obtained my FAA pilot's license. I have my Part 107 commercial license, which is how you operate UAS commercially. I do run a small business out of Kentucky where I do provide aerial photography, and these are all things that have really been part of my life and, again, continue to be fostered by clubs like LMAC. Now, this group here gave me the opportunity to provide a class to the Central Kentucky Computer Society. They came and brought several people. I think it was around 20-something people who came, and I gave a full class on UAS description and systematic capabilities and also laws and rules and regulations. So that's very important. Today, nobody really knows. You get people, real estate agents, going out and flying these drones, and they're not licensed, and you cannot do that without the Part 107 license. So these are all things that I believe that society needs more education in. So clubs like LMAC very much push this sort of education. You've heard some great speeches today, really wonderful. I'm probably the least of these, but what it shows is the love for this thing, and it's not just something that they want to hold on to because we're selfish. No, we want to share it. I've really tried to get young folks into this hobby. I'll go up and I'll fly at my local facilities there in Lee County, Kentucky, and you should see the crowd that it draws, and everybody wants a piece of that. They all want to know how to do it. How do I get involved? How do I do this? And I tell the parents, you need to foster this. You need to help the child because they can look and they can see and they can want, but you need to provide. And so it's really important that we have these safe, very nice facilities like LMAC to go to. I tell the folks from Lee County, go to LMAC. They've got the people. They've got the facilities. They've got the safety net. They've got the runway, the taxiways, the safety nets. They've got the pavilion for the shade. They've got electricity. It's very important to have all of these things. I have lived all over the world. I lived in Hawaii for six years. I lived in Connecticut, North Carolina, California, Oregon. I lived all over, and I've found every model airplane field in each one of these places that I live because it's such an important piece of my life. I'll tell you, there is not many clubs like LMAC as far as the quality and the safety and the personnel that they have running those facilities. So I would strongly urge that they're given the right amount of attention when going after this. Now, I did want to say one more thing about working for Lockheed and kind of how that's kind of been an important part of my life to get me to that point, because that's what we all strive for. We all strive for better, for more, for better, for helping the communities that we're in. This is one of those things, right? The things that we're doing stem from this childhood dream, which kind of took off, and now it became this, you know, something that we're all benefiting from today. So I just wanted to really strongly urge the council, the mayor, to give them the right amount of attention to this matter, and I thank you very much for your time. Thank you. Next is Theodore Payne, followed by Jim Martin, followed by Dale Arvin. Each one has nine minutes. My name is Theodore Payne from District 8. Have you ever looked up into the skies and wondered, how do birds stay in the air? Have you ever been in an airplane and wondered, how does this thing fly? Have you ever seen an aircraft in the air and thought to yourself, that truly is amazing? I'm Teddy Payne, the Vice President of the Lexington Model Airplane Club. Flight has fascinated me for a long time. The idea that a big chunk of metal can take off into the skies at hundreds of miles per hour. The idea that going fast in a simple shape can make that happen. It truly is a magical world, and I have a very large passion for aviation that I soon hope to take with me as a pilot for the United States Air Force. Unfortunately, as you all have heard, the biggest hobby that there is to support people my age who have a passion for aviation is at risk. This airfield, this hobby that we all here care very deeply about, is in danger. Over these past two weeks, I've learned yet another life lesson. I touched some on life lessons last time I was here. I've learned another one over these past two weeks, and that is there are multiple solutions to the same problem. We've come up with at least three, and I'm going to share those three with you tonight. The first one, and probably the simplest, is a shared use facility. Shrink the size of the solar farm. We've got a proposal planned out where Edel and Renewables can put solar panels on our no-fly zone. We have a fly zone and a buffer zone that we won't be a liability in, and the solar farm would only lose minimal land, and it would work out great for everybody. Unfortunately, Edel and Renewables has stated that due to financial reasons, they cannot make that happen. The second solution, and probably best solution, is the Newton's Attic shared facility that Keith here is going to talk about here in a few speeches. It's great for practically everybody. It's great for Newton's Attic because they need a lot of land to put a lot of their classrooms and big toys that they make, like roller coasters and trebuchets. They need a lot of land for that, land that they don't have. This proposal would give them a lot of land that they could do and use, and they would also have access to an entire club full of STEM-minded people. It's great for that club of STEM-minded people. Our airfields would remain completely untouched. None of that $2 million would go away, and we would have the resources and support of all of Newton's Attic with us. It's also great for Fayette County Public Schools. I'm an eighth grader in the Lee's Town pre-engineering program. I asked one of my class's really smart kids, hey, does this sound like a fun field trip to you, going out to the Lexington Model Airplane Club airfield? No, boo. That's until I ignored them and added, if Newton's Attic was out there, they had a couple classrooms and a couple of their big old toys, yeah, why didn't you say so? Because that's one heck of a field trip, and it wouldn't just be Lee's Town kids who would want to come out there either. Everybody in Fayette County would want to take a field trip out there. BCTC, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, they need a home for their drone program. This proposal can do that. We've been in contact with the head of the aviation program at the Hill, Nathan Hoskins. This proposal would provide them with an inexpensive way to teach aviation. It's also great for you all, Fayette County. The Lexington Model Airplane Club is the only- a STEM-based park facility in Lexington. So why not embrace that and create a brand new facility, a STEM park, the Lexington STEM park? We would be the only city in the nation with an FAA-certified and recognized airfield and a giant trebuchet that can launch a washing machine 250 feet and quite a few classrooms, home to a model airplane club, a STEM education company, an aviation program, and a drone program. Who wouldn't want that? Unfortunately, there are some people who wouldn't want that. And that's where the third solution comes into play. Vote no on this solar farm. Right now, there is no strong incentive for the developer to change course or work towards a shared solution. That's why your all's role is so important. By speaking up for the citizens of Fayette County, you all can create the opportunity to find a different developer, one that can support a better outcome where the land can support both clean energy and our community use. And if this project does not move forward as it stands, it creates the opportunity for solutions that better reflect our shared vision. Vote no on this solar farm. I do want to say one last thing before I go. I tell you this, not as a member of the model airplane club, not as a Fayette County public school student, but as a child and citizen of this community that you all have built. The model airplane club has given me the opportunity to gain vast amounts of knowledge on aviation. Please, do not just throw away one of the most valuable assets this community has and deny that opportunity to other children. Thank you. Thank you. Next is Jim Martin, followed by Dale Arvin, followed by Matt Hanson. And each will have nine minutes. My name is Jim Martin, and I'm representing District 12. I'm a recent retiree from the FAA as an aviation safety inspector. And I spent 12 years heading up the UAS, the unmanned aerial systems, out of the Cincinnati office. The Cincinnati office covers the southern half of Ohio and northern Kentucky. And as an FAA, we are very concerned about overflying model aircraft over roads, residential areas, and near airports. We will not approve the FRIA. You've heard the FRIA designation here tonight. So the FRIA stands, the reason the FRIA was initiated by the FAA, FedEx, UPS, Walmart, Kroger's, everybody and their brothers wanting to fly delivery drones. And to do this, we need accident prevention capabilities. The FRIA stands for FAA Remote ID Area. And what this does is creates a bubble around a model flying field that is a no-fly zone for any of these delivery drones. These drones will be geo-fenced, such that if it's coming close to a FRIA area, it'll have to deviate around that area rather than flying straight through it. So there's no chance of mid-air collisions between a model and a delivery drone. Give me a little background here. My dad started me flying model airplanes when I was four years old. And like Teddy and all the others, it's been a part of my life, all my life. I got my pilot's license. After high school, I became an aircraft mechanic. I worked for 28 years working on aircraft of all sizes. And then I got on with the FAA. The FAA contacted me and said, hey, you got the skills and everything we need. So for the past 20-some years, I was working for the FAA as an aviation safety inspector. Like I said, out of the Cincinnati office up there. I investigated numerous accidents that I really didn't like having to do. But it's just part of the job. The models, I had to take a lot of calls from residents of various cities and everything, drones overflying their property. The FAA stance is, the FAA owns the airspace. So as soon as that vehicle or whatever, aircraft or whatever, leaves the ground, you do not own the airspace over your property. The FAA controls all that. Also, these drones are considered aircraft now. The model airplanes are considered aircraft. You cannot shoot them down, or that's a federal crime. So you don't want to do that. Tell your people not to shoot down the drones. And I've been coming down to the Lexington Flying Club since 1983. It's one place I really like coming to, to fly my models and stuff, because they're so cordial and friendly. And it's a beautiful flying site. And because they got electric down here, I even bring my camper and would come down and camp for the weekend. I wouldn't come plug in. And so they got a great facility. About eight years ago, I also invited our national organization, the scale organization, to have our national competition out here at the LMA field. And so we had pilots, model pilots from around the country come in for this competition. Everybody liked the facility. So I just wanted to state that to move this field, and from what I've heard at some of the other locations, ain't going to happen. To get the FAA approval to fly the models, if you got an airport or, like I say, a large road, residential area, anywhere as close, you're not going to get that approval. So it's very difficult to get these approvals. You have to send everything in to Washington. They got to look at it. They check it and make sure everything is safe. And so that's the main thing I wanted to say, is the FAA, we're very concerned about the models, how they operate, make sure everything's done in a safe manner. And you don't have any, where they're located at right now, you don't have any problems with safety. So I think that should cover it. Thank you for your time. Thank you very much. Next is Dale Arvin, then Matt Hanson, and then John Fox, all of whom will have nine minutes each. Welcome. My name is Dale Arvin, and I'm representing District 12. I'm the Associate Vice President for the AMA District 6. AMA is the National Modeling Organization out of Muncie, Indiana, that we all belong to. And AMA helps support us in our hobby. RC flying is not just a hobby. It's an opportunity to learn and to teach. We work with a lot of youngsters on how to fly model airplanes. And at the same time, we teach them a little bit about physics, electronics, aerodynamics, mechanics, and internal combustion engines, jet engines, electric motors, battery technology. So we work with a lot of youth organizations to teach them all about all of these different things. What they learn as a result of flying model airplanes can lead to a lot of good careers. Myself, I started flying model airplanes when I was 14 years old, which was almost 70 years ago. So I'm old. But I went from that into mechanical engineering, became the president of a major dust collector company. My youngest son followed the same routine. He became a machinist. Now he's chief engineer for a vacuum forming company. There's all kinds of examples of youngsters that come into model airplane flying. And they learn how to fly model airplanes. They get enthused about aviation and go on to fly full-scale airplanes, jet airplanes. We have three of them sitting over here. It's a very interesting hobby. I wanted to make sure everybody understands what we do fly. The model airplanes we fly are not toys. I know I have people come over to my house. I tell them I fly model airplanes. And they think I've got some little thing to hold in my hand. And they want to go out and fly it in the backyard. Well, the smallest thing I have flying currently now is an 84-inch wingspan, weighs 17 pounds. The largest one I have is 139-inch wingspan, weighs 37 pounds. I have a B-25 bomber, twin-engine landing gear, retracts, gun turrets, just about anything you can think of. So what we fly are intricate pieces of equipment. And they need pretty much the same things to fly as a full-scale airplane. You need a clear approach to land. You need a clear approach for taking. You need wide open areas. You can't fly over trees and then dive down. You need a prepared surface to fly off of. You need a safe area to fly over. So in my many years in the hobby, I've been in club management for about 60 of those years. I've had to help promote and build several flying fields. I've flown off of cow pastures and actually flew off I-265 bypass around Jeffersonville at one time when they were building the interstate highway right beside my house. That was a lot of fun. But anyway, it's not a simple thing to go find a piece of property. You've got the freeway issue, but you also have the overfly issue, you have the runway issue, and it takes an awful lot of effort. It's not something you can do overnight. So thank you all very much for your time. Thank you. Next is Matt Hanson followed by John Fox and then Dean Hammond. Each will have nine minutes. If you can hang on one second till we get the timer going correctly. Thank you. Welcome. Okay, thanks. Honorable Mayor Gordon, members of the city council. My name's Matt Hanson and I'm from District 9. I'm the chief engineer for Rotary Wing Aircraft at Lockheed Martin. Our aviation modification facility in Eastern Fayette County with 1,000 employees and 100 engineers is located just four miles from the Lexington Model Aircraft Skypark. Our primary mission at Lockheed Martin is to protect our servicemen and women by providing them with the best tools and equipment in the world. And our community partnerships are vital to that mission. The Lexington Model Airplane Club is a reliable and crucial partner in our local STEM community. We're a family of STEM development collaborating with Newton's Attic, Kentucky Aviation Museum, the University of Kentucky, and the LFUCG to provide a safe environment for developing unmanned aviation activities. This partnership has tangible benefits for our future workforce. Through our engineering leadership development program at Lockheed Martin, we hire approximately 10 interns from the University of Kentucky each year. When selecting candidates, we look for a strong degree selection, communication skills, and meaningful extracurricular activities. A student with model aviation experience of volunteer activities at the LMAC immediately stands out. This partnership, I'm sorry, furthermore, the Lexington Model Airplane Skypark is a hub for hands-on innovation. Lockheed Martin is currently working with the University of Kentucky Engineering Department on two capstone projects, an unmanned vehicle and an unmanned vehicle launcher, with testing planned at the LMAC later this year. The Lockheed Martin ELDP is also looking at restarting the statewide wing design challenge for over 20 schools and 300 students at this site, as its size is perfect for such an event. This is important because unmanned aviation is not just a hobby, it's the future. As we transition from manned aircraft to unmanned aircraft, we need a safe, secluded location like the LMAC to grow this sector and teach young people the fundamentals of aerodynamics. It could not be in a more prime location next to one of the most important aviation centers in the country. It's troubling to hear the proposal described as repurposing a decommissioned landfill. The land is obviously not underutilized. It's already being repurposed as a critical conduit for hands-on STEM education, empowering the engineers of the future who may one day design the next unmanned electric air taxi powered by even more efficient, renewable energy solutions. Building a solar farm here is the equivalent of building one at a local park, not a decommissioned landfill. A few of my Lockheed Martin colleagues and I often go visit the Lexington Model Airplane Skypark to fly model aircraft and collaborate with our fellow aviation enthusiasts. Having flown at sites around the country, I can say from personal experience that the LFUCG can stand proud as home to one of the finest flying sites in the country. I want to thank the mayor, the city council, and the LFUCG for providing this location for us for 20 years because the impact you have made in our community is immeasurable and enormous. This is important. In a world where we have a lot of talent, this is important. In a world where young people spend an average of seven to nine hours per day on digital screens, there has never been a more important time to protect this outdoor aviation park. It facilitates STEM learning for all ages and strengthens our family and our community foundations. Understand difficult decisions need to be made, but we are confident you'll find a way to continue to support the unmanned aviation community here in Lexington. We believe it's possible to meet renewable energy initiatives without sacrificing the STEM learning opportunities that are so vital to our future. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next is John Fox followed by Dean Hammond. You will each have nine minutes and we need to get the clock going. So give us a second, please. I'm John Fox and I just found out today that I wasn't supposed to bring an airplane with me, but it's okay, I'll just leave it up here. Actually, only half of an airplane. But my name is John Fox. What district? I'm sorry. Council district. 13. Is that right? Okay. I think you might be from district nine. Small airplane club. Okay, very good. I've got a Lexington address. Let me put it that way. I live in Clark County. Okay, welcome. Does that work? That works. Okay, I'm sorry. Sorry to come in here at the tail end. I was a proctologist in my working days and so I'm kind of used to being last coming in. I wrote this down to make sure I'd come in under three minutes and so you'll be happy to know that I wrote this out and so I'm just gonna read it off. I'm a retired physician and I'm turning 84 next month. I was before I got old, dammit. I was what's called a pattern flyer which was a competitive sport where there were precise aerobatic maneuvers done on either end of a box and then you do the primary maneuver in the middle. I finally had to give up my sport and I miss it greatly. This is the tail end of my pattern plane. Hold it up there, James. Might wake everybody up. But I miss it and I didn't have the heart to throw it away so I'm keeping it. But I go back a long ways with LMAC to where we originally flew out of what was called Kearney Field, I don't know if you know about that. And then we moved to Massachusetts Station and then to the current landfill site. I was there the day we hit a house at Masterson's. Sylvester Hale and his son, Buddy, who was one of our best pilots, were flying and I heard Buddy say, Daddy, I ain't got it. And he came down with a pretty big airplane and hit a house and we were gone the next day. I was involved with the search for the new field seemingly at that time was almost impossible. But we came up with the current Haley's Pike location which has been perfect. It's way out, it's isolated, the overfly and crash areas, a lot of that's over the landfill which will never be developed. And even if crash is bad enough, and I've had a few of those, you don't even need to go out and pick up the parts because it is a landfill. But it has a paved runway, a central shack, electric gravel road parking, you've seen the pictures. Now the organization LMAC itself has an overall legacy of about 80 years. People have been flying model airplanes in Lexington. There are about 120 current active members. They have monthly meetings, they have an annual picnic, they have an annual what they call flying where people come from all over the country to show off their airplanes. It can be of all kinds, helicopters, jets, everything. And I don't see how you could possibly disrupt such a worthwhile and lasting legacy for some borderline financial benefit. So I implore you to allow the LMAC to continue its worthwhile activities without disruption. It's unique, it's interesting, it's educational, it's fun, it's worthwhile. To me, if you were to design a brand new organization, fund it, construct it all over again, you couldn't do better than what you've got right now. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next is Dean Hammond, who will have nine minutes, followed by Braden Stamper, who will have three minutes, followed by Keith Holifield. Welcome. Dean Hammond, District 12. I just wanted to come tonight and extend my support for the Lexington Model Airplane Club. To give a background on me, I worked for the city of Lexington for 24 years, from 1999 to 2024 when I retired as a police sergeant with the police department. I'm kind of one of your still living examples of how this current LMAC can benefit our working people, our citizens, they have a great asset out there for students, working people, retirees, and the elderly to come and enjoy with their family members. I now currently retired for one day and went straight over to Fayette County Public Schools, and I'm at Dunbar High School, mentoring students out there, and a lot of my mentoring and trying to lead them on the right path is model aviation, especially UAS, which is unmanned aerial systems. That is the future and leading way of what I see is the UAS, even with our current police department, they're on the path to hopefully advance and do a drone first responder program. So all that is emerging, especially for the government. So this is a very important place to learn and hone your skills. I was taught by Mickey Roonig, the president of how to fly model airplanes, which coincides exactly with the drones, the technology, the skills, the responsibility, everything is very important. And that's what kind of led me to introduce and start with Lexington Police Drone Program. I was one of the first starting members of the drone program. I did a lot of research, got the first drone for Lexington Police through a federal grant, was able to learn all the FAA standards, rules, regulations. I decided that our department would be part 107 certified UAS pilots. There's a lot of agencies that just use a COA, which is Certificate of Authorization. The standard for having every pilot as a part 107 is what Lexington Police went with. And that was because of my influence from the club and the training from the club. It gives you a lot more knowledge, awareness, not only of flying, weather, FAA regulations, everything. And all this came back from learning from my skills at Lexington Model Airplane Club. So there is a lot of benefit to keep this club here. There's not many places around that have a field like Lexington does and what it can offer, especially for our students that are wishing to gain in a aviation field, engineering, there's all kinds of stuff that they can benefit for. So I would like to hopefully have the council support keeping this field here. You can't replace this field in an easy manner. Like the gentleman said before, trying to find a FAA approved site is near impossible anymore. The amount of regulations that are still coming for FAA sites, especially UAS, is very real and it's hard everywhere. There's a lot of even parts to government and law enforcement drones that are possibly under effect of FAA regulations. So having something like this already in place to be able to go out and train at is very, you don't find it many other places. When we had difficulty, when we did our monthly training for UAS with the police department to find somewhere to be able to fly, this is one of those facilities. Another part I'd like to tell you about, especially if we can work with a partnership with Newton's Attic and having the STEM location for the kids to come out and learn about robots and all that stuff. When I retired from Lexington Police, I was a sergeant over our computer forensics and our forensic services unit and the bomb squad, which is our hazardous devices unit. Those are the ones that started the drone program for Lexington Police. We also do robotics. We have two huge robots to be able to end and hopefully defuse situations safely without sending in men and women. Those things are astronomically invaluable to the students to learn, bring them out, let them learn the process of how we operate them, how we build them, how we maintain them. Something like that would be very beneficial to share with Newton's Attic and the LMAC community. Kentucky State Police has a bomb squad also, and that's where we would go to do our training and do what we would call a robot rodeo where we'd set up obstacles and see who can get through the best and all that kind of stuff. These are things that could be reproduced and hosted by the LMAC club. So there's a lot of big benefits trying to find a new site and it to be approved by FAA is no small task. So it would be very hard to move this club and keep it to be able to be beneficial for the members and the community, especially our new growing folks. The schools, I think, would be very interested in partner with that, and it would be one of the places to be able to say that we have this type of unique asset for them to be able to send the students to. Appreciate your time, thank you. Thank you very much. Next is Brayden Stamper, who will have three minutes, followed by Keith Hollifield, who will have nine minutes. Welcome. Hello, my name is Brayden Stamper, and I live in District Three. And I would just like to say that I am fully in support of the Haley Pike Solar Projects. Lexington has over 300,000 residents and we all use electricity. We have all also been impacted by rising electricity costs from KU, so this is a project that matters to all Lexingtonians. I would like to point out that this project also relies on federal tax credits that are running out in a few short months, so we don't have a lot of time to spend before this project, before the tax credits will run out. And the only way we can prevent electricity prices from going up even higher is to continue building more supply. And the Model Airplane Club, they've been at other locations before. If they want to continue flying, they can move locations. They've done it twice before. It can happen again. And I believe one of the previous speakers said it best, they call themselves a nomadic community. They could continue moving. The Model Airplane Club has enjoyed 26 years of a $1 lease subsidized by Lexington taxpayers. If the Model Airplane Club wants to continue operating, they should be willing to move to a different location so the Haley Pike Project can be built and provide electricity to over 5,000 homes, which is far more important than a model airplane airfield. Council members, if you vote to postpone this project, I would like to imagine your constituents' reactions as you tell them as you voted to increase their electricity bills. Thank you. Thank you. Next is Keith Hollifield, who will have nine minutes, and then followed is Finley Van Hook, who will have three minutes. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you for sticking with us. As you can tell, there's a lot of passion around this subject. So I want to thank you for sticking with us. And my name is Keith Hollifield. I'm with District 3. I'm the Chief Toymaker at Newton's Attic, a STEM education nonprofit here in Lexington. I spoke with you at the last council meeting about our proposal to partner with the Lexington Model Airplane Club. And today, we're at a decision point. Before I get into our proposal, I want to take a moment and explain what this flying site actually does. Because it's easy to look at it and see a runway and model airplanes and miss the fact that this is a hands-on training ground where one generation becomes engineers, pilots, and problem solvers, and then returns to pass those skills on to the next. I joined the Model Airplane Club when I was 20 years old. My experience there planted a seed. I learned how to build things, solve problems, and turn ideas into something real. I later served as president in 2002, shortly after the club moved to this site and helped lead some of its early development. Those experiences changed the trajectory of my life. I've spent the past 10 years as a STEM educator. And the only reason that is possible is because of the technical experience, confidence, and creativity I developed through this club. And I'm not unique. This site has been doing that quietly for decades. It has taken those early hands-on experiences and turned them into real careers, real leadership, and real impact. I received copies of letters and emails from individuals whose careers were shaped by this exact place. One went on to lead a global technology company right here in Lexington, Lexmark International, and helped develop one of the largest corporate solar installations in the state. Another helped design aircraft and spacecraft, including Spaceship One, which now hangs prominently in the Smithsonian along the most important milestones in aviation history. Different paths, same starting point, right here on Hedger Lane at Haley Pike. And I think part of the reason this hasn't been fully considered is because it worked so well. It just kept producing value. Year after year, it has delivered results for this community without asking for much in return. What looks like a recreational club has actually been a long-running, informal workforce development engine. And that's why Newton's Attic wants to partner here, because we're not starting from nothing. We're building on something that is already growing. This site is not empty land. It is a seed that has already taken root. Today, it serves just over 100 families in Lexington and hundreds more from events that have a regional draw. With Newton's Attic's involvement, we bring a network of families, schools, and partnerships that already serve thousands of students each year with a deep commitment to underserved populations. And this is already beginning to expand. We are in active conversations with Blue Grass Community and Technical College about developing an unmanned aerial vehicle program. They've identified a real need across industries, including fire, police, search and rescue, filmmaking, real estate, and construction. One of their primary challenges has been finding appropriate space for flight labs and hands-on training. This site directly solves that problem, and it does it immediately. It creates a pathway from early STEM education to technical certification and into the workforce. I also want to speak briefly to the financial side of this, because this is being presented as a trade. On the surface, unusable land in exchange for solar energy. And I understand why that framing is appealing. In public discussion, this site has been described as a dump. People don't overflow the council chamber to protect a dump. We don't receive letters from individuals whose work now sits in the Smithsonian because of something that has no value. The narrative doesn't fit reality. This site is active. It is producing something real, and it has been for a long time. And when you recognize that, this is no longer a simple trade, because the primary long-term financial benefit accrues to a single private developer. And I think part of the hesitation around this proposal has been a recognition that something about this exchange feels lopsided compared to what is being given up. The revenue from the proposed solar lease does not come close to replacing what it would eliminate. To rebuild a facility like this elsewhere would cost on the order of $2 million, not including the land. And that doesn't account for replacing one of the largest FAA-recognized airspaces for unmanned aircraft in the state. This location works because it does not interfere with surrounding air traffic, and securing new airspace like this is extremely difficult if it's possible at all. So this is not an equal exchange. I understand there is urgency tied to this proposal. There are timelines around tax incentives that make starting this summer the lowest-risk path. But those incentives are still available as long as this project is completed before the end of 2027. Delay may increase risk, but it does not make it impossible. So this is not a now-or-never decision. And right now, there is no clear incentive for this proposal to change without direction from this council. It will move forward exactly as it is. So the question is not whether solar can happen, but whether it has to happen this way, on this timeline, at the expense of what already exists and the future that this site makes possible. If a combined-use vision for this site had been the starting point, energy, education, and community use together, it would be very hard to argue that it wasn't the best possible outcome. And it creates something else, visibility. The solar project will be visible when it begins and when it is completed, and then it becomes a quiet piece of infrastructure. But a site like we are proposing is visible again and again, year after year, for decades. It's a relationship this community has been building for nearly 70 years. And with this proposal, we can grow that relationship, reach more families, and make it even more meaningful for the next generation. We should be very careful about what we choose to uproot, because what is here today is already producing meaningful value, and it has potential to grow year after year, reaching more people. If we remove it, we lose not only that value, but the future that comes with it. So the question is not whether we move forward, but whether we move forward the right way. And if that means stopping this deal, taking the time, and doing it right, then that's not failure, that's leadership. I respectfully ask this council to not approve the lease in its current form, and to require that it be revised to allow for the best outcome. Because if we don't do that now, we won't get another chance. And those are the end of my prepared comments, but I just, I want everyone to notice that we've already had testimony that a Lakeside Model Airplane Club member from years ago has gone to the highest level and the most distinguished career you could possibly have in aviation and aerospace. And we have a 13-year-old vice president that is on that same trajectory if we do not deny him that chance. So I thank you for your time. Thank you. Next is Finley Van Hook. He'll have three minutes. And Finley will be followed by Matt Partymiller with three minutes. Welcome. My issue actually, or my comment is on an issue not on the agenda. I'm sorry? My comment is on an issue not on the agenda. Oh, okay. We'll get to you then a little bit later. Sorry. Thank you. So Matt Partymiller. Matt will have three minutes. And then Matt will be followed by Jeremy Jenkins. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council. My name's Matt Partymiller. I'm here today a resident of the 7th District. I operate a business out of the 1st District. That's Solar Energy Solutions. We employ about 80 people full-time building solar headquartered here in Lexington. I've been doing that for 20 years. Also president of the Kentucky Solar Industry Association. I've been pleased to speak with you in the past. And I do want to remind you of two reasons, two reasons you've heard a multitude of times over the past couple years, but two reasons why solar's really important. First and foremost, as we work to build new power generation in this state and across this nation, solar's the least cost option. There is no lower cost of new power generation than solar. And as we look at rising energy rates, please keep that in mind. And of course, second, solar is among the most environmentally friendly options for new power generation. And that benefits us all. But what I want to talk about specifically in regards to this project are two items. First, the technical detail. So this project is on a landfill. It is a tenuous project at best because of the cost associated with building on a site like that. The traditional greenfield project is relatively cost-effective to affix the structure, but in a landfill, you're dealing with a significant ballast requirement. The land that is currently on the southeast portion of this parcel that's occupied by the aviation club is one of the two best parcels for siting cost-effective solar. Unfortunately, that strip runs diagonally across that site, so it does pose a barrier to that construction. That will, of course, if omitted from the project, increase project costs and may make a project that is not economically viable. The second concern was just mentioned by the prior speaker, and that is, of course, timeline. July 3rd is the date at which this project needs to get underway, and it must then be placed in service by the end of 2030. If the project commences after that date, it needs to be placed in service by the end of 2027. That includes utility permission to operate, and that's a multi-year process. There's no path in which this project starts after July 4th and is officially in service by 2027. The utility will not be ready. The equipment will not be available. The realistic path is the project must commence construction prior to that date, and then it must continue in construction and be completed by that 2030 deadline. So, in conclusion, I want to thank Council for allowing me to comment. I hope you will vote to approve this lease and do so with urgency. Thank you. Thank you. Next is Jeremy Jenkins. Jeremy will have three minutes. Welcome. Jeremy Jenkins, District 3. Good afternoon, Mayor, Council members. Thank you for your time today. I'd like to focus on two key benefits of developing solar on the Haley Pike Landfill, making smart use of this land and creating strong local union jobs. The landfill itself presents a unique opportunity. This is a land that cannot be used for housing, agricultural, or most commercial development, but it's perfectly suited for solar. Just as important is the opportunity to create good-paying union jobs, solar projects require skilled labor, laborers, operators, and electricians who know how to build safely and efficiently. By prioritizing union labor, we ensure these jobs come with fair wages, strong benefits, and high standards for training and safety. These are not temporary benefits. While construction provides an immediate boost in employment projects, projects like this also support ongoing maintenance work and help build a skilled workforce that can support future energy development across the region. This is a chance to invest not just in infrastructure, but people. And when local union workers are involved, the benefits stay here. Those wages are spent in the community, supporting small businesses and strengthening the local economy. It creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond this project site. Developing solar on Haley Pike Landfill is a win-win. It turns underutilized land into a productive asset, and it creates high-quality jobs that support working families in this community. This is about being practical with our land and intentional about our workforce. It's about making sure that when we invest in the future, we do it in a way that benefits the people who live and work here. Thank you for your time. Thank you very much. Now that completes all of our speakers for issues on the agenda. So the rest of you who signed up, we will have a time for you after the agenda. And I thank you for being here and for speaking. So with that, we will continue our agenda. And that brings us to second reading of ordinances. And when you do, you sign. Item one, an ordinance amending section 16.1.C.19 and section 16.1.F.70 of the Code of Ordinances of the Lexington-Fayette-Urban County Government adopting and incorporating maintenance manual for post-construction stormwater controls as an engineering manual for infrastructure in Lexington-Fayette County. Item two, an ordinance declaring a portion of Shaker Drive starting at its intersection with Harrisburg Road and ending at the entrance of Harrisburg Square condominium's property to be dedicated to the Lexington-Fayette-Urban County Government as a public way in accepting the dedication. Item three, an ordinance amending some of the budgets of the Lexington-Fayette-Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriating repurposing funds for FY2026 schedule number 25. And number four, an ordinance amending the author's strength by creating one classified position of accountant senior grade 524E in the Department of Housing and Advocacy and Community Development effective upon passage of council. Thank you. Thank you, is there a motion to approve? Second. Council Member Savigny, seconded by Council Member Ellinger. And when you're ready, if you'll take a roll call vote, please. Council Member Eblen. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Hale. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Higgins-Horde. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Lynch. Yes. Council Member Morton. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Reynolds. Yes. Council Member Savigny. Yes. Council Member Sheehan. Yes. Vice Mayor Wu. Yes. Council Member Beasley. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Boone. Yes, ma'am. And Council Member Brown. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, those all pass. Now we're ready for first reading of ordinances. Item five, an ordinance amending certain of the budgets of the Lexington and Fairbank County government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures in appropriating repumping funds, FY2026 schedule number 26. Item six. An ordinance amending section 2-496 of the code of ordinances to reduce the members of the mayor's International Affairs Advisory Commission to 23 members by decreasing the number of members from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas and the Middle East from three to two each. And item seven, an ordinance pursuant to section 612 of the chapter or the charter of the Lexington and Fairbank County government to reorganize and restructure LFQCG divisions departments as follows. Transferring the division of engineering and all incumbents in all authorized positions and all vacant positions at their job at their current job classification, pay grade and salary from the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works to the Department of Planning and Preservation transferring the division of public building inspection and all incumbents in all authorized position and all vacant positions at their current job classification, pay grade and salary from the Department of Engineering, Environmental Quality and Public Works to the Department of Planning and Preservation with such reorganization effective upon pass of council but provided that the implementation of all accompanying financial updates shall be made effective July 1st, 2026. Thank you. Thank you. Council, do you have any walk-ons for the docket? All right. Are there any motions to suspend the rules and give second reading? All right. Seeing none, we are ready to go to second reading of resolutions. Council Member Morton. Yes. Just so that I can make a motion tied to item resolution under second reading number one, I'd like to make a motion to separate number one first from second reading so that we can, I can make a motion tied to that. That's the procedure to do. Okay. Is there a second? Council Member Hale. I think I heard a second. Any discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. So if you'll start with number, do you want to do one first or second? First? All right. If you'll read number one, please. Well, I'm looking to make a motion to number one, to amend number one. Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, I understand. Okay. So now, do you have another motion? I do, I do. So, and I'll give the intent before I read the motion. Well, actually I'll read the motion then we can have a discussion and I can talk about the intent later. So, I move to amend item one under second reading of the resolutions to require that no construction commits until the community benefits agreement has been approved by council. So moved. Is there a second? Second. Council Member Beasley. All right. Is there any discussion? Council Member Brown. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, Council Member Morton for the motion. I just want some clarity on what this means to the whole contract, the lease deal and the timelines that keep getting referenced about tax credits. And I will lean on Elan to answer that, but what I will share is, if I can, can I share my intent behind this? So, just in prior conversations, as we continue to have this discussion, we talked about having that community benefit agreement coming back to council for approval for it to take place. But from my understanding, and I'll let legal come speak to this, currently, as it reads, it's not tied to construction. It's merely tied to operations, which is, I think, was not my intent and was clearly not my intent from the beginning. So I'm making this motion to clarify the intent of my prior motion to saying that the CBA should be coming before council for approval prior to construction on the site. And I'll let legal speak towards that. Welcome, Commissioner. Good evening. I'll be brief. Council Member Morton's correct. The way the lease is currently written, the CBA's not required to come back in front of you all for approval until it commences, prior to commencing operation versus construction. Technically, that's probably not until 2029, but I think it would happen much earlier than that. Once they're comfortable the project's gonna move forward, I think, timing-wise, when it would happen. I can't speak to what this does to their project, but I think that the Edlin team just walked into the back, so if you all have a question about what this motion would do to the project, I think you should probably direct that to them. Okay. Council Member Brown, were you finished? No, ma'am. I would be interested in hearing what it would do to their project if somebody from the Edlin team wants to speak to it. Okay. Mr. Edlin's here. Welcome, as well as some other folks. Thank you. Thanks, Mayor. Thanks, Council. We've spent a lot of time together over the last eight months, almost to the day that we made the proposal to the city, and we have extended every olive branch we could to bend over backwards to meet the needs of the council, as well as through our negotiations with the city. To Councilman Morton's motion, it would kill the project, and it would kill the project because another delay means that we can't secure the financing for this project. Secondly, I think it doesn't make much sense to propose a community benefit plan until we know what the pilot, the payment in lieu of taxes, associated with the industrial revenue bond is. That's a critically important part of a community benefit analysis, is the economic impact of the project. And so, to say that we can't start construction until this incredibly important data point that is a pillar of what a community benefit plan is in place, effectively kills the project. Thank you. There's someone waiting behind you. Are you part of the team? Okay, that's just moral support. All right, did that answer your question? It does answer my question. I have a thought, but it's really not a question. It does impact whether or not I would support the motion. And I think my concern is it sounds like there's still some due diligence to be done in regards to the site and some processes that still need to be done before it's underway. And if for some reason this thing doesn't come together for other factors, I would hate to see, if this moves forward, I would hate to see demolition of the existing infrastructure that's there for the model airplane club. So is there a way to have language or to have a process moving forward to make sure that this thing is a complete goal before that site gets demolitioned, gets adjusted, gets addressed at all? And maybe nobody can answer that question, but that is a slight concern that I have. Is there anyone in the room who can answer the question from the Edland team or our team? Yeah, I think he's here. And is my point or is my question making sense? You can ask this gentleman. Hello. Good evening, I'm David Apsher. I'm the Chief Development Officer for Edland Renewables. Okay. To answer this question, I think the answer is yes. We can do something. We're in the permit process. We're waiting for replies from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission studies and a number of things that have to be done. And so if you, and we could, pause demolition until everything is certified, satisfied, and final for our design for the site. I think that's what you're asking. I'm out of time, but just to add clarity, if approving Council Member Morton's motion delays or stops the project, I'm not supportive. But if there's language or something that we can say that demolition or any disturbance of the Lexington model airplanes site runway and buildings could be delayed until we know, or paused until we know this project is fully a go, if it passes and moves forward, then I would be supportive of that. Two thoughts. The, it is critical that we begin construction around June 15th. In fact, we really need to be under construction in June 15th, okay? We need to have something completed in the very near term to qualify for the investment tax credits that are associated with this. And without the investment tax credit, the project is financially unviable, you know. The site that, you know, in question here, the 54 acres, is where we fully intend to build the transformers and whatnot, because it is the best location on the site. It has the closest proximity to what we, in the industry, call the point of interconnect. It is the place that makes the most sense. Putting something, you know, farther away or someplace else, it simply doesn't make sense. And it adds, you know, a lot, a lot of cost to the project. This project costs a lot already. We're building on a landfill and, you know, on the capped areas. And it's kind of spread out, you know. The topography isn't perfect for solar, so to speak, you know. And so, but we are quite willing to make sure that all those determinations are made and before we would consider demolition of what's on that property at the moment. Only caveat is, we will need to build something there. Very likely. We would need to build something there. It's likely, you know, transformer pads, inverter pads, and things like that. But we've got to get into construction, folks. All right, thank you. And our creditors, you know, our lenders need to know that really Monday. No later than Monday. Probably tomorrow if they're in the office. Okay. Thank you, Council Member James. Council Member Brown said he is satisfied with that. Thank you. Next is Council Member Sviggum. Yeah, I just want to say that I kind of agree with Council Member Brown. I don't plan to support this amendment. And I do actually, I understand the timing issue and how you've got to get to this. I do believe, though, you also have to, there's a lot of pieces that still will not build this project. I mean, the whole industrial revenue bond, all those pilot agreements, all of those things that one piece comes through us for sure. So we have multiple things that do come through us. But I do think that there's multiple ways that this project, there's one path that it has a possibility of succeeding. There's probably multiple risk factors going, you know, that keep, that will keep coming up that could make it more difficult. And I just don't want to throw another one in there right now. Thank you. All right, thank you. Council Member Sheehan, I'll come back to you. Council Member Morton, did you want to speak to your motion? We did a separation kind of speaking when I made the motion to separate. Yeah, they were two different. I'll wait then, I'll wait. Okay, thank you. Council Member Sheehan. Thank you, Mayor. I think this question is for Edlin Renewables. So you would, so without the pilot agreement, you would start construction on the project prior to having all of that in place? In this case, yes. For the purpose of meeting the Trump administration's federal definition of being under construction, we would go ahead and begin making physical improvements at the site without an IRB. And what is the timeline for the IRB at this point? Typically, it's the last thing you do before you go to full notice to proceed. So our, I think on our schedule, it calls for us bringing, coming back to you this summer with the industrial revenue bond package with the community benefit assessment. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Morton. Thank you, thank you. So, and I think from, just from what I heard, I thought that, and maybe someone can give me some clarification. I thought that the construction had to start by July 4th to meet all the deadlines tied to the financing and all those different things. Can someone speak to that? And briefly, I only have four minutes. Get it, get it fast. So this is deep in the intricacies of the big beautiful bill and the federal definition of what under construction means. So you need to have 200 hours of site work on site having occurred. You need to have a contract in place with a general contractor in an energy, in an engineering procurement and construction firm. And you have to have made substantial down payments on purchasing things like panels or inverters, the material that are required to power the site. So doing those things meets the federal definition of being under construction, which is what we intend to do by July 4th of this year. What that does is it gives us until the end, till, it gives us a few years to get the project Councilman Morton built. And so, I think it's a difference between a term of art and a term of science, is that it's a very narrow definition to meet the federal rules of safe harbor. But in terms of having dozers out on the site and people putting panels in the ground, we're a long way from that. Because the lead time, for instance, on new panels, if I were to order panels today, it's gonna be six months before they get here. There's a 45 week lead time on inverters, which is the, which converts the power that comes from the sun into the one that we can use. So this is about as much about supply chain as it is about finance, as it is about being able to secure land control to get this process moving. Thank you. So, and then just quick, I guess you guys should know. So I guess you would see the difference between the terminology of construction. There's a difference between in this field, construction and panel installation. I guess you would say. Correct. That's absolutely right. That's fair. And you wouldn't, I guess, be opposed to the change of a language to say before panel installation is installed. David, you wanna address that? And if you could do it within about 30 seconds, please, because if not, I'm gonna have to cut you off. Sure. Keep going, so. I'm sorry, what was the question? Basically, rather than saying under construction, changing that word to panel installation, because construction could, I guess, folks could tie it up for this amendment. The structure that's outlined in the OBB, and you know, in the statute, effectively, in order to be 100% sure that we satisfy under construction, I need to build something, and it's best to pay for it. So that's why I really would, the earlier the better. I mean, if I can start construction in May, I will. Because we have to secure this project. It's not panels, okay? We're not putting stuff in the ground, we're not building structures to support solar panels, we're not running a bunch of cable and all that kind of stuff. We're starting to put the basic, the foundational things in place. I think. May I clarify? Council Member Morton's question is, the motion on the floor is I move to amend item one under second reading of the resolution to require that no construction commenced until the community benefits agreement's been approved by council. His question is, how would this work? The resolution to require that no panel installation commence until community benefits has been approved. Can you, Mr. Edlin, do you know what the? No panels will be installed until we get full notification for notice to proceed to construct for full construction. Okay. So what we have to do in the interim to qualify for this, I know this is all backwards, but we didn't design the process, you know, is we have to do a few things differently now to satisfy the statute for start of construction. We will not be pulling cable, we won't even be ordering solar panels until we get full notice to proceed, and that is the point, as Edlin mentioned, that we would have the discussion, because we'll have a full design at this point. Everything's approved. We have a full design, we have full interconnect requirements satisfied with the Energy Commission and with Kentucky Utilities and with the Public Service Commission, all those things, and then we can proceed to this discussion, I think, with regards to the community benefits. Okay, thank you very much. Council, can you agree to give Council Member Morton two minutes to finish his questioning? Is that, that seems okay. Okay, please go ahead and then. So, and I think, I mean, I can understand the, I guess, the difference between the language tied to construction and maybe there's a difference between panel installation, and I would be more than willing to heed an amendment to this motion to change it to panel installation, but what I will say, if it is not panel installation or if we don't look at this from this lens, that basically, currently as it lies, construction will start at the Haley Pike, that a CBA that we've been talking about for these last, I don't know how many weeks, would not come back before Council until, I guess, decided between when the developer wanted to negotiate, but basically, it wouldn't have to come back before Council until operations start, which means that we will allow for the construction, the development of the Haley Pike, everything to take place, and then basically say, well, no, you can't operate because this CBA doesn't work. I think, and if everybody can just think about that, what body would say that? What body would allow someone to develop a property, wait until after it's developed, come back, try to negotiate a CBA, and then if that CBA does not work, tell them no. So make them, all that investment we're talking about, financial, fiscal responsibility, financial investment that's coming from that side, and then we could turn around and tell them no because that CBA did not meet this threshold. That literally would not make any sense, and what that would do is basically just say, if that is approved today, then ultimately, whatever comes before this Council for the CBA is essentially gonna have to be approved, unless we're gonna tell this developer that he's gonna waste all his money and that the solar field, whatever's left out there after construction, after the CBA's decline, it's just gonna be there. So I think, if we just sit and think through this process, of the intent of that motion, what we've been talking about for the past weeks, it just, I can't make it make sense. So to me, if this goes through without this motion or without at least a minute motion tied to the panels or something, the CBA is useless or it's gonna be at the loose minute because ultimately, it's gonna already be developed. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Sheehan. I think, considering the timeline of the pilot agreements being in the summer, that's only a few months from now. If we, and considering that the panel installation would be, sounds like well after that timeline, I would be willing to make a friendly amendment unless you would like to make that yourself. So then, amending the language to say no panel installation commence until the community benefits agreement has been approved by council. So moved. Okay, that's been moved by Council Member Sheehan, second by Council Member Morton. I think you'd like to comment. I do, I have a comment. Okay. So we won't begin to put real property on the site, Council Member Sheehan, until the industrial revenue bond is passed because that gives us the tax abatement that we need to make this project work. So fully recognizing I'm not a member of the council, it might make sense to just connect the community benefit plan and the IRB, that approval simultaneously because what that presents us as the opportunity is to be able to take back to our financier a deal that is cleaner, but at the same time based in the reality of development that we won't put any equipment on this site until we've got tax abatement in place for it. But what Council Member Morton's amendment does is it puts a false set of handcuffs on this project that really don't affect an outcome, particularly when the economics of the deal, dictate that we're not gonna put equipment on site until we're able to abate that tax. Can I respond? Yeah, I still have time, so. Whatever, yeah. Well, if we've taken out the word construction and changed the wording to panel installation, then we wouldn't be saying that you can't put any equipment on site. You'd be able to do the initial construction that you were talking about. But it's still an encumbrance, right? It's still an encumbrance, and I think just the simpler. The way to get the council clearly wants to make sure you have another check and balance on this project. I absolutely respect that You do have it because approval of the CBA Per our agreement with you in this contract and the industrial revenue bond. They all come back through here So you're already getting what you want What I'm asking for you is to do is not put another encumbrance on me that I have to explain to a financier who's already skeptical of this project because again It's not at market rate It is at a landfill and we're not and we're not able to we're not able to charge what you could charge in a private sector Transaction so this project literally has everything going against it but for a local developer who loves this community and wants to see us become a national leader in the green energy revolution and The climate challenge and so please do not put any more delays or encumbrances on me particularly when Institutionally, you already have the check and balance. I Understand that you're saying that you have to report to your financiers We also have to report to our community and and we represent the community And so we have to also think about that. So I do appreciate it. I'm trying to find a middle ground here This is kind of in the moment where we're having this conversation There's a couple other council members that are signed up to speak. So I'm gonna let them weigh in on the amendment. Thank you Thank You vice mayor Wu Thank You mayor, mr. Elon What was your original timeline to go through the industrial revenue bond? Process and when would you expect that to come before us? Well, we expected to be bringing that to you to you roughly now The issue is is that we as you know We wanted to negotiate as good of a deal as we could for the community and we've taken a long time In doing that and so because the because the the Gantt chart has slid essentially two months It delays our ability to to to bring the IRB back before you and so we haven't had the conversations yet with the taxing authorities Because it wouldn't be appropriate because we didn't want it We didn't want you to presume that we thought we had land control when you haven't awarded it So there is very much a domino effect to this process And so getting us land control means that then I can have the conversation with the taxing authorities come to a great Conclusion on what the industrial revenue bond and the payment in lieu of taxes revenue will be and we can get this project done So if this lease passes in its unamended form When would you expect to be able to bring that? IRB Decision we would be back this summer. We would certainly be back this summer Okay, and then what you have also said is you're committing to essentially bundling the CBA Agreement in with the IRB so that we're gonna vote on it basically as a package if I had a recommendation to you that's what the that's what the amendment to the lease in my view ought to be is that the CBA and the IRB and the Pilot are all connected and must come before the council simultaneously for approval and earlier when we were talking about sort of holding construction up until the CBA and I I don't want to quote you but it felt like there was kind of a chicken-and-the-egg kind of Conversation about which one needed to come first. So if this lease is approved unamended today And you would expect the IRB to come back to us by summer. We go on break beginning of July So hopefully then otherwise, I think we'd beat that. I think we could beat that. Okay, so and and that's great So now you are saying that that CBA can be hashed out in that same time for absolutely because then we'll know what numbers We're dealing with specifically. Okay. Thank you. Yes, sir Thank you All right councilmember Brown for a second go round This is my second Thank you, mayor. And I think from what I heard from most of the conversation and mr Even you can correct me. You said no major no major construction and or It's going to take place until you the industrial revenue bond Are approved through council and I think our concern or at least one of my concerns is no major work is going to take place on the site until We approve the IRB and the industrial revenue bond So you're okay with us tying those two together coming back to council. I am approval okay, so long as we're not precluded from the ability to fence or Put concrete plant kept put concrete pads in place prior to the big beautiful build deadline Okay All right. So so with so with that I'll make a motion to amend I'm trying to think of the appropriate word and law if y'all want to help the appropriate place to put or amend this motion Two amendments on the floor somebody make and you're wanting to make a third amendment We have councilmember Morton's amendment. We have councilmember Sheehan's amendment and I Unless you're amending her you can withdraw it if you want to withdraw it, but I think he has to amend your Councilmember Brown, are you gonna propose link? Propose different language. I can withdraw my amendment to make this a little clearer and who was your second That's I don't know. Were you the second on councilmember? Sheehan's she is saying she would withdraw it Okay, you're okay with that. So that one is off the floor. Yes, okay Councilmember Brown the motion on the floor is to amend the councilmember Morton's motion And I'll ask law does it make my amendment is going to be to tie the CBA in the industrial revenue bonds coming back to Council together so they come back at the same time. So is it is it prudent to amend councilmember Morton's motion? I Think we would add additional language in the middle of the resolution that indicates Except the community benefit agreement reference therein Which Requires separate approved by the urban County Council prior to execution and which will come To the council for approval in conjunction with the industrial revenue bonds Is that what you're looking for? So the question was? So the intent is to tie the industrial revenue bonds and the CBA together Sure, should that be a separate motion or is it? No, I think I think you I think you would just move to it I think it would be different than the motion that the councilmember Morton made But I think you just move to amend the resident the title of this resolution to require that the CBA Coming before you all for approval in conjunction with the industrial revenue bonds So that's what you would do now But I want to make sure so I want to make sure everybody understands because you all are talking about that So they're going to put some stuff on the property, right? It's gonna be probably on the runway would be my guess So this thing goes Sideways at a later point in time there. There's probably gonna be you know, you there's there I think some things would have to be removed there. They're not going to destroy anything, but some things might have to be removed in order to To bring it back to this current condition as I understand what they're telling you all Does that make sense? Yes, and it sounds like that's inevitable from what right sure but I think from but I'm interested now and making sure that when the Industrial revenue bond approval comes back to council the CBA comes back as well so and Commissioner Barbary, my only question is And you're saying he can make this motion. We have this motion on the floor Is he amending it or are you thinking he's I would prefer I always prefer when they withdraw the motion is so well Well, do you want to do that? Okay, who was your seconder? Who was the seconder of? councilmember Morton's Do you want to withdraw your second? All right that uncomplicates things. All right. Thank you very much and now we have a motion on the floor by councilmember Brown to tie the CBA with the Industrial revenue bond when they come this summer and councilmember Higgins Ford, I believe seconded it. All right now is there discussion? Vice mayor Wu Thank You mayor Councilmember Brown just so I am very clear since it's been a slightly confusing This is not an amendment to councilmore member Morton's Motion because he's withdrawn it so it will not have any language About construction or panel installation, right? No, okay from my understanding. No, okay So what you're doing is basically just saying The community benefits agreement and the IRB have to be basically approved together Yes that those both of those agreements are going to come back to council at the same at the same time Okay. Thank you. All right. Thank you Now does anyone else wish to speak to the motion on the floor? All right, all those in favor, please say aye is anyone opposed? All right that motion passes Now is there anything else about number one before we have it read as amended anything else I have a quick question about was that a material change and Puts it back to a to a further put it back to a first reading that is I'm not an attorney, but count Commissioner Barbary It's Does it need a new second first reading? Well, you could in an abundance of caution, but we don't think it probably is Okay, you don't think it is. All right All right. Any other questions? All right, will you please read item number one resolution as amended I Don't want a resolution authorizing undirecting mayor or her designee on behalf the urban county government and the Lexington Fair beginning government public facilities corporation to Execute a ground lease agreement awarded pursuant to RFP number 35 20 25 Haley Pike solar lease and any additional necessary documents related there Except the community benefit agreement referenced therein Which shall require separate approval by the urban county council prior to the execution and which shall return to council for approval coinciding with the industry revenue bond with solar impact solar LLC leasing approximately 357 acres of the Haley Pike landfill for the development construction and operation of a solar photovoltaic project in consideration of anticipated revenue in the amount of $30,345 as a base lease payment in the first year as amended And we have a motion to approve is there a second Councilmember Savigny and when you're ready, if you'll take a roll call vote, please Councilmember Eblen no Councilmember Ellinger Councilmember Hale no Councilmember Higgins horde Councilmember Lynch yes Councilmember Morton Councilmember Reynolds Councilmember Savigny Councilmember Sheehan yes vice mayor Wu Councilmember Beasley Councilmember Boone. Yes, ma'am and councilmember Brown Yes, all right, thank you that passes ten to three with two absences All right. Now we're ready for the rest of the second reading of resolutions Item to Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute a release of easement releasing a sanitary sewer easement on the property located at 3055 Fountain Blue Lane item 3 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government to approve the amendment to the solid waste management plan for 2023 through 2027 at a cost not to exceed $562.44 for advertising item 4 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government to execute a purchase of service agreement with 0.1 USA LLC for bomb technician training at a cost not to exceed $60,000 item 5 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute an agreed order with the Commonwealth of Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to resolve permit violations at the West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant and further authorizing the payment of a civil penalty in the amount of $5,000 to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Kentucky State Treasurer item 6 a resolution accepting a bid of CY LLC DBA lean fest Establishing a price contract for catering services with the Family Care Center for the Department of Social Services and authorizing the mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute the current catering agreement with CY LLC DBA lean fest and further authorizing at the director of Procurement or his designee to execute any necessary documents related to the contract item 7 a Resolution on ratifying the permanent classified civil service appointments of Philip Smith Street sweeper great 515 and 23.638 hourly in the Division of Streets and Roads effective February 25 2026 Randy Rosenbaum producer grade 5 1 8 in 27.364 hourly the Division of Government Communications effective March 8th 2026 item 8 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute change order number one to the agreement the Friends of Wolf Run Incorporated for a stormwater quality project for the Division of Water Quality decreasing the contract price by the sum of $8,504 and 24 cents from fifty three thousand twenty dollars to forty four thousand five hundred fifteen dollars and 76 cents item 9 I was just an authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute an agreement with Eastern Kentucky University for student field placement opportunities item 10 It was just an authorizing and directing mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute an agreement with the Bluegrass Community Technical College for clinical experience experience for paramedic students item 11 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute an amendment to the agreement with repairs of the breach incorporated in order to add a location to the project service area and further authorizing mayor to execute any other amendments with the repairs of the breach incorporated related to the agreement item 12 a Resolution authorizing and directing mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute an agreement with the st. Joseph health care health system incorporated for the use of emergency room as a clinical practice area item 13 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government except a grant from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet's Office of Highway Safety for participation in the traffic safety program which grant funds are in the amount of 231 thousand three hundred ten dollars in federal funds no local matches required and authorizing mayor to transfer any more funds in the grant budget item 14 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf of McKenna government execute an agreement an amendment to the agreement with risk management services company for the third-party administration for claims management services and claims adjustment handling services for workers compensation auto liability and physical damage general liability and Property claims to authorize additional one-year extensions at the current contract pricing at a cost estimated not to exceed four hundred nineteen thousand six hundred dollars plus 20% of subrogation in FY 2027 item 15 a Resolution authorizing mayor or or the be on behalf the urban kind of government to enter into a statement of work with I owe solutions Incorporated for testing applicants for the division of fire and emergency services for recruit firefighter positions at a cost not to cede $1,875 in item 16 It was an authorizing mayor on behalf of our beginning government to enter into a statement of work with a CPS HR consulting for fire lieutenant fire captain and fire a major promotional process for the division of fire and emergency services at a cost not to see 155 thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? Thank You councilmember Reynolds and councilmember Savigny. All right when you're ready if you'll take a roll call vote, please Yes Councilmember Edwin yes councilmember Ellinger Councilmember Hale yes Councilmember Higgins word yes Councilmember Lynch yes councilmember Morton Councilmember Reynolds yes councilmember Savigny Councilmember Sheehan yes vice mayor Wu Councilmember Beasley Councilmember Boone. Yes, ma'am and councilmember Brown Thank you. All right. Thank you. Those all pass and now it's time for first reading of resolutions Item 17 Resolution authorizing mayor on behalf of the county government executed fourth renewal of the engineering services agreement services agreement order pursuant to RFP number 13 2022 a stand tech consulting services and corporate for continued implementation of the same series through a capacity assurance program required by the consent decree at a cost estimated not to exceed $300,000 item 18 a Resolution authorizing and direct the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute an agreement with the National Cinemedia LLC for an eight-week advertising campaign at a cost not to exceed $13,000 item 19 a Resolution authorizing and direct the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute change order number one to the agreement with Sir, Houston Holton a commissioning for air leakage testing associated with the new senior and therapeutic center construction Increasing the count of the amount by $8,000 raising the total contract amount from $37,080 to $45,080 and 20 It was a channel thousand or three mayor on behalf of the county government execute an affiliation agreement with the University of Louisville Louisville providing students from the university's Kent School of Social Work and Family Science to support the division of aging and disability services at New cross to the urban county government item 21 It was an authorizing mayor on behalf of the county government to submit various grant applications to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to provide any additional information requesting the connection with this grant of these applications and to accept these grants if awarded which grant funds are in the amount of 1 million one hundred ninety thousand six hundred seventy two dollars five hundred and forty nine thousand six hundred FHWA planning one hundred and eight thousand FTA FTA section 5303 and five hundred thirty three thousand seventy two dollars for surface transportation block grant SLX in federal funds and sixty eight thousand seven hundred in common with the Kentucky funds for FY 2027 transportation planning activities the acceptance of which obligates every kind of government to the expenditure of $228,960 as a local matching authorizing mayor to execute and submit any other documents necessary for the administration of these grants and authorizing mayor to transfer adequate funds within the grant budget item 22 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government execute amendment number one to the agreement with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet accepting additional federal funds $83,828 under the surface transportation block grant block grant program SLX for FY 2026 transportation planning activities the acceptance of which obligates every kind of government to the expenditure of an additional $20,957 as a local matching authorizing mayor to execute any other necessary documents related to this grant and authorizing mayor to transfer adequate funds for the grant budget item 23 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to approve and execute a training and expense reimbursement contract within with new division of higher new division of police hires for reimbursement of training expenses from any Kentucky law enforcement agency that hires a Lexington police officer within five year period from the date of their Academy at graduation item 24 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government execute an agreement related to the council capital project expenditure funds with Lex arts incorporated $3,909 for the office of the Urban County Council to construct or see this unstated item to item 25 a Resolution something a bit of tecton construction LLC in the amount of two hundred seven thousand seven hundred forty six dollars for the Castlewood Community Center entrance improvement project for the division of parks and recreation authorizing mayor on behalf of every kind of government to execute an agreement with tecton construction LLC related to the bid item 26 a Resolution to ratify the permanent classified civil service appointments of William razor attorney senior grade 5 3 0 or e 3588 point 0 8 bi-weekly in the Department of Law effective March 8 2026 and ratifying the permanent sworn appointments of Jacob's Jacob stack Please sergeant grade 315 in 42 point 9 6 a hourly in the police effective February 25 20 20 26 and 27 a Resolution authorizing the division of community corrections on behalf of every kind of government to purchase service Services related to the fire monitoring and suppression of the Siemens industry incorporated social provider at a cost estimated not to exceed $40,100 and 47 cents and authorizing mayor on behalf of every kind of government execute an agreement and any other documents related to the procurement of these services include future renewals subject to the appropriation of sufficient funds and future fiscal years item 28 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf every kind of government executed change your number five final to the agreement lack of incorporated for Joyland area storm drainage project contract number three six five 2024 for the division of water quality increasing the contract by the sum of one hundred four thousand nine hundred fifty two dollars from one million one hundred eighty two thousand one hundred twenty six dollars to one million two two hundred eighty seven thousand and seventy eight dollars I'm twenty nine It was not a resolution authorizing mayor on behalf every kind of government execute a purchase of service agreement with the Hope Center incorporated For the division of community corrections to provide daily recovery services to the inmates at the Fayette County Detention Center affected July 1 2026 to the June 30 2027 at a cost estimated not to exceed $228,000 in FY 2027 subject to sufficient funds being Appropriated item 30 a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf every kind of government execute to purchase a service agreement with the Lexington Pride Center for the to support the annual LGTBQ festival at a cost not to exceed $10,000 item 31 a Resolution authorizing mayor on behalf every kind of government execute a host side agreement with Kentucky Association of environmental education for the workforce development Internship program for the division of parks and recreation at a cost of no cost to the urban county government item 32 a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf every kind of government executed first renewal of the memorandum of agreement with Fayette County Public Schools for the continued operation of a day treatment center by Fayette County Public Schools at the Audra Grievous Center at a cost estimated at a cost not to exceed $300,000 in fiscal year 2027 item 33 it was just an authorizing mayor on behalf every kind of government executed first renewal of the lease agreement with the Fayette County Public Schools for premises located at 1177 Harry Sykes Way also known as the Audra Grievous Center for a period of July 1 2026 through June 30 2028 for its exclusive use in the continuing operation of a day treatment program on the premises item 34 a Resolution authorizing the indirect amendment on behalf of every kind of government to execute an agreement with the city-wide software LLC To establish and host a housing listing platform on the urban county government website as a pilot project with all cost costs of service paid Through the listing service fees charged by city-wide software LLC with a 10% of all net listing fees annually remitted to the urban county government item 35 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of every kind of government to execute The welcoming certification agreement with welcoming America for certified welcoming status for the Department of Social Services global legs at a cost not to exceed $8,400 I'm 36 a position authorizing director mayor on behalf every kind of government to execute a three-year service agreement and related documents with sin tasks for at least of automated external defibrillator AED units for the division and environmental services at a cost not to exceed $9,720 I'm 37 a resolution authorizing mayor on behalf of every kind of government to execute professional services agreement or to pursue into RFP number 4 2026 with solar energy energy solutions LLC for installation of a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic system at the police sector West at a cost not to exceed $54,440 and 70 cents item 38 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of every kind of government to execute change order number two to the agreement with third rock consultants LLC for design services related to the wolf run watershed section 319 H grant project increasing the contract price by the sum of $13,800 from one hundred eighty six thousand four hundred fifty to two hundred thousand and two hundred and fifty dollars item 39 a Resolution authorizing director mayor on behalf every kind of government execute and submit a grant application to the Kentucky Justice and public safety cabinet to provide any additional information request and in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant if awarded which grant funds are in the amount of fifty six thousand seven hundred fifty dollars for the 2026 project safe neighborhood PSN grant for a gun liaison program to match No local matches required and authorizing the mayor to transfer an agreement with the grant budget item 40 a Resolution authorizing director mayor on behalf of every kind of government execute and submit a grant application to Kentucky Justice and public safety cabinet to provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application to accept this grant if awarded which grant funds are in the amount of Eighteen thousand seven hundred ninety five dollars for the 2026 project safe neighborhood PSN grant to purchase an IBI as clear case Acquisition station subscription no local matches required and authorizing mayor to transfer an agreement with the grant budget item 41 Resolution authorizing director mayor on behalf every kind of government to execute and submit a grant application to Kentucky Justice and public safety cabinet to provide any additional information request in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant if awarded which grant funds are in the amount of eighty two thousand eight hundred thirty nine dollars for the 2026 subject project safe neighborhood PSN grant to Purchase an IBI as clear case acquisition station subscription No local matches required and authorizing mayor to transfer an agreement with the grant budget Item 42 a resolution authorizing the Division of Police to purchase a jet a aviation fuel from signature flight air Incorporated a solicitor provider and authorizing mayor on behalf every kind of government execute and in as a certain agreement with a signature flight air incorporated related to the procurement and across our seed one dollar and ten cents per gallon based on fluctuating prices item 43 a Resolution authorizing and director mayor on behalf every kind of government execute agreement related to neighborhood development funds with windburn neighborhood association corporate 750 Lexington Community Police Academy Alumni Association incorporated four hundred and ninety nine dollars ninety two cents in Lexington high school Bet baseball booster incorporated five hundred black yarn incorporated 1850 the Fayette County Public School Education Foundation Corporation 2000 LF you see G senior intern program four thousand hearts for basketball Christian Academy incorporated four hundred and fifty and the black soil soil charitable fund incorporated one thousand dollars for the office of the urban County Council to cost not to see the sum stated and item 44 a Resolution authorizing the indirect the mayor behalf urban County government execute an agreement related to council capital project expenditure funds with LF UCG division of traffic engineering $17,727 and 60 cents for the office of the urban County Council at a constant to see this some stated. Thank you Thank you very much. Are there any walk-ons? councilmembers Is there any motion to suspend vice mayor Wu Thank You mayor in light of our upcoming two-week recess I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to all first readings of resolutions 17 through 43 44 sorry Okay, Kelsey councilmember Reynolds seconds any questions or comments All right, all those in favor Say aye All right. Is anyone opposed? All right, if you will go ahead then and read all those resolutions We got it Item 17 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of mechanic up next to get a fourth renewal with the engineering services agreement or awarded pursuant to RFP number 1322 with stand tech consulting services incorporated for continuing implementation of the cemeteries your capacity assurance program required by the consent decree at a cost not received estimated not received $300,000 item 18 a Resolution authorizing a direct the mayor on behalf every kind of government to execute an agreement with National Cinemedia LLC for eight-week advertising campaign at a cost not received $13,000 item 19 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf every kind of government execute changing a warranty the agreement is there Houston Holton? commissioning for air leakage testing associated with a new senior and therapeutic center construction increasing the amount by $8,000 raising the total contract amount from 37,000 82 45,000 $80 item 20 a resolution authorizing direct the mayor on behalf every kind of government execute an affiliation agreement with the University of Louisville providing students from the University University's Kent School of Social Work and Family Science to support the division of aging and disability services at New Cross to the urban kind of government I'm in 21 a Resolution authorizing mayor on behalf every kind of government to submit various grant applications to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to provide any additional information We'll present in connection in connection with this grant these applications and to accept these grants if awarded which grant funds on the amount of 1 million one hundred ninety thousand six hundred seventy dollars five hundred and forty nine thousand six hundred FHWA planning one hundred eight thousand FTA section 5303 and 533,072 service transportation block grant SLX and federal funds and sixty eight thousand seven hundred in commonwealth and Kentucky funds from for FY 2027 transportation planning activity the acceptance of which obligates every kind of government to the expenditure of two hundred twenty eight thousand nine Hundred sixty dollars as a local match authorizing the mayor to execute and submit any other documents necessary for the administration of those grants and authorize the mayor to transfer adequate funds with the grant budget item 22 a Resolution authorizing mayor on behalf every kind of government execute amendment number one to the agreement with Kentucky transportation Transportation cabinet accepting additional federal funds eighty three thousand eight hundred twenty eight dollars under the surface transportation block grant program SLX for FY 2026 transport transportation planning activities the acceptance of which obligates every kind of government to the expenditure of an additional twenty thousand nine hundred Fifty seven dollars as a local match Authorizing the mayor to execute any other necessary documents related to the grant and authorizing the mayor to transfer to a number of funds in the Budget item 23 a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf every kind of government approve it to approve and execute a training and expense reimbursement contract with new division of police hires for a reimbursement of training expenses from any Kentucky law enforcement agency that hires a Lexington police officer within a five-year period from the date of their Academy graduation item 24 a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf the urban county government execute an agreement related to council couple project expenditure Funds with Lex arts incorporated three hundred three thousand nine hundred nine dollars for the office of the urban county council at a crossroad to see the some stated item 25 a resolution extended a bit of Tecton construction LLC in the amount of two hundred seven thousand seven hundred forty six dollars For the Castlewood Community Center entrance improvement project for the Division of Parks and Recreation and authorizing mayor on behalf there began a government to execute an agreement with Tecton construction LLC related to the bid item 26 a Resolution ratifying the permanent classified civil service appointments of William razor attorney senior grade 530 e 3588.08 by weekly and department law effective March 8th 2026 and ratifying the permits one appointments of Jacob stout But police sergeant grade 315 and 42 point nine six eight hourly in the division police effective February 25 2026 I'm 27 a Resolution authorizing the division of community corrections on behalf there began a government to purchase service related to fire monitoring and suppression from Siemens and industry incorporated a social provider at a cost estimated not to exceed forty thousand one hundred dollars and 47 cents and authorizing mayor on behalf there began a government to execute an agreement and any other documents related to the procurement of these services including future renewals subject the appropriation of sufficient funds in future fiscal years item 28 a Resolution authorizing the indirect the mayor on behalf her mechanic up next to you changer number five final to the agreement lacko incorporated for Joyland area stormwater drain storm drainage project contract number three six five 2024 for the division of water quality increase in the contract by the sum of one hundred four thousand hundred fifty two dollars from one million a one hundred eighty two thousand one hundred twenty six to one million two hundred eighty seven thousand and seventy eight Dollars on twenty nine it was an authorized a resolution authorizing me on behalf every kind of government execute a purchase of service agreement with The Hope Center incorporated for the division of community corrections for daily recovery services to the inmates of Fayette County Detention Center effective July 1 2026 through June 30 2027 at a cost estimated not to exceed $228,000 in FYI 2027 subject to sufficient funds being appropriated item 30 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf her mechanic up next to get purchase service agreement the Lexington Pride Center to support an annual LGBTQ festival at a cost not best not to exceed $10,000 item 31 It was a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of mechanic up next to you to host site agreement with the Kentucky Association for environmental education for the workforce development internship program for the division of parks and recreation at no cost to every kind of government I am 32 It was issued an authorizing the mayor on behalf of mechanic up next to you to first renewal to the memorandum of agreement with Fayette County Public Schools for the continued operation of the day treatment center by Fayette County Public Schools at the Audrey Grievous Center At a cost not to exceed $300,000 in fiscal year 2027 I'm 33 it was issued an authorizing mayor on behalf of mechanic up next to get a first renewal of the lease agreement with the Fayette County Public Schools for premises located 1177 Harry Sykes way also known as the Audrey Grievous Center for a period of July 1 2026 through June 30 2028 8 for its exclusive use in the continuing continuing operation of a day treatment program for on the premises item 34 a Resolution authorizing indirect the mayor on behalf of mechanic government to execute an agreement with the city wise software LLC to establish and host a Housing listing platform on the urban county government website as a pilot project with all costs of services paid paid for through listing fees charged by the city-wide software LLC and with 10% of all net listing fees annually remitted to the urban kind of government item 35 a Resolution a resolution authorizing mayor and behavior mechanic government execute and the welcoming certification agreement with welcoming America for certified welcoming status for the Department of Social Services global X at a cost not to exceed $8,400 item 36 a position authorizing a dirty man We have every kind of government execute a three-year service agreement related to pro up to documents with the same task for lease of automated external defibrillator a ED units for the Division of Environmental Services and an annual cost not to exceed $9,720 I'm 37 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of mechanic government execute a professional services agreement or were to pursuant to RP number for 2026 with solar energy solutions LLC for installation of a roof of a roof mounted solar Photovoltaic system at police sector West at a cost not to exceed fifty four thousand four hundred forty dollars and seventy cents item 38 a Resolution authorizing mayor on behalf of a kind of government to execute change order number two to the green with third rock consultants LLC for design services related to the wolf run watershed section 319 H grant project increasing the contract price by the sum of $13,800 from one mil 186,000 450 to two hundred thousand two hundred fifty dollars item 39 a Resolution authorizing and direct the mayor and behavior mechanic government execute and submit a grant application to Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Tablet to provide any additional information requests in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant if awarded which grant funds Are in the amount of fifty six thousand seven hundred fifty dollars for the 2026 project safe neighborhood PS in Grant for a gun liaison program no local matches required in authorizing the mayor to transfer and I can refer under the grant route and within the grant budget and item for item 14 a resolution authorizing and direct the mayor on behalf of mechanic government to execute and submit a grant application to Kentucky Justice and Public Safety cabinet to provide any additional information Requested in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant forwarded which grant funds are in the amount of eighteen thousand seven hundred Ninety five dollars for the 2026 project safe neighborhood PSN grant to purchase an IBI is clear case acquisition station subscription no local matches required and authorizing the mayor to transfer an agreement from the grant within the grant budget item 41 a Resolution authorizing direct the mayor and behavior began a government execute and submit a grant application to Kentucky Justice and Public Safety cabinet and to provide any information requested in connection with this grant application to accept this grant forwarded which grant funds are in the amount of Eighty-two thousand eight hundred thirty nine dollars for the 2026 project safe neighborhood PSN grant to purchase an IBI as clear case acquisition station subscription no local match is required and authorizing the mayor to transfer an agreement from the grant budget item 42 a Resolution authorizing the division of police to purchase jet a aviation fuel for sick from signature flight air incorporated social provider and authorizing mayor on behalf They're beginning government to execute and a necessary get with signature of flight air incorporated related to the procurement at a cost at a cost discount discount of one dollar and ten cents per gallon based on fluctuating prices item 43 a Resolution authorizing a direct the mayor on behalf every kind of government next year an agreement related to neighborhood development funds with windburn neighborhood association 750 Lexington Community Police Academy Alumni Association incorporated four hundred ninety nine dollars and then you since Lexington Fayette High School baseball booster incorporated five hundred black yarn incorporated 1850 the Fayette County Public School Education Foundation Corporation 2000 LF UCG senior intern program four thousand hearts for basketball Christian Academy incorporated 450 and black soil charitable foundation corporation incorporated $1,000 for the office of the urban county council at a cost not to see the sum stated in item 44 a Resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf urban county government execute an agreement related to council capital project expenditure funds with LF UCG division of traffic engineering 17,000 seven hundred twenty seven dollars and sixty eight cents for the office of their mechanic council at a cost not to see exceed the sum Stated. Thank you. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? Councilmember Morton vice mayor Wu seconded and when you're ready, if you'll take a roll call vote, please Councilmember Eblen, yes, ma'am. Councilmember Ellinger Councilmember Hale yes Councilmember Lee Higgins word. Yes. Thank you Councilmember Lynch. Yes at councilmember Morton At councilmember Reynolds. Yes at councilmember civic me Councilmember Sheehan. Yes, vice mayor Wu. Yes councilmember Beasley Councilmember Boone. Yes, ma'am and councilmember Brown. Yes. Thank you. All right. Thank you those all pass Now I believe councilmember Brown has a motion Thank You mayor I'd like to go back into the same spirit of vice mayor woods since we're going to be out make a motion to approve Ordinance for first reading for second reading six and seven so move councilmember Morton seconds any discussion All those in favor say aye Is anyone opposed? All right that motion passes So when you are ready if you will give number six and seven ordinances second reading Ordinance number six an ordinance mending section two four nine six of the code of ordinances to reduce the membership of the mirrors International Affairs Advisory Commission to 23 members by decreasing the sum the member the number of members from Africa Asia Europe and Americas and the Middle East from three to two each and item seven an ordinance pursuant to section 612 of the Charter the Lexington Urban County Government to reorganize and restructure LF UCD divisions and departments as follows transferring the division of engineering and all incumbents in all authorized position and all vacant positions at their current job classification pay grade and salary from the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works to the Department of Planning and Preservation transferring the division of building inspection and all incumbents in all authorized position and all vacant positions at their current job classification pay grade and salary from The Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works to the Department of Planning and Preservation with such reorganization effective upon passage of Council But provided the implementation of all accompanying financial updates shall be made effective July 1 2026 thank you is there a motion to approve vice mayor Wu second by councilmember Sheehan and When you're ready, we'll do the roll call vote Let's go Councilmember Eblen yes, yes, ma'am. Thank you councilmember Ellinger Councilmember Hale yes Councilmember Higgins horde yes, thank you councilmember Lynch. Yes councilmember Morton Councilmember Reynolds yes councilmember civic me Councilmember Sheehan yes vice mayor boo. Yes councilmember Beasley Councilmember Boone yes, ma'am and councilmember Brown. Yes. Thank you All right. Thank you those pass That brings us to communications from the mayor first our appointments Thank You vice mayor councilmember Savigny are there any questions All Those in favor say aye Is anyone opposed? All right that motion passes The next communication from the mayor is donations I can have councilmember Reynolds and second by councilmember Beasley are there questions about the donations All those in favor, please say aye Is anyone opposed all right that motion passes and the final communication from the mayor is procurements Could I have a motion? Vice mayor Wu second by Councilmember Savigny are there any questions? All right, all those in favor, please say aye Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you. We have some communications for your information There are no police or fire Disciplines tonight and that brings us to council announcements Councilmember Lynch Thank You mayor. I have a few announcements for my district to neighbors Neighbors beginning Monday March 30th. The legacy trail will close between Newstown Springs Drive and citation bill of Boulevard There's a there's a couple of detours if you want to use the trail But please use it cautiously to detour East pedestrians and bicycle Bicyclists will take Newtown Springs Drive to Newtown Centerway to citation Boulevard To detour West take citation Boulevard to Newtown Centerway to Newtown Springs Drive Pedestrians should walk using the sidewalk and this portion of the trail will reopen once the work is complete and this work The detour is occurring because of the widening project of Newtown Pike the adding of the additional lanes So, please if you're going to use the legacy trail Soon, please be very very cautious and aware of the construction that is going on and the new detour detours on the trail Neighbors don't forget who live in Garden Meadows neighborhood Clemson Sunday at 1 o'clock. Just meet in the green space The McConnell's Tracy straight hunt is also Sunday at 2 o'clock Please meet at the trailhead at Bracktown Road. The Mastin Station Creek cleanup is on April the 11th from 10 a.m. To 12 p.m Please show up and Guess I'll go to the creek and we'll be there to give you all the supplies you need There's a spring extravaganza being hosted by 1551 apartment complex is open to the entire community Is on Saturday April the 4th from 12 to 4 p.m. There be games craft and a bouncy castle So kiddos, please come out on April the 4th to that Easter egg hunt Also the district to landlord tenant rights workshop in partnership with community and resident services is April 11th 6 to 8 at black and Williams and then lastly do not forget our district-wide meeting is on Wednesday April the 22nd at 6 p.m At the steam Academy. Thank you so much mayor going on there councilmember Morton Thank You mayor So first and I'll put the slide up there first I want to give a quick shout out to the hunger doesn't take a spring break initiative as we know a spring breaks It's upcoming and hunger definitely does not take a spring break So as spring break approaches, we'll continue to work to make sure our kids don't go without Hunger doesn't take a spring break provide free meals and programming to children across Fayette County regardless of the district So meals would be served at from 1130 to 1 p.m And the locations consist of Charles Young Center Kulivan shelter Douglas Park Green Acres Park MLK Park, which is in Windburn and taste Creek Community Center So I wanted to thank all of our partners which are on the screen right there But then also the council members that I'm supported us and we're partnering and helping support This initiative is truly going to be a great resource throughout the spring break and will Feed over 30 3,000 excuse me 3,000 meals Thousands of snacks going out. It'll be a great spring break for the kids. So please share that information Word of mouth as much as you can and then moving on so the Smithtown Voices project neighborhood voices a piece of the neighborhood voices project So Smithtown we want to hear from you join us for Smithtown voice is a pilot Neighborhood voices project hosted by councilman Brown my office and planning We'll be coming together to share input about the culture the history and the future of the neighborhood whether your current resident Grew up here or care about the community your voice matters Your input would be used to help create policy to highlight future investments needed to preserve the history and culture of the neighborhood and combat Read displacement through highlighting resources needed so this will take place April the 11th Which is a Saturday from 12 p.m. To 3 p.m. At Coulvin Park shelter Come share what makes Smithtown special what you want to see moving forward what resources our community needs to thrive There'll be free free food free meat free family activities music giveaways Pull up bring your boys and be a part of the solution and then lastly my office also working alongside Mr.. Naki and Geomancer are doing the bring back the bluegrass pilot project so join mr. Naki from Geomancer on my off in my office and neighbors as we kick off a community effort to educate and provide community engagement Opportunities highlighting how to unlock the full potential of the bring back the bluegrass within our parks This is more than a site prep and a planting It's about building pride building connection and a greener future for our neighborhood so this will take place at Marlboro Park at 530 So the site prep is going to be April 4th And then the plantings will be April 22nd Which is a Earth Day and then April 24th and April 25th the weekend of follow So whether you're a seasoned gardener, or you just want to lend a hand We'd love to have you out bring a friend bring your family and be part of something that will grow for years to come Let's show up. Let's plant and let's grow together. Thank you Thank you vice mayor Wu Thank You mayor this morning I had the pleasure of joining the mayor and several council members at Woodland Christian Church as They did the ribbon-cutting at the Oaks at Woodland that is 38 units of affordable housing for seniors They got this thing built in right around a year. It took a lot of partners. It took a lot of creative Financing to kind of put this together Councilmembers Brown Lynch and Evelyn were there along with Mayor Gordon I'm super excited about a project like this because It is another way that we're attacking affordable housing in this in this county And I'm hoping very much that this model will be replicated by other members of the faith community If you go back to that last slide, this is the only ribbon-cutting I've ever been to where I got to pick up vitamins And and a pillbox and some lip balm Aetna was one of the sponsors. So that was kind of fun. Thank you Thank You councilmember civic me Thank You mayor, I just wanted to wish councilmember Sheehan a happy birthday tomorrow, that's it Thank You mayor If you're a fan of Kentucky's great authors and poets I hope you'll come to the Kentucky Theatre on Monday night for the annual Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame ceremony This is sponsored by the Carnegie Center for literacy and learning in the Kentucky Arts Council The event begins at 7 p.m. And is free and open to the public no ticket required This year's Hall of Fame honorees include four living writers novelist Silas house Poet Jeff Worley and two of the nation's best-selling authors for children Marcia Thornton Jones and Debbie Daly Debbie Dady, I'm sorry, all of them will be there and signing books afterwards. I hope to see you all there Very good. Thank you councilmember Sheehan, happy birthday Thank You mayor the I want to I Said this on Tuesday But I want to say it here for the council meeting to the survey for the proposed language from the solar working group is Now live for community members to submit comments. You can go to engage Lexington engage Lexington ky gov For the engage page. There are a number of projects there including a new budget page where you can give comments and feedback for our Budget process that we are entering if you go to projects at the top corner You'll see all of the active pages. You do need to register to participate in surveys and forums So, please go and participate. We would love your public input And then because this is going to happen on the day that we get back. I want to go ahead and Announce now that the Lansdowne Merrick Neighborhood Association Is having their neighborhood meeting on April 14th at Tate's Creek Christian Church So they do post signs in the neighborhood to remind people so look for those, but I hope to see you there. Thanks Thank You councilmember Beasley Thank You mayor. I just have some quick announcements one Saturday from 1 to 5 we'll be doing an Easter egg hunt. Our Youth Council has put together a spring fling at Heartland Park There'll be resources there. They're having an egg hunt. There'll be a fire truck and popsicles if anybody wants to come and get one of those The other thing I wanted to say is that tomorrow at noon I will be In a bracket against the Lexington's hearing and speech for our don't let the pigeon drive the bus so everybody make sure that you go to Lex First five Lex and vote for my book and then lastly yesterday councilmember yesterday was our last visit from the Crawford kids There's been four classes of Crawford students come through here for a youth and government day I want to thank all the council members that came all of the staff that came we could not have done it without you Lex TV the council clerk's office. There were lots of moving pieces to that. We got 120 students Through that program over this school year so far Happy birthday councilmember Sheehan. Thank you mayor. Thank you. All right that brings us to public comment For issues not on the agenda. We have a few people signed up and You all probably heard before I'll call your name and if you'll come to the podium You will have three minutes and you'll need to restate your name and state your council district and so First is Isaac Looney followed by Finley Van Hook followed by Cassidy Child Welcome Good evening, my name is Isaac Looney resident of district 3, but tonight I'm here to speak on an issue that affects Lexington residents in all districts and that is the issue of automated license plates readers in this city specifically in Lexington's case flock cameras, so Speaking informatively for anyone unaware These devices are AI powered cameras which photograph and log data regarding every person in vehicle that passes by them all day Every day all night 24-7 What kind of data the title automated license plate reader is misleading? They develop what they call a vehicle fingerprint for every vehicle on the road This includes your license plate characters as well as bumper stickers Dents and scratches on your vehicle and your travel data itself There's over a hundred of these cameras in Lexington and once you learn what they look like, you'll be astonished at how often you see them at every intersection and dead end one-way residential neighborhood entrance and exit So if you live in Beaumont and you work in Tate's Creek There's a chance you pass a dozen of these along the way and that is logged if you stop at a gas station for breakfast On all those days that's logged too. And if you go to your grandparents house on Wednesdays for dinner, that is also logged So the point of these cameras is supposedly to reduce crime the data for that is a little sketchy But regardless of that, I had no idea visiting my grandma was was criminal activity worth gathering data about So what happens with all this data once they have it flock stores it a private company now possesses all the information about where we're going and what we're driving at all times and we just have to trust That long-term they're going to handle this data for eternity with respect and security This is a massive privacy issue that affects Lexington residents Everywhere and many people are not aware about the scope of this program But I am confident that as more people in Lexington learn about ALPRs They will agree with my proposition tonight that proposition being that this council moved to terminate Lexington's Contract with flock safety and make Lexington and ALPR free city as many cities around the country are already doing Thank you. Thank you next is Finley van hook followed by Cassidy child and then Herbert Lynn welcome District 9 I'm also speaking about the flock cameras The number one issue I have with them is In Norfolk, Virginia two towns in Washington, San Francisco, Eugene, Oregon and Milwaukee. There are already lawsuits Against these cities about these cameras And Lexington will be next and it's going to cost a lot of money It's it's not a matter of if it's a matter of when And even if these lawsuits are do not are successful It's gonna cost some money no matter what and if they are successful It's gonna cost city money and we're not going to be able to use the things we already paid for Thank you, thank you Next is Cassidy child followed by Herbert Lynn followed by Willow Jordan welcome Hi, I'm Cassie child, I'm in the 6th district and I also have concerns about the Flock cameras that I've been seeing popping up around Lexington I've noticed them a lot in the last few months particularly ones pointing into my neighborhood and two of them Pointing into the apartment complex that I used to live in before moving to district 6 I understand that in 2020 in last year a five-year extension was Paid towards that and I am also urging City Council to back out of that contract for the same privacy concerns that my peers have listed I Understand Lexington is concerned about Safety I would Prefer to see those efforts and concern going into our road safety and infrastructure instead. I understand that The cost is less but I would rather more I would rather the city be concerned about keeping the roads safe then paying a private company to monitor its citizens and Potentially sell that for a profit as well as giving LPD A unfettered access to our comings and goings without warrants That is about all I had but again I do urge that the council Consider terminating this contract. Thank you. Thank you Herbert Lynn followed by Willow Jordan Welcome Good evening, Mayor Gordon members of the City Council. My name is Herbert Lynn I'm coming to speak before you tonight as a private citizen of the 7th district I am concerned about the flock cameras. I can see one from my backyard It's not pointed in my backyard thankfully But they do see my comings and goings from work every single morning every single day That means they can see your comings and goings and every single member or excuse me Every single citizen of this city They know when we are not home when our homes are unprotected when our children or our spouses are at home alone They can see and this is publicly accessible data You don't have to do any hacking you can go through Google and access these cameras as has been documented By several researchers in the IT field you can see when our children are alone at parks when we're out on by ourselves for a jog These cameras cost taxpayers Way too much money for what they provide you would expect that Lexington's crime statistics would be a lot better than what they are given the cost of these cameras the truth is our crime statistics the reductions we've seen Have barely kept pace with national averages. Thank you. Thank you very much Willow Jordan followed by Gary Jones Yeah, did the timer go too fast Oh Okay, we all thought it was kind of fast you have two more minutes. It seems right on it's all I need so given the cost of these cameras you'd think we'd see a Better benefit to our community than keeping up with the national average that means we're keeping up with communities that also do not have these cameras in place and Given the risk they have they pose to our community whether that is Information or whether that is security whether that is information that is being shared with ice that endangers our immigrant neighbors Whether that is information that can be accessed by hackers and private individuals who do not pay for this Access like the city police do given the cost to our community I don't think it is worthwhile to continue with this program And I think a good place to start Would perhaps be a study to determine one the statistical benefit of these cameras if any measured against control Communities that do not have these cameras as well as investigations into the credible Security risks that these cameras pose to our community and the platforms that they operate on I think that would be a good place to start to determine whether these are or are not a benefit to our community And I think that would give the City Council good Good information to move forward on to determine whether it's worth continuing that contract. Thank you. Thank you Next is Willow Jordan Followed by Gary Jones, then Dylan Byrne Born excuse me Welcome Hello, my name is Willow Jordan, and I live in District 3 I'm here tonight to express my concern over automated license plate readers flock cameras These devices use AI technology to track people in vehicles with the stated purpose of assisting law enforcement To the contrary these cameras have never been shown to reduce crime but they have been subject to several data breaches and Have been used by rogue law enforcement officers to illegally stalk people such as a Kansas police officer Who used the cameras to stalk his estranged wife? ALPRs also pose a threat to various groups that are currently being targeted by ice and the Trump administration Personally I don't want to be tracked by AI and for all the reasons stated I don't want flock cameras or any other type of ALPR present in this community as Your constituent I ask each of you to oppose ALPRs. However, you can in Particular I would like to see steps taken to prevent the installation of more cameras To require a warrant to access data and if it's possible To remove existing cameras or terminate our city's contract with flock There are so many things we could spend our money on instead of an AI surveillance network this is a very important issue to myself my friends and my colleagues and Will heavily influence how we vote in the upcoming elections Thank you for your time. Thank you. Gary Jones Dylan born and Trevor Davis Welcome District 11 So, my name is Gary Jones, you guys probably already know that by now I'm the fourth generation born in Lexington raised in Lexington, and I'm here today about concerns about a pattern I believe deserves attention by you guys in many communities. There are there's cooperation between neighborhood Organizations informal watch groups local law enforcement in particular the cooperation meant to enhance safety However, oversight is limited. There is potential for this for the structure to be misused by individuals acting on their own interest specifically I'm concerned about Possibility then in certain cases housing pressures speculative real estate activity many intersect with community level influence in ways that Negatively impact residents when property values rise outside investment comes in Creates pressure on that on the people that already live there And this is the tactics You know to get these houses get this neighborhood flips You know get that investment property make that money, you know, they have all the incentive It's just the balance of the neighborhood I mean the neighborhood changes people out people in I understand things, you know roll over But when you get this type of price increase and property values, you just get a whole lot of people interested in stuff They didn't used to be interested in anymore. So it creates some Some danger for our community the people that already live in our communities of being pushed out You know just ran over bulldozed or everyone call it So I think we need protections. I think the city really needs to make sure that we weigh investment and and building and development With the residents the safety the neighborhood the people that have been here I'm my family's been here for you know, I'm the fifth generation So fourth fifth my kids are the fifth my granddaughters is six So we've been here for a long time and it you know seems very The tactics, you know might be something you guys want to look into Or maybe you already know I don't know I don't know how this goes And I call it gentrification in one city they call it things in other cities I'm just now learning about it because I'm seeing it right before my eyes. So It's really something to watch though. It is That's all I got sir, thank you next is Dylan born followed by Trevor Davis welcome All right, thanks for your time I'm also here to speak on the flot cameras Your name, please. Oh, yeah My name is Dylan born from district one. Thank you. I'm here to talk about the flot cameras Popping up around town and inform the council if they aren't aware of the broad risks and implications Of having these cameras deployed everywhere in our beautiful community Back in November an independent security audit was done by someone named gain Sec is a security researcher on the Falcon units and over 60 risks were found and publicized Okay, I would encourage you all to look into this research the findings were pretty alarming The TLDR is basically they were able to get root access Which means they could you know, someone technology minded could see in these units see the data on these units install Angry Birds, etc So for a company that reports to be interested in safety, that doesn't really bode well for my trust in them I think that's pretty should be pretty concerning to everyone Flock responded not by fixing these issues, but by slandering the researchers in the press. So that's kind of not great Another thing that's kind of concerning is you would think that flock would be getting the majority of their public funding from these Contracts they make with local cities, but that's actually not true They're heavily invested in by venture capital firms such as like Andreessen Horowitz Who basically wants to replace every human with AI? So it's kind of weird that the AI camera company is heavily funded by them kind of a conflict of interest They also own all the data that they collect technically. So even though you know, police have limited access to the data Flock can just take all of that and do whatever they want with it Which seems weird for a private company and weird for the interests of citizens So at the end of the day, I want to call it what it is It's a venture capital company funded mass surveillance That's taking our data and doing God knows what with it I would like to operate in good faith that most cities ours included are not aware of the practices of this company So I appreciate your time and I would encourage you to look into the 404 media Ben Jordan and gainsec research about the flock cameras particularly and I think after you view that You would be inclined to join Mountain View, California, Staunton, Virginia, Austin, Texas Denver and the 50 plus other local governments canceling their contracts. Thank you for your time Thank you, Trevor Davis Welcome Thank you for having me. My name is Trevor Davis. I'm in six. So to the Honorable Marion Council I appreciate you all taking time to hear from me. I'm here speaking about the opioid abatement funds And the presentation is done on this Tuesday And the concerns I have are from a friend who wasn't able to be here but wanted me to carry them forward Considering that has been three years and three months since the first funds were made available Considering that the commission has had specific and detailed plans for that money in their original recommendations I wonder they wonder why the mayor's recommendation for so vague in that paper Comparatively speaking to what was in the document that I made sure to email to everyone on the council Especially considering that those recommendations, the committee's recommendations have been known since July of 2025 Eight months ago. Specifically, the date was July 11th on the that was all day of that meeting where those were finalized We were concerned that to our knowledge there wasn't an opportunity to do that For the public comment on the mayor's recommendations before the budget committee meeting To my knowledge, there could have been and I'm unaware. I will allow for that for sure Certain that the meeting minutes haven't been posted on the governmental website since If I recall the month correctly, April of 2024, but I know it was early We had to contact someone directly to get that information that should have already been publicly available Without having to do that for the purposes of transparency And there needs to be a clear and specific plan for how the funds will be spent with dollar amounts And a process for how the funds will be dispersed With eight months since those committee recommendations were made, that could have been done Those allocations could have been made and a full, thoroughly, well thought out plan could have been made Those allocations could have been made and a full, thoroughly, well thought out plan could have been brought before you That was not as nebulous and now is making that money be pushed down the line even further That's blood money I'm an alcoholic and an addict and an adult peer support specialist I'm lucky I had the opportunity to get the help that I needed, but not everyone has that same opportunities And this money could have helped more people to get those opportunities And what we show by where we spend our money is who we value and who we care about So by not spending that money, by holding on to it, and not putting it where it needs to go And as efficiently as we can, kills people It kills people, and that is an important thing to understand the weight of a life I feel it's very important that we make sure to continue getting this move forward Taking care of and making sure we have funds dispersed in a way that helps people Instead of kills them and into the hands of the people who can help those to continue to live and grow and thrive Because we are not our worst mistakes, we are our entire lives Thank you All right, all those in favor say aye We are adjourned Thank you