# Urban County Council - October 8, 2026 > Auto-transcribed civic record · Council · October 8, 2026 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6903 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/6903?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2026-10-08 - **Body**: Council - **Last revised**: October 9, 2026 - **Length**: 18,593 words - **Speakers**: Mayor > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed by OpenAI Whisper-1, with speaker labels folded in from Granicus closed-captioning. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude Sonnet. Speaker labels and verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Full transcript And she'll tease you, she'll unease you, all the better just to please you. She's so cautious, and she knows just what it takes to make it pro-blush. All the boys think she's a spy, she's got petty diversites. She'll tease you, she'll unease you, just to please you. She's got petty diversites. She'll expose you, when she snows you. She knows you, she's got petty diversites. Just to please you. Never did too much to make her stay here. Words of love to her, I never say. Yes, I learned a lesson when she walked out to stay. But I'm sure gonna miss her. Sure gonna miss her. I'm sure gonna miss her every day. I don't suppose I ever said I love you. That I found out too late that wasn't right. I'm just now realizing what I lost, that's why I'm crying. That I'm sure gonna miss her. Sure gonna miss her. I'm sure gonna miss her every night. I know I took her love for granted. Guess you could say my love was blind. Thought if she left that I could stand it. Or else it didn't matter at the time. I heard she's found a guy that treats her better. I hope he knows that he's a lucky guy. I know I took her love for granted. Guess you could say my love was blind. Thought if she left that I could stand it. Or else it didn't matter at the time. I heard she's found a guy that treats her better. I know I took her love for granted. Guess you could say my love was blind. Thought if she left that I could stand it. Or else it didn't matter at the time. I heard she's found a guy that treats her better. I heard she's found a guy that treats her better. I know I took her love for granted. Guess you could say my love was blind. Thought if she left that I could stand it. Or else it didn't matter at the time. ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ ¶¶ I have a couple words I want to read from a psalm, just very briefly. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea. God is in the midst of the city. God will help it when the morning dawns. The Lord of hosts is with us, although the nations may be in an uproar. God is with us. Will you please pray with me? Thank you for this wonderful fall day, oh, God, in our beautiful little corner of this world. We are grateful for this place we all here call home, our city, our state, and even in these crazy contentious days for our country where we are free to gather tonight to freely make decisions and debate and speak our minds and for this council to use their creativity for good. We ask your blessing tonight on this meeting, on this council, and those who help them do their work, these folks who have answered a call to be here, and all who are here who serve, and for our council who have chosen to be and answered the call to be servant leaders as they lead our city. We pray for each here, for all on their hearts and minds, all who come late in the day on this Thursday evening to do the work of this community, to speak, to listen, and for whatever was left outside this room, may each be able to breathe and stop for this moment and find equilibrium. God, we do pray for our council. Give them energy and strength, wisdom for whatever difficulties or issues may be at hand here in the ongoings of their council work and in their own lives. Guide them to do what is of you, what is good for this city, to give and take where both are needed as they care for the least of these in our town and as they care for all. May they seek what is true, and may they strive to make our community a shining example of unity, of how folks can get along who are different, where the ugliness of the many issues in our world, the nations in uproar, are put aside just for a bit so that love and respect and hope and goodness can prevail. Oh, God, you are in our midst here. May we not forget that, and you are in the midst of this city. May we all see you, look for your goodness at work here and in our homes and in our community and in the present as we leave this place as well. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Thank you so very much. All right, council members, we have the September 10th, 2026, and September 17th council meeting minutes. Motion approved. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger, Vice Mayor Wu seconds. Are there any corrections or additions? All right, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Now we have a special presentation. At this time, I would like to welcome to the podium Junior Fire Chief Harper Sharkey and her family as well as Fire Chief Jason Wells. Can you join me? Thank you. All right, Harper, can you join me at the podium? We might put it like this. How about that? Harper is a fifth grade student at Squires Elementary and she recently was named this year's Junior Fire Chief. The Lexington Fire Department's Junior Fire Chief Program is an excellent way to promote fire safety and prevention with our community, especially with our young people. This week is National Fire Prevention Week and the theme is Charge into Fire Safety. Harper submitted an essay and a poster presentation and it caught the eyes of the Lexington Fire Department. She will serve as a dignitary on behalf of the Lexington Fire Department where she will do many things, including tour local businesses and landmarks, be interviewed by the media, and even attend meetings with myself and our council members. How exciting! So congratulations on your achievement, Harper, and we thank you for your passion and dedication to our community and we're excited for you to get to work. So, Chief Wells, thank you and your team for always supporting our youth And at this time, it's my pleasure to present a proclamation. I'm going to read it first. Okay. This is called Junior Fire Chief Harper Sharkey Day. Whereas Harper Sharkey has been named Lexington's 2026 Junior Fire Chief, and whereas Harper is a fifth grade student at Squires Elementary, and whereas Harper is the daughter of Jennifer and Brandon Sharkey and twin sister, Hadley. Is she here tonight? Okay, we'll see her in a minute. And whereas at Squires Elementary, Harper is involved with Squires Singers, the academic team, and the book club. And whereas outside of school, Harper enjoys art, singing, ice skating, roller skating, video games, and swimming. And whereas Harper will serve as an ambassador on behalf of the Lexington Fire Department, touring local businesses and landmarks, doing interviews with the media, and attending meetings with city officials. And whereas the City of Lexington appreciates Harper's leadership and devotion to our community and to fire safety. Now, therefore, I, Linda Gorton, Mayor of Lexington, do hereby declare October 8, 2026, Junior Fire Chief Harper Sharkey Day in Lexington. Congratulations. Thank you. May I give this to you? All right. First of all, Harper, would you like to say a few words? Or to read your essay? I can read it. Okay. And if you want, you can leave it here while you speak. Okay. You're welcome to start anytime. Are you not so sure you want to read it tonight? Would you like someone to read it for you? Who would you like to read it for you? You want your dad to read it or Chief Wells? Would you? So Chief Wells is going to read Harper's essay, and she'll be right here at the podium while he does. Thank you all very much. Pleasure to be before you. And so much more eloquently than I ever could have, Harper put together an amazing essay on the dangers of lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are part of many of our daily lives. They are in some electronics many people use every day, such as phones, tablets, laptops, e-bikes, and e-scooters. But they can be dangerous. Sometimes lithium-ion batteries can explode and cause fires, so it's important to learn ways to stay safe. It's important to stay safe using lithium-ion batteries, and here are the tips. Store lithium-ion batteries in a dry room temperature environment. Use chargers that come with your device or that are approved by the company. Stop using your devices and get away from them immediately if they start overheating or bulging. Unplug appliances with lithium-ion batteries when you are not using them. As said previously, lithium-ion batteries can cause dangerous fires, so it's important to know things not to do with your lithium-ion batteries so that no one accidentally causes a dangerous fire. Don't charge your electronics on soft surfaces such as carpets, pillows, beds, and blankets. Never overload your outlet when charging any lithium-ion battery. Don't risk using cheap or bad quality chargers for your devices. And don't store lithium-ion batteries in direct sunlight or in hot, cold, humid, or wet places. Lithium-ion batteries create oxygen, so if you have a fire from one, don't try to put it out. It can only make it worse. And they can, and do, emit toxic gases, so it's best to get away from the fire immediately and call 911 so you don't get burnt. Congratulations, Harper Sharkey. Applause We're just so very proud of Harper. It's been a pleasure to meet her and her family, and make sure you take a glance at this amazing poster she did as well. Applause Thank you very much. Thank you so much. Now, would you and your family like to join us with a picture with the council members? All right. Okay. This is your moment, baby. You go enjoy it, okay? Okay. All right. Thank you. One more. One more. One more. One more. One more. One more. All right. All right. Next we have public comment for issues on the agenda. We have a large number of people signed up. So just to refresh your memory, the way this works is I'll call your name and you'll come to the podium over here. You might need to lift it up a little. And you'll need to restate your name for the record and please state your council district. And you'll have three minutes, except for those who are yielding time, which we have a couple of those. Let's see. Nikita Paramal, are you here? Okay. Well, we have some extra seats in the council chamber and you'll need to be inside the chamber if you're yielding time to someone. You can come on in. Get their seats. All right. And then is Bradley Guess here? All right. And you're yielding to Lisa Guess. And then is Roger Coleman here? And are you yielding to Betty Coleman? Okay. Very good. All right. Let's get started. First up is Colin Harris, followed by Katherine Shinners, and then Emily Isaacs. Welcome. Thank you. My name is Colin Harris. I'm a resident of Lexington's District 1 and I'm here tonight to support the immediate extension of the data center moratorium in order to craft stricter regulations to permanently make AI data centers untenable in Lexington. I've spoken at a few of these meetings before with a relatively light tone because I do respect the value of data centers as we knew the term before AI and I respect the council's wariness of regulating ourselves out of businesses being able to conduct basic data and compute heavy operations. But the initial ZOTA already had a carve out to allow nearly all of these necessary operations. They're called server rooms. And I think that's a good carve out and that outside of that definition we should be as strict as possible about regulating any data center that goes beyond that. It's because AI data centers are very different. They use far more power and water. They're built as big as possible, as cheaply as possible. So far they power a technology that has so far only made everything it touches worse and they do all of this because the whole goal is to make as much money as possible as quickly as possible before the whole thing falls apart. I think our best defense against this parasite is extending the moratorium because frankly I don't think they will still be pushing this hard to build these data centers a year from now. The entire industry is financially unviable, propped up by nothing but investor hype pouring literal hundreds of billions into the bubble each year. Every week we hear a new story about how one of these AI companies is losing tens of billions a year and has no money. But that's okay because they'll finally be profitable if they can get the entire world to reorient itself around total dependence on AI. These companies may have massive market caps but they have no cash, massive debt, and extremely negative cash flows. Just last week Oracle, one of the largest tech companies in the world, broke a contract to build an $18 billion data center due to liquidity issues. There's a really good chance that if we let in Dark Points or any other similar company they'll go bankrupt halfway through the construction and leave us with nothing but a big ugly gash of a construction site right in the middle of the city if this bubble pops. I support all the regulations that are being proposed by NoAI and KY to make AI data centers completely unworkable in Lexington permanently. But the main point I want to stress is that everyone here just about, everyone in this city is making it very clear that we don't want these data centers in Lexington now or ever. And we want you to take as long as is needed to craft regulation to protect our community. So extend the moratorium today. Thank you. Excuse me. Council rules prohibit clapping, booing, yelling, signs being held up to block. So if you can please follow the council rules, I appreciate it. Next is Catherine Shinners and then after Catherine will be Emily Isaacs who will have six minutes. Welcome. Excuse me. I have a colleague. He'll lose three minutes to me. It's someone named Logan on there. He signed up to be here. Yes. Logan, where are you? Okay. He's, yes. He was far down the list. I apologize. We didn't see him. He's going to be here in a moment. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. All right. So you will have six minutes and you'll be followed by Emily Isaacs who also has six minutes. Welcome. Thank you. My name is Catherine Shinners, a resident of District 5. I appreciate very much the opportunity to address you this evening. I listen carefully to speakers at Tuesday night's hearings, citizens, business leaders, community advocates, and neighbors. I worked for many years in high tech in Silicon Valley. I worked for a company building reliable, scalable products for global financial institutions and telecommunications companies. I understand how critical high-performing business computing systems are to these and other industries like government and healthcare. The data center boom largely propelled by the burgeoning AI industry has caught many state and local governments somewhat on the back heel. The scale of the land needs, the high energy and water consumption rates has often outpaced communities' ability to integrate careful long-term planning or update zoning and ordinances. Currently Kentucky has 56 data centers across the state. In May, Kentucky utilities in Louisville Gas and Electric indicated that it had 29 potential data center projects in its pipeline with possible electricity demand around 12 gigawatts of electricity. In the summer of 2024, Kentucky utilities generated up to 18.4 gigawatts of electricity. That 12 gigawatts is a big chunk of addition. The state's legislators' latest session adjourned this year without bringing forward data center development regulation. Cities and counties often have zoning and land use regulations that predate modern data centers. Louisville's land development code didn't provide for clarity in zoning and development guidance with respect to data centers. In March, its council approved a 1.6 million hyperscale data center in West Louisville. That council is still working on new regulations to set industry standards for future data center developments. 14 Kentucky counties or cities have enacted moratoriums to provide time for study, deeper public input, and to review and update zoning and land use regulations. Allen County this year enacted a 24-month moratorium. In late May, Boyd County enacted a 12-month moratorium, and Winford County has enacted a permanent ban. Before I close, a note about the AI industry in particular. It is one of the most highly leveraged industries in the country. Its share of long-term corporate debt is an astonishing 40%. From 2024 to 2026, a handful of major tech corporations borrowed over $500 billion for data centers, chips, and servers. Goldman Sachs estimates that borrowing for AI in 2027 will reach an astonishing $1.2 trillion. This, for an industry that has yet to show anything close to profitability, and now coming under growing national scrutiny and calls for regulation. I worry about the many local communities around the country that have hung their hat on this yet-unproven industry. Data centers, however, are a critical part of our core modern network and computing infrastructure vital to business, public and emergency services, education, and citizen communication. As such, its development needs to be taken up carefully and with long-term consequences and benefits in mind. I ask that the City Council extend the moratorium for another two years to be able to collaborate with other municipalities facing similar concerns, and to be able to engage with the state legislature and to work with the local community here in Lexington on enabling something durable and manageable. Thank you. Thank you. Next is Emily Isaacs, who will be followed by Debra Winslow and then Pete Lynch. Welcome. Good evening, Council. I'm Emily from District 5, and I'm speaking as a team member of the No AI in KY Coalition, a community public health worker, and as Director of the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition. We are back in black with new faces, more members, and further momentum. We are back in this room tonight because out-of-town tech corporations are treating Lexington like an open-air garage, and this Council cannot be allowed to hold the door open for them. The underlying thread of everything happening here, from dark points acquiring the former Lexmark campus on New Circle Road down to this second night of overwhelming public turnout, is stakeholder convenience. It is convenient for developers to quietly snap up a 30-acre campus wired with a dedicated heavy-duty on-site electrical substation and a direct trajectory to 70 megawatts of power. And a short-term, toothless moratorium, like the six months we've heard floating around, is convenient for any Councilmember trying to run out the clock past this election, hoping public fatigue will set in. But it is not convenient for the people who actually breathe this air, hear this roar, and will live with this fallout. Let's stop pretending there's any mystery here. When Councilmembers share the line that this won't present massive energy demand because corporations swore their development won't be hyperscale, they are either being willfully blind or actively complicit. Look at the facts. In their official investor press release on May 27th, Dark Points didn't talk about a quiet, low-impact community partner. They explicitly championed high-margin plans for AI and hyperscale workloads, dangling that 70-megawatt potential to attract Wall Street capital. Their later local PR messaging isn't a change in strategy. It's a cover story designed to soothe us. Are we genuinely expected to believe they abandoned a multimillion-dollar vision just because they decided to stagger their ribbon-cutting? They haven't abandoned a thing. They are using this rollout to get their foot in our door, secure our zoning, and scale up right under your noses. Let's look at what's actually sitting on that site. This project is not nothing. We're not talking about a quiet office park with cubicles and laptops. We're talking about massive energy loads, roaring industrial cooling towers, and diesel backup generators pumping toxins into the air. Most importantly of all, where are they dropping this industrial monster? Right next to Green Acres, a historic, predominantly black neighborhood whose residents will be expected to absorb that noise, the grid strain, and the pollution while these out-of-town tech executives cash out on us. We won't stand for it. When developers target neighborhoods that lack the wealth to fight back, they turn those communities into municipal sacrifice zones. They rely on the fact that council members will hide behind dry zoning terminology so you don't have to look them in the eye. Make no mistake, if you vote, any one of you, to enable this, we will never forget that you used your elected position to act as environmental racists. The people who engineered this profit scheme are listening to us tonight, watching us fill these seats again. So let them hear this, your corporate millions do not out-vote our right to exist. We are here as a coalition of thousands tonight to demand with zero compromise a strict absolute ban on all data centers larger than 25 megawatts, extending the moratorium for at least one year or our preferred demanded two years to freeze this corporate land grab, creating an entirely new permanent zoning designation for data centers that incorporates every single recommendation in our ZOTA proposal. No resident here has the legal leverage to tell them no, but you do. You hold that responsibility, but profitability happily disposes of equity, and political convenience always comes at a community cost. We are forced to inconvenience ourselves tonight, leave work early, pay to park here, skip our dinner, spend hours away from our baby, fight tooth and nail to hope that you will represent us. Let's be entirely honest with ourselves, there is no procedural, legal, or logistical reason why this council cannot vote these protections into existence. The only thing missing is the will to say no to corporate power. So I ask you directly, after tonight, what will each of you do to inconvenience yourself to protect Lexington's neighborhoods? We came back once, we will keep showing up. And if you don't stand up for us, history will remember exactly what side you chose. All right, next up is Deborah Winslow, who will be followed by Pete Lynch, and then Tyler Offerman, welcome. My name is Deborah Winslow, I live in the 3rd Council District. For those listening, I'm a short white woman with gray hair, and I'm wearing a black top and a white 3M Aura N95 respirator mask. I'm commenting so that council and the world can fully understand some of the shadiness that goes on with these data centers, such as DartPoints, which wants to open up shop in Lexington, Kentucky. On Tuesday, I passed out a press release published by DartPoints that expressed their vision of a future hyperscale data center at the former Lexmark site. It included a quote from Scott Willis, president and CEO. They use words like AI, a supportive power environment, and the ability to scale in a meaningful way. The word hyperscale was used five times, 70 megawatts was the goal. On July 30th, their attorney, John Woodall, said at the planning commission meeting that DartPoints was purchased to quote, essentially run server-based computing. And quote, what are we concerned about, what we are concerned about in this community is hyperscale data centers, that is not what this is going to be, folks. That's what he said at the planning commission. Why do I repeat this? Well first of all, the mayor is here tonight and she wasn't here on Tuesday. Secondly, because I'm hearing from council that DartPoints is telling members that they plan to scale back. It will all be fine. How can we trust them? For example, on Tuesday night, Maria E., who was huddled deep in conversation with DartPoints CEO in this very room, distributed this document to council that said even with 70 to 80 megawatt improvement, DartPoints is still only a mid-tier data broker. Is 80 megawatt their new goal? On Tuesday, Mattie pointed out that the press release said that they anticipated 200 kilowatt per rack. I didn't understand that. And so I looked it up today. USP&E, a power generation company, defines the rack power density in five categories. Starting at three kilowatts, there's legacy enterprises. Next there is mainstream co-location, high density co-location, AI inference and training, and at the top, or the bottom of this sheet, is frontier AI rack, the largest rack scale. Guess where 200 kilowatt rack falls on the scale? At the highest tier, the frontier. All across the country, data centers are siphoning water, driving down property values, driving up electricity prices, and disturbing humans, animals, and precious bees. Do not give data centers the keys to our community, our health, and our resources. Thank you. Next up is Pete Lynch, followed by Tyler Offerman, and then Stephen Dorsey. Each will have three minutes. Welcome. We meet again. My name is Pete Lynch. I live in District 11. I teach politics at UK. And I'm the Kentucky Party candidate for the House of Representatives here in the 6th District of Kentucky. Representation is a two-way street. You need to know what the people want, and we need to know what you're going to do about it. Over the last several months, the public has made it abundantly clear that we don't want any AI data center development, and we don't want you to waste our tax money on flop cameras and any other sort of surveillance software. But just to reiterate that point one more time, I'm going to poll the audience here today. Raise your hand if you don't want any AI data centers in Lexington. Interesting. All right, second poll. Raise your hand if you want the government to end the flop contract now. That's also very interesting to me. Thank you, Emma. You already know what the public wants. It's your turn to let us know what you are going to do about it. Before the election, you need to hold a public candidate forum on AI data centers and flop cameras. Invite every candidate running for mayor or council to face questions from the public. We deserve to know where every single one of you, including your opponents, stand on AI data center development and flop cameras. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Tyler Offerman, followed by Steven Dorsey, and then Herbert Lynn. Good evening. Thank you for having me. Vice Mayor Wu, council members, appreciate your time. My name is Tyler Offerman. I live in District 1, and I am thinking a lot about what it means to be a neighbor tonight. I grew up on a dirt road. We watched out for our neighbors, even if you didn't like them. The thing that I am thinking a lot about is I love speaking at these council meetings because I consider you all neighbors. It is one of the few forms of government in which we are neighbors. Again, I'm going to look out for you and my neighbors, even if we don't always agree. What I am here to say is that I might be proved wrong, but I have yet to find a data center that has been a good neighbor. For instance, let's talk about in Fayetteville, Georgia, where a data center drained 30 million gallons of water before gaining permission or permits. Or in Vineland, New Jersey, where the state's largest data center was fined a million dollars for illegally operating 62 unpermitted natural gas generators. Or just south, Memphis, Tennessee, where trillionaire Elon Musk's Colossal 2 data center, which powers Grok, authorized multiple illegal and unpermitted gas turbines that were intentionally built in majority black neighborhoods across the border in Mississippi. Now I've been a registered lobbyist for over a decade. I know full well the pressure, the promises that are brought to elected members by industries and representatives of them. They'll make a lot of promises. And I just ask you all to consider the promises that are being made, the pressure that is being applied, and simply weigh that with what it means to be a good neighbor. I would additionally say that I have received messages from some of you asking me to put up yard signs or come out and volunteer. And I would be happy to do that, depending on the outcome of this issue. That being said, I support Councilman Morton and Curtis's motion as it stands, and I ask you to expediently move that forward. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Next up is Stephen Dorsey, followed by Herbert Lynn, and then Bray Coppe. Hello, I'm Stephen Dorsey, a member of District 6. So let's for a moment imagine together a positive vision of our future that may be achieved in different ways, but I imagine it looks roughly the same for most of us here. Picture A, homes are plentiful and affordable, dense and varied, transportation is accessible and fast, traffic is running smoothly and efficiently, accidents are down, pedestrians take advantage of ample shade from trees and various structures, they're out and about because they feel safe and happy, small businesses are booming, Lexington is a thriving city and coveted around the state. Now let's slap a multi-Kroger field-sized concrete brick in the middle of all that for future B. Sure, housing is plentiful and affordable because no one wants to live near this giant noisy structure, electricity is expensive and inconsistent, water quality is down and sparsely flows from the faucet. There's a constant hum that I wish I could say you get used to, but you don't. Families have to leave because their kids are developing sudden conditions that their parents and doctors can't quite make out. The cause, except that it gets a little better whenever they go out of town and away from the massive obelisk of technology advancement at any cost, and it will cost. Yes, Startpoint is advertising interest in building this, isn't advertising interest in building this today, but once you let these companies get a foot in the door, the creep begins. One smaller data center in the old Lexmark building, then another, and oh, looks like there's some undeveloped land over there that's not providing the city any useful services, businesses or housing. They'll buy it, and congratulations, you have achieved future B, an electric grid, overbearing, water guzzling, environmental destroying monolith of inhumanity. And don't be fooled by buzzwords like increased efficiency and closed loop systems. The decreased water consumption is offset by increased electrical consumption, and they'll gouge us out that way. And the efficiency will just create more capacity and usage for these data centers and less for us. Now, let's imagine which of these two futures we want. I know which one I choose. An indefinite ban on hyperscale data centers and strict zoning regulations on smaller ones in Fayette County is the only way to proceed. I'll leave you with this. Corporations don't have feelings or votes, but people do. Remember that. Thank you. Next up is Herbert Lynn, followed by Bray Koppe, and then Natalie Warren. Good evening, everyone. Thank you to the city council for allowing us to speak this evening. I need to begin with an apology to the American Federation of Teachers. I wish I could make you all's block party this evening, but unfortunately, I need to be here to speak on this issue. My name is Herbert Lynn. Although I am a candidate for city council at large, I am speaking tonight as a private citizen and resident of the 7th District. I want to begin tonight by also thanking Mayor Linda Gorton and candidate Raquel Carter for their debate last night. It is important in these times for our candidates to get in front of the public, to be in the public eye, and speak on the issues to let everyone know where they stand. Nowadays, that is not always an easy thing to do, nor is it something that every candidate is willing to do. So many candidates nowadays on the national, state, and local stage have opinions that are so odious and indefensible that they have given up the pretense of defending them. So tonight, I figure the better thing to do than to chastise you and chide you is to encourage you, to take heart, that this is probably the easiest vote you can make this year. All these people here are here to support a bipartisan and incredibly popular position. We just don't want data centers polluting our water, polluting our air, taking our land, and filling our ears with an incessant droning. This is a win for you all tonight. And I urge you all, in these times of indefensible politics, to defend those who cannot defend themselves, who do not have the money, the resources, or the connections to stand where I stand tonight. Please stand with the people of Lexington, and I urge you to take bold, decisive action. Expedite Tyler Morton and Emma Curtis's motions. Give it a second reading tonight. Let's get this done with so that next time, we're all not here until 9 or 10 o'clock in the evening again. Thank you. Have a good evening. Thank you. Next is Bray Coppe, and then Natalie Warren, followed by Isaac Looney. Good evening, Mr. Vice Mayor, Honorable Council. I come here, my name is Bray Coppe, I am a student in the first district, and I grew up in the sixth. I come before you today, not with the anger I had Tuesday night, but out of deep concern. I hope that you all will vote to extend this memorandum for the next two years because of the simple fact that no one in Lexington wants these data centers. That they are going to pollute our environment and drive people away with their incessant humming. And I feel like I can speak for the majority of Transylvania University when I say this, that none of us want a data center hum getting in the way of class, and like I said Tuesday, by the end of the month, the eyes of the world will be on this city. Why not leave a good example of a city that cares about its citizens? And be a model for others around the country when cities like Louisville are approving these data centers. Please, please pass the motion to extend this moratorium against data centers for the next two years at the very least. Do not water down anything that Councilman Morton or Councilwoman Curtis have proposed. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Next up is Natalie Warren, followed by Isaac Looney, and then Maddie Fawcett. Hi friends, my name's Natalie Warren. I live in the third district. Hi, Mr. Edwin. And I'm here tonight again, the second time, actually the third time, to talk about this issue. I've been working and talking a lot with the people in the No AI and KY coalition because I really support what they have to say about this, which what we have to say about this, which is we don't want a data center. And I know you're probably really tired of hearing that, but I'll say it again. We really don't want a data center. And I'm approaching this issue as a person who lives in Lexington, as a person who part of my job is to steward the history of Lexington. I'm the Special Collections Librarian at Transylvania. Woo, Transylvania mentioned number two. And I really, what is coming to mind for me, and so many people's comments, as people have gotten up here and told their personal experiences with dealing with high energy bills, or even just listening to what people have to say about thinking about the future and what kind of legacy we are leaving Lexington in relation to this decision, is that this is really a tale as old as time. This is the story of how we're really at a nexus point, as a community right now, on what our future is going to be like. And I think that you all have heard what your constituents have to say, and I hope that you will use that information to make an informed choice to extend the moratorium for two years. Go ahead and vote on this tonight. I really want to see firm action taken on this. And I support the plan that Councilmember Morton and Curtis are putting together. So I really urge you to not alter those suggestions and those regulations, and to vote on these issues as soon as possible. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Isaac Looney, followed by Maddie Fawcett, and then Halston Higgins. Okay, good evening. My name is Isaac Looney, I'm a resident of District 3. I'm here tonight to talk about the AI data centers, but at this point it is unlikely that I'm going to provide you with any kind of new information on this subject. I mean, you've heard it all. You've heard about the noise, the water use, the draw on the electric grid, the minimal employment opportunities, the neighborhood it's planned to go in, the issues with obsolescence, and the lack of transparency around this whole process. These are all real issues that should be on your minds when you think about AI data centers in Lexington. And what makes these issues especially significant is that they have been expressed to you in these chambers in depth, numerous times, especially this past Tuesday. I mean, it's getting to the point where we're extending the bonus seating out there. So, really hope you'll do this, because each of you were elected with the expectation that you would represent your constituents. And they've made their voices loud and clear. Lexingtonians do not want this data center. Extending the moratorium now is an easy choice, if you're listening to the people that live here. I hope you'll proceed with that extension tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Maddie Fawcett, followed by Halston Higgins, and then Hudson Chamberlain. Hello, my name is Maddie Fawcett, and I live in District 6. I'm here today, again, as a concerned citizen, member of Blue Grass DSA, and an activist with no AI in KY. So, I come here to implore you to please support and not amend the motions put forward by council members Morton and Curtis. Let's get this done. Let's get it over with. I would much rather be at my son's book block party that his school is putting on. I'm missing that right now and really wish I wasn't. But yeah, we will remember how you vote on this issue. We will be here. We are not going anywhere. We will be organizing, speaking, watching, listening. No ANKY has 3,500 members. That's a lot of people that could be knocking doors, handing out flyers and pamphlets, sending emails, calling your offices, sending letters. We have the power of the people behind us. Lexington does not want this. This is really an issue of consent. That's a big word that's going around right now, consent. And Lexington citizens and community members do not consent to having AI data centers in our community. That's all. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Halston Higgins, followed by Hudson Chamberlain, and then Sarah Hall. Hi all. I'm a resident of District 1, and I want to state my strong disdain for AI data centers. I'm just reiterating what the majority of Lexington knows and feels. AI data centers, which are different than the data centers that exist currently in Lexington, are bad. They are threats to our community. I truly believe Lexington is one of the most special places in the world. And I hope the same belief is what brought you to office. It's our responsibility to protect this special place and the people who live here. I support Council Member Morton's and Curtis' motions on the table regarding data centers. And I don't want those motions watered down in between now and the second reading. Also, it would be great to vote on those now. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Hudson Chamberlain, and then Sarah Hall, followed by Idris Irohamiye. Good evening, Council. My name is Hudson Chamberlain. I'm a resident of District 8. I'm here to thank the organizers in our community that activated me. And I'm here to represent the people that I have activated in this community about this issue and many more. Right now, we have the ability to correct course, and I want that to be now. I would love for the rules to be suspended, for the second reading to happen tonight, for the vote to happen tonight. We need to capitalize on this momentum, right? We don't want to push it, push it until the election happens, and just have the next council deal with it. For those that are leaving, or for those that are in contended positions, your legacy will be cemented tonight. Or when the second reading happens, again, I'd like for it to be tonight. And yeah, as Maddie said, we have a lot of people that are ready. I want you all to know my name and know my face, because your neighbors will. And that's all I have to say. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Sarah Hall, followed by Idris Irohamiye, and then Warren Byram. Good evening, city council members. I'm speaking as a resident of district three here in Lexington. I'm also speaking as a professional working in regenerative agriculture. The health of the landscape and our neighbors is top of mind for me, among other things. In March of this year, Bloomberg analysis found that areas with high concentrations of data centers saw electricity prices jump 267% over five years. I can't afford that. Researchers from UC Riverside, Cal Tech, and Rochester Institute of Technology estimate that data center related air pollution could impose roughly 11.7 billion to 20.9 billion in annual public health costs by 2028. They have the capacity to increase ambient fine particulate pollution and threaten public health in already vulnerable locations. These structures employ backup generators in the event of grid failure, which can release 200 to 600 times more nitrous oxides than a natural gas plant, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Your constituents are aligned on this. I support the recommendations put forth by NO AI and KY. I support Councilmember Morton and Councilmember Curtis's motions on the table. Please keep the motions unchanged until the vote. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Idris Erhamiyeh, followed by Warren Byram. And did I get your name right? Mostly. The state of Kentucky was established on the ancestral lands of the Osage- Sorry, will you give your name and council district- Shawnee, Eastern Band, Cherokee, and Chickasaw. I'm Idris Erhamiyeh. I'm in council district three. And I'm a person of Rwandan heritage and am committed to, committed against, and committed to the resistance against ecological devastation like this AI data center because this land is occupied by the institutions and industries of colonization. This land is occupied by this institution of government which has displaced and killed the people that belong to this land and the land itself. Like mining and so many extractive industries, AI data centers serve entirely to kill people and to kill land and to cause ecological devastation for the profit of very few white male stakeholders. And everything in me, everything in my spirit, in the faith that I was brought into that I profess still, everything about the person I am is in resistance to industries like these taking up the gift of the land that we still have. The land that we still are able to relate to, to turn it into something that generates profit and steals water and poisons people. And I'm staunchly against this and I support the motions and propositions by council people Morton and Curtis to extend the moratorium on AI data centers in Lexington. And would love to see that land be in better use and be in better relation to the people that live on it now as much and as long as we get the opportunity to. Thank you. Thank you. Our last speaker for items on the agenda is Warren Byram. Good evening. I'm Warren Byram, a resident of district one. I didn't know I was going to speak tonight, so I didn't have any notes, I didn't have my notes with me. But thank you guys for having public comment. I want to urge you to adopt Morton's and Curtis's motion for the, I think it's a two year moratorium, and to go ahead and vote to ban any data centers over 25 megawatts. The area where the Dark Point facility is, where they bought that land, however that deal's worked out, I guess they bought the land and they're lobbying council, they're lobbying the city to try and get in there. That's less than a quarter mile from our house. It's been well described by much more informed, eloquent, prepared speakers than me, how toxic data centers are to your electric bill, the water supply, air quality, light pollution, noise pollution, on and on and on. These things are, they're really just a blight on our communities. I think AI is a blight on our reality and our culture in general. It's making a lot of people a lot of money. It's probably making me a little bit of money, I don't know, but it's probably making you guys some money. Is that a good trade off, to have 267% raise in our electricity rates? We're having droughts more frequently now because of climate change. These facilities use sometimes millions of gallons of more water than they say they're going to. People have referred to Dark Point's bait and switch. In press releases, they were talking to investors about how the facility was perfectly situated. and they were perfectly poised to take advantage of hyperscale AI-type data center usage, starting out at 25 to 30 and then going up to 70. Well, I was like, what is 70 megawatts? At the first meeting I came to, the city's lawyer said that 100 megawatts was enough to power, what was it, 25,000 homes or something like that? It's so hard to keep track of these numbers, and let me say, real quick, because I came to speak about Tuesday night. I appreciate that, but I think- It's the size of the Georgetown plant. That's how much 70 megawatts is, it's like a third of the Georgetown plant. Thank you. I appreciate all you all coming out to speak. Next up is ordinances, second reading, when you're ready. Item one, an ordinance amending certain of the budgets of the Lexington Fair Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriating reproving funds, FY 2027, schedule number nine. Thank you. Thank you. Can I get a motion to approve? Motion approved. Second. We have a motion and a second, and when you're ready, we'll take a roll call vote. Council member Oettlen? Yes ma'am. Council member Ellinger? Yes, ma'am. Council member Hdegensward? Yes, ma'am. Council member Lynch? Yes. Council member Savigny? Yes. Council member Shan. Yes. Vice mayor Wu? Yes. Council member Beasley? Yes, ma'am. Council member Boone? Yes, ma'am. Council member Brown? Yes. Council member Curtis. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. You may begin the first reading when you're ready. Item two, an ordinance changing the zone from a professional office P1 zone to a medium density residential R4 zone for 4.724 net, 4.724 gross acres for property located at 2501 Sir Barton Way, Rack Properties, LLC, Lexington, LLC, Council District 6. Item three, an ordinance changing the zone from a professional office P1 zone to a downtown framed business B2A zone for 0.509 net, 0.595 gross acres for property located at 512 and 518 East Main Street, Calgill Development, LLC, Council District number three. Item four, an ordinance amending certain of the budgets of the Lexington Urban County Government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriating and appropriating funds, FY 2027, schedule number ten. Item five, an ordinance amending the authorized strength by abolishing one unclassified position of project manager grade 520N and creating one classified position of project manager grade 520N all under the division of parks and recreation effective upon passage of council. Item six, an ordinance amending the authorized strength by abolishing one classified position of electronic computer control specialist grade 517N. Abolishing three classified positions of the electrician grade 519N, abolishing two classified positions of product maintenance technician grade 517N. Creating two classified positions of instrumentation and control technician grade 517N, creating four classified positions of instrumentation and control specialist grade 521N and changing the classification title of one classified position of electronic computer control manager grade 523E and the incumbent to instrumentation and control manager grade 523E on the division of water quality effective upon passage of council, item seven. An ordinance amending section 16.9 of the Lexington urban county zoning ordinance relating to drive through facilities and drive up windows. Adopting regulations regarding vehicular stacking requirements, drive up windows and drive through facilities and authorizing waivers and modifications by the planning commission based upon recommendations in an operational plan. And upon findings that modifying stacking requirements will not impede traffic circulation, negatively impact adjoining properties or land uses, or create a public safety hazard. All in order to promote safe maneuvering of vehicles and ensure safe. Such facilities do not negatively impact the flow of traffic on public streets. And item eight, an ordinance amending the Lexington urban county, the Lexington county zoning ordinance by deleting references to computer and data processing centers in section 815 P1 zone, 819 B2B zone, 821 B4 zone, 824 P2 zone, 23A-9 CC zone, and 23A-10 ED zone. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any walk-ons? Are there any suspension of the rules to give second reading? Council Member Curtis. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Colleagues, as I spoke to you earlier, I am going to be moving to suspend the rules and give second reading to the item that passed out of our special meeting on data centers unanimously. Due to the urgency with which this issue deserves to be treated, and again, the unanimous nature of the votes out of the special meeting. So, I move to suspend the rules and give item eight under ordinances first reading, second reading tonight. So moved. All right, we have a motion. Do we have a second? We have a motion and a second. Discussion on this motion? Colleagues, please sign in. Council Member Sheehan. Council Member Curtis, thank you for your work on this and your work in representing the community. I spoke with you about this already today. I do support the motions that were brought forward, but I can't support a speeding up of this process or a suspension of the rules tonight. I don't believe that a suspension of the rules should be done on major community issues like this. Especially when time isn't a factor. We already have a moratorium in place until October 31st. And right now, these items would have second reading on October 22nd, so it will still be within that window. A major part, and I'm going to speak to you all, because I know some of you are asking for this tonight. So, a major part of the upset that we have seen over data centers is due to a lack of transparency. And due to fast tracking of proposals in other communities. And for me, the rule that we have on two readings, where they are spaced out, is to increase transparency for the public. And to give more opportunities for the public to weigh in on items. And especially when we have a big issue of concern here for the community, and something that has been discussed widely. I don't think we should speed that up. I think we should have the additional opportunity for public feedback. And I really hope that you all stay engaged in this issue throughout the rest of the moratorium as the new ZOTA is worked on. I really do want to see public involvement in that. And I think Council Member Curtis and Council Member Morton are going to encourage that and really find ways to bring the public in. This won't, if we don't suspend the rules today, it won't stop work from being done. That work can start now. Those drafts can be started now. But because of wanting transparency and wanting to have the full process that we rely on for transparency, I'm not going to support a suspension of the rules. I will vote yes on the ordinance and the resolutions that are coming forward when they come up for second reading. But I'm not going to support speeding them up. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Savigny. Thank you. And I want to echo Council Member Sheehan's and I did talk to Council Member Curtis today, I am a yes vote on this when it comes. Mind you, I did make a proposal to change something that my colleagues told me that they didn't want to do. So there's some things that I think could be better in it. But in general, I feel like this is the direction we're going. I don't feel like there's an urgency and if it happens to pass that we want a second reading of it, I would vote for it. But I do feel like we did make a change two days ago. And every time you make a change, it does kind of, it makes the window more difficult for people to respond. And I just think that it's important for people to respond. So, but I appreciate your efforts on this, Council Member Curtis. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I just want to ask law, just remind me on the number of votes it requires to suspend the rules in the second reading. I think it's ten and we have eleven here, so just to- That is correct, it would take ten votes to suspend the rules. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Any other comment on Council Member Curtis' motion? Council Member Brown. Thank you, Vice Mayor, and thank you, Council Member Curtis, for the motion to move this forward. I think a lot of people want us to move forward, and I appreciate all the comments and the reiteration. And I do get to say, I shared that sentiment early today with Council Member Sheehan and what Council Member Savigny had mentioned about transparency and just the perception. My question is for, it looks like Commissioner Horn is here from planning. My question is, the motion that was made and some of the things that were pulled out of the original ZOTA that we're going to take a look at. It's because I'm inclined to support suspending the rules and give it second reading. But have y'all had a chance to look at it, and are there any things that the planning department may come back to us to consider in moving forward with this, not to consider with data centers, but just collateral damage, or things that we might have to address? Have y'all had a conversation internally about some of the things that we're talking about? And- Yeah, I mean, what's left of this particular regulation is the striking of the language related to computer and data processing from the zoning ordinance, which was part of the original proposal in the data center zoning ordinance. I did speak with people about, are we missing any unintended consequences by going ahead and doing this? And I think you're okay, because the moratorium is going to remain in place until all of that language is cleaned up. Okay. Well, so I appreciate that, but it sounds like there's still some work to do. I am going to support the second reading, but I do completely understand the transparency and the perception of rushing something along. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Curtis. Thank you, Vice Mayor, and I want to thank Council Members Sheehan and Spigney for their candor, even though we disagree on what is the best way to address this issue and the urgency with which we've been asked to address this issue. I want to be explicitly clear that I do not think that this is an obfuscation of opportunity for public comment. The ordinances and resolutions that Council Member Morton and I have brought forward are intended to lengthen and strengthen the opportunities for public engagement in this process. And so I understand where those feelings may come from, but I do disagree, and I think we can disagree without being disagreeable. So I thank you, especially Council Member Sheehan, for your foresight in bringing this issue before us to begin with. But I'm still going to ask my colleagues to support this motion, because I think that we have heard loud and clear over an extended period of time already. And the package of motions are intended to extend the period of time with which we can hear those community voices. Thank you. Thank you. Any other discussion on this motion? If we can bring up a Granicus vote for this one, please. All right, so we don't have ten votes yay for this motion, so that motion fails. Any other suspensions of the rules for second reading for ordinances? All right, next up is first reading of resolutions when you're ready. Item one, a resolution ratifying the permanent classified civil service appointment of Jesse Hesley, an arborist technician, grade 516N, 28.339 hourly in the Division of Environmental Services, effective September 16, 2026. Item two, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute an agreement awarding a class B education incentive grant with Blue Grass Area Development District Incorporated for a stormwater quality project at a cost not to exceed $39,999.60. Item three, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the County government to execute an agreement awarding a class A neighborhood incentive grant to Hereds Park Townhouse Association Incorporated for a stormwater quality project at a cost not to exceed $12,000. Item four, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the City government to execute an agreement awarding class B education incentive grant to KidsPlaces Lex Incorporated for a stormwater quality project at a cost not to exceed $10,259. Item five, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute an agreement awarding a class B education incentive Grant to Living, Arts, and Science Center Incorporated for a stormwater quality project at a cost not to exceed $39,000. Item six, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute an agreement awarding a class A neighborhood incentive grant to Friends of Wolf Run Incorporated for a stormwater quality project at a cost not to exceed $55,405. Item seven, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the Lexington County government to execute an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, KYTC, for the acceptance local assistance road program, LARP funds, of which grant funds are in the amount of $223,000 for repaving a barrier road from Ironworks Park to Georgetown Road. The acceptance of which obligates the urban county government to the expenditure of $56,000 as a local match and authorizing the mayor to transfer unaccounted funds within the grant budget, item eight. A resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a service agreement with the Love to Ride LLC for an online behavior change platform to increase biking in Lexington for the Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization at a cost not to exceed $28,500, item nine. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute an agreement awarding a classic neighborhood incentive grant to Tabor Lake Subdivision Association Incorporated for a stormwater quality project at a cost not to exceed $1,000, item ten. A resolution authorizing the division of water quality to purchase services and parts for blowers at West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant from Southern Sales Company Incorporated, a sole source provider, and at a cost not to exceed $80,210, and authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute any necessary agreement with Southern Sales Company related to the procurement, item 11. A resolution authorizing the division of police to purchase computer aid dispatch upgrade from Tyler Technologies Incorporated, a sole source provider, and authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute any necessary agreement with Tyler Technologies Incorporated related to the procurement at a cost not to exceed $52,090, item 12. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a lease agreement with the following individual with the listed property in consideration of the sum stated in monthly rent. Vernon Todd Wade for 3,990 Raven Runway, $649, item 13. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute changer number two, the agreement with Elaine Allen LLC for the Whitney Young Community Building Renovation Project increase in the contract price by the sum of $5,779.01, from $247,919.37 to $253,698.38, item 14. A resolution authorizing the director of the mayor on behalf of the county government to renew maintenance and support with Excella for Elements XS asset management at a cost not to exceed $12,094.13, which costs for ongoing support services subject to the sufficient appropriation of funds in future fiscal years and authorizing the division of traffic engineering to sign any necessary documents for the procurement, item 15. A resolution authorizing the director of the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute the trial software agreement with VSC Synapse LLC for remote monitoring of safety devices for the division of traffic engineering at no cost to the urban county government, item 16. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a first amendment to the management agreement with the Friends of the Kentucky Theater, extending the term of the agreement for an additional three years at no cost to the urban county government, item 17. A resolution authorizing the division of police to purchase maintenance from Morphobus Latent Expert Workstation from Idemia Identity and Security USA LLC. A sole source provider and authorizing mayor on behalf of the county government to execute any necessary agreement with Idemia Identity and Security USA LLC related to the procurement at a cost not to exceed $9,173, item 18. A resolution authorizing the director of the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a memorandum of agreement with Seven Hills Property LLC to allow for the development of an apartment complex on neighborhood property at no cost to the urban county government, item 19. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a memorandum of agreement with Jubilee Jobs of Lexington Incorporated to provide funding for the purchase of software subscription to support career exploration and training opportunities at a cost not to exceed $10,156.25, item 20. A resolution authorizing the division of water quality to purchase services in part for lower number two at West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant from Southern Sales Company as incorporated as sole source provider at a cost not to exceed $67,190. And authorizing mayor on behalf of the county government to execute any necessary agreement with the Southern Sales Company related to the procurement, item 21. A resolution authorizing the director of the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute change order number two, the agreement with Mack Construction and Excavating Incorporated for Build American Buy American Materials for the division of water quality increasing the contract by the sum of $162,011.73 to $1,923,279.07 to $1,085,290.80 to be reimbursed by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, KYTC, item 22. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute change order number two, the agreement with the Schooner Concrete and Construction for the Constitution Park Concession and Restroom Building Project, increasing the contract price by the sum of $123,320 from $532,422 to $655,742, item 23. A resolution authorizing the division of water quality on behalf of the urban county government to purchase supervisory control and data acquisition, SCADA, Scitec Historian Support Services for the town branch and West Take Midwest Water Treatment Plants and Pump Stations from ATR Distributing Company, Incorporated Social Provider, and authorizing mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute any necessary agreement with ATR Distributing Company, Incorporated related to the procurement at a cost of up to $65,110.40, item 24. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute renewal agreement with Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Incorporated for administrative services, rates, and fees within the agreement from the period beginning January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027, item 25. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a partial release of easement, releasing a portion of sanitary sewer easement on property located at 795 Manchester Street, item 26. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a master agreement with Utility Paving Share with Columbia Gas of Kentucky, Incorporated for coordination of paving restoration work in the public right-of-way for the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works at new cost to the urban county government, item 27. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute an agreement ordering a class A neighborhood incentive grant to Willow Glen Association, Incorporated, for a stormwater quality project at a cost in excess of $5,057, item 28. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a memorandum of understanding and accept a grant award of $50,000 from the Blue Grass Community Foundation for the Martin Luther King Boulevard Complete Streets Project. Acceptance of which does not obligate the urban county government to the expenditure of funds and authorizing the mayor to transfer unequivocal funds within the grant budget, item 29. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute change in order to the contract with Hair Company Incorporated for the Town Branch and West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant UV disinfection process replacement project for the division water quality and increasing the contract by the sum of $68,661.95, from $15,715,933.50 to $15,784,595.45. Item 30, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a master service agreement with the compliance line LLC DBA Ethico for the provision of ethics tip line services in FY 2027 with an option of two one year renewals for the office of internal audit at a cost not to exceed $3,450.98 in FY 2027 and further authorizing the mayor to execute any other documents necessary related to the provision of these services with funding in future fiscal years subject to sufficient funds being appropriated. Item 31, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute a modification of SCIP-2025-0066 agreement with the Kentucky Department of Justice for the FY 26 Burn State Crisis Intervention Program extending the expiration date from 6-30-2027 to 9-30-2027. Item 32, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute and submit a grant application in common with the Kentucky Department of Local Government to provide any additional information in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant for which grant funds are in the amount of $250,000 in the Kentucky Recreational Trails Program for improvements at Kelly's Landing for the Vision Park Recreation. The acceptance of which obligates the urban county government to the expenditure of a local match in the amount of $50,000 with $10,000 of that match provided in the form of private donations made to Blue Grass Community Foundation. Further authorizing the mayor to execute any documents related to the application for or acceptance of this grant. Authorizing the mayor to transfer undeclared funds within the grant budget, item 33. A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the county government to execute and submit a grant application in common with the Kentucky Department of Local Government to provide any additional information in connection with this grant application to accept this grant. If awarded, which grant funds are in the amount of $1 million in the land and water conservation fund and are for improvements at Kelly Landing for the Division of Parks and Recreation. The acceptance of which obligates the urban county government to the expenditure of a local match in the amount of $500,000 in the form of pre-award expenditures and subject to additional reimbursement in the form of private donations made to Blue Grass Community Foundation. Further authorizing the mayor to execute any other documents related to the application for or acceptance of this grant and authorizing the mayor to transfer undeclared funds within the grant budget, item 34. A resolution referring to the Lexington Fayette County Planning Commission. A proposal to create a separate zoning category for data centers as an exclusive use wherever the data center serves as a principal use and recommend regulations pertaining to data center operating as an accessory use in recognition that emerging data center uses have specific characteristics that do not readily permit them to be classified as principal uses in ordinary agricultural residential business, professional office, or industrial zones. In order to ensure proper integration and distribution of this land use in Lexington Fayette County in compliance with the pillars of equity and sustainability set forth in the 2045 comprehensive plan. Item 35, a resolution extending the current moratorium, one, on the acceptance and processing of application for zone amendments seeking to change the zone of any property in Lexington Fayette County. If the application includes a preliminary development plan reflecting a data center as the proposed use. And two, on the acceptance and review of development plans for data centers in any zone. And three, on the urban county government's issuance of any permits, approvals, and authorizations necessary to the operation of data centers in any zone in order to provide the urban county government additional time to examine and review the regulation processing and impact of data centers in Lexington Fayette County. And to provide time to review, consider, and amend, if necessary, any ordinance related to data centers in Lexington Fayette County. So that it may ensure the proper integration of these uses into the adopted land use and zoning scheme set extended moratorium to remain in place until October 31, 2027. Thank you. Thank you very much. Colleagues, any walk-ons? Any suspension of the rules to give second reading? Council Member Boone. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I have two motions to suspend the rules and give second reading. On behalf of the administration, I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to item 32, resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute and submit a grant application to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Local Government 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 $250,000 under the Kentucky Recreational Trails Program for improvements at Kelly's Landing. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion of this motion? Council Member Curtis. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Council Member Boone, could you speak to why it is necessary for this motion to receive a second reading at this time? Commissioner Ford. Or Commissioner Ford, that works just as well. Thank you, Council Member, for the question. It is to meet a deadline in order to get the project in. The deadline, I understand, is at the end of the month, but we still have another step prior to submitting the application related to historic preservation. So we're working with our grants office, and this would allow us to meet that deadline and compete for these funds. So we would not be able to meet the deadline if we did not give this ordinance a second reading tonight, or simply, it would give us more time. We would not be on schedule to meet the deadline if we didn't have this tonight. It's a rare occurrence that we would need this, but we appreciate the opportunity in order to push this forward. Thank you. Thank you. Any other discussion of this motion? Council Member Boone's motion. All right, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right, that motion passes. Go ahead. On behalf of the administration, I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to item 33, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to execute and submit a grant application to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Local Government to provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant. If awarded, which grant funds are in the amount of $1 million under the Land and Conservation Fund and are for improvements at Kelly's Landing. All right, we have a motion. Do we have a second? Any discussion on this motion? Council Member Curtis. This is going to be the same question again, and I'm going to guess, Council Member Band, that you would prefer to direct it to Commissioner Ford. Yes, I believe it's a time-sensitive thing. Yes, Council Member, it's very similar to the, these grant proposals are comparable to different funding sources. But it's the same components that I just explained earlier. It allows us to meet the deadline and not miss this opportunity. We appreciate the opportunity. We regret the timeliness, but this will allow us to move forward. And just to be explicitly clear, if we did not get this second reading tonight, we would not be able to meet the grant application deadline. That's correct, Council Member. Thank you. Thank you. Any other discussion on Council Member Boone's motion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you. Council Member Curtis. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I have two separate motions that I'm going to make, and I'm going to make them with the same motivation. So I would like to speak to my motivation behind both motions simultaneously. And I'm guessing you all know which motions I'm going to make. I'm making these motions because, To me, there are some things that matter more than us doing things the way they've always been done, when we have the flexibility to treat them in a slightly different way. I know that it is confusing for some of you why I am so passionate about responsible guardrails for AI and for data centers. When I was 18 months old, my father died of cancer as a result of unregulated materials that he was exposed to on the job site. And he could have been protected from that potentially if those elected to serve him had prioritized the people they represented over the profits of the private corporations in their areas. I'm concerned about this because that possibility is more prevention. To prevent that is more important to me than doing things the way they've always been done. My partner's an artist who works also by day in design and has experienced a dramatic shift in the market due to the rapid onset of artificial intelligence. And to me, her ability and the ability of the arts communities in our city and across our country to thrive are more important than doing things the way they've always been done. I grew up on my family's farm with access to clean fields, good farmland, the ability to grow and work within our communities. That is inherently threatened by the potential of data centers. And that protection, to me, is more important than doing things the way that they've always been done. My mom's side of my family was originally from Mercer County, where they have been caught completely off guard by the onset of data center development in their community. And their elected officials put them in that position because they were more concerned with the way that things have always been done than with acting with urgency. My dad's side of the family's from Woodford County. They've acted with urgency, even more so than we have, in acting a full ban on data centers. And I understand that Woodford County is not Fayette County, that each community has different needs. And I have tried throughout this process, and I'll continue to try throughout this process, to make sure that we're meeting the needs of our community specifically, including our partners in the business community who are invested in protecting our people, our resources, and our future. But to me, when we have the opportunity to do what has been continually asked of us, it is more important that we represent our people than we prioritize doing things the way that they've always been done. With that in mind, I'm going to move to suspend the rules and give second reading to item 34, which is regarding the creation of a separate zoning category for data centers. So moved. We have a motion, do we have a second? That motion fails for lack of a second. Go ahead. I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to item 35, which would extend the data center moratorium that we have in place until October 31st, 2027. So moved. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this motion? Council Member Savigny. Thank you, and I want to thank Council Member Curtis for bringing this up again. Actually, I have no problem supporting this one because the first thing that the public asked for was an extension of the moratorium. I know that we're going to do work and we will, in two weeks, we will commit to do that work. And I think it, I'm hoping that it eases the public's mind that extending the moratorium is important and it's a vital part of this. And we're not going to make any decisions until something happens with number 34 and the last ordinance, okay? So I'm supportive of you. Thank you. Thank you. Any other discussion on this motion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? No. All right, that is ten to one, that motion passes. Any other suspensions? All right, next up is communications from the mayor appointments. Can I get a motion? Yes, we read. My bad, you are correct. Thank you all. I'm always going too fast. That's a problem for me. Okay, sorry about that. Let's get a second read on number 35, please. Do we have other suspensions? I'm sorry, yes. Item 32, 33, 35. My apologies. Item 32, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the McKenna County to execute and submit a grant application to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Department for local government. And to provide any additional information requests in connection with this grant application. To accept this grant for which grant funds are in the amount of $250,000 in the Kentucky Recreational Trails Program for improvements at Kelly's Landing for the Division of Parks and Recreation. The acceptance of which obligates the McKenna County government to the expenditure of a local match. The amount of $50,000 with $10,000 of that match provided in the form of a private donation made to Blue Grass Community Foundation. Further authorizing the mayor to execute any other documents related to the application for or acceptance of this grant. And authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. Item 33, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the McKenna County government to execute and submit a grant application to the Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Local Government to provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application. To accept this grant for which grant funds are in the amount of $1 million in the Land and Water Conservation Fund. And are for improvements at Kelly's Landing for the Division of Parks and Recreation. The acceptance of which obligates the McKenna County government to the expenditure of a local match of the amount of $500,000 in the form of pre-award expenditures. And subject to additional reimbursement in the form of private donations made to the Blue Grass Community Foundation. Further authorizing the mayor to execute any other documents related to the application for or acceptance of this grant. And authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. Item 35, a resolution extending the current moratorium one on the acceptance of processing of applications for zone map amendments seeking to change the zone of any property in Lexington County if the application includes a preliminary development plan reflecting a data center as the proposed use. And two, on the acceptance and review of development plans for data centers in any zone. And three, on the urban county government's issuance of any permits or approvals and authorizations necessary to the operation of data centers in any zone. In order to provide the urban county government additional time to examine and review the regulation processing and impact of data centers in Lexington County, and to provide time to review, consider, and amend, if necessary, any ordinance related to the data centers in Lexington County, so that it may ensure the proper integration of these uses into the adopted land use. And zoning scheme said extended moratorium to remain in place until October 31, 2027, thank you. Thank you, can I get a motion to approve? Second. We have a motion and a second, and when you're ready, let's do a roll call vote. There we go. Council Member Eblen? Council Member Ellinger? My computer's freaking out. Council Member Higgins-Horne? Thank you. Council Member Lynch? Yes. Council Member Savigny? Council Member Sheehan? Yes. Vice Mayor Wu? Yes, my screen is freaking out a little bit, so I'm not trying to recuse, so just so you know. I'm holding the cursor on the screen right now, so I'm a yes. Thank you. Council Member Beasley? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Boone? Council Member Brown? Yes. And Council Member Curtis? Yes, ma'am. Thank you. All right, thank you. All right, those all pass. Next item on the agenda is communications from the Mayor Appointments. Can I get a motion, please? Move to approve. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on that motion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Next up is communications from the Mayor of Donations. Can I get a motion, please? Move to approve. Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this motion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Next up is communications from the Mayor of Procurements. Can I get a motion? Second. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this motion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Next is communications from the Mayor for your information only. And that takes us to police and fire discipline, and we do have several. Welcome, Chief Wells. Thank you, Council. I have the first one here on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025. An internal allegation was made that Captain Brandon Vote 44676 violated UDG 2.01, Conduct Unbecoming. At the conclusion of the investigation, the employee met with me and accepted an 18-hour suspension without pay. This is Captain Vote's first violation of UDG 2.01 since his employment in June of 2006, and stems from his arrest for non-domestic assault 4th in 2025. I need a motion to approve. Second. All right, we have a motion and a second. Any discussion or questions for the Chief? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Go ahead. Thank you. The next three are going to sound exactly the same. They stem from the same incident. On Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, an internal allegation was made that firefighter Colin McDonald, 62999, violated UDG 2.03, Dereliction of Duty. UDG 2.05, Department Reports, and UDG 6.03, Honesty. At the conclusion of the investigation, the employee met with me and accepted a 36-hour suspension without pay. This is Firefighter McDonald's first UDG violation since his employment in October of 2023, and stems from an incident in which he failed to complete a required clinical rotation and submitted paperwork indicating that he had. Okay, can I get a motion to approve? We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this motion or questions for the Chief? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Go ahead. Next, on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, an internal allegation was made that firefighter Jalen Haddix, 63025, violated UDG 2.03, Dereliction of Duty. UDG 2.05, Department Reports, and UDG 6.03, Honesty. At the conclusion of the investigation, the employee met with me and accepted a 36-hour suspension without pay. This is Firefighter Haddix's first UDG violation since his employment in October of 2023, and stems from an incident in which he failed to complete a required clinical rotation and submitted paperwork indicating that he had. Motion to approve, please. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this motion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Finally, on Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, an internal allegation was made that firefighter Brady Robertson, 63021, violated UDG 2.03, Dereliction of Duty. UDG 2.05, Department Reports, and UDG 6.03, Honesty. At the conclusion of the investigation, the employee met with me and accepted a 36-hour suspension without pay. This is Firefighter Robertson's first UDG violation since his employment in October of 2023, and stems from an incident in which he failed to complete a required clinical rotation and submitted paperwork indicating that he had. Thank you. Can I get a motion? No motion. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this motion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you all. Thank you, Chief. Next up is announcements. Councilmembers, please log in. Councilmember Savigny. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Dave Barbary, I have a question for you. Commissioner Barbary. Sure. As you're coming up. So we currently have an issue before us where a majority of council felt one way and the mayor feels another way on an issue. When I'm trying to figure out if the issue becomes litigious, how does your department handle what could be viewed as a conflict of interest between your clients? I'm not sure of this. Do you have a specific scenario, hypothetically? I'm just- I mean, it's pretty, I mean, the mayor vetoed it within the ten days. We all have a reasonable time to act. Our advice would be, I mean, it would have been ideal to do it tonight, but under the circumstances with four of you all gone, we think you can defend going into the next meeting and doing it then. After that, it would be an open issue whether you really acted within a reasonable amount of time, we think. Because it's been a month since you vetoed it, so someone should know whether they're going to change their vote or not by that point in time. So I would hope that if you all were going to make a move to veto, that all of you all would be here at the next meeting and it would be done then. Because after that, I don't know how much we could defend that it was done within a reasonable amount of time. And I think most of you all know this, when a new council comes on, the same exact ordinance could be presented again and reconsidered and all those other things. So I don't believe that this issue's over at this point in time, because if the new council wants to talk about doing something similar again, it can be done at that point in time, as early as January or February of next year, so. Okay, but if something becomes litigious, how do you guys manage that? We may end up getting conflicted out of it and have to, yeah, it may become an issue, yeah. Okay, and as long as- We represent the government, so we're going to give the best advice- I know, I know, you're everybody's friend. And I'm sure the mayor doesn't like that I told you you could go to the next meeting, but that's our role, so. Okay, all right, that's all I have, thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Beasley. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I have a few announcements to make tonight, so let's see, I have some pictures, maybe, here we go. First, I'd like to talk about the Fire Prevention Festival that was this past weekend. I got to hang out with the Citizens Fire Academy Alumni Association, who prepared the food and stuff. This was a great event put on by the fire department. While we're looking at the pictures, I'd also like to congratulate the class that just graduated last night from the Community Fire Academy classes. And if you'd like to take that, you can go to their website and sign up for the next one that'll be in the spring. It really was fun. And then on Saturday, we're having a street hockey clinic in the 8th district at 10 o'clock. If there's still room, you can sign up by going to that QR code or email in the office. That's in partnership with the nightfall semi-pro hockey team that we have here in town. Their games are at the Ice Center. On Saturday, we also have the pharmacy sprout market coming to the 8th district. It'll be there from 2 to 4 at the Center Parkway location, 1165 Center Parkway. We also got to judge the Lex Tran Rodeo, which was a lot of fun. Watching those bus drivers back into those little spaces was great. The gentleman who won, his name is Michael, and he has won for the past 11 years. I don't know what route he drives, but that's the one I want to ride on. And then on October 24th, we have a skateboard competition in the 8th district at Berry Hill. There's plenty of spaces still to sign up from that. The competition is from 12 to 6. There'll also be a gun violence prevention resource table set up there. There was a gentleman, Avery Adams, who lives in the 8th district. He's a high school student at Tate's Creek High School, put this together. So it's our office, Friends of Skate Park, and the Thundercats Skate Shop that is co-sponsoring this with Avery. And some community partners that we have. Let's see, what else? This is the 8th District City Youth Council. We spray painted and adopted some storm drains this past week while they were on break. If you want to have fun, give kids spray paint. We have representatives from all of our schools in the district on that youth council. I think that's my last picture. I do have just a few more things. Remember that we still have office hours on Center Parkway every Friday, thanks to our partners at Employment Solutions. And now we give away free food there at 530, thanks to our friends at the Catholic Action Center. I'd also like to take just a minute to send our condolences to Jenny Ramsey on the passing of her husband. So let's keep her in our thoughts and prayers. Lastly, I'd like to wish a happy Customer Service Week to our folks at 311 Call Center. They do all of our call takers. They absolutely help me do my job as a council member every day. So I just want to say thank you to them. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Sorry, I just promoted you too. Thank you. Council Member Lynch. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I just would like to remind all of our neighbors that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. And so Wear Purple Day is October the 15th, so I want to invite everyone to wear your purple and show support for survivors of intimate partner violence. And to all survivors, we hear you, we see you, we believe you, and we support you. So let's all support survivors this month and wear purple. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Sheehan. Thank you, Vice Mayor. As most of the council members at least know, this has been Week Without Driving. And it's a week to highlight our transportation network and how people get around, and if you can do that with or without a car, and what you might do if you didn't have access to a car. And this morning, we had a walk audit over by the Charles Young Community Center. And this was arranged through our Senior Services Commission, and Council Member Lynch and I both serve on that. So we both participated in the walk audit. And several folks from our LFUCG staff participated. Brandy Peacher, who is our Complete Streets Manager, and then also folks from Traffic Engineering and Code Enforcement and Streets and Roads and Engineering participated alongside senior members of our community. And part of the walk audits is that you go through a space and you look for things that are working and things that aren't working. And it makes you kind of take the perspective of different people because you have conversations along the way with the people that you're walking with. And you notice different things, and you have different challenges. And so I encourage all of the community to think about doing a walk audit of their own spaces. We are working, we, LFUCG, primarily Brandy Peacher, Is working on a toolkit to give you materials to be able to do walk audits on your own. Like worksheets and things that you can do and questions you could ask as you do your walk audit. But the AARP, if you do a search on walk audit toolkit, they also have one that is very handy and very comprehensive. So think about doing a walk audit of your area for those kinds of questions. Like how the transportation network is working, how the bus stops work for you, how the sidewalk is working. Is there shade along the way? Are there places to stop and rest? Are there other people around? Are there obstacles? All of those things come up in a walk audit. So the more of those we can do of our community, the more feedback we get of what we're doing well. And then what we might want to change as a community to make it more inclusive and accessible for everyone. So thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Next up is public comment for issues not on the agenda. We have a few people signed up and we've confirmed the yielding of time for folks earlier. So first up is Lisa Guess and you'll have six minutes. Followed by Betty Coleman and then John Marshall. Good evening. My name is Lisa Guess and I live in district one. I also have the honor of serving as the president of the Lexington Community Police Academy Alumni Association. And I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you again this evening. I've previously spoken before this council in support of Lexington Police Department's continued use of automated license plate readers. And tonight, with additional information that has been shared publicly and based on verified research, I want to focus on three things. The people that this technology helps, the safeguards surrounding its use, and the importance of understanding what actually constitutes a search in ALPR. First, I think we need to bring this conversation back to victims. Since ALPR were implemented in Lexington in March of 2022, they have helped recover 371 stolen vehicles valued at more than $5.5 million. Located 32 missing persons, seized 166 unauthorized firearms, and charged 822 individuals. Those are not abstract statistics. Behind those numbers are people who had a car stolen, families looking for a missing loved one, and victims waiting for someone responsible for a crime to be identified. Verified research shows that in just the last 30 days, ALPR technology has assisted with multiple stolen vehicle arrests and located multiple missing persons. It has also assisted investigations involving burglaries, fraud, theft, assaults, criminal mischief, and hit and runs, including a fatal hit and run. We also have seen how quickly this technology can become important when someone accused of a serious crime leaves our jurisdiction. In the recent fatal shooting involving Kentucky State Trooper Hayden Phillips, ALPR technology played an important role in locating and apprehending the suspect in Louisville only hours later. When we're deciding whether this technology has value, I believe those victims and those outcomes deserve to be part of the conversation. But I also want to be clear about what ALPRs are and what they are not. ALPRs do not replace good police work. They do not replace officers, detectives, witnesses, interviews, evidence collection, or sound investigative judgment. An ALPR is simply one vital tool that can be used during an investigation. It is not the only tool, and it does not make an investigation by itself. Second, I understand why people ask questions about privacy. It is important that we ask those questions. But those discussions should be based on what ALPRs do in Lexington. These cameras photograph the rear of a vehicle and its license plate. They do not use facial recognition, they don't identify occupants of a vehicle, they aren't video cameras, and they aren't being used for red light or speed enforcement. LPD officers are required to document a reason before accessing historical detections. 100% of their activity is audited, and those audits are publicly available. Lexington retains ALPR images for 60 days. Kentucky law now generally allows retention for up to 90 days, subject to the requirements and exceptions established in House Bill 58. I think House Bill 58 is important to this conversation because it demonstrates that public safety and privacy do not have to be opposing positions. We can allow law enforcement to use technology that helps solve crimes and locate people while ensuring privacy. Finally, I want to address something that can easily be misunderstood when we hear large numbers associated with ALPR searches. An automated detection or alert is not the same thing as an officer conducting an investigative search of historical data. If a vehicle associated with something such as a stolen vehicle or missing person is entered into the National Crime Information Center, or NCIC, and passes one of Lexington's cameras, the system can generate an alert to the Lexington Police Department. The department receives those alerts from its own camera network. That's very different from an officer intentionally searching historical ALPR information during an investigation. And even when an officer conducts a search, that doesn't mean the system returns someone's location or travel history. A result only exists if that vehicle passes a camera and an image was captured. That distinction is incredibly important when we evaluate numbers about how this technology is used. There is also another side to investigative searches that we don't talk about enough. This technology isn't only capable of helping to identify a suspect, it can also help rule someone out. And that is an important function of good police work. I don't believe the choice before Lexington should be technology or privacy. I believe the better solution is use of effective technology with appropriate safeguards, transparency, and accountability. Based on verified research about Lexington's ALPR program, I believe our police department has that solution in place. We have measurable results. We have documented reasons for searches. We have audits. We have public transparency. We have retention limits. If there are opportunities to strengthen safeguards or improve transparency, let's have that conversation. But let's not lose sight of the people this technology is helping today. The victim whose stolen vehicle is recovered, the family whose missing loved one is located, or the investigators trying to find someone responsible for a violent crime. The Lexington Police Department protects people and privacy. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Next up is Betty Coleman, followed by John Marshall. And if our timer on your podium is acting up a little bit, if that doesn't work, we'll do it the old school way. So you'll have six minutes. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Betty Coleman and I am from District 7. I'm proud to stand before you tonight to address the positive impact of automated license plate readers that they are having in our community and the confidence that I have in the Lexington Police Department to utilize this technology safely and effectively. Though I was not born in Lexington, I have lived here for 35 years. It is my home. The community is vibrant, governed well, and safe. We have an engaged group of dedicated first responders working together to provide a caring and supportive effort to those who live and work here. The issue of whether ARPs provide a threat to our community is at hand. And it appears that those who oppose the use of the cameras are most concerned about the people who have access to the information they provide, the LPD. For 14 years, I have been involved very closely with the fine men and women who wear the blue. I have cried when their families have been hurt. I have laughed at their stories. I have fed them at many a function. I have prayed for them. I have watched them participate in sports. I have hugged them in their time of need. And I have personally interviewed nearly 100 of these individuals as a member of the Community Police Academy Alumni Association through their Officer of the Month program. The common thread through all of these experiences is the integrity, character, and humble nature of our Lexington officers. The OTM interviews share the anecdotes of their childhood and growing up. More times than not, it's in a faith-based environment. They are educated, articulate, and have matured into fine human beings. When they chose to put on the uniform, most tell me that it is because they want a job with purpose. They want to help. They want to improve the quality of life for themselves and others. So what does all this have to do with ALPRs? The apparatus itself only takes the picture. What happens next is highly monitored and has limited accessibility to our officers. They must have a case number and have completed and passed the ALPR policy review test before access is granted. 100% of the ALPR system is audited monthly and any and all inquiries made by an officer in the system can be looked at. This has been done since the deployment of the cameras in 2022, transparency. The FLOC platform continually provides security updates and passes them along to the LPD as they are needed, keeping the system current. To my knowledge, the LPD has had no cases of misuse. Controls are in place, officers and supervisors have been trained. Privacy in our world hardly exists. As someone who does not use or access social media, one of those few, it is a choice we all make. I consider my life to be more secure because of that choice. Having the ALPRs in my community managed properly adds to that security. Thank you. My extended time is to share my husband's message, Roger Coleman, also living in District 7, except he forgot his reading glasses and can't read this. So I'm sure some of you can appreciate that. And I am speaking for him as him. I respectfully urge the council to allow the Lexington Police Department to continue using advanced license plate readers. ALPRs are not a convenience. They are a proven public safety tool that can help officers locate stolen vehicles, respond when a missing person or child may be in a vehicle, and identify suspect vehicles connected to serious crimes. I also understand the privacy concerns that come with any law enforcement technology. Those concerns should be addressed through clear written policies, limits on data retention, restricted access, audit trails, and proper oversight, not by taking away a tool that helps protect the public. My confidence in the LPD is based on personal experience. I spent 53 years with IBM and Lexmark in management positions around the world, and I worked with law enforcement agencies in more than 50 cities on anti-counterfeiting efforts. That perspective helped me recognize the professionalism and accountability I've seen here in Lexington. During those years, I saw a wide range of law enforcement organizations. Some were strong and professional, and some raised real concerns. That experience is one reason I do not make my judgment lightly. When I say I trust the LPD, it is because I have the opportunity to compare what I have seen around the world. After retiring, I enrolled in the Lexington Community Police Academy to better understand the LPD. The program gave me an inside look at how the department operates and how officers are hired and trained, how decisions are made, and how seriously the department takes accountability and service. I have also served alongside Lexington police officers on several disaster relief missions across the country. These officers voluntarily gave their personal time, traveled far from home, worked long days in difficult conditions, and helped flood victims begin rebuilding their homes. I saw them carrying debris, repairing damage, encouraging families, and doing hard work without seeking recognition. Those experiences allowed me to see those officers not only in uniform, but as people. I saw their compassion, humility, work ethic, and willingness to serve others when no spotlight was on them. That kind of character matters when we are deciding whether a department can be trusted to use these important tools responsibly. I'll stop right there. Thank you. Thank you. And our last speaker tonight will be John Marshall, and you have three minutes, and Abby will keep time over there. Good evening, council and Lexingtonians. My name's John Marshall. I'm part of the ninth district. I live at 3387 Winthrop Drive. I am a lifetime citizen of Lexington, Kentucky. Grew up here. My wife and myself are high school sweethearts. We went to Tate's Creek. We're in class of 82. I have three children that grew up here, went to school here in Fayette County in the public schools. And I'm very passionate about what's going on in our community and in our world. Apologize. What I wanted to bring up tonight is I would like to read a verse of Bible first, or if I may, please. This is in Matthew 22, starting in verse 29. Jesus replied, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I apologize. I'm in the wrong place. I apologize. Hang on just one second. It's in Matthew 22, verse 37. It says, Jesus replied, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. And what I want to do tonight is I would like to call on all Lexingtonians to know your neighbors. Not just know your neighbors in front of you, behind you, beside you. Know your neighbors. Care for your neighbors. Take care of your neighbors. Be servants to your neighbors. We need to be servants in our community, but especially in our own neighborhoods. Be servants to your neighbors. If you see a neighbor in need, meet that need. Go to them. If you have a neighbor whose grass is growing extremely tall, don't call the city code enforcement. Go to them and say, hey, how can I help you? Can I mow your yard? But be a servant to them. And I call on all of us to be. And this is the point that I'm to bring. We need to do things. We don't need to rely on our governments to do these things. And what I'm going to bring up is I hope I don't step on any toes. But it's not our government's duty to do charitable work. It's not our government's duty to take our tax dollars and give to charities, to give to non-profits, and things like that. If our government wants to, if our government leaders, if they want to take their own money, or if I want to take my own money and give to these non-profits or charities or whatever, it's my responsibility and it's my right to just as yours. But it's not as our servants in the government to take our tax dollars and do things like this. And another thing I want to bring up real quick is the community, the senior citizens centers. I don't think that that money was properly used, and I don't think it was our government's, I think it was overreach of our government. And I will speak on that next meeting, please. Thank you. All right, thank you very much. We are at the end of our agenda, so without objection, we are adjourned. Thank you all.