Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on February 20, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with the Mayor presiding. The meeting addressed 5 agenda items, all of which were approved: Ordinances 0084-25, 0086-25, 0087-25, 0154-25, and 0123-25. Over the course of the meeting, the Council took 4 votes and heard 2 public comments.

Attendance

All 15 members of the Council were present at the February 20, 2025 meeting. No members were absent or late.

Present: - Councilmember Beasley - Councilmember Boone - Councilmember Browne - Councilmember Curtis - Councilmember Ellinger - Councilmember Elliott-Baxter - Councilmember Gray - Councilmember Hale - Councilmember Lagree - Councilmember Lynch - Councilmember Morton - Councilmember Reynolds - Councilmember Savigny - Councilmember Sheehan - Vice-Mayor Wu

Votes and Decisions

• Removal of Presentations from Docket 3:06: Councilmember Browne moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Wu, to remove both presentations from the February 20 Council docket. The motion passed on a voice vote.

• Approval of February 6, 2025 Meeting Minutes 6:17: Council Member Ellinger moved, seconded by Council Member Gray, to approve the minutes from the February 6, 2025 council meeting. The motion passed on a voice vote.

• Second Reading of Ordinances 7:24: Council Member Legree moved, seconded by Vice Mayor Wu, to approve the second reading of ordinances. The motion passed on a roll call vote of 14–1. Voting in favor were Council Members Ellinger, Gray, Hale, Legree, Lynch, Reynolds, Savigny, Sheehan, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Vice Mayor Wu, and Council Member Brown. Council Member Morton cast the sole vote against.

• Second Reading of Resolutions 15:05: Vice Mayor Wu moved, seconded by Council Member Ellinger, to approve the second reading of resolutions. The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote of 14–0. Voting in favor were Council Members Ellinger, Gray, Hale, Legree, Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Savigny, Sheehan, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, and Vice Mayor Wu.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council considered two infrastructure grant resolutions at the February 20, 2025 meeting, both involving Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grants for stormwater quality projects.

• Resolution 0066-25 authorized a Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grant of $305,250 to Windswept Ventures, LLC in support of a stormwater quality project.

• Resolution 0068-25 authorized a Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grant of $217,681.95 to Mediocre Creative, LLC for a stormwater quality project.

Combined, the two grants represent a total public investment of $522,931.95 directed toward stormwater quality improvements through the Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grant program.

Public Comment

Two members of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period at the February 20, 2025 meeting.

• Phoenix Berry 36:36 read a poem to the Council and spoke about the oppression caused by hierarchy. Berry urged Council members to act with love and to work toward breaking what was described as the "unloving feeling" created by hierarchical structures.

• Rory Hefner Templar 39:27 spoke in support of marginalized communities, urging Council members to sign a pledge committing to protect the rights, safety, and dignity of those communities.

Both speakers addressed themes of equity and the Council's responsibility toward vulnerable and marginalized residents.

Appointments

The Council approved appointments and reappointments to several advisory boards and commissions at the February 20, 2025 meeting.

Arboretum Advisory Board - James Carson Baughman was appointed.

Black and Williams Center Board - Michelle Gentry, Angela Hampton, James Hudson, Seneca Hudson, Marcus McIntyre, and Johnathan Washington were each appointed as new members. - Priscilla Willis was reappointed.

CASA of Lexington Board of Directors - Rebecca Ellis was appointed.

Downtown Lexington Management District Board of Directors - Dennis Anderson was appointed.

Economic Development Investment Board - Caroline Baesler was reappointed.

Internal Audit Board - Michael Lamb was reappointed.

Masterson Station Park Advisory Board - Vernon Bewley was reappointed.

Opioid Abatement Commission - Stephanie Raglin and Tara Stanfield were each reappointed.

Contested Items

• Ordinance 0086-25 produced the only split vote of the meeting, with Council Member Morton casting the sole dissenting vote while the remaining council members voted in favor. The ordinance passed despite Morton's opposition. No additional details regarding the specific subject matter of the ordinance or the reasoning behind Morton's objection are reflected in the meeting record.

Ordinance 0084-25

6:50

The Council took up Ordinance 0084-25, an ordinance amending the authorized strength of the Office of the Urban County Council by creating two unclassified, part-time positions of Aide to Council at Grade 518E.

The ordinance was approved. No key speakers, debate, or concerns were recorded in the available data for this item.

Ordinance 0086-25

6:50

The Council took up Ordinance 0086-25, an ordinance amending the authorized strength of county personnel by abolishing specific classified positions across two departments. The changes included the elimination of one classified position of Administrative Specialist, Grade 516N, in the Division of Community Corrections, as well as additional positions in the Division of Parks and Recreation.

No key speakers were recorded in connection with this item, and the record reflects no notable debate or concerns raised during consideration of the ordinance. The Council approved the ordinance.

Ordinance 0087-25

6:50

The Council took up Ordinance 0087-25, an ordinance amending the authorized strength of city personnel by creating one classified position of Administrative Specialist Principal, Grade 520N, within the Division of Environmental Services.

No key speakers were recorded in connection with this item, and the available data reflects no notable debate or concerns raised during deliberations. The ordinance appears to have moved through the Council without significant discussion.

The Council approved Ordinance 0087-25.

Ordinance 0154-25

6:50

The Council took up Ordinance 0154-25, a budget amendment measure designed to align certain budgets of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government with current requirements for municipal expenditures.

The ordinance was approved by the Council. No key speakers, debate, or specific concerns were recorded in connection with this item.

Ordinance 0123-25

6:50

The Council took up Ordinance 0123-25, an ordinance amending the authorized strength of the Division of Fire and Emergency Services by creating one new classified position of Accreditation Manager at Grade 526E.

No key speakers or debate were recorded for this item in the available meeting data. The Council approved the ordinance.