Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council held its regular meeting on March 18, 2025, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber on the 2nd Floor of the Government Center, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting covered 11 agenda items spanning a range of legislative and administrative business, including rezonings, budget amendments, mayoral appointments, donations, and procurements. The Council took 3 votes during the session, with the majority of action items — including budget amendments, new business, and communications from the Mayor — receiving approval. One public comment period was held for issues on the agenda, and a separate opportunity for public comment on issues not on the agenda was provided at the close of the meeting. Informational items included continuing business and presentations as well as council reports.

Attendance

Present (13): Wu, J. Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, LeGris, Curtis, Sheehan, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, and Boone.

Absent (2): Jennifer Reynolds and Denise Gray.

Late: None.

Votes and Decisions

The Council took three formal votes during the March 18, 2025 meeting, all of which passed unanimously.

• Approval of March 4, 2025, Work Session Summary: Motioned by Baxter and seconded by Ellinger II, the Council voted unanimously to approve the summary of the March 4, 2025 Work Session. No roll call breakdown was recorded.

• Approval of New Business: Motioned by Wu and seconded by Baxter, the Council voted unanimously to approve the new business items before it. No roll call breakdown was recorded.

• Adjournment: Motioned by Baxter and seconded by Sevigny, the Council voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting. No roll call breakdown was recorded.

No transcript timestamps are available for any of the three votes. All motions passed without dissent or abstention.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved a range of contracts, change orders, and grant agreements at the March 18, 2025 meeting. The following financial actions were taken:

Contracts and Agreements

• L0245-25: Reassignment of Agreement R-430-2021 to UES Professional Solutions 25, LLC at no cost.
• L0253-25: A $0 agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet related to the Aphids Way widening project.
• L0255-25: Change Order #5 to Contract #128-2021 for Town Branch WWTP RAS/WAS Pump Station Improvements, valued at $19,700.00.
• L0256-25: An agreement with Thomson Reuters for access to the CLEAR government investigations database, at a cost of $1,996.86.
• L0262-25: An agreement with Tunnel, Spangler, & Associates Inc for the Blue Sky Small Area Plan, totaling $486,000.
• L0264-25: Change Order #1 with Terracon for construction of the New Senior & Therapeutic Center, in the amount of $15,320.00.
• L0265-25: An agreement with Lexair Inc. under the Kentucky Business Investment Program, with revenue to be rebated per program terms.
• L0266-25: An agreement with the Institute of Police Technology and Management for a training course, costing $16,500.

Grants

• L0257-25: A Public Art Commission Collaborative Grant awarded to I Was Here, Inc. in the amount of $51,323.
• L0261-25: An application to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for a grant of up to $25,000 for smoke alarms.
• L0263-25: A grant agreement with the Central Kentucky Business Park Authority for $60,000.

In total, the Council authorized over $675,000 in new contracts and change orders, along with more than $136,000 in grant-related actions. The largest single expenditure was the $486,000 planning contract with Tunnel, Spangler, & Associates Inc for the Blue Sky Small Area Plan.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period. 32:12

• Rick Day spoke regarding the 2014 and 2022 MAG (Maricopa Association of Governments) studies, urging the Council to review their relevance. Day raised concerns about transparency issues connected to the studies and called for greater Council attention to the matter.

No additional public comments were recorded for this meeting.

Appointments

The Council took action on appointments to various commissions and boards during the meeting. However, the available structured data does not include the specific names of individuals appointed or the particular bodies to which they were assigned. Readers seeking the complete list of appointees and their respective commissions or boards are encouraged to consult the official meeting minutes or agenda documentation for the March 18, 2025 Council meeting.

Contested Items

• Child Neurology Education and Research Foundation Corporation Settlement [timestamp: N/A]

During the March 18, 2025 Council meeting, a settlement involving the Child Neurology Education and Research Foundation Corporation drew questions from Council Member Lynch. Lynch raised concerns about the nature of the situation, specifically questioning whether it was typical and whether steps could have been taken to prevent it. The discussion reflected broader scrutiny over the circumstances leading to the settlement and what, if anything, might be done differently in the future to avoid similar outcomes. No additional details regarding the resolution of Lynch's questions or the final disposition of the item were provided in the available meeting record.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

Public comments were invited on issues listed on the agenda during this portion of the March 18, 2025 Council meeting. No additional detail regarding specific speakers, topics raised, or concerns presented during this comment period is available in the meeting record.

Requested Rezonings/ Docket Approval

The council discussed requested rezonings and docket approvals during this agenda item. The item was approved.

No additional details regarding specific speakers, parcels under consideration, debate points, or concerns raised are available in the provided data for this agenda item.

Approval of Summary

The Council approved the summary of the previous work session. No key speakers, debate, or concerns were noted in connection with this item.

Budget Amendments

The council discussed and approved various budget amendments during the March 18, 2025 meeting. No additional details are available in the source materials regarding the specific amendments considered, the amounts involved, the speakers who presented or debated the items, or any concerns that were raised during the discussion. The amendments were approved.

New Business

4:46

The Council took up New Business, focusing on contracts and agreements. Key participants in the discussion included Council Member Lynch, Director Holbrook, and Kevin Atkins.

The structured record indicates the items discussed fell under the category of contracts and agreements, though the specific details of individual contracts — such as dollar amounts, counterparties, or project scopes — are not available in the provided data.

Following discussion among the noted speakers, the Council approved the New Business items.

> Note: The source data for this agenda item is limited. For full details on the specific contracts or agreements considered, readers are encouraged to consult the meeting transcript or official minutes beginning at approximately the 4:46 mark of the meeting recording.

Communications From the Mayor – Appointments

The Council considered appointments communicated by the Mayor during this agenda item. The appointments were approved by the Council.

No additional details are available in the source materials regarding the specific individuals appointed, the boards or bodies to which they were appointed, any discussion or debate that took place, or the speakers involved in this item.

Communications From the Mayor – Donations

The Council reviewed donations communicated by the Mayor during the March 18, 2025 meeting. The item was approved by the Council.

No additional details are available in the meeting record regarding the specific donors, donation amounts, intended recipients, or purposes of the donations discussed under this agenda item. No key speakers were identified in the structured data for this portion of the meeting.

*Note: For full details on the donations discussed, readers are encouraged to consult the official meeting minutes or the complete agenda packet for the March 18, 2025 Council meeting.*

Communications From the Mayor – Procurements

The Council reviewed procurement items communicated by the Mayor during this agenda item. The procurements were approved by the Council.

No additional details are available in the source materials regarding the specific procurement items discussed, the dollar amounts or vendors involved, any debate or concerns raised, or the names of speakers who participated in the discussion.

Continuing Business/ Presentations

14:53

Council Member Brown presented the Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee report during this portion of the meeting. The presentation was informational in nature, with Council Member Brown serving as the primary speaker on behalf of the committee.

No further details regarding the specific contents of the committee report, any concerns raised, or additional discussion among council members are available from the meeting record for this agenda item.

Council Reports

19:10

Council Member Gray, Vice Mayor Wu, and Council Member Lynch each delivered reports on their recent activities and initiatives. The reports were informational in nature, with no votes or formal actions taken.

The structured data available for this agenda item does not include the specific details of what each council member reported. For the full content of each member's remarks, viewers are encouraged to consult the meeting video beginning at the 19:10 timestamp.

Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda

32:12

The Council opened the floor for public comment on issues not listed on the agenda. One speaker, Rick Day, addressed the Council during this portion of the meeting.

The comments made during this segment were informational in nature, with no formal action taken or required by the Council. No additional speakers are noted in the record for this portion of the meeting.