Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on April 24, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting included 3 agenda items, 3 votes, and 2 public comments. Two agenda items were informational in nature — a presentation recognizing the Frederick Douglass High School Cheerleaders and a showcase for Bring Back the Melody — while the council also took up and approved a Zone Change Ordinance. In total, the council heard 2 public comments and conducted 3 motions and votes over the course of the meeting.

Attendance

The following 14 members were present at the April 24, 2025 Council meeting:

• Reynolds
• Sevigny
• Sheehan
• Wu
• Beasley
• Boone
• Brown
• Curtis
• Ellinger
• Elliott Baxter
• Gray
• LeGris
• Lynch
• Morton

Absent: Hale

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

Three items came to a vote at the April 24, 2025 Council meeting.

• Approval of Minutes 0:04: A motion by Ellinger, seconded by Curtis, to approve the minutes of the April 15, 2025 Mayor's Budget Address and the April 17, 2025 Council Meeting passed unanimously, 14–0. All 14 members voted in favor: Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, and Morton.

• Ordinance 0328-25 22:36: A motion by Elliott Baxter, seconded by Gray, on an ordinance to rezone the property at 125 Canebrake Dr. from an Interchange Service Business (B-5P) zone to a Light Industrial (I-1) zone passed unanimously, 14–0, on a roll call vote. All 14 members voted in favor: Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Gray, LeGris, Lynch, and Morton.

• Resolution 0137-25 26:19: A motion by Elliott Baxter, seconded by Curtis, on a resolution authorizing a Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grant to Fayette County Public Schools for a Stormwater Quality Project passed 10–4 on a roll call vote. Voting in favor were Reynolds, Sheehan, Wu, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, LeGris, and Lynch. Voting against were Sevigny, Beasley, Gray, and Morton.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council considered three financial items at the April 24, 2025 meeting, covering infrastructure grants and construction contracts.

• Resolution 0137-25 authorizes a Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grant of $310,081.50 to Fayette County Public Schools for a Stormwater Quality Project. The grant supports infrastructure improvements related to stormwater management on school property.

• Resolution 0303-25 approves a contract award of $1,634,958 to Lagco, Inc. for the Plainview Trunk Sewer Project. This bid represents the selected contractor for sewer infrastructure work in the Plainview area.

• Resolution 0332-25 approves a contract of $844,000 to W. Principles, LLC d/b/a The Walker Co. of Ky. for the Town Branch WWTP Primary Digester Roof Leak Repairs. This contract addresses repair needs at the Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant's primary digester facility.

Combined, the three items represent a total of approximately $2,789,039.50 in authorized expenditures, spanning stormwater quality improvements, sewer infrastructure, and wastewater treatment plant maintenance.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the Council during the public comment period. 1:04:06

• Phoenix Berry opened public comment by sharing a personal poem on the theme of humanness, reflecting on interconnectedness and collective humanity. 1:04:06

• Greg O'Neill followed with remarks on distracted driving and traffic signal timing in Lexington. O'Neill raised concerns about long traffic light sequences, which he suggested contribute to phone use among drivers while waiting, and urged the Council to consider changes that would help reduce distracted driving. 1:05:42

Appointments

The Council approved the following reappointments at the April 24, 2025 meeting:

• Camden Skidmore was reappointed to the Courthouse Area Design Review Board.
• Blake Davidson and Mark Spanier were both reappointed to the Emergency Medical Advisory Board.
• Phil Maxson was reappointed to the Lexington Center Corporation Board of Directors.
• Rania Belmadani and Stephanie Nallia were both reappointed to the Library Board of Trustees.
• Mary Quinn Ramer was reappointed to the Rural Land Management Board.
• Leidy Borges-Gonzalez and Paul Schoninger were both reappointed to the Transit Authority Board.

A total of nine individuals were reappointed across six boards and advisory bodies.

Contested Items

• Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grant for Fayette County Public Schools — A resolution authorizing a Class B Infrastructure Incentive Grant to Fayette County Public Schools for a Stormwater Quality Project generated notable division among Council members. The item passed, but with a split vote of 10 in favor and 4 opposed, indicating meaningful disagreement over the measure. The structured data does not specify the particular points of contention raised by the dissenting members or identify which individual Council members voted on each side.

Frederick Douglass High School Cheerleaders

5:20

The Council took up agenda item 0293-25, a presentation recognizing the Frederick Douglass High School Cheerleaders for their performance at the 2025 Universal Cheerleading Association National High School Cheerleading Championship.

Mayor Gorton and Council Member Denise Gray led the recognition, joined by John Murphy. The presentation honored the team's achievement at the national championship competition. No debate or concerns were raised, as the item was informational in nature.

Bring Back the Melody Showcase Day

Agenda Item 0294-25 13:28

Mayor Gorton and Council Member Tyler Morton presented a recognition of the Arts Initiative Corp. for their contributions to the community. As part of the presentation, Mayor Gorton and Council Member Morton declared April 24, 2025, as Bring Back the Melody Showcase Day.

Key speakers during this item included:

• Mayor Gorton, who participated in the recognition and declaration
• Council Member Tyler Morton, who joined in presenting the recognition
• Deborah Hodge, who was present as part of the proceedings

This was an informational item with no debate or contested outcome. The declaration honored the Arts Initiative Corp.'s work and its impact on the community, marking the date of the Council meeting itself as the official Bring Back the Melody Showcase Day.

Zone Change Ordinance

22:36

The Council considered Ordinance 0328-25, a proposal to rezone the property at 125 Canebrake Dr. from an Interchange Service Business (B-5P) zone to a Light Industrial (I-1) zone.

Key speakers on this item included Elliott Baxter and Gray. The ordinance was approved by the Council.