Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council met on June 3, 2025, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting included 3 agenda items, 2 of which were informational presentations: a LexTran Microtransit Feasibility Study and a Lexington Emergency Shelter Study 2025. The council also heard public comment on agenda items, with 5 public comments received in total during the meeting. A total of 3 motions and votes were taken over the course of the session.

Attendance

All 15 council members were present at the June 3, 2025 meeting. No members were absent or late.

Present: Wu, Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, LeGris, Curtis, Sheehan, Gray, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Boone.

Votes and Decisions

Three votes were taken at the June 3, 2025 Council meeting, all of which passed unanimously with 15 ayes and 0 nays.

• Approval of the May 27, 2025 Council Meeting Docket 1:12:54: Motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Gray, this item passed unanimously (15–0). All 15 members voted in favor: Wu, Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, LeGris, Curtis, Sheehan, Gray, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Boone.

• Approval of New Business 1:13:27: Motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Savignee, this item passed unanimously (15–0). All 15 members voted in favor: Wu, Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, LeGris, Curtis, Sheehan, Gray, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Boone.

• Approval of Council Capital Projects 1:14:01: Motioned by Gray and seconded by Curtis, this item passed unanimously (15–0). All 15 members voted in favor: Wu, Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, LeGris, Curtis, Sheehan, Gray, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Boone.

No abstentions or dissenting votes were recorded on any item.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council considered one appropriation item during the June 3, 2025 meeting involving capital project funding across several departments and organizations.

• A total of $23,761.22 was appropriated for Council Capital Projects covering four distinct purposes:
• Sensory equipment — funds directed to LFUCG Parks and Recreation
• An informative plaque — funds directed to the LFUCG Corridors Commission
• Irrigation system repair — funds directed to the Walnut Ridge Homeowners Association
• Speaker repair — funds directed to LexArts

No resolution number was included in the available data for this item. The appropriation spans a mix of city agency recipients and external community organizations, reflecting the Council's use of capital project funds to support both municipal infrastructure and community-based needs.

Public Comment

Five members of the public addressed the Council during the comment period, with remarks centered largely on homelessness, shelter access, and housing policy.

• Abby Latimer 7:16 spoke about the particular challenges faced by unhoused older adults, calling for accessible, low-barrier shelter options to better serve that population.

• Lyndon Bond 10:22 emphasized the importance of sustained funding for resources serving unhoused neighbors and echoed the call for low-barrier shelters as a critical component of an effective homelessness response system.

• Shalise Lissamby 13:03 advocated for shelters that are accessible to disabled individuals, framing housing as a human right and urging the Council to prioritize inclusive shelter design and policy.

• Susan Ecton 15:09 raised concerns about the impact of shelter facilities on the Eastland area specifically, and urged the Council to consider alternative locations rather than concentrating such services in that neighborhood.

• David Shadd 17:21 spoke in favor of low-barrier shelters designed to accommodate diverse populations, including individuals with pets and couples, who are often excluded from more restrictive shelter environments.

The majority of speakers supported expanding low-barrier shelter access, while Susan Ecton offered a dissenting perspective focused on neighborhood impact and site selection. Disability access, funding adequacy, and the needs of specific subpopulations — including older adults, disabled individuals, pet owners, and couples — were recurring themes across the public comment period.

Contested Items

• Location of New Shelters: Residents raised concerns about the proposed locations for new shelters, particularly in areas they described as already hosting multiple services. Community members expressed opposition to the siting decisions, though no additional details about specific locations, the identities of those involved, or the outcome of the discussion are available in the meeting record.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

3:34

Five members of the public addressed the Council on agenda-related topics, with comments centering on homelessness, low-barrier shelter availability, and the effects of shelter facilities on surrounding neighborhoods.

Speakers: - Abby Latimer - Lyndon Bond - Shalise Lissamby - Susan Ecton - David Shadd

The public comment period focused on issues related to homelessness and shelter policy. Speakers raised the need for low-barrier shelters — facilities that serve individuals regardless of sobriety status, background, or other conditions that might otherwise disqualify them from more restrictive programs — as well as concerns about the impact that shelter locations and operations can have on the neighborhoods where they are situated.

No votes or formal actions were taken during this portion of the meeting. The comments were received as informational input to the Council.

LexTran Microtransit Feasibility Study

1:17:22

George Meyer presented a feasibility study examining the potential for microtransit service in Lexington. The presentation covered potential service zones, associated costs, and strategies for implementing a microtransit program. Fred Combs also participated as a key speaker during this agenda item.

The item was informational in nature, meaning no vote or formal action was taken by the Council as a result of the presentation. The discussion was intended to brief Council members on the findings of the study and the considerations involved in potentially moving forward with microtransit as a transit option for the community.

*Note: Additional details regarding specific zone boundaries, cost figures, implementation timelines, and any concerns raised during discussion were not available in the source data for this meeting item.*

Lexington Emergency Shelter Study 2025

2:23:25

Ed Holmes presented the findings of the Lexington Emergency Shelter Study 2025 to the Council. The presentation focused on the growing need for shelter beds in Lexington and outlined potential solutions to address that need. Charlie Lanter also participated as a key speaker during this agenda item.

The item was informational in nature, and no vote or formal action was taken by the Council as a result of the presentation.

*Note: Additional details regarding specific findings, data points, concerns raised, or solutions discussed during this presentation are not available in the source materials provided.*