Council Work Session
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Summary
Meeting Overview
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council met on August 12, 2025, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting covered 10 agenda items, spanning a range of legislative and administrative business including rezoning, budget amendments, mayoral appointments, donations, and procurements. The Council heard 1 public comment on agenda items and received at least one informational presentation, the Ad Valorem Presentation, which was not subject to a vote. Across the meeting, 14 motions and votes were taken, with the majority of action items — including docket approval and rezoning, budget amendments, new business, and several communications from the Mayor — receiving approval. The session concluded having addressed all scheduled agenda items.
Attendance
The following 14 members were present at the August 12, 2025 Council meeting:
- Wu
- Brown
- Ellinger II
- Morton
- Lynch
- LeGris
- Curtis
- Sheehan
- Hale
- Beasley
- Baxter
- Sevigny
- Reynolds
- Boone
Absent: Gray
No members were recorded as late.
Votes and Decisions
All 14 motions brought before the Council on August 12, 2025 passed unanimously. No roll call votes were recorded; individual aye/nay counts were not captured for any item.
- Approval of the July 1, 2025 Council Meeting docket — Moved by Ellinger, seconded by Curtis. Passed unanimously. 0:04
- Approval of the Work Session July 1, 2025 table of motions — Moved by Wu, seconded by Baxter. Passed unanimously. 5:07
- Approval of Budget Amendments — Moved by Reynolds, seconded by Wu. Passed unanimously. 6:08
- Approval of New Business — Moved by Baxter, seconded by LaGree. Passed unanimously. 6:39
- Communications from the Mayor – Appointments — Moved by Baxter, seconded by Sheehan. Passed unanimously. 25:58
- Communications from the Mayor – Donations — Moved by Curtis, seconded by Morton. Passed unanimously. 26:29
- Communications from the Mayor – Procurements — Moved by Sheehan, seconded by Baxter. Passed unanimously. 26:59
- Approval of Capital Projects — Moved by Wu, seconded by Savigny. Passed unanimously. 27:30
- Set General Services Fund Avaloran Real Property Tax Rate at Option Three — Moved by Brown, seconded by Ellinger. Passed unanimously. 46:12
- Set Urban Services Fund Refuse Collection Avaloran Real Property Tax Rate at Option Three — Moved by Brown, seconded by Reynolds. Passed unanimously. 47:14
- Place Ordinance on Docket for August 14, 2025 Council Meeting for Tax Rates — Moved by Brown, seconded by Baxter. Passed unanimously. 47:46
- Set Public Health Avaloran Real Property Tax Rate — Moved by Brown, seconded by Baxter. Passed unanimously. 48:52
- Set Soil and Water Conservation District Avaloran Real Property Tax Rate — Moved by Brown, seconded by Wu. Passed unanimously. 49:22
- Schedule Public Hearing for Avalorum Tax Rates — Moved by Brown, seconded by Morgan. Passed unanimously. 49:55
Budget and Financial Actions
The Council approved nine financial agreements at the August 12, 2025 meeting, spanning service contracts, emergency repairs, forgivable loans, and advertising expenditures.
Service Agreements with Bluegrass Area Development District Two purchase of service agreements were approved with the Bluegrass Area Development District: contract L0691-25 for $61,288.30 to cover local member dues, and contract L0692-25 for $48,610 to provide a regional match to state Homecare funds.
Children's and Domestic Services - Contract L0697-25 authorized a $50,000 renewal of a purchase of service agreement with the Children's Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass. - Contract L0705-25 approved a $60,000 agreement with GreenHouse17, Inc. for emergency repairs to a fire sprinkler system.
Public Infrastructure Forgivable Loans The Council approved two Public Infrastructure Program forgivable loan agreements: - L0706-25: $489,613 to Red Draw Liberty LLC - L0707-25: $374,051 to 1000 Delaware LLC
Recruitment and Media Advertising Three contracts addressed advertising and media placement: - Contract L0729-25 authorized $19,575 with LinkedIn for advertising services to promote open positions. - Contract L0730-25 approved a third renewal agreement with Mackey Group, LLC d/b/a Wiser Strategies for media placement at $400,000. - Contract L0731-25 approved a first renewal with the Kentucky Association for Environmental Education for $648,636.27.
In total, the nine financial actions approved at this meeting represent approximately $2.15 million in commitments across service delivery, infrastructure investment, emergency maintenance, and public outreach.
Public Comment
At the August 12, 2025 Council meeting, no members of the public came forward to comment on issues appearing on the agenda. 4:00
Public Comment - Issues on Agenda
No members of the public came forward to offer comments on issues appearing on the agenda.
Docket Approval and Rezoning
The Council took up docket approval and rezoning items during this portion of the August 12, 2025 meeting. Ellinger and Savigny were the key speakers during this agenda item. The items were approved without dissent.
No concerns or debate were recorded in connection with these items.
Approval of Summary
The Council took up the approval of the summary from the July 1, 2025 work session. Council members Wu and Baxter were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. No concerns or substantive debate were noted in connection with the summary. The Council approved the summary of the July 1, 2025 work session.
Budget Amendments
The council took up a discussion of budget amendments during the August 12, 2025 meeting. Council members Reynolds and Wu were the key speakers on this item.
The council approved the budget amendments as presented. No additional details regarding the specific line items, dollar amounts, or individual amendments are available in the provided record.
New Business
The Council took up new business items, with discussion led by Baxter and LaGree. The items presented were approved by the Council.
*Note: The available data for this agenda item is limited. For full details on the specific items presented, any debate or concerns raised, and the precise nature of the approvals, viewers are encouraged to consult the meeting video beginning at the timestamp above or review the official meeting minutes when published.*
Communications From the Mayor – Appointments
The Council took up the matter of appointments communicated by the Mayor. Baxter and Sheehan were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting.
The Council approved the Mayor's appointments.
Communications From the Mayor – Donations
The Council took up the item covering donations communicated by the Mayor. The discussion involved key speakers Curtis and Morton, who addressed the donations presented for the Council's consideration.
The Council approved the donations as communicated by the Mayor. No additional detail regarding the specific donors, recipients, amounts, or nature of the donations is reflected in the available record for this item.
Communications From the Mayor – Procurements
The Council took up the Communications From the Mayor – Procurements agenda item, during which mayoral procurement communications were presented for Council consideration. Sheehan and Baxter were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting.
The structured data available for this item does not detail the specific contracts, vendors, or dollar amounts included in the Mayor's procurement communications, nor does it describe particular debate or concerns raised by Council members during the discussion. Based on the available information, the item appears to have moved through the Council without significant controversy.
The Council approved the procurements as communicated by the Mayor.
> Note to readers: The source data for this agenda item is limited. For a full accounting of the specific procurements approved — including vendor names, contract values, and departmental assignments — readers are encouraged to consult the official meeting minutes or the full procurement communication on file with the City Clerk's office, or to view the meeting video beginning at approximately the 26:59 mark.
Continuing Business/Presentations
The council took up continuing business and received presentations on ongoing matters during this portion of the August 12, 2025 meeting. Key speakers during this agenda item included Wu and Savigny.
The council discussed ongoing capital projects and received reports from committees. No additional detail on the specific projects, committee names, figures, or concerns raised is available in the meeting record for this item.
The agenda item was approved by the council.
Ad Valorem Presentation
Director Luker presented information to the Council regarding the FY 26 ad valorem process and tax rate options. The presentation was informational in nature, providing the Council with an overview of the ad valorem tax process as it relates to the upcoming fiscal year.
No vote or formal action was taken as a result of this presentation. The item served as an informational briefing for Council members on the available tax rate options for FY 26.
Decisions
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve the August 14, 2025 Council Meeting Docket
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve the July 1, 2025 Work Session Summary
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve Budget Amendments
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve New Business
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor – Appointments
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor – Donations
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor – Procurements
- Motion — passed (0-0): approve Council Capital Projects
- Motion — passed (0-0): set the General Services Fund ad valorem real property tax rate at Option 3; to set the General Services Fund ad valorem personal property tax rate including public service companies, noncommercial aircraft, and noncommercial watercraft at Option 3; and, to set the General Services Fund ad valorem tax rates for motor vehicles, tobacco in storage, agricultural products in storage, insurance companies’ capital, and abandoned urban property at the same rates as the prior fiscal year (the current rates)(.088, .015, .045, .15, and 1.00)
- Motion — passed (0-0): set the Urban Services Fund – Refuse Collection ad valorem real property tax rate at Option 3; to set the Urban Services Fund – Street Lights ad valorem real property tax rate at Option 3; to set the Urban Services Fund – Street Cleaning ad valorem real property tax rate at Option 3; and, to set the Urban Services Fund – Public Service Companies ad valorem tax rate at Option 3 (the combined amount of the 3 urban service rates) and Insurance Co. Capital at .0920, the same rate as the prior fiscal year
- Motion — passed (0-0): place on the docket for the Thursday, August 14, 2025 Council Meeting an ordinance pertaining to all of the tax rates for general services and urban services as provided in the respective amounts from the above motions and levying them at these rates on each $100 of assessed valuation
- Motion — passed (0-0): set the public health ad valorem real property tax rate at 0.0243 and the public health ad valorem personal property tax rate at 0.0243, and to place an ordinance on the docket for the Thursday, August 14, 2025 Council Meeting levying the taxes at these rates on each $100 of assessed valuation
- Motion — passed (0-0): set the soil and water conservation district ad valorem real property tax rate at 0.001, and to place an ordinance on the docket for the Thursday, August 14, 2025 Council Meeting levying the tax at this rate on each $100 of assessed valuation
- Motion — passed (0-0): schedule a public hearing on all of these ad valorem tax rates for the August 28, 2025 Council Meeting at 6 p.m
- Motion — passed (0-0): place the sewer clean out reimbursement program into the EQPW Committee
- Motion — passed (0-0): adjourn at 4:03 p.m