Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council met on November 20, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The meeting's agenda included 2 items, both informational in nature: a presentation on the WUKY 85th Anniversary and an update on the Microtransit Pilot Program. Over the course of the meeting, the Council heard 2 public comments and took 2 votes. No action items or legislative outcomes were recorded for either agenda item, as both were presented for informational purposes only.

Attendance

The following members were recorded for the Council meeting on 2025-11-20.

Present (14 members): Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Hale, Higgins-Hord, LeGris, Lynch, and Morton.

Absent (1 member): Curtis.

Late: None.

> *Note: Curtis appears in both the present and absent lists as recorded in the source data. This discrepancy may reflect an error in the meeting record and should be verified against the official minutes.*

Votes and Decisions

The Council took two roll call votes during the meeting, both of which passed unanimously.

• Ordinance 1004-25 1:06:06 — An ordinance amending Section 13-13(b) of the Code of Ordinances to create a Recovery Residence License. The motion was made by Ellinger and seconded by Sevigny. The ordinance passed 14–0, with all 14 members voting in favor: Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Hale, Higgins-Hord, LeGris, Lynch, and Morton. No members voted against or abstained.

• Resolution 1033-25 1:13:35 — A resolution accepting the bid of C3 Mechanical for the Mounted Police Ventilation Repairs. The motion was made by Elliott Baxter and seconded by Sevigny. The resolution passed 14–0, with the same 14 members voting in favor: Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Ellinger, Elliott Baxter, Hale, Higgins-Hord, LeGris, Lynch, and Morton. No members voted against or abstained.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council considered two financial actions at the November 20, 2025 meeting, authorizing contracts totaling $247,000 across two separate projects.

• Mounted Police Ventilation Repairs (Resolution 1033-25): The Council authorized a contract of $25,000 with C3 Mechanical to perform ventilation repairs at the Mounted Police facility. This resolution covers the mechanical work needed to address ventilation issues at the location.

• Southland Park Water Quality Improvements (Resolution 1063-25): The Council authorized a contract of $222,000 with Kentucky Stream Restoration for water quality improvements at Southland Park. This represents the larger of the two financial actions taken at the meeting.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the Council during the public comment period at the November 20, 2025 meeting.

• Nathel Moore 38:49 spoke in support of the microtransit pilot program, thanking the Council for its backing of the initiative. Moore emphasized the program's significance for seniors and residents who face transportation challenges, framing accessible transit as an important community need.

• Brian Chenoweth 43:36 also voiced support for the microtransit program, but additionally raised concerns about the proposed Government Center. Chenoweth urged the Council to prioritize community needs as it considers that project moving forward.

Both speakers touched on the microtransit pilot program, reflecting public interest in the initiative, while Chenoweth broadened his remarks to include questions about the direction and priorities surrounding the Government Center proposal.

Contested Items

Two items generated notable disagreement during the November 20, 2025 Council meeting.

Microtransit Pilot Program Funding

The proposed microtransit pilot program prompted a heated discussion among Council members regarding its level of funding. The nature of the disagreement centered on how much financial support the program should receive. An amendment to increase the program's funding was put forward and ultimately passed by a majority vote. The structured data does not specify which Council members led or opposed the amendment, or the specific dollar amounts involved.

Proposed Government Center

The proposed Government Center drew opposition from members of the public during the meeting. Several speakers came forward to voice concerns, with their objections focused on the prioritization of public funds at a time when the community is facing a housing crisis. Speakers questioned whether investment in a new Government Center was appropriate given competing needs. The structured data does not indicate a final vote outcome or Council response to the public comments on this item.

WUKY 85th Anniversary

9:05

Under agenda item 1100-25, Mayor Gorton issued a proclamation declaring November 20, 2025, as WUKY Day in Lexington, honoring the public radio station's 85th anniversary of broadcasting.

Mayor Gorton and Bryan Lane were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The proclamation recognized WUKY's eight and a half decades of service to the Lexington community through public radio broadcasting.

This item was informational in nature and required no vote or further Council action.

Microtransit Pilot Program

Agenda Item 1078-25 19:11

The Council received a presentation on the Microtransit Pilot Program. Key speakers during the discussion included Ellinger, Sheehan, and Combs.

The item was informational in nature, with council members and public speakers expressing support for the initiative. No final vote or binding action was taken as a result of the discussion.

*Note: Additional details about the specific content of the presentation, concerns raised, and the full scope of public comment are not available in the provided data.*