Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council met on March 3, 2026, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber on the second floor of the Government Center, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting covered 12 agenda items spanning a range of legislative and administrative business, including budget amendments, new business, mayoral appointments, and procurement approvals. Across the course of the meeting, 13 motions and votes were taken, with key items such as the approval of the meeting summary, budget amendments, new business, mayoral appointments and procurements, and adjournment all receiving approval. Several items — including public comment periods, budget adjustments, continuing business and presentations, and council reports — were handled as informational matters requiring no formal vote. No public comments were recorded during the meeting's designated public comment periods.

Attendance

All 15 council members were present at the March 3, 2026 meeting. No members were absent or late.

Members Present: Wu, Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, Eblen, Curtis, Sheehan, Higgins-Hord, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Boone.

Votes and Decisions

All 13 motions brought before the Council on March 3, 2026 passed unanimously, with all 15 members voting in favor on each item and no nays or abstentions recorded. No transcript timestamps are available for these votes. The voting members on all items were Wu, Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, Eblen, Curtis, Sheehan, Higgins-Hord, Hale, Beasley, Baxter, Sevigny, Reynolds, and Boone.

• Approve the February 26, 2026 Council Meeting Docket, as amended — Moved by Ellinger II, seconded by Curtis. Passed 15–0.
• Place item 146-26 on the February 26, 2026 Council Meeting docket, without a public hearing — Moved by Sevigny, seconded by Wu. Passed 15–0.
• Place a resolution authorizing agreements for volunteer snow and ice removal services on the February 26, 2026 Council Meeting docket — Moved by Boone, seconded by Curtis. Passed 15–0.
• Place item 147-26 on the February 26, 2026 Council Meeting docket, without a public hearing — Moved by Eblen, seconded by Wu. Passed 15–0.
• Approve the February 17, 2026 Table of Motions — Moved by Baxter, seconded by Sheehan. Passed 15–0.
• Approve Budget Amendments — Moved by Reynolds, seconded by Curtis. Passed 15–0.
• Amend item a (0098-26) to require a separate vote by the Urban County Council before execution — Moved by Morton, seconded by Lynch. Passed 15–0.
• Approve New Business, as amended — Moved by Baxter, seconded by Wu. Passed 15–0.
• Approve Communications from the Mayor – Appointments — Moved by Curtis, seconded by Sheehan. Passed 15–0.
• Approve Communications from the Mayor – Procurements — Moved by Baxter, seconded by Curtis. Passed 15–0.
• Approve Neighborhood Development Funds — Moved by Curtis, seconded by Wu. Passed 15–0.
• Approve Council Capital Projects — Moved by Reynolds, seconded by Sevigny. Passed 15–0.
• Adjourn the meeting — Moved by Sevigny, seconded by Curtis. Passed 15–0.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed four financial items at the March 3, 2026 meeting, ranging from a small publication fee to a multi-hundred-thousand-dollar planning contract.

• L0164-26 authorized an amendment to the Solid Waste Management Plan for 2023–2027, with a payment of $562.44 to the Lexington Herald-Leader. This amendment reflects a publication or notice cost associated with the plan update.

• L0168-26 approved a Purchase of Services Agreement with Point One USA, LLC in the amount of $60,000 for Advanced Threat Assessment courses. This contract covers professional training services procured through the agreement.

• L0169-26 authorized a professional services agreement with Perez Planning and Design valued at $442,500 for development of the 2028 Parks and Recreation Master Plan. This represents the largest single expenditure approved at the meeting and will fund comprehensive planning work for the city's parks and recreation system.

• L0178-26 approved an Agreed Order with the Energy & Environment Cabinet related to the West Hickman Wastewater Treatment Plant, at a cost of $5,000. Agreed Orders of this type typically reflect a formal regulatory agreement between a government entity and a state environmental authority.

In total, the Council authorized approximately $507,562.44 in financial commitments across these four items.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

During this portion of the March 3, 2026 Council meeting, members of the public were invited to comment on items listed on the agenda.

No specific speakers, comments, or concerns are recorded in the available meeting data for this agenda item.

Requested Rezonings/ Docket Approval

No requested rezonings or docket approvals were presented at the March 3, 2026 Council meeting.

Approval of Summary

The Council considered and approved the summary of the previous meeting. No key speakers, debate, or concerns were recorded in connection with this item. The motion carried and the summary was approved.

Budget Amendments

Budget amendments were brought before the Council during the March 3, 2026 meeting. The amendments were approved.

No additional details are available in the record regarding the specific content of the amendments, the speakers who presented or debated them, or any concerns that were raised during discussion.

Budget Adjustments - For Information Only

Information on budget adjustments was presented to Council during this agenda item. This item was brought forward for informational purposes only and did not require a Council decision or vote.

No additional details are available in the meeting record regarding the specific nature of the adjustments presented, the amounts involved, or the departments or programs affected. No key speakers are identified in the available data for this item.

New Business

New business items were discussed and approved at the March 3, 2026 Council meeting. No additional details are available in the record regarding the specific items presented, the speakers involved, or any debate or concerns raised during this portion of the meeting.

Communications From the Mayor – Appointments

The Council considered appointments communicated by the Mayor during the March 3, 2026 meeting. The appointments were approved by the Council.

No additional details are available in the meeting record regarding the specific individuals appointed, the boards or bodies to which they were appointed, any discussion or debate among Council members, or concerns raised during consideration of this item.

The outcome was approval of the Mayor's appointments.

Communications From the Mayor – Procurements

The Council took up the Communications From the Mayor – Procurements agenda item during the March 3, 2026 meeting. The procurements communicated by the Mayor were approved by the Council.

No additional details are available in the source materials regarding the specific contracts, vendors, dollar amounts, or procurement identifiers included in this communication. No key speakers, debate, or concerns raised during consideration of this item were recorded in the available data.

*Note: No transcript timestamp is available for this agenda item.*

Continuing Business/ Presentations

The agenda included a segment for continuing business and presentations during the March 3, 2026 Council meeting. According to the available meeting record, presentations on continuing business were given; however, no additional details are available in the source data regarding the specific topics covered, the individuals who spoke, or any concerns that were raised during this portion of the meeting.

No key speakers, presentation titles, or discussion points are documented in the available record for this agenda item. The outcome of this segment is noted as informational.

For further details on what was presented during this portion of the meeting, members of the public are encouraged to consult the full meeting video or any supplementary materials provided by the Council.

Council Reports

Council members presented reports during this portion of the March 3, 2026 meeting. No additional details regarding the specific content of individual reports, the names of presenting council members, or any concerns raised during this agenda item are available in the meeting record. The item was informational in nature.

Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda

During this portion of the March 3, 2026 Council meeting, members of the public were invited to address the Council on any issues not listed on the agenda. No specific speakers, topics, or concerns are recorded in the available meeting data for this segment.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned. No additional speakers or discussion were recorded for this agenda item.