Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on May 28, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, with Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting covered 2 agenda items in total. The council approved the minutes from the May 14, 2026 Council meeting and received a proclamation recognizing Mark Van Koevering and Helen Van Koevering. Over the course of the meeting, 2 votes were taken, 1 presentation was given, and 1 public comment was heard.

Attendance

All members were present at the May 28, 2026 Council meeting. The following 15 members attended:

• Lynch
• Morton
• Reynolds
• Sevigny
• Sheehan
• Wu
• Beasley
• Boone
• Brown
• Curtis
• Eblen
• Ellinger
• Elliot-Baxter
• Hale
• Higgins-Hord

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

Two items came to a roll call vote during the May 28, 2026 Council meeting, both passing unanimously.

• Ordinance 0350-26 19:13 — Motioned by Ellinger and seconded by Higgins-Hord, this ordinance repealing Article LI of Chapter 2 to abolish the Opioid Abatement Commission passed 15–0. All fifteen members voted in favor: Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Eblen, Ellinger, Elliot-Baxter, Hale, and Higgins-Hord. No members voted against or abstained.

• Resolution 0365-26 27:28 — Motioned by Sheehan and seconded by Wu, this resolution accepting a $60,000 award from the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet passed 15–0. The same fifteen members voted in favor: Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Eblen, Ellinger, Elliot-Baxter, Hale, and Higgins-Hord. No members voted against or abstained.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council addressed two significant financial items at the May 28, 2026 meeting, together totaling more than $2 million in approved expenditures.

• Wilson Downing Intersection Improvements (Resolution 0366-26): The Council approved a contract with Allen Co., Inc. in the amount of $688,040.56 for improvements to the Wilson Downing intersection. This resolution authorizes the formal contract with the named vendor to carry out the associated construction or engineering work.

• Custom Fire Apparatus Pierce Enforcer Pumper (Resolution 0336-26): The Council approved a purchase of $1,343,000 from Atlantic Emergency Solutions, Inc. for a Custom Fire Apparatus Pierce Enforcer Pumper. This acquisition represents the larger of the two financial actions taken at this meeting and reflects a significant capital investment in fire and emergency response equipment.

Combined, these two resolutions account for approximately $2,031,040.56 in authorized spending. Both items were brought forward as formal resolutions, indicating they required Council approval rather than falling within standard administrative purchasing authority.

Public Comment

One member of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period. 1:00:40

• Hudson Chamberlain spoke on the topic of Flock Safety, raising concerns about privacy issues associated with the company. Chamberlain urged the Council to end its contracts with Flock Safety.

Appointments

The Council took the following appointment action during the May 28, 2026 meeting:

• Elizabeth Hench was appointed to the Social Services Advisory Board.

Minutes of the May 14, 2026 Council Meeting

8:26

The Council considered agenda item 0447-26, the approval of the minutes from the previous Council meeting held on May 14, 2026.

Key speakers on this item included Ellinger and Sheehan. The item was presented for Council review and approval as a standard procedural matter.

The minutes were approved.

Proclamation Recognizing Mark Van Koevering and Helen Van Koevering

9:28

The Council recognized Mark Van Koevering and Helen Van Koevering with a formal proclamation honoring their service to the community as they transition into retirement. The item was presented under agenda identifier 0452-26.

The proclamation was read aloud during the meeting, with Dave Sevigny and Mayor Linda Gorton identified as key speakers during this portion of the proceedings. The recognition was informational in nature, with no vote or formal action required by the Council.

This agenda item served as an opportunity for the Council to publicly acknowledge the contributions Mark and Helen Van Koevering have made to the community throughout their years of service prior to their retirement.