Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on June 2, 2026, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, KY, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting covered 8 agenda items spanning a range of municipal business, including budget amendments, new business, mayoral appointments, donations, procurements, and civic assembly recommendations. The council heard 5 public comments on agenda items and conducted 8 motions and votes over the course of the session. With the exception of the opening public comment period, which was informational, all agenda items were approved by the council.

Attendance

The Council meeting on June 2, 2026 was attended by 15 of the 16 council members.

Present: - Mayor Linda Gorton - Vice Mayor Wu - Council Member Brown - Council Member Ellinger II - Council Member Morton - Council Member Lynch - Council Member Eblen - Council Member Curtis - Council Member Sheehan - Council Member Higgins-Hord - Council Member Hale - Council Member Beasley - Council Member Sevigny - Council Member Reynolds - Council Member Boone

Absent: - Council Member Baxter

No members were recorded as late.

Votes and Decisions

The council took action on eight items during the June 2, 2026 meeting. All items passed; seven were decided by voice vote and one by roll call.

• Docket Approval – Council Member Ellinger moved and Council Member Curtis seconded approval of the docket for the June 4, 2026 council meeting. Passed by voice vote. 19:32

• May 26, 2026 Work Session Motions – Council Member Reynolds moved and Council Member Sevigny seconded approval of the May 26, 2026 council work session motions. Passed by voice vote. 20:36

• Budget Amendments – Vice Mayor Wu moved and Council Member Sevigny seconded approval of budget amendments. Passed by voice vote. 21:08

• New Business Items – Council Member Sheehan moved and Council Member Reynolds seconded approval of new business items. Passed by voice vote. 21:38

• Mayor's Communications – Appointments – Council Member Curtis moved and Council Member Sheehan seconded approval of communications from the mayor regarding appointments. Passed by voice vote. 27:57

• Mayor's Communications – Donations – Vice Mayor Wu moved and Council Member Curtis seconded approval of communications from the mayor regarding donations. Passed by voice vote. 28:28

• Mayor's Communications – Procurements – Council Member Sheehan moved and Council Member Hurt seconded approval of communications from the mayor regarding procurements. Passed by voice vote. 28:28

• Civic Assembly Recommendations – Council Member Sheehan moved and Vice Mayor Wu seconded approval of the civic assembly's recommendations on council compensation, accountability, and charter review. Passed by roll call vote, 12 ayes to 2 nays. 34:24
• *Voting yes:* Mayor Linda Gorton, Vice Mayor Wu, Council Members Brown, Ellinger II, Morton, Lynch, Eblen, Curtis, Sheehan, Higgins-Hord, Hale, and Boone.
• *Voting no:* Council Members Beasley and Brown.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council approved several financial items at the June 2, 2026 meeting, spanning infrastructure, legal services, workforce development, and public outreach.

• L0372-26 authorized a purchase agreement with Wastequip in the amount of $102,884.79 for the acquisition of 15 dumpster units.

• L0401-26 approved a first amendment to an existing contract with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass valued at $400,000, extending or modifying the organization's agreement with the city.

• L0403-26 authorized a renewal of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Bluegrass Community and Technical College for up to $100,000, continuing the partnership between the city and the college.

• L0423-26 approved an agreement with Palmer Engineering in the amount of $769,746 for professional services related to the Versailles Road Improvements Project, representing the largest single expenditure approved at this meeting.

• L0454-26 authorized an agreement with OpinionWorks for $50,000 to conduct a Stormwater Public Survey, supporting the city's public engagement efforts around stormwater management.

In total, the Council approved financial commitments of approximately $1.42 million across these five items, with the Palmer Engineering contract for the Versailles Road Improvements Project accounting for the largest share of that spending.

Public Comment

Five residents addressed the Council during public comment periods at the June 2, 2026 meeting, covering topics ranging from civic engagement to public health funding and financial oversight.

Civiclex and Civic Assembly

Three speakers spoke in support of the Civiclex civic assembly process during the early portion of the meeting:

• Larry Smith 4:06 shared his personal experience participating in Civiclex, emphasizing the importance of civic engagement and the sense of unity the process fosters among participants.
• Adam Clier 7:55 expressed support for the civic assembly's recommendations and highlighted the value of the diverse perspectives that contributed to the process.
• Jake Monski 10:30, who identified himself as an engineer, also voiced support for the civic assembly's proposals and stressed the importance of diverse representation in government.

Opioid Abatement Funds

• Adrian Williams 1:07:14 advocated for directing opioid abatement funds toward housing-first solutions that include wrap-around services for individuals with substance use disorders. Williams' comments called on the Council to prioritize this approach when allocating those resources.

Water Quality Management Fund

• Rick Day 1:08:50 requested that the Council conduct a financial audit of the Water Quality Management Fund. Day cited concerns about a lack of oversight and what he described as failures to adhere to ordinance requirements governing the fund.

The public comment period reflected a range of community priorities, from support for participatory civic processes to calls for accountability in how public health and environmental funds are managed.

Appointments

The Council took action on appointments to various commissions and boards during the June 2, 2026 meeting. Specific names of appointees and the particular bodies or roles to which they were appointed are not detailed in the available meeting data.

Contested Items

• Civic Assembly Recommendations: The council was divided on whether to accept the recommendations put forward by the civic assembly. The item resulted in a split vote, with two council members voting against acceptance. The majority prevailed, and the recommendations were accepted, though the specific grounds for the dissenting votes were not detailed in the available meeting data.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

4:06

Several citizens addressed the Council during the public comment period on agenda items. The speakers included Larry Smith, Adam Clier, and Jake Monski, who provided comments on various topics before the Council, including civic assembly recommendations and the use of opioid abatement funds.

This portion of the meeting was informational in nature, with no votes or formal actions taken in response to the public comments.

Approval of Summary

20:36

The Council took up the approval of the summary of motions from the May 26, 2026 work session. Council Member Reynolds and Council Member Sevigny were the key speakers on this item. The summary was approved without noted objection.

Budget Amendments

21:08

The Council took up a resolution approving various budget amendments for the fiscal year. Vice Mayor Wu and Council Member Sevigny were the key speakers during this agenda item.

The resolution was approved by the Council.

*Note: Detailed information about the specific amendments discussed, any concerns raised, and the substance of the debate is not available in the provided record.*

New Business

21:38

The council took up New Business, during which members considered contracts and agreements related to various city projects.

Council Member Sheehan and Council Member Reynolds were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The items presented fell under the category of resolutions, covering contractual and agreement-based matters for city initiatives.

No specific concerns or debate are reflected in the available record for this agenda item. The council approved the New Business items.

Communications from the Mayor - Appointments

27:57

The Council took up the matter of appointments communicated by the Mayor. Council Member Curtis and Council Member Sheehan were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting.

The Council voted to approve the mayoral appointments as presented. No additional details regarding the specific positions, nominees, or boards and commissions involved are available in the meeting record.

The appointments were approved by the Council.

Communications from the Mayor - Donations

28:28

The Council took up the Communications from the Mayor regarding donations during this portion of the meeting. The item was presented as a resolution for Council consideration and approval.

Vice Mayor Wu and Council Member Curtis were the key speakers on this agenda item. The resolution addressed donations communicated by the mayor to the Council for formal approval, as is standard procedure for such items.

The Council approved the donations resolution. No additional details regarding the specific donors, donation amounts, or intended recipients are available from the meeting record.

Communications from the Mayor - Procurements

28:28

The Council took up the Communications from the Mayor regarding Procurements, which included procurement actions communicated by the mayor for Council approval.

Council Member Sheehan and Council Member Hurt were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The Council considered the procurements as presented.

The item was approved by the Council.

*Note: The available record does not include additional detail on the specific procurement contracts, vendors, amounts, or debate associated with this item. Readers seeking further specifics are encouraged to consult the full meeting transcript or supporting documentation beginning at approximately the 28-minute mark of the meeting recording.*

Civic Assembly Recommendations

34:24

The council took up the Civic Assembly Recommendations, a resolution addressing the civic assembly's findings on council compensation, accountability, and charter review.

Council Member Sheehan and Vice Mayor Wu were the key speakers during this portion of the meeting. The discussion centered on the recommendations put forward by the civic assembly across three areas: how council members are compensated, measures related to council accountability, and a review of the city charter.

The resolution was approved by the council.

*Note: The available record does not include a detailed breakdown of the specific recommendations debated, individual positions taken by each speaker, or any concerns raised during deliberation. Readers seeking the full discussion are encouraged to consult the meeting video beginning at timestamp 34:24.*