Urban County Council

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Urban County Council met on May 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. The meeting included 2 agenda items: a recognition of Lexington Catholic Girls Track and Field and a public hearing on the Mayor's Proposed Budget, both of which were informational in nature. Over the course of the meeting, 2 votes were taken and 2 public comments were heard.

Attendance

All 15 council members were present at the May 14, 2026 meeting. No members were recorded as absent or late.

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

Votes and Decisions

Two items came to a roll call vote during the May 14, 2026 Council meeting, both passing unanimously 15–0.

• Ordinance 0325-26 27:33 — The Council voted on an ordinance to rezone approximately 38.998 net (39.148 gross) acres at 3515 Richmond Rd. from an Agricultural Urban (A-U) zone to a Medium Density Residential (R-4) zone. The ordinance passed 15–0 with no nays or abstentions. Voting in favor were: Higgins-Hord, Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Eblen, Ellinger, Elliot-Baxter, and Hale.

• Resolution 0315-26 37:41 — Motioned by Curtis and seconded by Wu, the Council voted on a resolution to accept the bid of Pace Contracting, LLC in the amount of $424,000 for the West Hickman WWTP High Flow Diversion Box Replacement. The resolution passed 15–0 with no nays or abstentions. Voting in favor were: Higgins-Hord, Lynch, Morton, Reynolds, Sevigny, Sheehan, Wu, Beasley, Boone, Brown, Curtis, Eblen, Ellinger, Elliot-Baxter, and Hale.

Budget and Financial Actions

The Council considered two contract resolutions at the May 14, 2026 meeting.

• Resolution 0264-26 authorizes a contract with Kona Ice for mobile frozen treat vending concessions at Lexington Parks & Recreation aquatic facilities and splash pads during the 2026 season. The contract carries no dollar amount, indicating Kona Ice will operate at the facilities without a direct payment from or to the city under the terms of this agreement.

• Resolution 0284-26 authorizes a contract with I/O Solutions, Inc. in the amount of $81,000 to provide testing services for applicants in the Division of Police's promotional processes. These assessments are used to evaluate candidates being considered for advancement within the police department.

Public Comment

Two residents addressed the Council during the public comment period.

• Luke Box 15:50 raised concerns about the proposed $278,000 budget allocation for CASA Lexington. Box argued that the organization's cash assets have grown significantly and suggested that the Council reconsider directing those funds to CASA Lexington, indicating the money could be put to better use elsewhere in the budget.

• Judith Humble 21:47 spoke in support of the Solar ZOTA (Zone Text Amendment), expressing approval of its protective measures. Humble also highlighted the barriers that currently exist to rooftop solar adoption in Kentucky, framing the Solar ZOTA as an important step toward addressing those obstacles.

Appointments

The Council acted on two board appointments during the May 14, 2026 meeting.

• Amanda Secen was reappointed to the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers Board of Directors.
• Scott Davidson was appointed to the Downtown Lexington Management District Board of Directors.

Contested Items

Solar ZOTA

The Solar ZOTA (Zone of Text Amendment) generated both support and opposition from community members during the May 14, 2026 Council meeting. The central disagreement centered on the amendment's potential effects on agriculture and renewable energy development, with participants taking differing positions on how to balance those competing interests.

The discussion reflected a broader tension between expanding solar energy infrastructure and protecting agricultural land, though the specific arguments made by individual speakers and the ultimate outcome of the Council's deliberations are not detailed in the available meeting record.

No timestamp data is available for this item.

Recognition of Lexington Catholic Girls Track and Field

5:54

The Council recognized the Lexington Catholic Girls Track and Field team for winning their third consecutive team title at the KHSAA Indoor 2A State Championship. The recognition was presented under agenda item 0396-26.

Key speakers during this portion of the meeting included Bernadette Maddigan Dugan and Sevigny. The item was informational in nature, with no vote or action required from the Council.

The recognition highlighted the team's achievement of claiming the KHSAA Indoor 2A State Championship title for the third consecutive year, underscoring the program's sustained excellence at the state level in Kentucky high school athletics.

Public Hearing: Mayor's Proposed Budget

Agenda Item: 0391-26 14:48

The Council held a public hearing on the Mayor's proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, providing residents with an opportunity to offer comment on the proposal.

• Key speaker: Luke Box addressed the Council during this hearing.
• The hearing was structured to allow public input on the Mayor's budget proposal, consistent with standard public hearing procedures.
• The item was informational in nature, meaning no vote or binding action was taken as a result of the discussion.

The outcome of the hearing was informational, serving as a forum for community engagement with the budget process rather than a decision-making session.