[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6526554,"mediaKeyId","3789490-67bb6f14d183717d452faeb31bc93a33","parentId",3789490,"title","Votes at a glance: Council adopts budget, personnel and multiple contracts; approves grant applications and several purchase agreements","audioSeconds",1162,"startMs",1462000,"endMs",2624000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789490-67bb6f14d183717d452faeb31bc93a33&start=1462&end=2624","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789490-67bb6f14d183717d452faeb31bc93a33/thumbnail_1462000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6526554/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Votes-at-a-glance-Council-adopts-budget-personnel-and-multiple-contracts-approves-grant-applications-and-several-purchase-agreements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526554-389aab4ef55183fad57b115eca844651/orig.mp4?Expires=1771094621&Signature=etzmWCHALBXjhfXumVUBY4oolDn9NsLwVMeaIkToX0DpeVc9Fev5tGt6qCLUnW67bccJ8l1YT~qhrqJZhkM11qUfVY2F-UMGagG8EGkm6fMWv5vJvAZSry3oBBiImNCbCgSK3S07hP6ymRtk9ttae6DZrTe~pwyH4jRTcH56D9yRRySPfq8xSKRZhn8h~BynceFIUr32zelJfDR9EP360KTZ2Ac5zWd0psT7KPlz9vSofR3e73BF-ElpMfJ90BWcvBNjdxlbobnCmiTiCvi9oRmw9d5UBA~Ag5-AbFOW99lQdg4e-qJkBkQYed3ed3sZB7EHOOMUyt5Ao31pFoKYzw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lexington","date","2025-06-12T00:00:00Z","article","The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council on June 12 approved a broad package of ordinances and resolutions after reading a lengthy docket. Several items were adopted with roll-call votes; others were approved following standard readings or by suspension of the rules. The meeting record shows the council adopted budget appropriations, personnel-authorized changes, contract awards and multiple grant-authorizing resolutions. Key items from the meeting docket and their outcomes follow.

Ordinances and budget actions (adopted)

- Ordinance (items 1–7 on the docket): Amendments to the Lexington-Fayette zoning ordinance, zone changes for properties on East Maxwell Street/Lexington Avenue, and multi-fund FY2026 appropriations and capital improvement program approvals. Council conducted a roll-call vote and the ordinances were adopted. (Recorded individual roll-call entries appear in the transcript.)

- Ordinance amending sick-leave accumulation rules (item 9): Council read and advanced changes affecting eligible employees hired on or after July 1, 2025 (text read as presented).

- Ordinances adjusting pay schedules and creating positions (items 10–12): Council read and approved pay and position changes affecting various divisions, including a 3% across-the-board pay increase for FY2026 as described in the docket language and creation of one encampment coordinator position in housing (effective dates listed in the ordinance language).

- Ordinance amending dumpster/enforcement and collection standards (item 13): Council read the ordinance language amending definitions, screening and collection requirements to take effect upon passage.

Resolutions and contract/award authorizations (approved)

- Short-term rental monitoring software: Resolution authorizing execution of agreement with Granicus LLC for short-term rental tracking and an FY2025 payment of $60,176.37 and annual increases up to 10% thereafter subject to appropriations (approved).

- Agreements and grants: The council authorized multiple grant applications and acceptances, including a $435,464 federal FY2025 State Homeland Security/DHS FEMA grant to purchase an emergency response rapid response vehicle (no matching funds required); acceptance of a $1,500,000 National Highway Program grant requiring a $375,000 local match for design of the Versailles Road corridor project; and several HOME Investment Partnership amendments extending performance periods for Lexington Habitat for Humanity contracts (approved).

- Professional services and construction contracts: Council approved RFP and bid awards and change orders listed on the docket, including program management services for consent-decree implementation (Tetra Tech award noted in the docket at approximately $814,000 subject to FY2026 appropriation), engineering change orders for sewer odor-control master planning (increase cited on docket), and multiple stormwater grant cancellations and adjustments as read.

- Public safety and community services contract authorizations: The council ratified purchases and agreements listed in the docket including (as read) authorizations for a citywide gun-violence-prevention campaign procurement (a resolution in the docket indicated a not-to-exceed amount of $6,040,000 for procurement with Conscious Consulting LLC) and a medical-debt relief agreement (a resolution in the docket indicated up to $1,000,000 for qualifying medical debt forgiveness with Medical Debt Resolution, DBA Undue Medical Debt); both measures were read on the docket and approved as presented.

- Lexington Children’s Museum funding (item 51): Council suspended the rules and gave immediate reading to a resolution authorizing a purchase-of-service agreement providing up to $400,000 in FY2026 with annual contributions in later years of up to $533,333.33 subject to appropriations; council approved the item as presented.

- Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant application (items 54/earlier walk-on): Council authorized submission of an SS4A planning and demonstration grant application (not to exceed $2,000,000 federal funds) with a local match obligation up to $500,000 (approved); staff explained the application would support three planning/demonstration projects including a collaborative safety framework for state-owned roadways, an integrated maintenance plan pilot tied to resurfacing, and a quick-build Safe Routes to Campus demonstration. Deadlines require an application by June 26; awards were expected later in the year if selected.

- Coldstream Research Campus letter of intent (item 55): The council authorized a letter of intent with SFG Properties LLC for approximately 19.61 acres at about $225,000 per acre; the authorization carried after council considered a walk-on and a suspension of rules (see separate article).

How votes were recorded

Where the transcript records individual roll-call answers, the record was entered into the meeting minutes and the items were adopted as read. Several items were on the docket with little or no debate and were approved together; a small number of walk-on items (for example, the Coldstream LOI and the SS4A grant application) prompted additional questions before council approved them. Where members registered \"no\" votes on specific docket entries, the meeting minutes in the transcript record those individual votes alongside the overall motion outcome.

Where to find full details

This summary highlights prominent budget, personnel, contract and grant actions that the council read and adopted on June 12. The council docket and the official minutes contain the full text of each ordinance and resolution, detailed line items for the budget and capital program, project-specific contract language and exact roll-call tallies for each recorded vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lexington - Urban County Council - Jun 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","At its June 12 meeting the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council adopted a package of ordinances and resolutions covering FY2026 budget appropriations, personnel-authorized changes, contract awards, grant applications and several procurement authorizations.","taxTitle","Lexington City, Fayette County, Kentucky","taxId",5707,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6526560,"Council approves letter of intent to sell 19.61 acres of Coldstream Research Campus to SFG Properties",1079,3484000,4563000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789490-67bb6f14d183717d452faeb31bc93a33&start=3484&end=4563","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789490-67bb6f14d183717d452faeb31bc93a33/thumbnail_3484000.jpg","/articles/6526560/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Council-approves-letter-of-intent-to-sell-1961-acres-of-Coldstream-Research-Campus-to-SFG-Properties","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526560-d0f4c593809956c58e276caee340289f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771094621&Signature=lMMI15yD-oO~-iWjSXm9z6ugh89QkYwOTEOp-nq1Gs1hzDcZXEqRTFvr5LkZIAkhtcMETrXT6QrYElCc5xvAsbP2UoH-V1toWE8WuVdWhRyaOQpiUQMN2UXHlaLOnFOhMqvIa6vIvL24CV742gbPerWZhKfxXmkWVVF6eIPQRXhsxjZi7SkK4qpPu-m67Cwi1-F2s3GgYRpWi-QX6LLmvusvvyTETQvvCDTmfr0XtY~rCk43BoFS1lHrZ~fn5h0pmp76vgqoXUWGZujRpM5mkexYviPqyMAXOFI7CBvYtl3~JyLSXe2wa3VAzNzq~8LeIPmNo8w~oO9dGcBLl2ZM5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council on June 12 authorized a letter of intent with SFG Properties LLC for the sale of approximately 19.61 acres of the Coldstream Research Campus at about $225,000 per acre. City staff told council the total sale price is roughly $4,412,000 and that proceeds will be split 50/50 with the University of Kentucky.

Kevin Atkins, speaking for city staff, said the $4,412,000 price equates to about $225,000 per acre and that the revenue split with UK requires UK’s share to be spent on Coldstream improvements while the city’s share is earmarked for development of the planned Legacy Business Park. \"The UK portion has to be spent on the Coldstream property and the improvements out there, and our half has to go toward the development of the 200 acre Legacy Business Park site,\" Atkins said.

Council discussion focused on the timing and process for bringing the sale before council. Council member Elliot Baxter moved to place the item on the docket for the meeting; the motion passed after questions about why the proposal had not appeared earlier in the council’s normal briefing sequence. Vice Mayor Wu and Council member Morton both asked about the walk-on timing and transparency; when Baxter later moved to place the item on the docket, council members voted to put it on the agenda (the motion carried with two members registering \"no\" votes when the item was first walked on).

Council members also noted the sale remains subject to customary review steps. Atkins said the project must still go through the Planning Commission, UK design-guidelines review for Coldstream, and other normal approvals; he also said the industrial authority had considered the proposal earlier the same day and endorsed it.

Procedural steps taken June 12

- Council member Elliot Baxter moved to place the SFG Properties letter of intent on the docket; the motion carried and the item was placed on the meeting docket.
- The administration moved to suspend the rules and give immediate reading to the resolution and related documents for the sale; that suspension and reading were approved.
- Council then approved a resolution authorizing the mayor or her designee to execute a letter of intent and to take steps toward a purchase-and-sale agreement with SFG Properties LLC. The council vote carried; multiple council members recorded \"no\" votes during the process when the item was walked on and during roll calls.

What the agreement would allow and next steps

The approved resolution authorizes a letter of intent and directs the mayor or her designee to execute a purchase-and-sale agreement in a final form approved by the Department of Law and to take related actions necessary to transfer the property. Atkins emphasized that additional approvals remain: planning and engineering reviews, university design-guideline review, and any agreements required by the industrial authority’s oversight role.

Why it matters

The sale would move a portion of the Coldstream Research Campus into private ownership for a last-mile distribution-style operation that staff said would focus on grocery and pharmacy delivery. City staff said the sale proceeds are intended partly to fund improvements at Coldstream and partly to fund development at the Legacy Business Park site, a major long-term economic-development objective for the city.

Votes and recorded opposition

Council approved the sale authorization on June 12. The transcript records recorded opposition during the walk-on and approval steps: Vice Mayor Wu and Council member Morton registered no votes when the item was initially walked on, and later roll-call entries in the record show at least one additional \"no\" vote on the final reading. The resolution nevertheless carried and the city will proceed to required planning and design reviews before closing or project-level approvals.","Lexington council approved a resolution authorizing a letter of intent with SFG Properties LLC to purchase about 19.61 acres of the Coldstream Research Campus at roughly $225,000 per acre; the council discussion included questions about timing, process and how sale proceeds will be used.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6526566,"Council postpones vote on UK ROTC memorandum after residents raise concerns about training in Bridal Park",1144,887000,2031000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3789490-67bb6f14d183717d452faeb31bc93a33&start=887&end=2031","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3789490-67bb6f14d183717d452faeb31bc93a33/thumbnail_887000.jpg","/articles/6526566/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Council-postpones-vote-on-UK-ROTC-memorandum-after-residents-raise-concerns-about-training-in-Bridal-Park","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6526566-fe7a995cd2cf5622498026bf6ec44be2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771094621&Signature=N5z3ky1kep~rwyFGGp-iR7Oq4WrV8~vYKt1RC28J57WzNT9kKyOp~d3YGmkoLUaB8PLBdRFMgDP1~21EPshPK8Lpkv9wbcNtkK~EQfCkAaLqYh~GcbNZ3igEn92p37~KG6fdi1nlEIZb1cPpz~e1o1iXhBGixuq3l1vI9x5x5e2f3RsnAl5S6ekGs8EXCIJfQT1fB6-OEscGVgouOAQvi3wIQMABC0v5oNallWjeX-YkByzxSWVhE20K1YVoZ~P76k2kzO704cQpz-knnUogGEVIp7SkuhzVdsqeUsoQXwIEObfgFhnhVAYJoi~swIS4h-q7vG3vn0J3j99SDsm1Aw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its June 12 meeting, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council voted to postpone consideration of a memorandum of understanding that would allow University of Kentucky ROTC to conduct training in Bridal Park. Vice Mayor Wu moved the postponement \"in light of the public concerns that we have heard,\" and Council member Curtis seconded; the motion passed on a voice vote and set the item for the July 3 council meeting.

The move followed several public comments during the meeting from residents who said military-style training in a public park posed problems for ordinary park users. Dave Cooper described Bridal Park as \"peaceful and quiet,\" noting trails, wildlife and a shared gravel parking area used by both the public and ROTC during training. \"When they're doing their training, there might be 50 or a 100, maybe a 100 cars, parked in that spot,\" Cooper said, adding that training activities had interfered with his ability to use the park.

Gun-violence-prevention volunteer Chuck Eddy said survivors he knows could be triggered by military training in a public green space. \"Frankly, these survivors and their family and friends could be triggered by being around military training,\" Eddy said, and he asked the council to table the memorandum of understanding.

Other residents suggested alternative locations. Anita Courtney said she had visited Bluegrass Station — about 4.9 miles down Bridal Hill Road from Bridal Park — and met with Colonel J.B. Richmond, who told her that Bluegrass Station has \"close to 300 acres of open land\" and buildings that could be used for urban terrain training. Courtney said Richmond had told her, \"I think we can provide everything they want and more,\" and that a contract there might be arranged quickly if ROTC leadership pursues it.

Council members who spoke to the motion framed the postponement as a way to give staff and the university time to pursue other options or address public concerns. Council member Brown said postponement would allow the Parks Department to work with UK ROTC to respond to issues raised in public comment or allow the university to \"find maybe another partnership or a location.\" The council did not take further formal action on the MOU at the June 12 meeting.

What the council directed and next steps

The council’s vote postponed formal action on the MOU until the July 3 meeting, giving Parks staff and the university time to pursue alternate sites or adjustments to the partnership. No final decision on whether training will take place in Bridal Park was made on June 12. If a revised agreement or an alternative location is proposed, it will return to the council for consideration on or after the July 3 meeting.

Why this matters

Bridal Park is a neighborhood green space used for walking, birding and passive recreation; several residents described encounters with wildlife and said joint use with training activities has created conflict. Public safety advocates and some residents said the presence of military-style training in a city park could be emotionally harmful to survivors of gun violence and jarring for families seeking recreation. The postponement gives the Parks Department and the University of Kentucky an opportunity to pursue alternatives before the council votes.","Lexington council postponed consideration of a memorandum of understanding that would allow University of Kentucky ROTC training in Bridal (Bridal Hill) Park until its July 3 meeting after several residents said the training could be jarring for park users and gun-violence survivors.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Council adopts budget, personnel and multiple contracts; approves grant applications and several purchase agreements

Council approves letter of intent to sell 19.61 acres of Coldstream Research Campus to SFG Properties

Council postpones vote on UK ROTC memorandum after residents raise concerns about training in Bridal Park