Lexington council adds $3.2 million for 10 new positions, infrastructure fund

The Lexington council added 10 new employees, $2 million for an infrastructure fund for developers and money for a pilot Central Kentucky Veterans Center to Mayor Linda Gorton’s proposed $538.1 million budget.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council took its first votes Tuesday on changes to Gorton’s budget. It added more than $3.2 million in spending.

The proposed budget is a 5% increase over the current-year budget of $505 million. It is the largest budget in Lexington’s history.

A final vote on changes to the budget comes June 13. The spending plan is for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

Some of those changes include adding 10 employees in neighborhood traffic management, social services and two civilian staff for Fusus, or real-time police operations center. It coordinates traffic, license plate reader and private security cameras.

Those 10 positions will cost a little less than $750,000.

In addition, the council tapped about $2.45 million from a $28 million savings account to pay for other one-time projects.

Some of the new items added Tuesday include:

• $2 million for an infrastructure fund for developers trying to do infill projects.

• $150,000 for recruitment of tech workers.

• $64,000 for two new trucks for public works.

• $53,900 for new truck with hitch for environmental outreach efforts.

• $150,000 for consultant for federal grant writing.

• $150,000 for new manual to oversee plantings, such as trees.

• $38,155 outdoor weather siren at Town Branch.

• $22,000 for two radar units to decrease speeding.

Money for infrastructure fund, veterans center

Two years ago, Gorton had set aside $3 million for an infrastructure fund that was supposed to help developers pay for infrastructure costs for infill construction, which is often costly.

Instead, the city used $1 million to help pay infrastructure for the Lexington Sporting Club’s 5,000-seat stadium near the Athens Boonesboro Road and Interstate 75 interchange.

Keeneland, which recently announced a $93 million expansion, also received a $1 million forgivable loan from the infrastructure fund. Both projects are outside the city’s growth boundary and are not considered infill projects.

City officials said at the time the $2 million was awarded to Keeneland and LPS that no developer had applied to the fund.

The city later changed the fund rules to include projects that created jobs. That’s why Keeneland and Lexington Professional Soccer qualified for the funds, city officials said in 2023.

Councilman Preston Worley said Tuesday the city is in the process of revamping that infrastructure program to make it more desirable for developers.

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Councilman James Brown, who chairs the Budget, Finance and Economic Development Committee, said those new rules will be unveiled at a budget committee in June.

The council also opted to fund a pilot project for a new veteran’s center.

Councilman David Sevigny said he has been working with the city’s veterans’ commission for more than a year about the possibility of starting a Central Kentucky Veterans Center. Due to budget constraints, Sevigny suggested the group start by seeing if the concept would work.

The city has identified possible spaces or rooms in city buildings that could be used as a gathering place for an assortment of veterans groups. The $25,000 the council approved Tuesday would help buy furniture for the room.

Multiple veterans groups could use the space. It would be staffed by volunteers, Sevigny said.

“This is just proof of concept,” Sevigny said.

If it works, the group can look at finding a permanent space, he said.

Downtown management plan, parks projects delayed

Multiple projects were not funded by the council Tuesday.

But the council will likely consider funding some in the fall when the council debates how to spend surpluses from the prior fiscal year. The city has had surpluses for several years.

Some of the projects that will likely be discussed during surplus discussions in the fall but were not voted on by the council on Tuesday:

• $500,000 for a downtown master plan.

• $144,000 for Veterans Park pedestrian sidewalk.

• $150,000 for Meadowbrook park trail and lighting.

• $80,000 for design of construction of Southeastern Park concession stand.

• $60,000 for Kirklevington Park lighting park.

• $75,000 to implement programs from gun violence prevention task force.

• $125,000 for full basketball court at Davis Park.

Money for senior center, no tax increases

Gorton’s budget, unveiled in April, includes no tax increases and a 3% raise for employees not covered by union contracts.

It also includes $24 million for a new senior center and therapeutic recreation center at Shillito Park, $2.1 million for a new regional industrial park in Scott County, and $75,000 for 25 license plate reader cameras, bringing the total number of license plate reader cameras to 125.

The city’s current senior center, which opened in 2016 in Idle Hour Park, is over-crowded. A second senior center has long been on the city’s to-do list.

The council recently approved a five-year contract for those Flock safety cameras for $1.6 million.

The budget also nearly doubles funding for affordable housing to $4.7 million. The city typically puts $2 million a year into the affordable housing trust. Gorton’s budget also funds 15 new positions including four in planning services.

Homeless Prevention and Intervention typically receives $750,000 a year. In the proposed budget, it would receive $1.4 million.