Lexington’s city council met Tuesday to discuss how to spend $6 million in leftover “unassigned funds” from last year’s budget.
Those funds can go towards suggestions any councilmember puts forth, if they’re approved. Council ended up spending more than $2 million from that pool.
Some of those approved projects include:
- Nearly $500,000 in rooftop solar grants for low-and-moderate-income residents through Solarize Lexington
- $50,000 for a new senior care “village” program at A Caring Place
- $50,000 for a new Boys and Girls Club chapter
- $20,000 to support programming at Lexington’s Black & Williams Neighborhood Center
- $50,000 for new “toughbook” laptops for the city’s code enforcement staff.
- $50,000 to remove the city's wayfinding signs, to be replaced by an updated wayfinding program
The largest investment included $700,000 to carry out recommendations from the city’s task force on street safety. That includes studies on roundabouts and new traffic circles. Vice Mayor Dan Wu says education is a big part of the program.
“We have to make sure that the residents understand what those benefits are. And I think it's a move to improve our civic health and give the opportunity to cultivate more knowledgeable and connected community champions, basically,” Wu said.
Councilmember Tyler Morton, who represents the city’s 1st District, also proposed $20,000 for a pilot project to support listening sessions in Lexington neighborhoods. He hopes it will help bring more input from residents to the city.
“By listening first and acting together, we can assure that growth strengthens, rather than erases, neighborhoods that give our cities their character, soul and stories,” he said.
A proposal was also made to fund a $500,000 pilot project for microtransit in northwest Lexington. The council decided to postpone whether to approve it until next month, after more discussions are had.
A digital accessibility proposal from at-large councilmember James Brown was also tabled temporarily.
Lexington still has around $4 million in unassigned funds that council can potentially spend on other projects.
