The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council is adding $2.75 million to Mayor Linda Gorton’s proposed city budget.
Last month, Gorton proposed a $546 million budget to council members, up around $7 million from this year.
Many of the council’s proposals came from link committees, where council members discuss ideas on how to meet city needs in areas like environmental quality and social services.
The newly added budget items include $1.5 million towards Lexington’s Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan, meant to make Lexington’s parks more accessible. Another $1 million dollars are going to fund the city’s vehicle fleet.
Other additions come at the request of at-large council member James Brown. He proposed more than $100,000 towards more security at city hall. That includes $103,718 towards more security personnel, and another $31,380 towards equipment like new metal detectors and baggage scanners.
Other items included in the budget include:
- $25,000 towards the Office of the Citizens’ Advocate, which helps investigating complaints from residents towards the city
- $20,000 towards the Police Activities League, a recreational and educational program connecting the Lexington Police Department with youth
- $50,000 towards a health and wellness pilot program for fire and EMS workers
- $25,000 towards a new nature trail at Coldstream Park
Other requested items were sent to committees for further discussion, including $50,000 to help fund Lexington’s digital accessibility plan.
The city government must finalize Lexington’s budget by June 15, before the beginning of next fiscal year in July.
