At-Large Councilmember

Contractor

Above all, what qualifies me is my familiarity with the problems Lexington faces and my ability to help. I’m not here to defend the way things have been when it’s clear they haven’t been working. I’m also not here to distract: It’s not my job to be echoing talking points from Washington while our roads crack. What I can promise is quiet diligence: working through and across our community to address the issues we Lexingtonians face in our housing, small businesses, and local government.

The largest issue Lexington is facing is affordable housing. It’s time to address the crisis head on with creativity and out of the box thinking. We must allow, promote, and support gradual development so costs can come down for both renters and homeowners.

Another issue crucial to Lexington’s well-being is supporting small businesses to open, employ, and expand. Lastly, we are facing a loneliness and mental health epidemic, and it is important we find ways to bring our community together.

It is my firm belief that with reasonable reforms to our outdated zoning and construction laws, we can build the first $250,000 home in Lexington since 2024. Following that, we will build many more. By converting renters to homeowners, we will reduce pressure on the renting market, ensuring affordability for homeowner and renter alike.

For small businesses, I want to explore local tax rebates to create opportunities for growth. For community well-being, I want to create a Third-Space Commission.

Due to many community boards and commissions meeting during common working hours, it can be very difficult for working Lexingtonians to attend. I will lead an initiative to merge duplicate committees and loosen too-strict educational requirements. We can structurally make it easier for Lexingtonians to have a voice in local government so civic engagement does not have to feel like self-sacrifice.

I have worked many jobs, including waiter, research librarian, handyman, customer service representative, EFL teacher, and road construction. For the past decade, I have worked as a dispatcher/service coordinator in the skilled trades, the majority of which has been spent in the industrial HVAC field.

As a Democratic Socialist, I believe that public servants should work for regular folks, not just the rich and powerful. In order to represent those people, we need people in government who understand their problems. I know what it feels like to wake up in the middle of the night worrying about being able to pay the rent. I’ve had to scrounge for change to buy my next meal. I know the struggles of workers because I AM a worker. That’s why I am running. Workers deserve a voice on city council.

The top three issues facing Lexington are: housing affordability, energy affordability, and the homelessness crisis.

To fight rising housing costs, I will work to rezone areas within the urban service boundary to promote in-fill and additional housing. I will also push for a permanent moratorium on hyperscale datacenters to prevent the energy bill increases they cause. To reduce homelessness, I will secure funding for a full-time shelter for our unhoused neighbors. Additionally, I will always fight to keep ICE out of our community, and work to keep invasive spy technology, like FLOCK cameras, off our streets.

I will encourage participation in local government through community outreach, coalition building, and holding public town halls. I want my office to be a space where labor, tenant, and community organizers can build power and be supported. By providing the space for folks to meet, answering their questions, listening to their concerns, and offering support where I can, I will help build a clear path for the people of Lexington to participate in local government and make meaningful change.

I am a lifelong Lexington resident and Bryan Station High School graduate with more than 10 years of experience serving the City of Lexington. As a Supervisor, I oversee contractors, budgets, operations, and service delivery across numerous city facilities. My frontline experience has given me firsthand knowledge of Lexington’s infrastructure, public services, workforce challenges, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources. I want to bring that practical experience, accountability, and results-oriented leadership to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council.

I believe I am qualified for office because I bring more than 10 years of firsthand experience working for the City of Lexington. I understand how city government operates from the inside, including managing contracts, budgets, employees, and public services. My frontline experience has allowed me to see both what works and where improvements are needed. I understand the challenges facing Lexington’s infrastructure, growth, traffic, public safety, and basic services, and I am prepared to bring practical, accountable, results-oriented leadership to the Council.

My priorities are improving the basic services Lexington residents depend on, including fixing our roads, improving traffic flow and outdated traffic signals, and strengthening snow and emergency response. As a city employee, I have firsthand knowledge of how government operates and where improvements are needed. I support smart growth our infrastructure can handle, protecting greenspace and neighborhoods, opposing data centers at this time, supporting public safety, and demanding accountability and responsible spending. Taxpayers deserve results, transparency, and a government that follows through.

If elected, I will focus on fixing roads, improving traffic flow and outdated traffic signals, and strengthening snow response and preparedness. I will support responsible growth only when our infrastructure can handle it while protecting greenspace, farmland, and neighborhoods. I will oppose data centers at this time and demand greater transparency, accountability, and responsible spending of taxpayer dollars. I will use the Council’s budget and oversight authority to push for measurable results.

Having worked for the City of Lexington for more than 10 years, I have seen firsthand how decisions made by local government affect residents and employees. If elected, I will make myself accessible, listen to residents, and take their concerns directly to the Council. I will hold regular community meetings, communicate clearly about important issues, and create more opportunities for residents to provide input. I believe good government starts with listening, and residents deserve to be heard before decisions are made.

Mr. Brown began his career at Lexmark and GTE before spending 13 years at Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown, Kentucky. He later transitioned into a full-time real estate professional. James also served as President of the Radcliffe–Marlboro Neighborhood Association and President of the 16th District PTA before joining the Urban County Council.

I bring the experience, leadership, and commitment to service this position requires. I’ve proven to be a Bridge Builder, bringing people together across neighborhoods, businesses, and city departments to get things done. That experience has strengthened my Effective Leadership, knowing when to listen, how to lead, and who, where, and how to move priorities forward. Building off of my former roles as a parent volunteer, neighborhood association president, and PTA president, and 11 years in local government, I understand how to turn community priorities into results.

I’m Service Oriented, putting residents first and working closely with district councilmembers to advance projects and initiatives across Lexington. Above all, I’m a Trusted Voice and a good listener who learns, responds, and acts with transparency, honesty, and purpose. I believe leadership is about service, getting results, and doing the people’s business the right way.

I believe a few of the top issues facing our community are infrastructure, responsible growth, public safety, and economic development. That means continuing to invest in better roads and public infrastructure while expanding housing opportunities through infill, redevelopment, and build out the infrastructure in the expansion areas. Public safety remains a priority, with continued investment in our police, fire, first responders and violence prevention initiatives . We must also strengthen our workforce, attract quality jobs, and partner with education and business partners to keep Lexington competitive.

In my next term I would focus on the further development of a comprehensive public infrastructure master plan that identifies our long-term needs and priorities. Another goal would be to identify and leverage funding opportunities through grants, state partnerships, and responsible local budgeting policies to make needed investments in our roads, sewers, and public facilities, including fire and police training facilities. An additional goal would be to continue creating workforce opportunities by retaining local talent and expanding job training resources to meet the needs of today’s workforce and prepare for future industries.

I will continue to work to make it easier for residents to participate in local government by identifying more innovative ways to share information, communicate with the public, and gather meaningful community input. I'll continue to make myself available, listen to residents, and be responsive to their concerns and ideas. Our local government is more effective when our community is engaged and has a voice in the process.

small business owner, current councilmember at large & vice mayor

In my 3.5 years in office, I have spearheaded a medical debt relief effort that has so far relieved over $23 million in medical debt for over 12,000 Fayette County residents, help create game-changing land use policy to guide the future of Lexington's growth, and continued to support our local nonprofit partners. I have a record of bold leadership that produces results to improve the lives of our residents.

housing, sustainability, street/traffic safety

I want to help Lexington create more housing and housing choice so we can keep our college graduates, help our seniors age in place, and help everyone live in safe and affordable homes.

I have worked my entire first term to create more ways for the public to engage with our local government, from issues expos & committee previews to our online portal engage.lexingtonky.gov/. I will continue to find ways to connect & dialogue with all of our commujnity members.

I have over 20 years experience in government, education, and nonprofit management. Currently I am the CEO and Founder of Spires Strategies.

I have worked both in nonprofit management and government. I have a strong understanding of the responsibilities of this position. I have experience with large budgets and government funding. In addition to my professional experience, I love this community. I have lived here 27 years and have served in many roles, including many years on the Lexington Public Library Board of Trustees and on the Fayette County Public Schools Board of Education. I think what makes me the most qualified candidate is my ability to bring people together in a room to discuss issues and develop solutions.

1) Affordable Housing- affordable housing does not just mean government subsidized housing, it means starter homes for your professionals and families. I want every student that graduates from FCPS to have the opportunity to stay, live, and work in our community. Unfortunately the shortage of housing inventory is also a barrier to attract employers to Lexington. 2) Public Safety- Strong communities start with safe communities. I will advocate for investments in public safety, first responders, mental health, and community based solutions that help keep our neighborhoods safe. 3) Preserving our history and protecting our farms- Lexington’s rich history and farms are part of what makes our community special. I will work to protect our farms and preserve our city’s history while planning responsibly for future growth.

Working to reduce the timeline from purchase of land to shovel ready for housing projects and working to engage more community partners in the process.

I would look for ways to support youth activities and expand youth employment programs that already exist to give our children alternative activities to keep them engaged and safe.

I want to get people together to share ideas and concerns. If we are going to be serious about infill, we need to understand both the intended and unintended consequences and work together as a community to ensure that all of our neighbors have the resources and supports needed.

In addition to social media and a regular newsletters, I plan to hold regular “Coffee Chats with Stephanie” where constituents can meet with me and discuss their concerns and ideas. I don’t drink coffee but I sip my hot tea and listen. I think my history of public services shows my commitment to being accessible to those I serve.

As I did when I was on school board, I will always advocate to ensure our meetings are open and accessible. Though my colleagues did not always agree, during my time on the school board, I was vocal in my desire that meetings should be live streamed and posted for people to watch. Additionally, as board chair, I often allowed public comment, even at planning meetings, unfortunately a practice the current board has ended.