Lexington council approves budget

By Jennifer Hewlett - jhewlett@herald-leader.com

By a 13-1 vote Thursday, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council approved a $279 million budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1.

The budget includes cuts, but gives a 1 percent raise to full-time city employees, with the exception of police, fire and corrections officers, who are covered by a contract that is negotiated separately.

An additional $6 million was budgeted for the employees covered by contract, while the cost of raises for the other city workers comes to $932,000.

At-large councilman Chuck Ellinger II said he voted against the budget because, based on figures provided by city officials, money coming into city coffers might turn out to be $3 million less than budgeted. Fifth District councilwoman Cheryl Feigel was absent from the council meeting.

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