# Urban County Council - State of the Merged Government Address - January 25, 2011 > Auto-transcribed civic record · January 25, 2011 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/1856 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/1856?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2011-01-25 - **Last revised**: July 17, 2026 - **Length**: 4,688 words > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed with OpenAI's open-source Whisper large-v3-turbo model, run locally by The Lexington Times. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude. Verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Council held a meeting on January 25, 2011, at 12:00 P.M. at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Lexington. The meeting was primarily informational in nature, with six agenda items presented to the council. No votes were taken during the meeting, and one public comment was heard. The council received updates and presentations on several key initiatives, including the State of the Merged Government Address, the Fresh Start Plan Implementation Update, Civic Center Redevelopment and Downtown Vision, CenterPoint Development Dialogue, Downtown Water Feature and Urban Core Activation, and Youth Engagement and Student Involvement. ## Attendance The following individuals were present at the meeting on January 25, 2011: **Mayor and Council Leadership:** - Mayor Jim Gray - Vice Mayor Gordon - Council Members **Other Officials:** - Sheriff Kathy Witt **Additional Attendees:** - Chris Frost - David Atkinson - Michael Karp - Mark Birdwistle - Ellen Birdwistle - Jamie Emmons - Jeffrey - Udley - Woodford Webb - Dudley - Jasmine Fields - Raynell Jackson - Mukinda Kalala - Renee Palmer - Michelle Davis - Austin Crowley - Drew Shoff - Emily Cook - Amy Sither - Julia Glenn No absences or late arrivals were recorded. ## Public Comment Julia Glenn addressed the meeting at [timestamp: 0:36:42], presenting remarks on unity and community commitment. She read an essay titled "What is Unity?" that was originally delivered at the Martin Luther King Day breakfast. In her remarks, Glenn emphasized that community effort and unity can serve as catalysts for global change. She presented a vision of collective action as a means to create a better future, inspiring the audience with her perspective on the power of unified community engagement. ## Appointments The following appointments were made during the meeting: * **Richard Maloney** was appointed Chief Administrative Officer * **Kevin Adkins** was appointed Chief Development Officer * **Jeff Reed** was appointed Economic Development Advisor ## Contested Items **Civic Center Redevelopment** The proposal to redevelop and integrate the Civic Center into downtown generated heated discussion among meeting participants. The core disagreement centered on the center's current status and future potential. Concerns were raised about the facility's isolation from downtown, its underutilization, and the missed opportunities this represented for the community. The mayor emphasized the need for decisive action to prevent further stagnation of the project. This debate reflected long-standing tensions about how best to revitalize the Civic Center and connect it more effectively to downtown development efforts. **CenterPoint Development** The proposed CenterPoint development proved contentious due to significant community opposition that had surfaced previously. Acknowledging the public concern, the mayor announced a shift in approach: a new collaborative dialogue process with developers. This initiative was designed to address community values and historical significance in the development planning. Rather than proceeding without community input, this announcement indicated an effort to incorporate stakeholder concerns into the project's direction moving forward. ## State of the Merged Government Address Mayor Jim Gray delivered the 2011 State of the Merged Government Address [timestamp: 00:00], presenting an overview of the merged government's financial position and strategic priorities. **Key Themes** The Mayor outlined several central concerns and objectives: - Financial challenges facing the city requiring cost reduction measures - The need for strategic investment in key areas - A vision for economic innovation and quality of life improvements - Emphasis on transparency in government operations - Importance of citizen engagement in decision-making - Long-term planning for sustainable growth **Presentation Focus** Mayor Gray's address centered on balancing fiscal constraints with forward-looking investments. He stressed the importance of addressing immediate financial pressures while maintaining focus on the city's long-term development and competitiveness. **Outcome** The address was informational in nature, setting the tone and priorities for the merged government's direction. The presentation emphasized the administration's commitment to transparent governance and collaborative engagement with citizens as the city navigated its financial and operational challenges. ## Fresh Start Plan Implementation Update [timestamp: 00:26:24] Mayor Jim Gray presented an update on early implementation efforts of the Fresh Start Plan, outlining several organizational and operational changes designed to advance transparency, efficiency, and economic growth. **Actions Taken** The Mayor detailed the following initial steps: - Relocated the mayor's office to the first floor of City Hall to increase accessibility and transparency - Appointed a Chief Administrative Officer to strengthen administrative operations - Restructured the mayor's office to improve organizational effectiveness - Created a Jobs and Innovation Roundtable to support economic development initiatives **Framing and Objectives** The Mayor framed these changes as foundational steps toward achieving the Fresh Start Plan's broader goals. The relocation of the mayor's office and appointment of a Chief Administrative Officer were presented as measures to enhance transparency and operational efficiency. The creation of the Jobs and Innovation Roundtable was positioned as a strategic initiative to foster economic growth. **Outcome** This agenda item was presented as informational, with no formal debate or concerns documented. The update served to communicate the administration's early progress in implementing the Fresh Start Plan to stakeholders. ## Civic Center Redevelopment and Downtown Vision [timestamp: 00:20:18] Mayor Jim Gray presented a comprehensive vision for redesigning and integrating the Civic Center with downtown Lexington. He proposed a study, to be funded by private donations, that would explore expanding the Civic Center into an arts, entertainment, and business district. **Key Points Presented** Mayor Gray emphasized the current isolation of the Civic Center facility and outlined the need to overcome this separation from the downtown area. He advocated for leveraging the center's potential through strategic redevelopment and integration with surrounding downtown districts. **Outcome** This item was presented as informational, with no formal action taken during the meeting. ## CenterPoint Development Dialogue Mayor Jim Gray announced a new dialogue initiative with developers of the CenterPoint project [timestamp: 0:23:04]. The mayor expressed the city's willingness to collaborate with developers on a project that would honor the city's 235-year history while embracing innovation and progress. The discussion centered on balancing preservation with forward-looking development. Mayor Gray emphasized the importance of finding common ground between maintaining the city's historical character and supporting modern growth and advancement. This agenda item was presented as informational in nature, with the outcome focused on announcing the city's openness to ongoing dialogue with the CenterPoint developers rather than reaching a specific decision or resolution at this meeting. ## Downtown Water Feature and Urban Core Activation Mayor Jim Gray revived a long-standing proposal for a water feature in downtown Lexington during this discussion [timestamp: 0:24:11]. He presented the concept as a means to enhance the city's quality of life and competitiveness. The Mayor linked the proposed water feature to two key areas of downtown development: the Civic Center and the Distillery District. By connecting these spaces through a water feature, Gray suggested the project could serve as a catalyst for broader urban core activation and revitalization efforts. In making his case, Mayor Gray drew inspiration from water features in other cities, indicating that similar projects have successfully contributed to downtown vitality and economic development elsewhere. He framed the water feature not as an isolated amenity but as part of a larger strategy to improve Lexington's appeal as a place to live, work, and visit. This agenda item was presented as informational in nature, with the outcome focused on discussion rather than a specific decision or action item. ## Youth Engagement and Student Involvement [timestamp: 35:36] During this presentation, students from Winburn, Montessori, and Morton Middle Schools were introduced to share their perspectives on downtown development and civic engagement. Mayor Jim Gray presided over the segment, which highlighted the city's commitment to involving young people in community planning and decision-making. The students presented their ideas for downtown development, demonstrating active participation in civic matters affecting their community. Julia Glenn delivered an essay on unity, which was read aloud during the presentation. Her contribution underscored themes of community cohesion and collaborative vision among the student participants. The presence of these middle school students at the meeting served as an informational segment, showcasing youth involvement in local governance and planning processes. The presentation emphasized the importance of incorporating student voices and perspectives into discussions about the city's future development and community priorities. --- ## Full transcript The following is a presentation of the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government and the Lexington Forum. Welcome to the 2011 State of the Merged Government Address, presented by Mayor Jim Gray. The address is being delivered from the Hyatt Regency in downtown Lexington. It's now time for our featured speaker. Please join me in welcoming Mayor Jim Gray as he delivers the 2011 State of the Merged Government Address. Thank you all. Thanks very much, y'all. Thanks a bunch. Well, first things first. First things first. I know everyone in the room feels the same way I do. Neil, we want to give you a universal bear hug of thanks and appreciation and congratulations. Thank you, honey. Thanks so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks to all of you for being here. Vice Mayor Gordon, council members, council members, members of the Lexington Forum, thank you all so much for doing this for such a long time. Let's give them a hand of applause. and citizens. Thank you. You know, folks, first few days in office, people have been asking me a lot, so Jim, how's it going? Well, 25 days in office, 25 inches of snow, and $25 million short. It's going great. now those numbers may be off just a little bit but it certainly does seem like the snow and the shortfall are piling up on us but now heads up got a lot to go through today i already know that i got two brothers in here i think and they'll tell me after it's over you talked way too long jim but i will do my best buckle your seat belts and hold on for just a few minutes, please. Today is my day to report to the citizens of Lexington about what our local government has been doing and we will be doing. Yes, I'll be talking about the problems, but I'll also be talking about our potential possibilities. And I'm going to be talking about reducing costs and making investments. Because just like any good business, what all of you know in this room, to protect, preserve, and build a great brand like our Lexington, we need to do both. We need to reduce costs and make investments. I'll be throwing the doors open the windows of our city hall and welcome everyone to an unvarnished, unfiltered view of the current condition. And I'll be talking about our focus for the next four years on creating jobs, running our government efficiently, and building a great city through a fresh start. Today, I want to enlist all of you in this process of making Lexington a great American city. Last week, about 80 citizens who served on our transition work teams turned in their reports. And all of us can learn a lot from these reports. They're now posted online at lexingtonkentucky.gov. And they'll give everyone an opportunity to look inside our government today. They represent a free flow of ideas from citizens to their government about the work and the needs of our government. You know, I believe that ideas are the DNA of everything that's important. And there are many good ideas in these reports. Some of them are also found in the Fresh Start Plan, among the 77 action items. some expand on the ideas in the Fresh Start plan. Now clearly as a city we can't tackle all of these ideas, but the work of these citizens will be available as a resource to our community. I really want to thank all of these folks who worked on these teams, and especially Chris Frost, who led this effort. Chris is here with us today, and let's recognize him with a hand of applause. Chris. Right here. Thanks, Chris. Now, you all know that making Lexington a great city isn't just up to the mayor. It's not just up to our government. It's up to all of us working together to see our city reach its fullest potential. For the next few minutes and for the next few years, we'll be asking a lot from all of you. Lexington needs your commitment, your ideas, your hard work, and your advice and counsel. To participate effectively, our citizens need to understand the challenges their city is facing and our opportunities for a brighter future. So let's talk about those now. Now, I'm sure you've heard that old saying, it's hard to see the forest for the trees. That means it's sometimes really hard to see the big picture. It's often tough to separate the important from the unimportant. Identify and focus on what's really essential. Today, part of my challenge is to separate the forest from the trees as it relates to a number of issues facing our city. In the case of our city budget, lots of trees can be really confusing. Understanding government finances has become just about as hard as understanding Wall Street traders who deal in arcane financial instruments. There are so many confusing trees in the way, most citizens have trouble seeing the forest. In other words, don't have a clear picture of our city's finances. But the bottom line is really simple. We're spending more than we're taking in. If city government were a business, we'd be in real trouble. I don't want to say broke, but real trouble. We must cut expenses. Our city budget includes services we can't afford, pension, employee overtime, sick time costs we can't afford, Inefficiencies and health care costs we can't afford today. Buildings we can't afford. Certainly a recession no one can afford. Last year, in putting together the budget, some cuts were made. But basically, we crossed our fingers and predicted the economy would be better by now. Well, ask folks who are looking for a job. Ask anyone in business in our town. Here we are a year later. it's not that much better. Take a look at the newspaper. Just last week, Thursday's edition, home sales remain down. One of our immediate tasks will be cutting our current budget, which ends June 30th. To balance that budget, we'll need to make adjustments, totaling up to and perhaps over $11 million. Then, as soon as we get finished adjusting this year's budget, we'll start on next year's. Again, it's going to require we cut expenses. I formed a work group including people who've been among the top leaders in our state in public sector budgeting and finance. And they'll offer guidance on developing our longer-term financial plan. But let's get back again to the bigger picture. Citizens don't really need to understand all the details of the budget, but we should understand the bottom line. City revenues have been in a steady decline year over year since 2008, three years running. Longest period of decline since the creation of our merged government. And we predict only a modest increase in revenue this year. Our economy, as most of you know, has reset itself. Our old expectations about economic recovery and corresponding increases in city revenue aren't working this time. runaway pension and benefit costs that far exceed benefits offered by the state of Kentucky and most cities across the country are compromising our city's ability to invest in the future. So to begin to control costs, we are starting a system of zero-based budgeting. That means we will examine all expenditures that our government makes, determine whether they're justified and whether they should stay the same or be dialed up or down. Like any good business, we must always focus on reducing our cost basis. But we also know that to succeed, we must grow our economy. As I look back on last year's election, I believe the real reason I was hired by you to be the mayor is because as a businessman, I know something about how to grow our economy. I believe that to grow our economy and create jobs, we must be competitive in all dimensions. We can't dismiss any opportunity. Job growth is the key priority in my Fresh Start plan. My first step will be to turn up the heat on our fundamental economic development strategy. We need a focus on economic innovation. Now let me explain. Fifty years ago, think back. Enormous economic energy was created by IBM's move here in the 50s, 25 years ago. Think back. Think about the economic tidal wave that occurred with the opening of the Toyota plant in 1987. IBM, Toyota, historically, they represent much more than economic development. They represent economic innovation and inflection points. Today's economic innovations are more organic and are often fired by University of Kentucky brainpower and fueled by entrepreneurial imagination. But they hold the same promise as IBM and Toyota. And you know, there's no better example of economic innovation in our own town today than the new Chandler University of Kentucky Hospital. The new hospital is already redefining the importance of health care to our economy, and it hasn't even opened yet. Dr. Michael Karp took what he found when he came here, just seven short years ago, and altered the landscape of health care in Kentucky, literally, with a new hospital facility that defines our city's horizon, and figuratively, in terms of its impact on our economy. Like IBM and Toyota, the impact of this new hospital through the jobs it creates in health care, research and beyond, will be felt in our economy for generations and in ways we haven't yet really imagined. But in order to make our city a center of economic innovation, we must keep growing our quality of life infrastructure. Now I say infrastructure deliberately and intentionally. Why? These days, people and businesses, you all know this, can locate wherever they can set up a computer terminal, and that's pretty much anywhere. Today, we're not competing with other university towns, especially over raw materials or transportation or cheap labor. We're competing over quality of life. It's quality of life that is often the difference between folks locating here or losing them to another city. And government plays a mission-critical role in defining quality of life. To successfully compete, Lexington, like any progressive business, must build its brand, its quality of life, by leveraging our assets and making investments. All successful businesses recognize there are times when you have to save money to make money, cut costs. And businessmen and women recognize there are times when we have to spend money to make money by investing in the brand. In recent years, as a community, we've made some quality of life investments in the Lexington brand. For example, recreational trails, downtown improvements, and funding for the arts, and to protect our landscape through the PDR program. All of these add to quality of life while attracting private investment to the city. But other investments are needed. If we are to come out of this recession stronger on the other side, more compelling, and more competitive as a city, We can build a great American city. And there's a lot of work to do, but I know all of you know that you roll up your sleeves. It's going to take all of us to make this happen. We need citizen input and resolve. We need to dream big. Think back for a minute to Henry Clay way back in the 1830s. He believed in building a great American city, not just a hamlet or a town. His dreams were national in scope. His goal was excellence, not just getting by. Our big dreams include seeking private sector support for our quality of life infrastructure. Now, if you're thinking, Gray's just a big dreamer up there who's lost his mind, talk to David Atkinson. David is here somewhere in this audience. David, where are you? Hold your hand. I'm right here. As a very young mayor of Owensboro, Kentucky, from 1988 to 1995, David had a dream to build a great performing arts center in his town. Big dreams, no money. That didn't stop him. He had architects prepare a design, not much more than a picture, a picture that was carried in the local newspaper. A 92-year-old retired school teacher named Queen Cannon, Queen Cannon, a woman who'd lived a very quiet and frugal life, saw the picture, and was inspired by David's bold plan. Her parents had left her $50,000 in the Depression. She'd never touched it. She gave $3 million for the new center. In the end, David raised more than $10 million in private funds for the community's River Park Center. Now he's a Lexington resident, and you know him as president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. There's another story I like to tell about another dreamer, Walt Disney. After his death in 1971, you'll know that you'll remember, some of us remember, that in 1972, Disney World opened in Florida. At the opening, Walt Disney's brother, Roy, reportedly said to Walt's widow, Lillian, well Lillian honey it's too bad Walt isn't here to see this today and she said oh Roy oh Roy wrong he said he did see it that's why we are here today he did see it just like Henry Clay saw Lexington as a great American city so where do we start what sort of dream is essential to building a great American city. First, activating and amplifying our urban core. From the East End and the Restored Lyric, to Jefferson Street, to North Lyme, to South Lyme, the Distillery District, Victorian Square, Cheapside, Farmer's Market, the History Museum. Signs everywhere that downtown is ready to move to the next level. There's even news there's a grocery store coming to downtown, Something people have been talking about as long as I've lived in town. Like that. But you know, you all have also learned that when you see something happening, there's no time to waste. We need to do all we can to encourage development that will require, and that will require, investment in our quality of life infrastructure. So let's start right here. Our Civic Center has the right name. In many ways, it is at the center of our civic life. And there are many people who believe the Civic Center's arena and the convention complex need a total redesign and renovation to bring the facilities up to competitive standards. It needs to be the best, state of the art. Making it the best is a responsible investment in our Lexington brand. It needs to get off its island and become more integrated with our downtown. It needs to be a part and not a part from our downtown. This change was called for 10 years ago in our downtown master plan. If there was ever a case of it literally being hard to see the forest for the trees, this is it. Once the trees came down in Triangle Park, the isolation of the Civic Center became clearer, as did the missed opportunities and enormous potential of the blocks and parking lots surrounding Rupp. We need to consider expanding the center's scope and perhaps redefining it, and the area around it as an arts, entertainment, business, and sports district. The improvements needed at Lexington Center will not wait very long. A mayor, a council, and civic leaders must actively engage and manage emerging challenges any city faces. If we do otherwise, especially on an issue as significant as this, we're just sticking our heads in the sand. The ostrich method of management. That's not the job I signed up for. Our community needs to understand the cost, the time frame, and the options. And I'm asking the private sector, private business people, to conduct a study so we can get our arms around, our arms around what's possible. This study will be financed through private donations. The work will be chaired by Lexington Civic Leader and local businessman, and members of this committee will be announced shortly. Now, two blocks to the east, there's another patch of ground that has enormous potential and significance, Centerpoint. Now everybody knows that I've challenged that proposed development along the way. A lot of citizens have been disturbed by CenterPoint plans as well. But I am really pleased to say today that a dialogue has been opened on CenterPoint between our administration and the developers. Yesterday, Jamie Emmons and Jeffrey from our staff met with Udley and Woodford Webb, and we are ready to work with them to help create a project on this unique and historic site that affirms the rich 235-year history of our city that values our authentic past while demonstrating our creativity, our imagination, and our claim on the future. Thanks. Dudley is here somewhere. Where's Dudley? These two sites are at the heart of our community, Centerpoint and the Civic Center. And they're connected by more than just Vine and Main Streets. They are also along what were once the banks of Lexington's town branch. Our city needs to take another look at the water feature model. Other cities have done it. Plans for a water feature as part of our downtown were suggested more than 10 years ago. It was a great idea then. It is a competitive advantage. We should not abandon this idea. So what else is on our to-do list in developing our quality of life infrastructure? We must realize the potential and the promise of the distillery district and link it to the Civic Center and downtown. Scott Terrell, the conductor of the Lexington Philharmonic, dreams of a new concert hall as he works to take our orchestra to new levels. Stephanie Pavick, the new leader of the Lexington Art League, dreams of a new outpost downtown for the Art League, and maybe even a contemporary art museum. Kathy Walsh Piper at UK thinks the same way. If the dreams of Scott and Stephanie and Kathy seem too big for us, Think for a moment about Everett McCorvey, the director of opera at UK. Who would have thought UK would become a national center for excellence in opera? Everett McCorvey did. and he's attracting many of the best voices in the country, talent in the country, and his students are building a record of success within the nation's professional opera companies. And it's being demonstrated once again in so many ways. The column that was just in the Herald on Sunday, the connection between art and innovation in all fields. Finally, in terms of infrastructure, we know there is a continuing and pressing need to provide more affordable housing in our community, and we must find a reliable funding source. Before I close today, I want to update you on steps we've already taken to begin implementing the Fresh Start Plan. Now, officially, today is my 24th day on the job as your mayor. As I said earlier, it's my day to report to citizens on what we've been doing. So what have we done so far to get us off to a fresh start? Well, we've moved the mayor's office from the top floor to the first floor of City Hall. The impact on that little change, that simple change, has really been a surprise even to me. The message our first floor office sends is one of openness and transparency. That message, yes, is symbolic, and it's more than symbolic. Council members and citizens stop by the offices to offer suggestions or ask questions. Yes, sometimes to complain just a little bit. The mayor's office, the mayor's staff works together easily and quickly with no barriers to communication. Problems are quickly resolved. Well, I'd say they're more quickly resolved, perhaps. And just for the record, when the office was on the 12th floor, the mayor's office occupied 8,800 square feet. Compare that to 2,640 square feet today. That is roughly two-thirds the space. We've also restored the position of Chief Administrative Officer through the appointment of Richard Maloney a former council member with management experience at the state and local levels Every Friday afternoon you can find Richard making his rounds around the building going from one office to another, talking with employees Tell them to have a good weekend You know, they're the backbone of our government and we need to make sure we hear their ideas and suggestions. We have restructured the mayor's office, and as part of these changes, we are contracting out with the downtown Lexington Corporation to manage special events. Efficiency. We have made preservation, planning, and economic innovation a cabinet-level position through the appointment of Kevin Adkins as chief development officer. With Kevin's 23 years experience working in Senator McConnell's Kentucky offices, he's a phone call away from anybody in our state, in Washington, and beyond. Now, we will, of course, work with the private sector, U.K., Commerce Lexington, as partners in economic development. But today, the council and the mayor must take a hand in advancing the economic development strategies for our city. We cannot outsource this responsibility entirely. It is our responsibility. To engage the Michael Karpz out there, and thanks for Mark Birdwistle being here today, and Mike's major number one ambassador, his wife Ellen, is here today as well. To engage them, I am creating a jobs and innovation roundtable to gain the perspective of those on the front lines of business, from the people who drive our economy today to the startup entrepreneurs who will shape our economy tomorrow. Kevin's appointment and the appointment of Jeff Reed, who for seven years worked for Representative Ben Chandler, demonstrates the bipartisan approach of our administration. I'll work arm-in-arm with Kevin and with Jeff and Kevin will report directly to me. We have also called for a thorough examination of the jails management policies and procedures to ensure we have the best management practices in place there. Sheriff Kathy Witt is assisting through an examination of the facility and her involvement is appreciated. The detention center is clearly vital to the safety of our community. I recognize it's a tough environment to work in, but it must meet the highest standards. In February, we'll be breaking ground on the construction of Clay's Mill Road improvements. And work on this project began three Mayors ago. At long last, we're digging in and beginning construction. A wider Clay's Mill is overdue, but it's on the horizon, Jay. And work will begin soon to reconfigure the intersection of New Circle and Harrodsburg Road to improve safety and reduce traffics. Now, we all know traffic will always be irritating, but there are improvements we can make. Technology is changing, and so should we. I'm not a know-it-all, and I tell you, for 38 years, I looked to experts in our business, experts for engineering disciplines across the horizon. In traffic, for example, there are signaling experts. While we have considerable expertise right here in our own government and its staff, it's always useful to get an outside view. I believe we need to hire a signaling consultant to work with our traffic engineers and look at new solutions to our problems. Likewise, for traffic talk about two-way streets in the downtown, we have jammered and jabbered and jammered and jabbered about it for a long time. Let's move on. My view is simple. Our downtown will never be the economic engine it must be if it is just a pass-through, pretending to be an interstate. South Limestone's construction proved more than it cost $7,000 a foot. It proved that we can adjust traffic patterns even when a whole street is shut down for almost a year. Now soon I'll be taking a page from Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed's first year in office and create a commission to find a way to address our runaway pension problems. We added just over $100 million into our pension fund in the last two years, and we still have a big problem. It is important, essential, that we keep the pension promises we've made to current employees, But we have failed in our efforts to cut back pension benefits for future employees, folks we haven't hired yet, even though our benefits exceed those offered anywhere in Kentucky. Now, take a deep breath with me. If we don't adjust for future employees, we will find ourselves struggling, laying off employees and closing facilities. It's happened in many cities, and it could happen here. As Mayor Reed says in Atlanta, it is time to begin having the types of mature and honest conversations necessary to deal effectively with the new economic realities we're facing as a nation. We cannot, simply cannot, keep kicking the can down the road. Yes, we are living in tough times today, but also times of opportunity. But my remarks today can really be summed up fairly quickly. We've got to stop eating our seed corn. In other words, we've got to cut government's appetite today so we can preserve, save the precious kernels and invest in our community's future. And when we're investing in the future, we must reach and stretch for excellence. We can rise and lift and fly just as high as Henry Clay's aspirations were for this community 175 years ago. We can do it for future generations, for our children and grandchildren. You know, representatives of those future generations are here with us today and they are fascinated with and they are curious about all that is happening in our city. Last year, along with Council Members Andrea James and Tom Blues, we went out to Winburn Middle School and we heard from students out there who were designing projects for the Center Point Block. And with us today are some of those students, Jasmine Fields and Raynell Jackson, Mukinda Kalala, Renee Palmer, and their teacher, Michelle Davis. And I'm going to ask you all to stand in just a minute. I've got a few more I want to introduce. And just last week, a group of students I met with at Montessori Middle School. They're studying ways to improve our downtown and learn more about business. And with us today from Montessori Middle School are Austin Crowley, Drew Shoff, Emily Cook, and their teacher, Amy Sither. Okay. And then there's Julia Glenn, a student at Morton Middle School. Julia wowed the crowd. Some of you all were probably there last week, last Monday morning at the Martin Luther King Day breakfast when she read her essay that's entitled, What is Unity? Julia's here. So will all you guys, will all you all stand up right now? So a big hand of applause. Thanks, guys. I'm going to share with you all in closing just a little part of what Julia wrote about unity. Even one community can make a global difference. It's true. But what we need is effort, community, commitment, and unity. All it takes is a small step to end in global change. So let's start. As you can see, unity is more than a concept. It's a community commitment. You know, what an inspiration, Julia. What a statement of mission and purpose for all of us as we go forward. Julia, thank you. And thanks to all of you for what you do for our city. Thank you all a whole lot. Thanks. Oh, man, thank you. Thank you all. Thank you. On behalf of the Lexington Forum, I'd like to thank the mayor and the LFUCG staff for their assistance today. We'd also like to thank the staff of the Hyatt Regency for serving us and for graciously making a number of changes to accommodate this sold-out crowd. Remember to check out LexingtonForum.org or pick up information as you leave the venue today. We'd love to have you join us or even come to some of our monthly meetings as a guest and keep an eye out for the new membership opportunities that we're getting ready to announce in the very short future. Thanks for joining us today. Have a wonderful afternoon. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.