# Urban County Council Work Session - June 25, 2013 > Auto-transcribed civic record · June 25, 2013 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/3042 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/3042?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2013-06-25 - **Last revised**: July 15, 2026 - **Length**: 12,058 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 held a meeting on June 25, 2013, at 3:03 p.m. in the Council Chamber on the 2nd Floor of the Government Center. Mayor Jim Gray presided over the session, which included six agenda items covering requested rezonings, approval of summaries, new business, continuing business presentations, council reports, and public comment on issues not on the agenda. During the meeting, the council took three motions to a vote and heard nine public comments from members of the community. Two of the agenda items—Approval of Summary and New Business—resulted in approved outcomes, while the remaining four items were informational in nature. ## Attendance The following individuals were present at the meeting on June 25, 2013: Jim Gray, Gordon, Akers, Farmer, Myers, Stinnett, Lawless, Mossotti, Beard, Kay, Ford, Henson, Scutchfield, Moloney, Gorton, Clarke, Lane, Mills, Gooding, Paulsen, Martin, Hamilton, Mason, Jackson, Reed, Queary, Angelusi, McSwards, Anderson, Hancock, Blake, Cozart, Chandler, and Barr. No absences or late arrivals were recorded. ## Votes and Decisions The meeting included three motions, all of which passed by voice vote. **Budget Committee Summary Approval** [timestamp: 00:07:05] Vice Mayor Gordon moved to approve the summary of the Budget Committee of the Whole meeting held on June 6, 2013. Akers seconded the motion, which passed by voice vote. **New Business Items Approval** [timestamp: 00:07:40] Beard moved to approve new business items including right-of-way transfers, service agreements, and federal grant applications. Scutchfield seconded the motion, which passed by voice vote. **Adjournment** [timestamp: 01:32:09] Ellinger moved to adjourn the work session. Gordon seconded the motion, which passed by voice vote. ## Budget and Financial Actions The meeting included authorization for the following financial actions: **Infrastructure and Property** * **L0643-13**: Authorization to execute Supplemental Agreement No. 4 with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for purchase of right-of-way for Section II of the Todds/Liberty Road Improvement Project ($1,000,000) * **L0668-13**: Authorization to transfer a portion of sidewalk right-of-way to adjacent property owners at 545 & 551 Elm Tree Lane * **L0672-13**: Authorization to transfer a portion of sidewalk right-of-way to adjacent property owners at 442 Fayette Park **Health and Public Safety Services** * **L0654-13**: Authorization to execute first renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department for FOG Training Services ($1,200) * **L0657-13**: Authorization to execute Professional Service Agreement with Melissa Young-Flynn, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, for forensic examinations in FY 2013 ($60,530) * **L0658-13**: Authorization to submit application to the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security for continuation of the Metropolitan Medical Response System for FY 2014 ($150,000) * **L0679-13**: Authorization to submit applications to the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security for federal funds totaling $1,381,050 under the 2013 State Homeland Security Grant Program **Social Services and Community Development** * **L0665-13**: Authorization to execute Amendment to Loan Agreement with Bluegrass Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation, Inc., for rehabilitation of residential units at 381-391 Virginia Avenue ($8,278) * **L0677-13**: Authorization to enter into Purchase of Service Agreements with 35 Social Services Partner Agencies for 54 programs in FY 2014 ($2,297,495) **Facilities and Operations** * **L0678-13**: Authorization to execute Lease Agreement with Glenncase, LLC for temporary salt storage facility at 801 East New Circle Road ($18,000) ## Public Comment Council members raised several concerns during the public comment period, focusing primarily on safety issues and social services. **Phoenix Park Safety and Services** Council Member Stinnett expressed concern about safety conditions at Phoenix Park, emphasizing the need for a proactive, humane approach to address homelessness and criminal activity while maintaining public access and dignity [timestamp: 00:21:50]. Council Member Lawless highlighted the importance of the park's open design for visibility and safety, noting increased police presence and a pilot program with mounted officers [timestamp: 00:30:46]. Council Member Henson asked about the frequency and year-round nature of feeding programs at the park and suggested creating a warm, indoor space for meals as a more humane alternative [timestamp: 00:36:48]. Council Member Scotchfield expressed concern about the lack of uniformity in food service regulations across parks and supported finding alternative sites for feeding programs [timestamp: 00:40:00]. Council Member Akers noted that problems from Phoenix Park have shifted to courthouse parks and questioned whether law enforcement has addressed the new locations [timestamp: 00:53:29]. **Other Safety and Administrative Matters** Council Member Farmer asked questions about new business items F, G, I, and J, including right-of-way transfers on Elm Tree Lane and Fayette Park, the location of the temporary salt storage facility at Continental Inn, and the scope of the $1.3 million federal grant for public safety projects [timestamp: 00:07:40]. Farmer also raised concerns about safety in the 5th District due to an attempted arson on Winchester Road and requested reassurance and increased supervision from city authorities [timestamp: 01:15:13]. Council Member Ford requested a review of HR inversions and urged the administration to prioritize construction of the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden in the East End [timestamp: 01:22:49]. **Systemic Approach to Homelessness** Council Member Kay stressed the need for a systemic, not piecemeal, approach to address homelessness, emphasizing the importance of reducing need and improving services [timestamp: 01:26:41]. ## Contested Items The June 25, 2013 meeting included three significant areas of disagreement among council members. **Phoenix Park Safety and Feeding Programs** Council members engaged in a heated discussion regarding Phoenix Park's safety and feeding programs. The debate centered on balancing public safety concerns with the rights of homeless individuals and the legality of feeding programs operating in the park. A key concern raised was the potential for relocating problems rather than solving them. Council members emphasized the need for humane, systemic solutions to address the underlying issues rather than enforcement-focused approaches alone. **Code for America Funding** A motion to fund Code for America initially failed to pass. However, the proposal was later approved after council members added a conditional amendment. The revised funding agreement required a $180,000 match to be secured by August 15, 2013, making the approval contingent on meeting this financial benchmark. **Homelessness and Public Safety** Council members expressed deep concern about the intersection of homelessness and public safety in the community. The discussion reflected worry over the impact of homelessness and mental illness on public safety conditions. Members called for increased services to address these challenges and advocated for greater coordination with faith-based groups, suggesting a collaborative approach involving community and religious organizations in developing solutions. ## Requested Rezonings / Docket Approval [timestamp: 00:06:28] No docket was approved during this meeting. Rather than proceeding with standard docket approval procedures, the Council moved directly to the approval of the summary. ## Approval of Summary [timestamp: 00:07:05] The Council approved the summary of the Budget Committee of the Whole meeting held on June 6, 2013. Vice Mayor Gordon presented this item for consideration. The summary encompassed several key elements from the previous Budget Committee meeting: * Revenue updates * Late items * Link recommendations The Council voted to approve the summary as presented, with the outcome recorded as approved. ## New Business [timestamp: 00:07:40] The Council addressed several new business items during this portion of the meeting. Key speakers on these matters included Beard, Farmer, and Scutchfield. The new business agenda encompassed the following types of items: * Right-of-way transfers * Service agreements * Federal grant applications The Council approved all presented new business items without opposition. No concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of these matters. ## Continuing Business / Presentations [timestamp: 00:12:04] The Council received several informational updates during this agenda item, with presentations from Vice Mayor Gordon, Jeff Reed, Clay Mason, Rick Jordan, and Clayton Roberts. The Council heard updates on the following matters: - **Budget Committee of the Whole** — An update was provided on the Budget Committee's work and findings. - **Tree City USA Recognition** — The Council received information regarding Tree City USA recognition status. - **Phoenix Park Renovation** — A comprehensive update on the Phoenix Park renovation project was presented, which included discussions on multiple aspects of the park's development and operations. - **Fireworks Ordinance** — The Council received an update on the fireworks ordinance. The Phoenix Park presentation covered several key topics: - Safety considerations for the park - Feeding programs currently in place or planned - Community partnerships supporting the park's renovation and operations This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal votes or decisions required. The presentations provided the Council with updates on ongoing projects and initiatives within the municipality. ## Council Reports During this agenda item, council members raised several concerns affecting the community. [timestamp: 01:11:55] **Issues Discussed** Council members addressed the following matters: - **Delayed Refunds**: Concerns were raised about refunds that had not been processed in a timely manner. - **HR Inversions**: Human resources-related inversions were discussed as a concern among council members. - **Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden**: The status and development of this memorial garden was addressed. - **Homelessness and Neighborhood Safety**: Council members discussed the impact of homelessness on neighborhood safety, expressing concerns about how the issue affects community well-being. **Key Speakers** The following council members participated in the discussion: Scutchfield, Farmer, Ford, Kay, and Akers. **Mayor's Response** The Mayor emphasized the need for systemic solutions to address the concerns raised, particularly regarding the homelessness and safety issues presented by council members. **Outcome** This agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken. The discussion served to document council members' concerns and the Mayor's acknowledgment of the need for broader, systemic approaches to the issues raised. ## Public Comment – Issues Not on Agenda [timestamp: 01:11:55] During this agenda item, several council members raised public concerns on various topics not listed on the meeting agenda. The issues brought forward included: - **Safety in Phoenix Park** – Concerns were raised regarding safety conditions in Phoenix Park - **Relocation of issues to courthouse parks** – Discussion of problems being relocated to courthouse parks - **Attempted arson on Winchester Road** – An incident involving an attempted arson on Winchester Road was reported - **Delays in refund processing** – Concerns were raised about delays in processing refunds The following speakers participated in this discussion: Farmer, Stinnett, Lawless, Henson, Scotchfield, Akers, Ford, and Kay. The outcome of this agenda item was informational in nature, with no formal action taken. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the summary - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the new business - **Motion** — passed (0-0): adjourn --- ## Full transcript This is the end of the video. I'm going to show you how to do this video. I'm going to go. Thank you. Thank you. guitar solo Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Greetings and welcome. And I will call the meeting to order. This is the meeting of the council, the work session of the council. And June 25th, Mr. Mundy, has anybody signed up for issues on the agenda for public comment? All right. Thank you, sir. Then that allows us to move on to item Roman numeral two on our agenda, which is requested rezonings, the docket approval. There's no docket to be approved this week. There's no council meeting. Allows us to move on to the approval of the summary. Is there a motion to approve? Move approval. Motion by Vice Mayor Gordon, second by Council Member Akers to approve the summary. Is there any discussion on the motion? All right. Hearing none, then we can take a vote. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed, no. Motion carries. Next on the agenda are budget amendments. There are no budget amendments today, so no motions required. Next on the agenda is new business. Is there a motion? Second. Motion by Council Member Beard, second by Council Member Scutchfield. Is there any discussion on the motion? All right. Council Member Farmer. Thank you, Mayor. Just a couple of questions on new business items, F, G, I, and J. F and G are where we are deeding right away over to individuals. item F has to do with parcel on Elm Tree Lane and item G a parcel on Fayette Park FG so there we're just dating this over to them for their own personal use yeah they agreed if they approached us and Kevin went he'd been working with them and we got all the division from all from police fire and all of them agreed that this was okay to go ahead and do the property over so they'll maintain it and be responsible for it so on the Elm Tree Lane when that little cut through sidewalk will go away. It will become part of their right way. Papillonic will be responsible for it. And then on the one on Fayette Park, would this give the resident then the ability to open up onto Willie Street behind it? It looked like it would have that possibility. I don't think there was any discussion about it. I think they want to keep it closed and keep it away and be responsible for it. Anything beyond that? The Fayette Park one is between the sidewalk and the property line. It doesn't include disciples. Okay. All right. Very good. Thank you. And then on I, what is the property at 801 New Circle Road where we're going to have a temporary storage barn? I'm just wondering about it location-wise. Is it? That is. Is it Continental Inn property? It's Continental Inn. Okay. Very good. I just wanted to know for sure. And then lastly, our agreement with the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security is spending $1.3 million. on a list that was somehow truncated out of the packet. And I was just going to ask for a brief thumbnail of what those funds are going to give us. This is to the application for these grand dollars. Is that right? Page 20. I request Council authorization to submit applications in Kentucky Office of Homeland Security requesting federal funds for various public safety projects. And they are. Rescue equipment for water rescue, hazardous materials response, some unknown chemical detection and identification devices. These are readers that can expedite the determination of what a hazardous chemical is much faster than a laboratory test. There's some public safety dive team equipment. The mobile data computer project is a big chunk of it. It'll be 226 computers and docking stations and repairs and modems. That's 800,000 of it. That's a big hit. Yes. Does that provide us with a complete capability of some sort, or does it augment something we already have? I think it augments what we already have and repairs some of the ones that do some maintenance. Okay. and another computer project with the criminal justice information system for some solutions there on some hardware. It will be 93 laptops and docking stations. And the bomb squad looking for a new truck to replace one that they've had for quite a while. I think these are all worthy, and I appreciate the list very much. You still know I have interest in the area of tornado safe rooms, which I hope we can have a conversation about perhaps in the next go-around, if you will. Okay. And then are we working to get the air conditioning going out at your Cisco Road facility? Yes, I think it's been improved. Very good. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Farmer. All right. Does anyone else wish to speak to the motion? Hearing none, then we can take a vote. All in favor of the motion, please indicate by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, no. Motion carries. Next on our agenda is continuing business and presentations. There is a committee. Is there a motion regarding the Committee of the Whole summary? Okay. Vice Mayor. Thank you, Mayor. It's just the report from our Committee of the Whole on June 6th. This was the Budget Committee of the Whole, and we heard the revenue update, the mayor's late item list, and the link recommendations. And in the interest of not reliving every single detail of this meeting, I'll report on the high points. Commissioner O'Meara did report that the percentage of revenue increase was estimated at 3.9% from fiscal year 13 to fiscal year 14 and that the fiscal year 13, our current budget, the budgeted fund balance was $1.5 million. And then the Council went about approving several motions to include a revenue number of $297,191,180 for the fiscal year 14 budget. And then the council went on to approve all of the funds, the urban services fund, special revenue, sanitary sewer construction and sanitary sewer fund, the public facilities, general fund revenue, water quality management, landfill fund, right-of-way fund, public facility, extended school program, E911, police and fire, retirement fund. revenue and police and fire expenses there was a lengthy discussion during the link recommendations about the code for America and at that meeting it was not approved although as you all know it later was approved funding for that and then council council also approved a $20,000 item in the new budget to fund a new van for the coroner's office. And those have all been rolled into the budget. So that completes my report, Mayor. Thank you, Vice Mayor. All right, next on our agenda is a presentation or recognition by Karen Angelusi related to the Tree City USA. Hello, hello. Adam Chairman. I am glad to be here, and I'm here today to introduce Leah McSwards. She is our state forester, the director of the State Forestry Department, and she also serves on the board of the National Arbor Day Foundation. And we need to find a place to fly this. So on your work session, maybe you could throw that in. There we go. Thanks, Karen. Mr. Mayor, members of the council, this is one of the fun parts of my job as being the director of the Division of Forestry and the Kentucky State Forester, is in recognizing communities that have been part of the Tree City USA system. And in the case of Lexington, you've been a Tree City USA for 25 years. That makes you the longest-running tree city in the state of Kentucky. In addition, I want to commend you because this year was your 27th Arbor Day celebration, also making you one of the longest celebrators of Arbor Day. And that's a wonderful accomplishment. So on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation and the Kentucky Division of Forestry, I want to present you with your tree city flag. And Mayor, you don't want to miss a photo out here. We have a special way. Yeah, I'm sitting in the position. Thank you. Oh, thanks, George. You know the routine. Yes, yes. Tim needs to be in this Hey, get up here, Tim You've got to balance it There's three on that side Not really We're not going to stop until you get up here Tim, Tim, Tim, Tim Tim, Tim Tim, Tim Tim, Tim Tim, Tim Thank you. Thank you. All right. Thank you all so much. And next, we have an update on Phoenix Park by Commissioner Jeff Reed of General Services. Mr. Reed, take your time. Thank you, Mayor. Got Jerry here, Hancock, that can speak to specific points on this project, but I was real anxious to visit with you and ask him if I could come up first and chat with you a minute about this. My understanding is you wanted a very brief update on the project, and I'd be happy to answer any questions. This project initially began in 2010 with discussions between parks, the library, and Mr. Anderson. And the project was approved, finally, with a lot of community involvement, different groups. A plan was agreed on. The project was approved by Council May 23rd. The project had a total budget of roughly $75,900, of which Parks and Rec put up 30,800 Harmony Home Builders, which Mr. Anderson contracted with, put up 27,000. The Lexington Library, about 18,500. The current status of the project is that it should be completed on time and within budget by July 4th. Most of the major work has been completed, old furniture removed, configurations changed of seating, steps replaced. A lot of the utility work in tree wells has been redone. This park had not been renovated in over 20 years. There were a number of safety issues. The park was in bad need of a facelift. I think groups from all different opinions agreed to this project. The work that remains to be done is putting the seating in place that's roughly four tables and 24 benches and then some individual seating. That will be done by July 4th. The beauty in the change in the park, safety was in mind. There's clear lines of sight now that weren't available before. The area has been made safer, more visible, and we feel like there's been some great improvements that have been made to the park at a nominal cost. Steps to be taken in the future are additional lighting. You approved a budget money in 2014, roughly $70,000. Our parks folks have been in consultation with Kentucky Utilities and hope to start on that project sometime in the future. So that's the status of the project. Thank you, Mr. Reed. Are you – do Councilmembers have any comments or questions for Commissioner Reed? Councilmember Stennett. Thank you, Mayor. Mr. Reed. Commissioner Reed, thank you for giving us a brief update. Aesthetically speaking, I appreciate the description you gave us with the number of tables and benches and trees we put back into the park. Do you know what kind of trees by chance? Do we know physically? Jerry would know that specifically. Fruitless sweet gums. Fitting. Very good. Thank you, Jerry. I brought this issue to Council because we approved it back in May, but we didn't know the plan. We didn't know the public-private partnership to the depth that you just explained. So I appreciate you doing that because I think it's a much-needed project. For years, we've watched that park sit at the corner and have a lot of traffic, a lot of activity over the years, but we've not really done a lot with it. Recently, there's been a lot of activity around this area. Given the hope for the future for the Centerpoint block, the library has increased their opportunities there, and then the renovation of Park Plaza, which could bring in some much-needed tenants, I think it's a good public-private partnership that we've undertaken, so thank you for giving us that update. One main concern that has reared its head about this location is safety. And when we say the word safety, we mean being able to walk through the park without the fear of something happening to you. This was very evident when we recently shut down Water Street, and we had employees from this building right here that wanted to get to Phoenix Building, and they had to go through the park. Well, we had employees not want to do that for fear of safety. And so what are we going to do going forward? Because when we built the new Bryan Station High School in the north end of Lexington, we knew we can't put an old problem in a new school and think it's going to go away. We have a similar situation here. We're going to spruce up the park, increase the aesthetics of the park, increase the sight distance. But what are we going to do going forward in a proactive fashion to address the safety issues in the park? Well, I don't know everything we're going to do. I can tell you what we are doing and what we're attempting to do. It's obviously the issues surrounding Phoenix Park are complex. They've been discussed for a long time. They're multifaceted, and the solution will not be just simple or any one thing that will solve the problem. We're confronted with homelessness and folks on the street and drugs and the numerous issues that we're seeing all over the country. And a lot of folks are wrestling with that. A logical first step was to make this park more visible and upgrade it and make it where the line's of sight. And it's harder to do criminal activity in the park. We've also, the police department has greatly stepped up policing in the entire entertainment district. I think there will be further increases in the police presence as the new class graduates and they come on the street and become involved, which should be in the next few weeks, later July. We also have to engage in a dialogue with people that are involved and people who are dealing with feeding issues and see if we are offering folks the best solution to a very complex problem. And if there are better solutions available that deal effectively with people in need, but also serve to enhance safety in the park. So I think it is an ongoing effort. I think the administration is very serious about it. We just had a beating on safety in all parks. I don't think all these problems are simply unique to Phoenix Park. I think we have problems in a lot of parks. I think it's important to know that the police here are doing an incredible job dealing with the issues that they're confronted with, unemployment people coming from Eastern Kentucky, drug issues, et cetera. So we're working on it. We're taking steps. We'll continue to take steps. I hope that we can see some major improvements in the short term that benefit both the people in need and safety in the park. And you're right. Safety is important to every park we have in our community. But, you know, since I've been on council the last 10 years, and I'll just be honest and blunt, we know that if the activities that were going on at Phoenix Park were happening at Triangle Park, it would never have existed. They wouldn't let that go on at other parks downtown. So I'm trying to understand and make sure that the dialogue that you're speaking of is going to continue, it's going to happen, and we're going to make major improvements to this park. But first and foremost, we're going to take care of the people, the public, because it's a public park, the people who do want to spend time there, whether they're homeless or not, let's do the right thing and humane thing for these individuals who may be homeless who frequent the park, but also for the rest of the public that want to come down and enjoy the park. And that's what I'm looking for, and to continue that dialogue and do the humane thing and find opportunities to provide the needed services, but in a much more humane environment, to put it that way. because one thing I'm wrestling with is when you say the word feeding, I can't go to Kenwood Park or Veterans Park in this city and feed a kid a hot dog without a park permit and a health department permit. So why is it permissible in this park when I'm telling my volunteers, they're going to shut you down today because you don't have your health department sticker. You can't give the little kid a hot dog or a Coke after a game. So I'm trying to figure out what the difference is here on this park. When we want to treat all the parks the same and have safety prayer in every park, I get that. But from a legal standpoint, if it's illegal there, why is it illegal in other parks? I think church organizations have certain rules, and church organizations in feeding the Board of Health rules that you and I shared and discussed don't follow the same permitting procedures that other people do, and there's reasons for that. I think that the groups that you have in mind could do what they're doing at any public park if they chose to do it. I don't think there's anything unique about Phoenix Park with the organizations that are providing the feeding. They're within the law. They're doing things within the rules and regulations that have been set out. That being said, the folks that I've talked to that represent those organizations are amenable to change and to taking their activities to places. All they ask is that it benefits people at least as much as it benefits them now. if we can find something that benefits some more. I don't think folks are wed to doing this in Phoenix Park. There's also a long history of 11 years of feeding in this park, and folks are used to it, used to having it done there. And I think there has to be a mind shift and change and something better offered in exchange for the situation that exists now, both for the residents around and park place and the public and the people in need of services. That's the goal. That's what we'll try to achieve, and I think we're taking steps toward that. Well, thank you. My time's up, but a lot has happened in seven days. It's amazing the amount of work, so I thank you personally because I know you've done a lot of legwork, and I appreciate the organizations that have stepped up and wanted to work with the city because I do think we want to do the best, not just for that park but for the people who frequent that park. And I think there's opportunity now with the dialogue that's been opened up to figure out a way. And I know the Council stands ready if there is a way to address it. Let us know, please. I'll be back in touch. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Stenet. Council Member Lawless. Thank you, Commissioner. First of all, I'd like to address that Triangle Park is privately managed by the Triangle Foundation. And so there are a lot of things that aren't allowed there that are allowed in other city parks. One of the things that this design has created, and it's not about homelessness, is a more open environment where people can see what's going on. And one of the, I remember when Phoenix Park was built, and it was a free speech park. There were rallies. I even have a picture of my son when he was about six years old that was on the front page of the Herald-Leader holding a candle for the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. So I've spent a lot of time over the years, but nothing's been done to it in that time, and it no longer meets the it's been deteriorating and overgrown and no longer is what it once was or is a modern urban park. And so I've been working on this very hard for a long time with the administration and others. And so the openness of it is extremely important. There's an area behind the war memorial that was moved there that at one point will be going to the Veterans Park, I believe, where the trees were lower and there was a lot of brush. And I spoke with Commissioner Reed and Jerry about can we go on and do something. That wasn't on the plan to take those down. Another issue is the criminal activity. And one thing that people, the majority of the criminal activity is by people who are not homeless. It's drug. It was very easy to hide and those activities to flourish. Also panhandling that, and there's a group of panhandlers that are very aggressive that travel around downtown in an SUV and get out in various places. And the thing is, one thing, and I hope the general public will hear this and understand this, unless a police officer witnesses most misdemeanor, with a few exceptions like domestic violence, unless they witness it, they cannot arrest. So the individual has to personally make a complaint, a criminal complaint. The other issue is, and I've spoken to folks about this and want to have some time to research it, is looking at what we can do constitutionally, et cetera, that if people commit a crime in a park, because these issues are in other parks and they're in other parks in the 3rd District, can they be banned from parks for a period of time? Because one of the frustrations is they're arrested for criminal activity, and then two weeks later they're back at the park. and this is Woodland Park, it's many of the parks, and certainly not somebody who drops a piece of trash on the ground, but looking at what we can do about that. I have a copy of, if anybody's interested, I don't know if you've seen the site plan or the amenities that are going to be added, but they're really, really nice and so much better and so much more suited to an open atmosphere that will invite people to be there and maybe create the park it used to be, which is where people can gather to read poetry, to activities like that, have rallies, et cetera. One of the major issues I've heard from most of the people that live around there is about the feeding is, well, one concern I've always had is where does this food come from and is it safe for consumption? But, yes, I see I only had 12 seconds, but I'll proceed, is that there's a lot of trash left afterwards. And so working with those groups and individuals to clean up after they leave is really important. So if anybody's interested, I have photos of the tables and chairs and layout, and we can put them on the overhead if you haven't seen them. I don't know if you have or not. Thank you, and thank you. Thank you, Councilman Wallace. Any other council members have any comments or questions? Councilman Farmer. Commissioner, I always enjoy working with you and spending the time, as you do, to get things done correctly. What I hear from your commentary is that we're working on a kind of what I would call a new and a better situation with some better partnering to help more people. I think to help more people, I think a lot of groundwork has been done with the Homeless Commission, with the interactions that have been occurring up to this date. I think the ability to move forward is a result of a lot of work that's occurred before. This is a multi-level community situation. I appreciate its delicacy, and I know that the expertise lies with you and those around you to make the situation better for all involved, and I appreciate your work. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Farmer. Council Member Henson? Thank you, Mayor. Jeff, thank you for the update, Commissioner. Whatever. As far as when they feed the individuals at the park, is that year-round? Do they do that also in the wintertime when it's cold? Yes. And it's usually once a day? No, I think there's one group on Tuesdays, and the group I've been working with is a Sunday afternoon group. So it's a couple of times a week. Yes. And I was just, I've always thought that there's a much better, I don't know if we could speak with faith-based churches or whoever organizes this, and I certainly respect their desire to help individuals. I don't think they're probably not all homeless. I think maybe, you know, they could use a meal. So I just keep thinking that there needs to be a better humane way. if we had a place where they could sit down where it's warm in the winter and cool in the summer and actually have a served meal somewhere would be a more humane way of doing it. Has that come up in conversation at all? I had the opportunity to visit with Gary Blake from Hill and Dale Christian this morning. We had just a wonderful conversation. These folks do a wonderful service. They are amenable to a change. They understand the problems that exist in Phoenix Park. And in a lot of places, they are concerned about the safety of the homeless. Absolutely. And they're concerned about everyone's safety. They serve to everyone, but they appreciate the issues. They want a solution. They seem anxious to work with us. And I appreciated them reaching out to us and look forward to working with them to resolve this. And a lot of the sentiments you just expressed were similarly expressed by Gary. Well, I'm confident that a good solution will come about, and I appreciate all the work that's gone into this so far, and I know that it has been an issue for quite some time. And we'll have more discussion in our parks task force, and hopefully that will help as well. But thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Henson. Council Member Scotchfield. Thank you, Mayor. I agree with many of the things that Council Member Stennett and Henson just mentioned. Obviously, we as a city council just pass zones for food trucks. I think when it comes down to the zones for food trucks, when we're talking about feeding our faith-based communities out there, feeding and doing a wonderful service for our community, But I think we also need to take into account a lot of our taxpayers that live in that building and work around that building and maybe work forward to try to do essentially the same thing so that we can protect everybody's rights that are in that area. And we did it with the food trucks. I don't see why we couldn't do something along those same lines to protect the people that are being served. I understand. I think we are on, I think, a course of working in harmony with these people who provide these services is the best course. I think to deviate from that and attempt to go another direction would create some issues that I think have confounded the problem in the past. I think we have an opportunity to get some things accomplished right now on the course we're on. And I'm also concerned about the people at Park Plaza and other places that reside around here and the public traffic. The question is how best to resolve those issues that are important to them as well as the people that are homeless or in the park. Have we spoken with the faith-based communities about having areas that they can go to, times, places? I haven't gotten to that point yet. Okay. Actually, you know, we're only talking just several times a week that they come. I think if an alternative site is found, I think a lot of the issue would go away. I think we're just in the beginning stages. I'm open to that. I think the important thing right now is to find at least an initial site for these feedings. And even if the feedings are only going on a couple days a week, some of the people that are down there may not realize that it's only on Tuesdays or Thursdays or Mondays and Wednesdays. So that's their hangout price in case they get fed during that time. There's a lot of information that's provided to people down there. The library provides schedules of services not only in Phoenix Park, but throughout the community, what's going on with Hope Center, Salvation Army, et cetera. Any change would involve an educational effort as well, though. You're correct. Thank you, Council Member Scottsville. Council Member Lawless, second round. Council Member Farmer, I believe you're second round. Yes, sir. Councilman Roloff. I just punched back in so I could put up the sketches that I have of the type of furniture and the layout, and I'll get copies made for everybody or e-mail the attachments, so I thought you might be interested. But again, and I also want to reiterate that there has been a step up of clear officers in the downtown, not just about Phoenix Park on bike. They are doing a pilot program with officers on horses, which they kind of did away with for a while, and they're training more of those. So that's helped a lot. And all reports I have gotten from everybody is that they're thrilled to death, and it's much, much improved. So thank you. Thank you, Councilman Lawless. Councilman Farmer. Commissioner, if the climate is healthy and the conversations are as positive as I believe from your commentary, is there hope that something could be arranged between now and July the 9th? No. Okay. I think this is, I think we are on our way to achieving something. I don't know that, I think there's going to have to be discussion over whatever alternatives are discussed. I think within the faith-based community, they would need to absorb whatever recommendation we would have. There would need to be some give and take. I think it's something that can be solved in the short term. But we can take steps toward that piece of it. I'm not sure just that solving this one piece deals with all the issues that people are concerned with. I think it's only one piece of the puzzle. I think we can make progress on this piece of the puzzle in the short term. Well, I guess I'll be pleased about that progress. I mean, I'm just kind of feel like I'm tiptoeing around here, and I want to say something else to you that will not be helpful to your conversation, but I want your conversation to be fruitful as quickly as possible for this piece. Others are fine, but this is the one we're interested in right now. Thank you, Council Member Farmer. Council Member Stennett. Thank you, Mayor. I just want to end by, I think, Councilman Ford, were you on the list? No, I've already spoken. Okay. You know, I appreciate all the efforts that have gone on so far the last week. Do you know who, do we have a list of the groups that we're having dialogue with that you could share with the council at a later date? Yes. Okay. I can provide who we've been talking, and different people within the administration have been talking to different people. But, yes. Well, the important thing here is, and I appreciate the efforts, again, that our police have done. We don't want to turn this into a police state down there by any means. But this is not a unique issue to this park that we have in every other park in terms of safety. And I appreciate what the faith-based community is trying to do because they're providing a much-needed service that we need to see continued and make sure it's being continued to the people who really need it. Because it was mentioned here and it was mentioned today in the paper that there may be people there who are not homeless, who may just be trying to get a meal, and that's okay too. I mean, that provides all of our faith-based missions to serve our people, but we need to continue the dialogue, as Councilman Farmer said, and get a solution as soon as possible that's good for everyone. And keep in mind, these are people we're dealing with, and good people and meaningful people to our community. We just need to provide for them in the right way. And what's gone on there, and I'll say it again, has gone on too long, and everyone on council is sensitive to the issues, as you have been, so thank you for that. And I just want to see a resolution going forward. So if you can report back to us as soon as you get some feedback, that would be great. I will, sir. Thank you. Council Member Ford. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Commissioner Reed. And Jerry, thank you for your efforts. I want to clarify from a parks facility standpoint, if we're confident that these improvements that we're making physically will improve the general aesthetics and the overall park-like environment for Phoenix Park. Was that the intent? I think the real intent of the improvements was to provide a facelift, make the park more usable, more user-friendly, to bring people in to use the park. The seating is configured in a different way. The park is laid out differently. I think that was something that everyone involved agreed to, that it was important to try to bring people in and make the park more usable by everyone. Commissioner, and also I think it's been mentioned earlier is that, and I'll say we were just in a meeting that Council Member Henson is leading us, our initial meeting of the Neighborhood Parks Task Force, And I was reminded that we have some 100-plus parks, neighborhood and community parks, specialty parks, within our comprehensive system. But in relation to Phoenix Park, Phoenix Park perhaps is located on some of the higher-profile real estate that we own, being on the corner of Lyme and Main. But for all other practical and policy-related purposes, it is simply just another park. And I may have, it is one of the many parks that we have. And it is governed by the same policies, parks and recreation policies as those other parks. I do share concern in regards to safety. And again, that's why I look forward to working so much with Council Member Myers and Council Member Henson and the folks on that task force. And whatever means we can do to help improve safety in Phoenix Park and parks throughout the city is important. I do sit here concerned, and I would warn and encourage us not to focus on the feeding programs in an isolated fashion as a cause of some of the safety concerns down there. I do encourage you to continue to work with those faith-based folks. But let me get a legal clarification if I can. If somebody from the law department can help you expound upon the rights of the folks that come to Phoenix Park, their right to be there, their right to receive those feeding services, and in particular the rights of the faith-based organizations to offer those very kind-hearted and in many cases much-needed services to the community. We're examining this issue because it's not as simple as someone offering food in the park. Right. Because there is a religious overtone. There is a First Amendment overtone. And that's one of the differences between, for example, someone selling food in a park versus someone distributing food to the needy. So it's not a simple issue. It's being examined. And we'll help Jeff come up with an answer to this. Okay. Very much interested in that. And I would ask us to do that. Switching gears to food trucks, we spent a great deal of time in the last few weeks to make it possible for those business proprietors to bring their goods and their skills and services downtown. And my understanding is that the feeding programs have been a decade or more long. So my understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong, the feeding programs that are offered now in proximity to Phoenix Park, the meals are not prepared on site. They're brought in, they're transported in, and generally the station that they're transported in from is South Limestone, on South Limestone. The park is on the corner of South Line and Main. Yes, sir. And so that's correct. That's primarily where their distribution stations are located. Yes. Was that not one of the zones that was either proposed and or adopted originally to be in the food truck vending zones? I believe it was. I won't put anybody on the spot. I believe it was. That's just my thoughts. I ask us to be very careful in understanding and working with those that are trying to help members in our community. Thanks for your efforts, Commissioner. All right. Thank you, Council Member Ford. No other? No, that's all right. Yes, ma'am. Council Member Akers. Thank you, Mayor. So I guess one question that I have, Jeff, is I've noticed recently I'm on jury duty this month, and so I've been to the courthouses numerous times in the last few weeks. And so it seems to me that the problems that were in Phoenix Park have now just relocated, or the people and the problems, let's say, have just relocated across the street to the courthouse parks. So, I mean, is there anything that's been done lately under your watch or maybe under law enforcement that has addressed the issues that are now in a different park? Or does it matter? I mean, I guess that's the question. Well, I think the increased law enforcement presence that we have is for the entire downtown entertainment district. It's not just limited to Phoenix Park or any place. So I think the increased presence is beneficial to the entire area. You are correct. A number of people who were staying in Phoenix Park for long periods of time are now at the courthouse. And some of the issues at Phoenix Park have been dealing with now suddenly the courthouses. Right. I mean, there was events Friday night. There was gallery hop. There was a big car show. And then there was debauchery. We haven't attempted to, I don't know how we attempt to specifically address that. The district judges and circuit judges have certainly brought it to our attention and are concerned about it. And, again, I don't know the long answer. I know. And I understand it's, I mean, certainly, as Council Member Farmer stated, it's complicated and it's going to take certainly more than just a law enforcement approach to finding a solution. And just my own observation from being downtown, I've never seen so many people that are clearly mentally ill and unstable. And so I think that we need to certainly take into consideration the Homeless Commission's report and the need for more mental health treatment in our community and how we can provide that to those who need it. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councilor Akers. All right. Thank you, Commissioner Reed. Thank you, Mayor. All right, sir. All right. Next on our agenda is an update by Commissioner Mason on the fireworks ordinance. And you got anybody with you, Commissioner? Actually, I brought quite a few people. All right. Fire has a very brief PowerPoint presentation. Assistant Chief Rick Jordan is here, and Lieutenant Clayton Roberts is here from the police department, as he was instrumental in the drafting of the ordinance revision last year. And I'm going to turn it over to them, and then we'll be available for questions. All right. Good afternoon. Technical difficulties. Stand by one. I know we've got a lot going on today. We'll try to buzz down through this real quick. Our intention today is to do a quick overview of the Code and Ordinance 9A. I think you all are relatively familiar with that. That's the ordinance, the law that mandates or controls how we deal with fireworks, everything from permits for displays to selling to what the private consumer can use. One thing about the 9A, it's pretty consistent with the Kentucky Revised Statute governing fireworks. The language and a lot of the definitions are consistent with that, so we're not very far from what the state is doing as far as defining the language we're using. 9A does prohibit the sale and use of consumer and display fireworks, with the exception of what is listed in TRS 227-702, and we'll talk a little more about that in a few minutes. Of course, in this outline, it's a detail, as I mentioned earlier, how they are sold and how they're displayed, and, of course, the penalties that are associated. Okay, very quickly, what is permitted. A lot of what is permitted is referred to as common fireworks. There again, what's stated in the KRS, what is manufactured and designed to be ignited on the ground or handheld by the manufacturer's recommendations by the directions on the package. Primarily, these are the things that make the visible effects. Smoke and sparks is what is permitted. The loud noises and what goes up in the air is not. Of course, it's compliant with the United States Consumer, I'm sorry, compliant, as it says, the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the DOT recognizes a 1.4G. There again, a lot of these things are considered novelty items. They make smokes, make sparks. It includes the sparklers, cylindrical and cone fountains, illuminating torches, and the small toy smoke devices. what's not permitted the larger fireworks that we have seen a lot in our younger days maybe i don't know if i can say that out loud or not if it has wings on it or fins or anything that goes up in the air it is not permitted if the cautionary label everything has a cautionary label on it if a cautionary label includes the words in description as explosive emits flaming pellets flaming balls, firecracker, report, or rocket. Those things are not permitted under the new ordinance. The basic rule that we go by, if it goes up or blows up, it's not considered legal in Fayette County. Those are the items that are more dangerous, thus they're not permitted. Public displays, we're a huge advocate of the public displays. Currently, I think this says, hit the button. I think it says up there, it says there's six events currently scheduled. There's actually seven. There's been one more since the creation of this PowerPoint. But in our permit required to public displays, we have rolled in those consumer, what used to be known as consumer fireworks, that do not fall into the 227 KRS Section 1, the A through H, which is everything that's not the smoke and sparks type agents. The permitting process is a 10-day process. It does have some insurance requirement. It does have some stipulations on site maps and all that. And that's what we do through our office and Public State Commission's office for the permitted type events. Sale of fireworks, if it's not permitted for use in Fayette County, it's not permitted for sale in Fayette County. Ancillary retailers, the big box stores, we have been in some of those throughout the last few weeks. So far, everybody seems to be relatively compliant. And as of date, there has only been one permit issued for seasonal sales, and we were inspecting that this morning, and to my knowledge, there were no such issues. I believe last year at this time we had 42 of those seasonal tents. The best part is we're working with police, fire, and building inspections. We're checking permits, what's coming in, where things are at on a daily basis. The best thing that we can do on this, and we've been ahead of this the last, well, the better part of last week of public education, we've handed out pamphlets to you all of what we're trying to disseminate throughout the community that pretty much summarizes the do's and don'ts for the fireworks this year. Again, we are engaged with other agencies, and we're working pretty well on keeping that going. The penalties, as was mandated as first offense for the user, is $250, followed by $500 and $1,000, and that, I believe, is within a 12-month period. Quick summary. We're all here. We all like to celebrate the 4th. 9A is here to make sure that we can all celebrate. but respectful for others. I know the after midnight fireworks can be rather annoying for a lot of people that have to work the next day. We're trying to protect everybody's rights, but we want to celebrate the 4th as well. Again, there are seven events scheduled throughout the county over the few days, give or take, on the 4th. Our biggest thing, of course, I have to always push for it. We have to keep it safe. We want to keep it safe. That's a big part of what we do. So buying from proper, reputable dealers that are licensed, You know, maintaining adult supervision and using them only outdoors and monitoring outdoor consumption are all the things that we talk about on a regular basis, keeping extinguishers of water source close by. And we want to keep the injuries down. I think last year we had one reportable significant injury that was transported into Fayette County from an outside county, and we did have one house that caught fire directly due to fireworks. Of course, we had such a dry weather last year, mulch and grass was so dry that it created a lot of issues for us. Any questions? All right. We have a few lined up for questions, Chief. Thank you very much. Vice Mayor Gordon. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Chief. On the public display of fireworks slide, it's about the fifth one in, you had mentioned that there are now seven, I think you said there are seven events scheduled that are permitted, correct? Yes, that's correct. Are those neighborhoods, or can you give us a flavor for who that is? Some of them are related to neighborhoods. I'm not exactly sure on what the breakdown is. Some of the ballpark and there's some other events that are in golf courses and things like that that are part of that permitted public events. Does a neighborhood have to be an official neighborhood to apply for one, or can an individual? I believe an individual can, but there's a stipulation requiring a million-dollar liability, a certified shooter of the fireworks, a competent person, which is by, and we are following the state regulation on that, the state KRS, on everything that constitutes for the public display. Okay. And then is there any kind of, when someone gets a permit for these seven that already have permits, will anyone be going past to check on anything, or are they pretty much on their own? They submit a site map, and a lot of times we do check the sites, physically check the sites, and some of them, there's a few of them that we'll be engaged with during the actual event. Okay. And then on the next slide, sale of fireworks. I just want to be sure I understand this. No permits issued to date for seasonal sales. Are the seasonal sales the little tents? Yes, those are the tents you see on the road, and we have had one permit issued since the writing of this. So at this time last year, had the 42 already been issued at this point in June? Yes, I believe so, yes. I find that curious. I mean, I guess is it because of the new laws? I think the restriction in the fireworks is not as appealing for a vendor to come in and sell that lower level of fireworks. Okay. And, I mean, I noticed on your, when you talked earlier about if it's not permitted for use, it's not permitted for sale, that's in Kentucky, correct? People can still go get them. Yeah, this is Fayette County. That's only related to Fayette County. Okay. Some of the surrounding counties you can go, and some other counties are starting to follow suit as well. Okay, very good. Thank you very much. Thanks, Mayor. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Chief. On your slide in reference to enforcement, I understand what your reasoning is here for the enforcement issue. I'm just wondering about those persons who go to Tennessee and get a carload of whatever and decide to have their own party at their own house or neighborhood. What do you anticipate as far as enforcement in that respect? to the public... Commissioner Mason? I'm going to pass that behind me. Whichever one grabs it, I'll let... But what we're doing on the front side is just the public education, letting people understand what is legal, what is not, and what some of the potential ramification is. And then I'm going to pass this ball. You can pass. As last year and the previous years, enforcement will be a matter of prioritizing calls that come in for service. There will be some additional staffing in each sector. Is it weekends only? The 3rd through the 7th, there will be an additional officer in each sector that will be there only for fireworks complaints. So we're beefing up the resources to be able to respond faster to the neighborhoods and work through that. Last year, by this time, in the two weeks leading up to the 4th of July, we had about 2,000 calls on complaints. So far in June this year, we've had 59. So the numbers are dramatically, dramatically lower. As it gets closer to the 4th over that weekend, I'm sure people will have brought up things in their trunks from Tennessee and some of the surrounding counties. But the volume is definitely a lot lower than it was last year. So then you would say to the public if they have a situation that they feel uncomfortable with and they're able to call the police and to be able to remedy if it's not the sparklers that the kids have, or something that's not in this group? The 258-3600 number and leave 911 for more higher priority of emergencies. But they can call the 3600 and it will still dispatch because it's the same answering service area, and they'll get folks out there to take care of them. We could put that on our website because, again, not to take that priority calls away, just for if there's a fireworks complaint, because there are some that do violate these certain rules that we have here, and that would be nice to know so they're not gumming up the 911 lines, what lines do they need to call. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. You said there's only been one permit issued for seasonal sales? Yes, as of this morning, yes. Do you know the location? Are you looking to buy or? No, I'm just looking to find out if one that I know has been operating for at least a week has a permit. I believe this one's on for sales road. Uh-huh. Okay. Are we good? They were operating legally last year. But I think they're a little lax in the time it takes them to get the permit, because they have been there for at least a week or longer. And also, can you remind us of the hours and days that fireworks are permitted? Lieutenant Roberts normally works a night shift. So he came in extra early for this. So I'm going to actually let him answer a question since he went to the trouble of coming in for this. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Ma'am, the hours of operation for the fireworks went out with the revision last September. Under the original 9A, we had hours that you could do because it supplemented the noise ordinance. Under the revision in September, those hours went away because anything that makes any significant noise is illegal anyway. So the hours, as far as the noise ordinance goes, was left out of the new version of the ordinance. The things that are still legal to be used, with the exception of the display fireworks, are things that shouldn't be annoying. There shouldn't be any report, maybe a whistle, but they should be just sparks and visual effects. And you can shoot those off at any time? Correct. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Henson. Council Member Akers. How much money did the city make from the firework permits? What did those cost? They were $500 last year. They were $100 this year. So it was $21,000 last year. Now we've made $100. But I can promise you we expended a lot more than that going out and checking the 42 locations. With fire and police resources going out to check on things and building inspection, we spent a lot more money in man hours than we did recouping the $21,000. Okay. Thanks. Thank you, Councilman Rekers. All right. No other council members signed up, so that allows us to move on. Thank you. Thanks, Chief. Thanks, Lieutenant. Thanks, Commissioner. Thank you all very much. Yes, sir. All right. Next on our agenda is Council Reports. Council, the floor is open for Council Reports. Council Member Scutchfield. I have been trying to get in touch with Kevin Winty all week, and I know he's on vacation, so whoever may be able to answer this question. And I apologize for bringing it up right now, but I think other Council members may have had this same concern. I have some constituents that are not getting their refunds. They do not have streetlights. And they've forwarded me emails that they've had going back and forth since October that they've been told that their refund check is in the mail. It's now obviously almost July. I'd be glad to follow up. Kevin had a definite family. He won't be in the rest of the week. But I'll be sure we'll follow up with my aunt. and people will release those checks to make sure if they're out yet. I'll follow up on doing that. Sorry. So when will you report back to Council Member Scotchfield? Hopefully I'll talk to finance. If I don't have an answer, then I have to wait until Monday until Kevin gets back, and then I will get back with you Monday for sure on that. I'd just be interested. Has anybody else had constituent concerns regarding this, that they've contacted their office? No? Okay. I'm concerned because it's an ongoing thing. Yeah, how many of you had just an order of magnitude, three, four, five people? An entire neighborhood. Oh. I mean, essentially. Well, Richard, today's Tuesday, so I would just encourage an earlier turnaround on this, just find out what's going on, and let's get back to it before Monday. All right. Council Member Farmer. Thank you, Mayor. Just a couple of brief things. the new business item that included the closure of the sidewalk on Elm Tree Lane. At one time, my mother lived on Rand Avenue growing up and on Elm Tree Lane, and that was the sidewalk that they used to go to and from church, which is one of the reasons I asked that question, just because I'd shown this to my mom today to say, is that the sidewalk? And she said, yes, we used to walk down through there to go to church. secondarily I did not bring it for today's discussion it was delivered to me somewhere along the way one of the businesses in Chevy Chase called the Chevy Chase Inn has had a book commissioned about its history and they're going to have a book signing party for this coffee table book about the Chevy Chase Inn and I will bring the invitation because I don't have the date on me but I will just tell you it will be a singular event in the Annals of Lexington. And then lastly, and then most seriously, Mayor, is a conversation you and I kind of had offline, and it goes a little bit along with our earlier discussion about other parts of Lexington, and that's a situation here last week where there was an attempted arson on Winchester Road in part of the 5th District where neighbors are concerned over some of the activities that are going on in and around the area. And I know this is a delicate discussion because, again, as with other things, there's more than one level to it. But I'm looking for a little assurance for my neighbors out there who are trying to enjoy their quiet comfort of their home and their family in their front yard. And if you could provide me with a little bit of that, I'd appreciate it very much. Yes, sir. And, Council Member Farmer, I believe, yeah, Commissioner Graham is here, and our law commissioner, and Commissioner Graham has worked on the issue once, well, you're bringing it to our attention, plus, of course, the significance of the issue, the concerns of the neighborhood, which we all share. Thank you. And the commissioner has addressed that in a letter. And I'm happy to, I believe you received some. I have her letter that you had forwarded to me. I guess what I wanted to make light of was the extra attention we're paying. Yes, right. in terms of trying to provide helpful supervision where needed. Yeah, and in terms of the specific issue, I think maybe the Commissioner can speak to that. I think, and I appreciate the way that you just described, Council Member Farmer, the theme and the theme of the conversation today related to Phoenix Park, related to those members of our community who are regrettably disadvantaged and have unusual conditions that they're dealing with, including mental illnesses, which, of course, the Homelessness Commission led by Council Member Kay has addressed and we are continuing to work on. We want to talk about that in the larger or strategic sense, I think. But first, maybe, Commissioner. Well, I can give the council and you sort of the same thing I put in the letter about we're currently in court. As you all are aware, the Board of Adjustment revoked the conditional use permit. This is related to the community inn. Yes, this is related to the community inn. After that was revoked, the community end sued us, brought three different what I would call legal actions against the urban county government. One related to an open meetings appeal regarding an open meetings issue that they felt had occurred at the Board of Adjustment. One was the actual appeal of the denial of the conditional use permit. And then they have also brought a fair housing complaint against the urban county government. So right now we are in court, in Fayette Circuit Court in front of Judge Goodwine, and related, they're going to brief the open meetings appeal first according to the judge's order, and we'll have simultaneous briefs due on July 5th and then reply briefs after that. So that's sort of the first hurdle on that to see where we are on that one because that might mood out everything if it gets decided first. So legally that's where we are in court. I appreciate that thumbnail, and I think that gets us closer to some goal. We like to take care of as many people as possible, but right now some are being taken care of at others' expense, and I think that's kind of where I come down as the representative for that area. I appreciate it. Thank you, Council Member Farmer. I think one of the remarkable things about this democratic process, especially at the local level, is that you really can't hide from these issues. They're right in front of us. And what we recognize, what we are presented with more and more, as cities grow, our population in Lexington grew in the last census by the largest level in the state. and as cities grow, the issues have grown. We've seen a loss of funding from the federal and the state level as it relates to these issues, but my own view on this is that the greater the awareness of the council is, the greater our capacity is to respond. Now, having said that, we know, and the commissioner will tell you, and our police chief and all of those who work, Commissioner Mason will tell you that our remedies are often limited. Those among us who are experiencing mental conditions and issues have rights by law. and those rights often restrict and limit our capacity to respond. So as we navigate through these challenging issues, the good news is that we've got a council that's very interested in them and will be attentive to them. So I think it's, in my own view, it's healthy and worthwhile that we're having the conversation. and regrettable that we have the conditions that present the need sometimes for those conversations, but that often encourages Councilmember Farmer. I believe you're correct, but Lexington has a history of being a caring and a giving community, and that's borne out in these discussions, but Lexington also has a history of being a very fair community, And I think that when we see situations that are inequitable among neighbors, we like to do what we can. And this is a very tough one. Right. I appreciate your time. And as Council Member Stenet earlier mentioned and others have mentioned, that the balancing of the rights of citizens by law, by nature of a caring and giving community, with the safety of our citizens who are also affected in our neighborhoods is challenging, but it's something that somehow or another for 238 years as a city we've been able to navigate through. So that's what's reassuring, perhaps. Thank you, Mayor. Yes, sir. All right, Council Member Ford. Thank you, Mayor. I'm going to keep in the spirit that Council Member Scutchfield and Council Member Farmer have brought in regards to issues brought forth from constituents. I have two issues that I would like to bring before the council today, and I would like to ask Mayor Gray and your administration to really help us on these issues. One issue relates to human resources here in urban county government. We know that many new state laws take effect today, and Commissioner Graham has sent us some information about how it pertains to our civil service system. I believe I'm correct, Vice Mayor, that one of our council committees will also be studying the structure or the possible restructure in regards to the Division of Human Resources from law, maybe back to the CAO's office. It's the issue of inversions. Mayor, I appreciate your effort in this budget to include the 2% raised for non-sworn employees, but I think that the issue of inversions and new hires in our government and the morale and the impact that it has on morale is worthy of our study. And I'm going to ask here in the near future if we could have a true and honest conversation about inversions, the bringing on of new qualified employees, but the impact that it has financially and competitively to longstanding employees. The second issue that I want to bring forward, and Commissioner, you can feel free to chime in if there's anything valuable to add in regards to the new law. Secondly, what I would also like to ask is development in the East End, particularly the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden. The World Equestrian Games have come and gone. The Legacy Trail from the Horse Park to the YMCA has been online and a fabulous addition to our system. But we have not been able to construct the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden, named in honor of one of America's most historic jockeys, a native here of Lexington. The folks who've labored in that effort are going very frustrated. They're losing confidence that the red tape and the bureaucracy and excuses, and maybe in some instances a lack of interest or priority, is keeping that project from being funded. I know that Keith Lovin and Engineering and the planning staff, they're working with the state, and all of that is well and fine. But, again, there have been other projects that have come before this government, and they've moved much more quickly than this project has. So I'm going to ask for repeated and continued emphasis on getting that project constructed. What's most frustrating to me is that the funding appears to be there. We just can't cut the strings to get to the funding to get the construction started and that's unfortunate. Again, they have a board, David Cozart is their chair and there's many community members who've brought this information to me in passing this weekend. I shared with you today on Tuesday about their concern. Former Congressman Ben Chandler offered many resources to this project. Current Congressman Andy Barr I think has been actively supportive of this project. So I ask us to get it done, Mayor, if we can, and I think there's still time that we may be able to get this project online this calendar year. So inversions in HR, Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden in the East End, Mayor, I'm asking for your and you and your administration's leadership. Thanks so much. Thank you, Councilman Ford. That's one of the great values of this model of government and all these folks sitting around the table is accountability, and we appreciate that. Thank you very much. Council Member Kay. Thank you, Mayor. I wanted to add a couple comments to those that have been made that have touched on the question of homelessness in our community in a couple different ways. It seems to me that what we've heard today is a valid concern about the impact that people who are homeless or near homeless, who have other kind of debilitating conditions, have on the community. We've also heard that if you close for repair of Phoenix Park, the problem doesn't go away. It moves. And what that suggests is I think what we all know is that this is not a problem that can be approached on a piecemeal basis. So I wanted to remind those watching, Council, if it's appropriate, that what the Mayor's Commission on Homelessness hoped to accomplish with its recommendations was to indicate a systemic approach and not a piecemeal approach. Because what we know at base is if we want to address these issues, there are two main things we need to do. We need to reduce the numbers of people in need, and we need to improve the services for those who remain in need. That will benefit them, the people who are themselves in need, and it will benefit the community. There is, I believe, no other way to address this issue in a way that will result in benefit for the whole community. So, again, a reminder, the Commission on Homelessness made its recommendations. The mayor is committed to developing further the plans that we will need, and hopefully in the fall we'll have a chance to look at those recommendations and to make some hard decisions about what we want to do as a government to address this question in a systemic way. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councilman Kaye. Councilman, Vice Mayor Borton. Thank you, Mayor. Council Member Ford brought up that I had moved the HR issue into committee, and I just wanted to let Council members and others, maybe division directors and commissioners know that I'm working with Paul Schoeniger to vet through the LINC's recommendations, which were non-budgetary, and be sure we understand what the issue was, and then I'll be moving those into the different standing committees. And he may be talking with some of you about what the intent of the LINC was, because some of them are a little more vague than others. But all those non-budgetary issues will be moved into the standing committees. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Council Member Akers. Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to announce that the Highlands Neighborhood Association meeting will be meeting tomorrow night and will be held tomorrow night, June 26th at 7 p.m. at the Community Center in the Park on Mark Avenue. And next Tuesday, the Georgetown Neighborhood Association will be meeting at 6 p.m. in the O'Rear Center at Douglas Park. That's it. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Rekers. All right. Anyone else? Councilman Lawless. Just quickly, I want to remind everybody that about Thursday Night Live, which is really booming, lots of activities, downtown, the Southland Jamboree on Tuesday evenings, and all the festivities upcoming for the Fourth of July. So lots going on in the 3rd District, and I hope everybody has a great time with it. Thank you, Councilman Lawless. All right. Any other council members wish to speak to a council report? All right. That allows us to move on. There is no mayor's report today. Is there any public, Mr. Mundy? No one signed up for public comment for issues not on the agenda. Okay. I've got a couple of announcements that I was asked to make here regarding 4th of July. Great American Pie Contest is at 12 o'clock noon on July the 2nd. Again, Patriotic Concert, 8 o'clock p.m. on July the 3rd at Old Morrison, Transylvania. Then the Bluegrass 10,000, of course. The parade is 2 o'clock on July the 4th downtown. Council Member Lawless has already spoken about the Thursday night live on July the 4th. Big band. And, of course, the fireworks on July the 4th at 10 o'clock p.m. Presented by R.J. Corman. All right. That gets that part done. But Council Member Farmer has. Oh, oh, oh, okay. I was just going to mention as an important footnote to our earlier conversation regarding Winchester Road that Commissioner Mason had shared with me earlier in the day, which I think is relevant, that police patrols in that area have increased. And some of that is due to road construction that's underway and some cut-throughs. But it does benefit other ancillary issues that we have there. I just wanted to mention that, especially for your constituents. A perfect footnote to that discussion. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Is there, if there's hearing no further issues come for the Council, there is a motion by Council Member Ellinger, second by Vice Mayor Gordon, to adjourn. Unless there is objection, we are adjourned. Thank you all so much.