# Council Work Session - Virtual Meeting - August 25, 2020 > Auto-transcribed civic record · August 25, 2020 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/5194 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/5194?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2020-08-25 - **Last revised**: August 25, 2020 - **Length**: 9,197 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 virtual meeting on August 25, 2020, at 3:00 PM, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed two primary agenda items: docket approval and requested rezonings, and budget amendments, both of which were approved by the council. During the session, three motions were voted on by the governing body. No public comments were heard during this meeting, and no presentations were given to the council. ## Attendance The following officials were present at the August 25, 2020 meeting: **Present:** • Mayor Linda Gorton • Kay • Moloney • Ellinger • J. Brown • McCurn • Swanson • Lamb • Farmer • Higgins-Hord • Worley • F. Brown • Bledsoe • Reynolds **Absent:** • Mossotti • Plomin No officials were recorded as arriving late to the meeting. ## Votes and Decisions The meeting included three unanimous votes with all 14 members present participating in each decision. **Approval of August 11, 2020 Work Session Summary** [timestamp: 00:00] Kay motioned to approve the August 11, 2020 work session summary, with McCurn providing the second. The motion passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All members voted in favor: Kay, Moloney, Ellinger, J. Brown, McCurn, Swanson, Lamb, Farmer, Higgins-Hord, Worley, F. Brown, Bledsoe, Reynolds, and Gorton. **Approval of New Business** [timestamp: 00:00] Kay motioned to approve new business items, seconded by McCurn. This motion also passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. The same 14 members voted in favor: Kay, Moloney, Ellinger, J. Brown, McCurn, Swanson, Lamb, Farmer, Higgins-Hord, Worley, F. Brown, Bledsoe, Reynolds, and Gorton. **Meeting Adjournment** [timestamp: 00:00] Swanson motioned to adjourn the meeting, with Higgins-Hord seconding the motion. The adjournment motion passed unanimously with 14 ayes and 0 nays. All 14 members voted to adjourn: Kay, Moloney, Ellinger, J. Brown, McCurn, Swanson, Lamb, Farmer, Higgins-Hord, Worley, F. Brown, Bledsoe, Reynolds, and Gorton. All three votes demonstrated complete consensus among the governing body, with no opposition or abstentions recorded for any of the motions considered during the August 25, 2020 meeting. ## Budget and Financial Actions The meeting addressed two significant financial items totaling over $1.1 million in expenditures and grant funding. **Emergency Shelter Services Contract** The council considered authorization to execute a Purchase Service Agreement with Hope Center for Emergency Shelter Operations under resolution L0776-20. This contract authorization totals $650,000 and would establish services for emergency shelter operations within the community. **Federal Health Services Grant** The council reviewed authorization to accept a federal Year 3 Continuation Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under resolution L0784-20. This grant acceptance would bring $508,928 in federal funding to support ongoing health services programs in their third year of operation. The two financial actions represent a combined fiscal impact of $1,158,928, with the emergency shelter contract representing the larger expenditure at approximately 56% of the total amount. The federal grant provides significant ongoing support for health services without requiring local matching funds. Both items required council authorization due to their substantial dollar amounts and multi-year implications for city operations and services. ## Contested Items The meeting on August 25, 2020, featured one primary area of contention regarding mixed income housing developments. **Mixed Income Housing Developments** Council members engaged in discussion about proposed changes to mixed income housing developments, with the debate centering on community opposition to these initiatives. The disagreement involved concerns about how these developments would impact existing neighborhoods and communities. During the deliberations, some council members expressed reservations about moving forward with the proposed changes without additional review. These members advocated for referring the matter to committee for further examination before making any final decisions. The nature of the opposition appeared to stem from community concerns, though the specific details of resident objections were not fully detailed in the available materials. The discussion highlighted the ongoing tension between housing development initiatives and community input in the decision-making process. The outcome of this contested item resulted in some council members suggesting that the matter undergo additional committee review rather than proceeding immediately with any proposed changes to mixed income housing development policies or procedures. *Note: Specific transcript timestamps were not available in the provided materials for this meeting.* ## Docket Approval and Requested Rezonings [timestamp: 00:00] The council addressed docket approval and requested rezonings during this agenda item. The discussion involved several council members working through various rezoning requests and procedural matters related to placing items on the official docket. Key participants in the discussion included council members Farmer, Lamb, and Worley, who engaged in deliberations about the rezoning requests and docket procedures. The conversation centered on various rezonings that required council consideration, including decisions about postponements and the process for adding items to the docket. A significant aspect of the discussion involved motions to place certain items on the docket without requiring public hearings. This procedural approach allowed the council to streamline certain rezoning matters while maintaining appropriate oversight and review processes. The council members addressed postponements of some rezoning requests, indicating that not all items were ready for immediate consideration or required additional time for review and preparation. This suggests a thorough approach to evaluating rezoning applications and ensuring proper due diligence. The agenda item concluded with approval, indicating that the council successfully processed the docket items and rezoning requests under consideration. The approval encompassed both the procedural aspects of docket management and the substantive decisions regarding specific rezoning applications that were ready for council action. The discussion demonstrated the council's systematic approach to managing rezoning requests and maintaining an organized docket process, balancing efficiency with thorough review of land use changes that could impact the community. ## Budget Amendments [timestamp: 00:00] The council reviewed and approved various budget amendments during this agenda item, which involved reallocations and grant acceptances. Key speakers during the discussion included Farmer, Lamb, and F. Brown, who presented the proposed amendments and addressed questions from other council members. The amendments encompassed multiple budget adjustments, including reallocations of existing funds between different departments or programs, as well as the acceptance of various grants that would provide additional funding for city operations and projects. The council ultimately approved the budget amendments as presented. The approval allows the city to proceed with the proposed financial adjustments and accept the grants that were included in the amendment package. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (14-0): Approval of the August 11, 2020 work session summary - **Motion** — passed (14-0): Approval of new business - **Motion** — passed (14-0): Adjournment of the meeting --- ## Full transcript Thank you. Let's see. Stacey, is Council Member Massadi in the waiting room? She is not yet. She was having some trouble with, and so we're trying to send her the actual phone number to call in, but I've asked Kendra to do it, so I'm ready to start. Okay. Council Member Bledsoe, before we go live, are you doing the walk-on? Yes, ma'am, I am. Okay, thank you. And also, Jim Duncan and Tracy are both here if there are any questions about the zone changes. Great. All right. All right. So, Brad, let's go ahead and let her roll. We're rolling. Thank you. Welcome to the Urban County Council work session, August 25, 2020. And I'll start with our COVID statement. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state of emergency, this meeting is being held via live video teleconference pursuant to 2020 Senate Bill 150 and in accordance with KRS 61.826 because it is not feasible to offer a primary physical location for this meeting. So with that, we will go ahead and start our meeting. Council members, I did want to tell you around 325, I'm going to leave for a few minutes and Vice Mayor Kay will take over the chair. We have a 101-year-old World War II veteran who's traveling across the country and stopping at various mayors and governors. So he's arriving here at about 330. so Vice Mayor Kay will go ahead and take over the meeting for a few minutes then and the first thing up is docket approval and requested rezonings let's see who made the motion I'm sorry there were several of you Council Member Farmer moved and I saw Council Member McCurron second All right. Questions, additions to the docket. Council Member Lamb. Thank you, Mayor. This is relevant to ordinance under first reading number 13. And just for reference, this is one that was approved, went through the planning commission back in February, and we've had it on hold because of Senate Bill 150. So both attorneys, Ms. Butcher's attorney, Mr. Nathan Billings, and the neighborhood's attorney, Ms. Jessica Winter, are both in the attendees, should there be any question. I move that Ordinance No. 13, Zone Map Amendment PLNMAR 19-16, Julie Butcher, 1918 and 1922, Nicholasville Road, be postponed until the work copy docket on the work session on October 20, 2020, or until the state of emergency is lifted, pursuant to 2020 Senate Bill 150, subsection 9A, which suspends deadlines for hearings related to zoning during the current state of emergency due to COVID-19. I so move. Is there a second? Second. Council Member McCurron seconds. Are there any questions? All right. Seeing none, all those in favor, please raise your real hand. okay that motion is approved council member warley council member warley you're muted thank you mayor uh thank you for uh letting me know you couldn't hear me uh so i have two motions the first relates to uh item number 14 under ordinances for first reading, an ordinance changing the zone from an agricultural urban AU zone to a high-density apartment R4 zone for 8.62 net and gross acres for property located at 1330 Todd's Road. This may sound familiar to my colleagues. This is a piece of property, but last year we held a public hearing and ultimately voted to disapprove the zone change. I feel and because I made the motion for disapproval, it's important for me to say that I believe as this has come back, we have a developer that has worked with the community, that they've listened to our concerns from last year, and that they have by and large addressed those. And all by way of making a more attractive and more dense project, which is beneficial to the community. And also, I say that because I intend to move that this be placed on the docket without a public hearing, because I believe the Planning Commission has done what they need to do. But I feel important to make that distinction from last year and then also to say that there is still one street of my constituents very concerned about this, the folks on Putter Lane. And they will have an access road made out of their now current dead-end road. I know that I understand the developer is cognizant of that and is intending to do what he can to alleviate traffic concerns. But I want to make a point as we move this forward to ask our public safety folks and our planning staff and our traffic management folks to do all they can to alleviate any sort of problems that may be caused on Putter Lane. That all by way being said, I think it's appropriate to move forward and I move that this matter be placed on the docket without public hearing. so much. Second. Council Member Fred Brown seconds. All right. Are there any questions, comments? Council Member Lamb. Thank you. I guess my only question, and this just goes back to the way I treat everything, is there anybody that is asking a request for a public hearing on this matter? And are they? I know that we have an issue right now with public comment and everything, but I just didn't know if, because if that had been a vetted problem. So knowing that all stone changes, there are some that disagree, and there may be some that would, you know, request a public hearing. I'm fairly well in tuned with the constituents of the 7th District and the neighbors, and believe that the majority sentiment is to move this forward without a public hearing and that those that have their issues that would be addressed at a public hearing, they know that we are going to work to address their issues otherwise. And I've been in communication with my constituents. I believe it's most appropriate to move this forward without a public hearing. Council member Maloney. I had someone call me a couple of weeks ago about it and I have a public hearing. I met with the council member and told them their concerns. And I told her if we have any problems to call me back. The person did call me back. They said they're working with council member Worley and they were thinking they're going to try to work things out. So I have not had anybody call me since that person did, but did leave a message on my phone that they were working things out. So that's the only person I had called me. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else want to comment on the motion? All right. I see no one. All those in favor of the motion, please raise your hand. All right. That vote is unanimous approval. Thank you very much. Council Member McCurn. Mayor, I had one other. Oh, I apologize. Okay. One more. Thank you. This is item number 15 on motion for or on resolution, excuse me, ordinances for first reading. an order is changing the zone from a highway service business b3 zone to a warehouse wholesale and warehouse business b4 zone for 2.02 net and gross acres for property located at 109 sand lake i would move that that be placed in the docket without public hearing is there a second second council member farmer seconds any discussion show me your hand if you have discussion no i see none all those in favor of the motion please raise your hand all right that motion passes unanimously anything else that'll be it for me mayor thank you okay thank you uh councilmember mccern thank you mayor i'll start off i i do have two as well um i'm gonna place the first one i moved to place on the docket ordinance number 16 without a public hearing. It's an ordinance changing the zone from agricultural AU zone to a planned neighborhood residential R3 zone for 130.2 net acres, property located at 2300 Sandersville Road, including a request for a conditional use permit. So moved. Is there a second? Vice Mayor Kay, I saw your hand. Thank you. Are there any questions? all right all uh council member farmer did you have a question just for clarification so this is this is the golf course right spring valley yes correct you know that's just one of those for i remember driving out there when we were kids to go to hill and myers on sandersville and that was up behind there kind of quiet it won't be anymore Thank you. Any other questions, council members, to the motion? All right. All those in favor of the motion, please raise your hand. Is anyone opposed? Let's see. Council Member Lamb, did you vote? I apologize. Is this on number 16? Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. I'm multitasking here. My hand is up in favor. Thank you. That motion passed unanimously. All right. Thank you. And I have one more. I move. This is similar to Council Member Lamb's motion from earlier. I did speak with the petitioner and the objector as well, with their attorney as well on this one. And everybody seems to be in agreement of at least postponing. So I move that ordinance number 19, zone map amendment, PLN MAR2009 Blackburn Development LLC 325, 329, and 333 Blackburn Avenue be postponed until the work session on October 20th pursuant of 2020 Senate Bill 150 subsection 9A which suspends deadlines and hearings related to zoning during the current state of emergency due to COVID-19. So move. Second. Council Member Ellinger seconded. Are there questions? I see none. All those in favor, please show your hand. All right. That motion passes unanimously. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Bledsoe. Thank you, Mayor. I moved to place on the docket for the August 27th, 2020 council meeting a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute and submit a coronavirus relief fund application for reimbursement of certain eligible expenses to the Department of Local Government in the amount of $15,628,924, consistent with resolution number 260-2020, and to take other necessary related action, including the acceptance of the funds. So moved. Second. I apologize. Council Member McCurn? Yes, ma'am. Okay, seconded. Is there discussion? All right, I see none. All those in favor, please show your hand again. All right, that motion passed unanimously. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Council Member Farmer. Thank you, Mayor. Mine's a question about number 17, the one to revise parking requirements for mixed income housing developments. Yes, sir, I think. Jim Duncan is in the room. He may not be able to explain it right now, but just send me something about it. I'm interested in those changes. I mean, that's just, I wasn't, you know, without the regular flow of paper and stuff, it's tough to follow things sometimes. This is one that's gotten by and just like know more about. Okay. I think he'll email them to you. Would that work? And then are there others signed up at this point? I have no idea. Yes. Some are. I just didn't know what Walt was writing about, but I'm good for now. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Council Member Swanson. Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to move to place item 18, an ordinance changing the zone from a wholesale and warehouse business zone to a neighborhood business zone onto the docket without hearing. Is there a second? Second. Council Member Farmer seconds. Are there any questions? All right. All those in favor, please show your hand. All right, that motion passes unanimously. Vice Mayor Kaye. Thank you, Mayor. This is on item six, and it's related to what Council Member Farmer asked about. This is about amending in a significant way three zones and changing the floor area ratio. I think it's a fairly significant proposal. And again, because there's been so much going on, perhaps people haven't had a full opportunity to consider it and have public input because public input is so difficult. As a result, I move to place that item number six back into the planning and public safety committee for further discussion. Second. Point of order. I don't believe that we can move anything of second reading under it. We cannot remove it off the docket until Thursday night at the council meeting. Oh, I believe you are absolutely correct. I wasn't sure about that. I thought I'd weigh in today. I'll make a motion on Thursday. Thank you. Okay, very good, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Councilmember Ellinger. sorry mayor i was going to bring up the same one that the vice mayor just brought up so okay thank you okay thank you is there anything else for the docket council member james brown thank you mayor i just i just wanted to ask a question would it be appropriate to have a presentation on on that item maybe right before it to to give council members more information before they make a decision whether to put it back in committee or to move forward I think that's up to counsel. Yeah. Yeah, I would entertain that. If there could be a 10 to 15 minute presentation on that item, just so we're more informed about it, whether or not we want to move forward or whether we want to put it back in committee, I think is appropriate. Just a thought. Are you making that in the form of a motion? Yes, ma'am. Okay. Is there a second? Second. Second. Council Member Ellinger. Now, who'd like to speak to the motion to have a brief presentation Thursday before the item? Council Member Lamb? Thanks. I know that I was actually planning on having Mr. Duncan during council comment today speak to some of this. I know we've all been inundated with a number of emails this morning. And I think that it is an opportunity for us to get clarification on some of that information. I think that, you know, sometimes often our interpretations are much different than what is intended. And so I think that Mr. Duncan will definitely have an opportunity to clarify some of the concerns that have been sent out, because I do think there is some miscommunication on this information. So I do support the motion. And Mayor, I have pulled Jim Duncan into the meeting in case you want to ask him to speak. Council, would you like to hear him today on the item? Councilmember Bledsoe is waving her hand. I'm sorry. Thank you, Mayor. I think we did discuss this item quite a bit when we moved to put it on the docket. I think that and that was a very full day. So there was a lot being discussed at that meeting. I think the concern is not that we don't understand the material, but that some of the public may not understand why we are making this decision or why we're moving forward. So if the presentation is helpful for the public, I would think the sooner than Thursday would be helpful. And if Mr. Duck can do that today, I think that might alleviate some of the concerns before Thursday's meeting. Thank you. So this is in the form of a motion to have the Thursday night presentation. Do you want to keep your motion, Council Member Brown, or would you like to, do you want to go ahead and remove the motion and hear him today? No, I'd rather leave it and see what other Council members. Okay. All right. So we have Council Member McKern to comment on the motion for Thursday and then Council Member Maloney. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. I would rather keep it Thursday just because it's supposed to be heard on Thursday. So anybody who is objecting to it will probably be there in attendance. So this gives ample opportunity for them to be prepared for the conversation, at least listen to the presentation on Thursday. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Maloney. I personally think it should be in the committee because there's going to be a lot of questions and this gives a chance for the neighborhood and the people who are concerned to give their questions in advance. And so when Mr. Duncan does his presentation, I think it'd be I understand how it is. I think it's a good program. I think it's going to take longer than 15 minutes, five minutes for Mr. Duncan to explain this. I think it's best to make it more helpful for the neighborhood associations and the folks that are interested in this. I don't think delaying this that long is going to hurt this process. So I would just leave it in the committee so everybody can have their questions in advance and that we give them a chance to ask these questions. Thank you. Okay. I apologize, Vice Mayor, for leaving right in the middle of a motion, but I need to run out for five or ten minutes, and I'll be back. If you'll take the chair, please. Thank you, Mayor. I will, and I'll give it back when you return. So who else wants to speak to this motion at this time? Council Member Plowman. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I too agree. I know this motion to move it into committee is not out there, but I think some of the comments that I've received via email is that folks did not turn in on the planning commission meeting, and so they really were taken by surprise that this moved so fastly. So I think we do need to give it a big topic, like you said. I think we do need to give it the time that it deserves and to allow our community members to understand it more fully. So I would rather rather not even happen Thursday. Thank you. Vice Mayor. Anybody else wish to speak to the motion? As I understand it, the motion on the floor is to have a presentation on Thursday and further discussion of whether to place this item into committee or leave it on the docket. I'll lose it in favor of the motion. Please raise your hand. 1234, six and a. 11 opposed. 123. Okay, I think that motion passes so we'll ask for a presentation on Thursday and consider whether to move forward or not. Next, I believe Councilman Ellinger, you're still in the queue. Not sure why. You can take me off, sorry. Okay, hands down. So now I've got to go back to my phone so I can see where we are in the agenda here. I guess the question is anything else on the docket approval? If not, all those in favor, please raise your hand. Oh, that passes unanimously. Thank you. And next item, I'm in the wrong place. Move approval to summary. Thank you. Second. Any comments on the summary? Seeing none, all in favor, please raise your hand. That motion passes unanimously. And if I can get to the right place in my phone. Thank you. Second. Okay. And I've got a couple of hands up. Council member Foneman. Thank you, sir. Mine is on budget amendment 124717 at the top of page four. Two, three, and four. We're reallocating funds for district and circuit courthouse repairs and maintenance to cover renovations and additional deferred maintenance items. Is there any sort of a detail that goes along with that as to what the renovations and additional deferred maintenance items are? Thank you, Council Member Farmer. It's just a standard budget amendment that is rolling forward the unspent portion of the special court facilities fees. So we roll these forward each year. They may build up into a larger project. So not specified for anything at this time. I appreciate that. Thank you, ma'am. You're welcome. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Lamb. Thank you, Vice Mayor. My question is on 124660-61, and I think that the prior committee answered this question for me. Is this the $508,000 for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration? Is that for the, well, let me just ask, what's that for? I'm not going to precipitate. Thank you, Council Member. A few years ago, if you all recall, we received an overdose prevention grant from SAMHSA. It was for four years for $2 million. These funds represent year three of that four-year grant. And once they make those awards, you have to perform and meet your objectives in years one and two for renewals. So this simply represents year three of the renewal. wonderful all right that's great i appreciate that information and and mr councilmember farmer asked about the other one so thank you councilmember farmer so thanks thank you uh councilmember fred ron councilmember brown yeah uh i was just going to comment on the uh second item uh journal 124719 with the 1.9 million that's coming out of general fund. We've already talked about that and discussed it. And I'm going to not, I'm not going to support the full 1.9 million because I can support part of it because it was substantiated, but the total amount of one nine to put it aside, I can't support that. So I just wanted to note that for the record, I know I'll have to wait till Thursday night to basically vote no. So I just wanted to comment on that. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. I see nobody else signed in to speak. So all those in favor of budget amendments, just raise your hand. All those opposed. That motion passes. that brings us down to new business approval I have a motion second new business if you have questions comments please sign in Council Member Maloney thank you can I have Commissioner Armstrong come to the podium please item H I'm talking about item H and what i the reason i'm asking because i'm on the airport forward and we have police officers that run the airport we we're always second in in charge at the university of kentucky they have their own police department they're in second in charge they all pay public safety tax i agree and i don't understand why we what's the reason why we're going to be number one on the VA when they have military people already present there and they want us to do their work to go around and drive around and do all that. Why did we come to agreement when they already have people on their own property that should be, we should be in the same agreement like we are with our other airport and police from the UK. Why are we first on this one? So I've got some limited information on this, but this is a new facility out there. Obviously, they have federal jurisdiction on that property. So this would be the same as the property back there where the Marine Corps jurisdiction is on the Reserve Center. We obviously have greater resources for law enforcement than they would there. which would put us in a position to be able to joint jurisdiction, concurrent jurisdiction, to be able to assist them with stuff. So it should not impact our primary services. Okay. I mean, the way I read it, it just seems like to me we're going to be driving on their property. I know they have a police force out there. I just want to be sure why don't they drive around if they see a problem they cause. but that if you're okay with it I just wanted to hear clarification because the other two they have their first in command we are second so just interesting thank you thank you thank you anybody else wish to speak seeing none all those in favor please raise your hand no business that motion passes unanimously it looks like the mayor is back I happily turn the meeting back over to you. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I appreciate it. So it looks like we're ready for continuing business, correct, and presentations. So do I hear a motion for neighborhood development funds? So moved. Okay. Council Member Plowman moved. I believe Council Member McCurn seconded. All right. Is there any question on neighborhood development funds? All those in favor, please raise your hand. All right. That motion passes unanimously. And now I'll call on Councilmember Bloodsoe for the budget, finance, and economic development of June 23rd. Thank you, Mayor. The meeting was called to order at 1.01 p.m. on June 23rd. The committee approved both the February 25, 2020, and the March 17, 2020 committee summaries. Bill O'Mara provided a financial update through May 2020, reporting the city had about $15 million below budget and revenue. Melissa Luker said the overall expense savings totaled $17.7 million, resulting in a $2.9 million fund balance for the first 11 months of fiscal year 20. Committee discussion included payroll withholding, cash flow between fiscal year 20 and fiscal year 2021, net profit taxes, balancing the budget, and the health insurance variance. Secondly, Sherita Miller provided an update on the diverse business management system and reviewed LFUCG's DBE, MBE, WBE, service-disabled, and veteran-owned spend percentages versus the city's goals. Community discussion included increasing contracts with minority businesses, availability goal and disparity studies, and race and ethnicity spend percentages being different than meeting the overall spend goals. We also heard from the Administration of Local Small Business Stimulus Package of the $2.5 million. The item was reported to the full council on July 7th, where the council heard an additional presentation from Kevin Atkins and Tyrone Tira, and later approved Resolution 359-2020. The program was implemented in July, and the committee received an update on its progress this morning. Ed Benz provided a presentation on the funding recommendations for the Economic Development Partnership Services, RFP, to distribute $300,000 to implement the city's four economic development strategies. Community discussion included the award of the ED strategies, specifically the new business development, as well as the additional $250,000 ED funds that require a match. The allocation of $30,000 was discussed. We decided to keep that in budget and will remain in committee from now on. The committee adjourned at 3 to 35 PM. Thank you. Thank you very much. Are there any questions for council member Bledsoe? All right. Next up, let's have council reports. Council member Maloney. Thank you, Mayor. I just want to do a shout out for our airport. As you know, we've got a hurricane getting ready to hit the United States this week. We were able to partnership with the Pensacola military down there, and we've got 68 T6 Texan airplanes. And my colleague, Councilman McCurney, sent a picture on Facebook. It's very impressive, all those airplanes. They're already out there. And I want to commend the airport for partnership with the Pensacola folks. So we'll ride this storm out. And if you do get a chance to see the picture, it's very impressive to see those airplanes out there. So thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Reynolds. Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to thank the Lexington Police Department for their response on Sunday to the shooting at Fayette Mall. I was actually there moments before it happened. And I had a lot of friends that were inside actually at the time, and they were very quick to respond in a very thorough way and made sure that everybody inside was as safe as they could be. So I just wanted to thank them for that and Chief Withers for his update and keeping everyone informed. And then I wanted to mention, we've had Lexington Farmers Market at Gardenside Plaza, and we're going to continue to have them there for a few more weeks on Wednesdays from 4 to 7 p.m. And this Wednesday, On the Move Art Studio is going to be there. And so they will have free activities for kids so the whole family can come out and enjoy some time outside. So thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Lamb. Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to commend my colleagues and so many that were involved with the breaking the bronze ceiling. Unfortunately, I was staying home with a family member who had had surgery that day, but I watched it intensely. And that ceremony was just phenomenal. The speeches that were given, they were just outstanding. And to be able to see something like that in our own town, where we've had such strong women and such support from the community to bring this forward. I just because I wasn't there in person, I just wanted to publicly commend you all, Councilmember Mazzotti and Plowman and Councilmember Higgins-Hord. I know you were on the steering committee before you came on council and all of those others that were so involved and just really proud of our community. And I can't wait. I haven't had a chance to drive by at night yet to see it, but I cannot wait. And I can't wait even more so to take my grandchildren, specifically granddaughters, buy it and then tell them the story about it, because it's our next generation that we need to impose this history on. And so I just want to thank you all for all of your good work and and mayor for your your words, too. They were just awe inspiring. So thank you all. Thank you. Councilmember McCurn. Thank you, Mayor. As Councilmember Maloney pointed out earlier on, the seaplanes flying over, my son and I got to watch them yesterday flying in, and that is pretty fascinating to see them just flying over our home here. I did want to give a shout out here and then an update on an event coming up here. Yesterday, I was involved in a car accident and Officer Varney responded to the situation. He was very professional, very polite. He was assuring that everybody was OK. And they were there rather quick, too. I was very impressed. Everybody's fine in the accident. nothing it was just personal or property damage but everything else everyone's good so but I did want to thank him for for his professionalism I was very very impressed by that lastly the Arbor Youth Burgers Bourbon and Beer event that they always host is going to be virtual this year I'm trying to get the the date as we speak for it actually it's a 9-18 so it's next month, so I'll probably update it as we get a little bit closer, but it always goes to a good cause. There is a live auction that you go through, and it's always a good time. Wish we could do it in person this year, but I look forward to seeing everybody virtually. Thank you. Very good. Thank you. Councilmember Bledsoe. Thank you, Mayor. I just have a few updates. First, you recall several years ago, we did a large Beaumont traffic study in which there were lots of recommendations that we've been slowly implementing as funding has become available. And we finally finished the trail that connects Harrods Hill Park to the Beaumont YMCA, providing a really big connection from inside that area to Beaumont Center. And the easiest way to reduce cars and congestions is by providing access. So that is now open and people are using it, especially now with people working from home, having that connection does move people to more retail and to businesses and to restaurants, et cetera, much faster to the library. So that's a great access point that's now open. Speaking of access, Clay's Mill Road is actually coming. I feel like the last six years I've been wondering, but we finally have a contractor retained. And as soon as that timeline for construction is finalized, I'll be happy to release it to the public. I've gotten lots of questions asking, is it still happening? It is. It's just taken a while. So hopefully that will start sooner than later. Next, there's new art installations on Southland Drive. So we have worked on that the last couple of years and the first ones are finally up. So shout out to Lex Arts and the Southland Association who have worked really hard to bring art to that area. And it looks fantastic with the new sidewalks. I'm going to see all that connected and the trees are not looking stellar, but you'll be happy to know that they're going to be replaced this fall. So for those that have asked why they're not doing very well, there's no sense in replacing them right now in the heat. So we're going to wait till fall and fix that situation. And then lastly, Moondance is still going on this Friday night. It is actually the Seven Shades of Soul. Sav's Chill will be there as well as Sausalito's. And so you can have reservations and that data for making your reservations is now open. So thank you, Mayor. Very good. Thank you. Council Member Farmer. Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to also give my shout out for the Chevy Chase Farmers Market, which will be tomorrow morning from 8 to 11, 8 to 12, at the Anglican Apostles Church there where Cochran crosses Providence. I kind of only go about every two weeks now because every time I take stuff home, Kim goes, let's put that on the grill. I think it's her way out of cooking. But anyway, then they did finish with everything on Euclid Avenue and came by. And I think they collected everything except the moon portage on out there today. so now we're waiting on uh richard's hurricane to come and wash the street down which we'll we will need and then you know i guess this will be some other version of the pipe coming we'll watch as they begin to pave at the far end of the horizon and finally pave their way down here we'll all look forward to that because i drove the length of it today including the part not the winslow part but the boliver part man it's it's like you're riding a wave somewhere trying to get through there but that's all fine that's it's just life in the little big city today as you all may have noticed this is our first neighborhood development funds e-pass around or something we would generally do hand to hand up there in a file folder that stacy would start one end we passed the other i'm asking you to potentially tap on tap on a little bit for the sisters road to freedom which we have helped them for several years to put folks in position to move forward in our own lives. And then our partner in the cooling centers for the summer, the lighthouse ministries, if you all have any interest, either one of those will have a little help. There would be good for all. I don't, I don't know. I'm just, I'm just really sorry. So many young people are killing each other with guns. I don't know. Mayor, I haven't heard you make any comments. maybe you have and I haven't seen them about what happened at the mall. It's just, you know, it's pandemically sad is what it is. I mean, if these really are people who, for whom there is no value to life or there's no value to living it, or it's such a sad existence or whatever twisted reality, I'm very sorry. I'm sorry we've set up that dynamic in some capacity and hope that we can, cannot fail but fix it because you know about every week or twice in one night or too often somebody winds up dead that should be going to school and it's i don't have any answer here i just have a pained point of public opinion because i just i feel it's such a loss for the community and for all of us so i'm hoping that in these times of relative change that we can add some hope there because there's some people who there's some generations of people that need our guidance. They need our help. And whether it's folks, and I've tried to explain this away in my mind when I'm talking to a member of the force and say, oh, this was just gunplay. Well, this is gunplay where people got killed. And that's not a viable answer. Sometimes the best part about being on council is just give yourself therapy in public. Mayor, thank you. Thank you. And we have, today is Tuesday, and you're referencing what happened two days ago on Sunday, and then the previous events. We've been having quite a few conversations internally with the chief and our team, and unfortunately, this is something that's being seen all over the country. I did not know that until yesterday. And many other cities and areas are seeing this exact same thing. And so we are searching and talking about different solutions and looking at this differently. And of course, we know it's a com it's complex uh it's everything from family dynamics to friend dynamics to uh i mean there are multiple layers to it so um so the same people the same young people are being this is happening other places is what you're saying the trend the trend uh according to what I learned in a meeting yesterday, the trend is happening across the country for young people to be shooting with guns. And so it is at the top of our list. We're working on it. We're still, of course, you know, as to Sunday, they're still gathering information and investigating and learning all the truths. And it is very disturbing for our community, but also for our nation, that it's happening countrywide. And so I appreciate that you brought that up. You usually make it better. What you said made it worse. That's just, that's sadder on a bigger scale. Well, I think we need to understand the reality. yeah yeah just uh so if there's a great answer to a problem lexington can find it and execute on it especially given the leadership that we have thank you thank you councilmember plowman thank you mayor um i just wanted to make a few comments on breaking the bronze ceiling i saw that council member massadi also signed up signed in so we'll let her also add some remarks or I hope she'll add some remarks, but Council Member Lamb, thank you for all your remarks that you previously made. And we did miss you, those of you that did attend, and we understand those that could not. Thanks for being part of our crowd. We want to have a larger celebration when things calm down so that we can recognize our donors, of which there were close to 500. majority women but 500 donors to get us over our half million dollar goal it's interesting Maren we want to thank you because I think Jennifer Councilman and Councilmember Missotti and I were kind of fighting you a little bit on Tuesday night the actual anniversary of the 19th amendment ratification but thank God you pulled through and were strong to make us do it Wednesday night because we had absolutely gorgeous weather couldn't have asked for better evening you were a little hard-headed Yeah. Why may Jennifer do all the heavy lifting? I was coaching her too, cheerleading in the background, but it was a beautiful night and very memorable. And, you know, based on some of the conversation, the Council Member Farmer, and you were just talking about, it's nice to have something positive to celebrate. And that was really the atmosphere that night. we're kind of taking a pause after two and a half year passionate journey it's nice to sit back for a little bit however we're talking about doing some things down the road such as selling bricks and pavers in that area around for mothers daughters and sons to recognize some mothers that's going to be later on and we're also talking about scholarships for young women so you haven't heard the last of us yet, but again, thank you for all your support and traveling with us on this really positive journey. Thanks. Thank you. Thank you. The funniest thing was when I was on one of my multiple calls with Council Member Masati about the weather, we got a text from Pat Duggar that said, expecting 50 mile an hour winds. So it was beautiful the night that it occurred. Thank you. Council Member James Brown. Thank you, Mayor. I just have a few comments. First, let me thank my fellow council members, Pullman and Massadi, for all their work with breaking the barn ceiling. That turned out to be a wonderful project, a great program, and then so many great speakers, including the council members, the mayor, the new council member, Lisa Higgins Ford, and then also Judge Murphy, along with Renee Shaw, they put the hammer down in regards to making the case about that initiative didn't benefit all women at the time. But it was in the process, all women, I think, came together for that initiative and some reaped the benefits of some of that work later. I just think they made a real good point at saying that message. So congratulations for that and that lasting monument that is towering on Vine Street. Then also at the Lyric, Trebekah Henderson, a longtime employee, actually has an internship to Ireland where she's working on her degree in arts administration. So we're going to say farewell to her this week. I think she's leaving Saturday. She's going to be there a year. Congratulations to her. And just to say thank you for the service that she's provided over the years at the Lyric. she's meant a lot to the organization and has been someone who has helped it grow and reach more folks in the community and then also Council Member Reynolds I think already acknowledged and thanked the police for their response to the shooting at the mall Sunday I think more recently the police have been in the headlines for other things but I think you know, when they do some of the things that we expect them to do in an impactful way, I think we always try to speak out and give credit where credit's due. I've seen an article and on the news last night where one of my former neighborhood resource officers was off duty nearby and responded. And I think that just goes to show the training and the character and the commitment of our officers in situations like that. But then the other side of that is it's unfortunate on what we're seeing happening with some of our young people not just that incident but other incidences that we've seen around town lately and I was having a conversation with Commissioner Ford and a lot of times people's first reaction to these things are to reach out and to provide mentorship and services and things to the to the to the young people to the kids but I think it's more holistic than that we have got to look at ways how we support these families A lot of times we try to just focus on the young people, and I think that's a need. But I think it's the family structure and these families that need a lot of our support. And it all doesn't just fall on the government. I think everybody plays a role in it, whether it's the schools, whether it's the faith community, the government. And I'll just say that I'm committed. I think we're all committed to doing what we can to help address these issues and prevent these incidences from happening. And it's hit really close to home lately. Two of the young people that were involved in some of these instances have relationships with my children. So, you know, it makes it real for them, makes it real for me. And I think for all of us that, you know, when you see this thing happen in your own community, in your own backyard, you just keep asking yourself what is it that you can do to improve and to help these families do better and be better. So, yeah, it's just a sad time. And right now the pandemic doesn't help it. It actually makes it worse. So thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Councilmember Massadi. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councilmember Brown. I think you said succinctly of what everybody's thinking. And thank you, Mayor, for walking me off the ledge last Tuesday with the rain. but I think it worked. But actually, tomorrow is Women's Equality Day. The 19th Amendment was ratified on the 18th, but it was not signed and certified until August 26th, which is tomorrow. And it was signed by the Secretary of State. And as I'm looking through history, he had a great quote. There was a lot of suffragists that wanted a lot of fanfare about the 26th and it being signed and they asked if they could be included in his office during the signing. And instead, he did it at eight o'clock in the morning behind closed doors. And his response was to reporters, why he did not allow these suffragists was effectuating suffrage through proclamation of its ratification by the necessary 36 states was more important than feeding the movie cameras. So I figured that kind of says it all, but it's a great honor to be a part of this project. It's something that it's just been a passion for me. And I know for Councilmember Plowman, we worked hard, but boy, we had a good time. We met a lot of great people. The community stepped up and is still stepping up to support this piece of public art and it'll be here forever. So when I bring my new granddaughter, who I just heard I'm going to have down there, and I can say that grandma had a part in this, I'll be pretty proud of that. So thank you all. And again, it was, it was a great night. That's all, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Lamb. Thanks for allowing me to speak again. I wouldn't have thought about this except for Council Member Farmer, you brought this subject up. You know, we, the juvenile treatment court that is being proposed, and many of you all that are in committee saw the presentation for it. And I do think this is one small component that will make a difference. And I just, I had to take this opportunity to say that this is one of those things that if we start addressing juveniles in the court system early on, then hopefully that over time that that will start making great impacts too. But I just, I had to put a plug in here for this. It's one of my asks on the Budget Finance Economic Development Committee, and it's a small ask, $100,000. And I am looking forward to seeing the positives that they're going to make over time toward our community because our youth are, it is so sad what is happening in our community with our youth. So thank you for allowing me to say that, Mayor. Thanks. Thank you. Council Member Maloney. Thank you, Mayor. I too want to commend Councilman Farmer for bringing this up. This problem's been going on for years that we know all over America. Every night you watch the news, you see kids, young kids getting shot at. My question is your task force. Are you all looking in the young kids? Because this number is going way up in the young kids. And these kids knew each other. That's what's even scary about this. They knew each other. I just want to know how the task force is coming together with the youth and the problems. It's happened, I agree with you, it's happened all over the world. But Lexington, it's starting to spike a little bit. But it's not strangers shooting strangers. A lot of these people know each other. And I just wondered if anybody in the task force has talked about how we, and then I think Council Member Brown hit a good way you have to get back with the family and how we got to be prepared for this. And I know a couple years ago, the previous administration, they had a program where we were trying to be ahead of some of that, where we went out and met with family members to get to know the kids if they were having problems and try to help them go through these tough times. And I just wonder if that program still exists. Are we still looking at doing those kind of programs? Councilmember Maloney, are you referring to the Mayor's Commission on Racial Justice? Yes, ma'am. I did not purposely put any items in that because I wanted the commission to do its work without my influence. influence. I suspect that the Council Member Massadi is on the law enforcement justice committee, subcommittee, and I suspect they've touched on it, but they did not have a specific list of items to go in there. They created their list from their initial discussions and anecdotal and public input. And then I'm not sure the program you're referring to, but we have our safety net program, which has been up and running. And they go directly to the homes of families that have experienced violence. And they talk with these families and the children. There are Julius Johnson is one of our street outreach people who goes with social worker with police and we're attacking it that way this is a new program we started last year you'll probably remember and they're having some successes already the idea is to steer families toward resources that they need so that they do not get involved in activities that lead toward violence. And they've been opened up better with the safety net that you get more. Originally started we had problems where nobody wanted to come because they were afraid that the neighbors are going to see the police there. They've gotten a little bit better. There was some problems when we first started it that people were afraid that they're in the neighborhood the police are that it's going to put them on a spot and they don't want to be on spot has it gotten better that way where when families are starting to be more loose and telling or just still has that problem this safety net program just started last fall and it is going to the families and so they're having some really good successes I'm not sure what you're referring to maybe it was another program. It must have been because I remember and I maybe wasn't you maybe it was another previous but I remember that they would they did have some luck but the problem they were having is when they went in there the family wouldn't say nothing because the neighbors and people were watching and I just want to know if that helped a little bit. And I assume you have the same problem with that and I think what I was asking has it gotten better? Well the good thing about the safety net program is it addresses resources, which we know that many of these families that have a family member involved with violence have needs. And so that is the focus of the safety net program is to link the families with specific programs and specific ways to meet their needs so that they're not turning to other ways that take them down the path of violence. So I appreciate you bringing that up. Okay, are there any other council reports? All right, council members, you have a lengthy mayor's report. Could I have a motion, please? So moved. Thank you. Is there a second? Council Member Swanson seconds. Council Member Plowman made the motion. Are there any questions? All right. All those in favor, please show your hand. Very good. That passes unanimously. And then a couple of other things. I wanted to comment about what Council Member James Brown said about families. And I think that the Council Member Lamb, the juvenile court program could be very helpful. My personal belief, having been on council a long time and been in the school system working as a volunteer for probably 30 years, I think we've got to start with solutions much, much younger. And by the time these children are youth in high school, in many cases, it's almost too late. And so, you know, this goes way back to preschool and young elementary children. And so I think this is where we've got to strike a partnership with our school system and with our entire community and all the powers that be to come up with some new solutions. There are many, many, as you well know, single parents trying to raise children. and that alone is difficult not to mention all the other pressures. So I really appreciate the conversations that you all have been having about this today and just to say that we need to look at other ways to help families and to start when the children are younger and keep working at every level. So we're going to be brainstorming about that. And I welcome all of your ideas and participation. And then the other thing I wanted to tell you about Mr. Sidney Walton. He, the reason I left the meeting is I learned this morning that he was coming to Lexington on his multi-state tour headed north as his commemoration of the 75th anniversary of World War II. He's a World War II veteran. He was born in 1919, and so he's been meeting governors and mayors and spreading the word of his celebration. So he made a stop outside government here and met the chief of police and some other folks and myself, and we had a very nice conversation. So it was kind of cool. That's his way of doing his own walk or run, if you will. He was in a gussied up vehicle with lots of red, white, and blue on it. So anyway, that is all I think there is on our agenda. So do I hear a motion to adjourn? Move adjourn. Second by several people. All right. All those in favor, thank you so much to all of you. We are adjourned. Thank you, Mayor.