Music Thank you. Thank you. ¶¶ Thank you. Thank you. Welcome, everyone. I'd like to welcome you to the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council meeting, work session of July 6, 2021, and go ahead and call the meeting to order. And at this time on our agenda, I'd like to ask if it is time for public comment for issues that are on the agenda. So at the end of the meeting, we will have public comment for issues not on the agenda. So I have two people signed up. And I'm not sure if you want to speak to issues on the agenda, today's agenda. If you do, now would be the time. We have Jess Bowman and Nick Feldman. Are your issues on the agenda or not? And if you're not sure, you can speak now. I'm sure council will be fine with that. Okay. So both of you then, I'm thinking, Thinking we'll speak at the public comment at the end. So next is rezonings and docket approval. And we do have a docket. If I could have a motion to approve the docket, please. Second. Thank you. Council Member Plowman moves approval. Council Member Ellinger seconds. Now, are there any motions or discussion of the motion? Council Member Lamb. Yes ma'am. Mayor I have three motions if you would. I move to place on the docket for the Tuesday July 6 2021 council meeting a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor to execute an agreement with the Bluegrass Area Development District for the acceptance of a grant in the amount of $130,000 in federal and Commonwealth of Kentucky funds for the operation of the Lexington Senior Center for FY 2022 the acceptance of which obligates the urban county government for the expenditure of $261,086 as a local match and authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. I so move. Thank you. Is there a second? Second. Vice Mayor Kay seconds. Is there any discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? That motion passes. Thank you. And the second one is, this is testing my ability at what I used to do. I move to place on the docket for the July 6, 2021 Council meeting a resolution authorizing the Mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to execute a subrecipient agreement with legal aid of the Bluegrass to retain their professional services awarded pursuant to RFP number 18-2021 in support of the Eviction Court Intervention and Outreach Program at a cost not to exceed $365,000 paid for with federal funds under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. So move. Thank you. Council Member James Brown seconds. Are there any questions? All those in favor please say aye. Anyone opposed? All right that passes. And lastly I move to amend the NDF list to the add neighborhood development fund allocations of $1,850 to the Kentucky Society of the Daughters of American Revolution, $750 to the Garrett Morgan elementary PTA, 1700 to the Fayette Alliance Incorporated, 250 to the Planterie, $1,000 to the Lyric Theater and Cultural Arts Center, 1000 to the Phoenix Rising of Lexington, Kentucky Incorporated, 350 to Family and Children Together LLC, 1850 to Arbor Youth Services Incorporated, and 850 to the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame Incorporated. So move. Second. Vice Mayor Kaye seconds is there any discussion or any questions all right all those in favor please say aye anyone opposed all right that motion passes all right councilmember Bledsoe thank you mayor I move to place on the docket for July 6 2021 council meeting ordinance amending section 1 of ordinance number 1 2 3 dash 2020 adopting a schedule of meetings for the lights and fate urban County Council for the calendar year 2021 to change the date of the work session scheduled for November 16th at 3 p.m. to November 18th at 1 p.m. and the Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee scheduled for November 16th at 1 p.m. to November 30th at 11 a.m. So moved. Is there a second? Council Member Plumman seconded. Is there any discussion? All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Councilmember James Brown. Thank you Mayor. I move to place on the docket for July 6, 2021 Council meeting a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to accept a grant from the Kenan Charitable Trust in the amount of a hundred thousand dollars for the purpose of engaging with cities united to help implement recommendations of the mayor's commission of racial justice and equality the acceptance of which does not obligate the urban county government to the expenditure of funds so move is there a second council member mccurrin seconds is there any discussion if you have questions please raise your real hand any questions all right all those in favor please say aye is anyone opposed that motion passes thank you council member legree Thank you, Mayor. I move to place on the docket for the July 6, 2021 Council meeting a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute amendment number four to the agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in order to accept additional federal funding in the amount of $50,000 for the right-of-way phase of the Town Branch Trail Project Phase 5. The acceptance of which obligates the urban county government to the expenditure of $10,000 as a local match be provided by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet through toll credits. So moved. Second. Councilmember Reynolds seconds. Are there any questions? If you'll raise your hand, your real hand, if you have questions. All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? Well, just tell them branch out in here. No. Thank you. No vote. Council Member Maloney. All right. Are there any other items for the docket? Yes, Council Member Legree. Thank you, Mayor. I move to place on the docket for the July 6, 2021 Council Meeting, a resolution authorizing the Mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to execute Amendment No. 6 to the agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet in order to accept additional federal funding in the amount of $50,000 for the design phase of the Town Branch Trail Crossing project, the acceptance of which obligates the urban county government to the expenditure of $12,500 as a local match. So moved. Is there a second? Second. Council Member Lamb seconds. Is there any discussion? All right, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? No. Council Member Maloney is a no vote. Thank you. That passes. Anything else for the docket? All right. All those in favor of approving the docket as amended, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Next is approval of the summary. If I could have a motion to approve, please. Move approval. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Is there a second? Second. Council Member Baxter seconds. Are there any questions, Council Members? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Next is budget amendments. If I could have a motion to approve, please. Second. I'm sorry, who was the motioner? Council Member Lamb, and the seconder was Council Member Plowman. All right, Council Members, if you'll log in with your, if you have questions for budget amendments. Council Member Bledsoe. Thank you, Mayor. I have two motions on budget amendments. First, I make a motion to amend the list of budget amendments on pages 3 to 6 of the work session packet to add the grant budget amendments, establishing the budget for the senior citizens fiscal year 2022, and accepting additional grant funds for Town Branch Trail Project Phase 5 and Town Branch Trail Crossing. This will allow these amendments to receive two readings before council goes on summer recess. So moved. Second. Councilmember James Brown seconds. Is there discussion? Please raise your real hand if you have discussion. Okay, seeing none, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right, that passes. Thank you. I move that the proposed budget amendments in the work session agenda be amended to include budget amendments for fiscal year end activity, including rolled purchase orders and prepaid items. Consistent with normal practices, the divisions of purchasing and accounting have reviewed certain purchase orders and prepaid items as follows and moved them from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2022. The first is to open purchase orders for items specifically approved by council, contains claims, insurance accounts for ongoing construction or professional services projects. and two, purchases should be made more accurately charged to fiscal year 2022, including purchases through May. The budget to cover these purchase orders and prepaid items must be rolled forward to cover these items. An additional budget amendment for the fiscal year 2021, June prepaid items will be provided for consideration after council recess. So moved. Is there a second? Second. Council Member Lamb seconds. Is there any discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? That motion passes. Council Member Fred Brown. Thank you, Mayor. Is this a budget amendment request list? Yes, sir. Just, I guess, clarification a little bit. On the second item there, the $2,500,000 small business economic stimulus program coming out of the general fund, I assume from the commission of the general fund is adequate for that? Welcome, Commissioner Hensley. We never know, but maybe just for... Yes, sir. You all had previously included that as part of the $5 million recommendation. This is the second half of that recommendation. It will bring the balance and the budget stabilization down to about $17 million. So indirectly, it's budget stabilization fund. Yes, sir. As part of the general fund. Yes, sir. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Other questions about budget amendments, council members? Okay, I see none. All those in favor of approving the budget amendments, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Next we'll go to new business. If I could have a motion, please, to approve. Move approval. Second. Thank you. Vice Mayor and Council Member Ellinger seconds. If you'll log in, please, for questions or comments. Council Member McCurn. Thank you, Mayor. I have an amendment to item Q under New Business. Items to reflect this grant application will seek federal funds in the amount of $15,460,000 dollars and that the acceptance of this grant will require the expenditure of five million four hundred eighty five four hundred eighty five thousand as a local match which will increase the financial commitment fell a few CG from two hundred thousand to one million so move councilmember legree seconds mayor if I may yes please thank you I miss miss preacher I believe is here and she can go ahead and update us on why we make this recommendation. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Council. So, Council Member McCurron, would you like me to explain the reason for the change? Yes, please, and if you can explain where the funding is coming from as well. Yes, sir. Thank you. Yes, sir. So, this is for a match to submit with a RAISE grant application. RAISE is essentially Tiger for this administration's purposes. It is a federal transportation grant. We originally submitted the blue sheet with $200,000 as the match from LFUCG coming out of MAP funds. Those funds were originally budgeted as a grant match for a transportation project, but due to other funding, those funds were not necessarily needed and are still sitting there available. So $200,000 from MAP funds would be used. The additional $800,000 that we're requesting to be changed would be utilizing water quality funds. And the reason for this is we anticipate that sanitary and storm sewer upgrades could occur simultaneously with any streetscape projects that we would do on High Street. So it makes sense. If we're going to have the road open, let's make sure that we do all the work at one time. It's more efficient. It costs less in the end. So Water Quality has estimated that costs for those improvements are about $800,000, hence the request for the $800,000 from Water Quality. We can then submit that as part of our application and get additional grant funds by utilizing that match We would pay for these water quality improvements in the future So we're just asking to budget for those today so we can leverage them to get additional grant funds that could be used to Improve high street and adjacent roadways for safety improvements Thank you ma'am Yes, thank you. No, I appreciate this this grant being applied for this is extremely dangerous curve and area and looking forward to seeing some extra changes made over the next several years thank you thank you other questions councilmember Maloney thank you mayor I appreciate this give you a little history about tiger grants I I want to be sure that I do support the high street. I'm glad we saw this. We had a Tiger Grant brought to us many years ago. It was supposed to be a lot of water features and all that, and we didn't get that grant, and I was told that we went back again and got the grant for the water feature, and then I found out no, it was for condemning properties on the other side. So I want to be sure that when you all do this, that's the reason I vote no on a lot of things out there. I want everybody to know why, because I was misinformed, and I don't like to be misinformed, especially the taxpayers of Lestonson and citizens. I said citizens. It should be residents. Residents, I'm sorry. But this map is important for this project. I agree. I support it. I was on the NPO and saw this. This is very important. I also sat in there and watched the water feature, which I originally voted against the bond for the original proposal, because I didn't think they'd get the grant. When they came back and told me in my face they got the grant, but it was never used for what they were supposed to. So I want to be sure that this money is used for this proposal. And my question to the NPO people, can you change the Tiger Grant without this council knowing about it and get money for it? Because I don't ever remember the proposal where we were on the other side of Rupp Arena where we condemned some properties and the mayor was here when i brought this up and the mayor i appreciate you keeping those properties from being condemned i thank you but i do not to my knowledge ever saw it when i was on the npo or anywhere can you change the tiger grant without the council knowing what you're doing with it welcome i'm chris yoyo transportation planning manager Lexington area MPO I'm not aware of once you make the application and once the grant award is made with that you can make a change to that after the fact okay well I know you weren't here and I know a lot of people they weren't here and I've asked my colleagues who were here if they ever remember a presentation for the new tiger grant that we end up condemning some property on there that we never water feature was supposed to be the fountain the six million dollar fountain there, 11 million dollar fountain here and 11, and that would never happen. So that's why I vote against this. I just want to be sure that I don't run to this same problem, which I trust you all. I trust you, Mayor, and I press the truth, but I don't ever remember us presented to the council that the map, can they change it, and I'd like to know that and it seems like to me it has to come in front of the council on the map to see it before we can change it, is what you're telling me. Yes, and we'll make sure that if there is any substantive change, that'll come before you and I'm in trouble because laws coming up to tell me so well before before Dave Barbary speaks for those of you who haven't met Chris yet he's the new max if you knew max welcome this might have been your first opportunity at the podium I don't know so councilmember Maloney the the grant will come if if we end up getting it it'll come back for you all for approval and I think all the details will be in it at that point in time. All I didn't know, thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. All right. Other questions about the motion on the floor? Yes, Council Member Baxter. Brandy. Sorry. Thank you, Mayor. I was just curious if with the grant application, if we had to submit plans for whatever improvements were to be made, I was just kind of curious what we were planning for that area. Yeah, that's a great question. We are submitting an application that if the grant is awarded, we would use it for our design phase, our community engagement, right-of-way acquisition, utilities, and construction. So it's all-inclusive if we win the award. We have some diagrams, but it's really just a concept that you could put out there so they understand the project. The intent is for High Street to be redesigned in a fashion that it slows down traffic, It makes it safer for bikers and pedestrians who are crossing High Street. As we all know, with the Central Bank Center and the potential park that is being built and our investment in the trail system, we anticipate more people crossing High Street than there are today. So it will look at all of those items. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger? Oh, I'm so sorry. Were you on to discuss the motion? Okay. Anyone else to discuss the motion? I just have one comment. I want to thank Council Member Legree, who's been very proactive about this area on High Street and the safety issues. So this has been being worked on for quite some time, and I think that people who live there and people who travel that area will find it very satisfactory. So I appreciate that. All those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right, thank you. Now, we're still on new business, Councilmember Ellinger. Thank you, Mayor. F, please. Mr. Atkins. I see that we're partnering with UK and doing some economic trends. Will this be so we can prepare for fiscal year 23 for getting? I know that we've worked with them in the past and I didn't know if we had in the past paid for it or had they or are we just they worked with us if they hadn't I didn't think we actually had paid in the past well this is is a different project and actually we have we just paid them for a project they did for us last year to take an initial look at kind of the over the last about 40 years the the historical look back on how our economy has changed where our revenues are coming from and where what sectors the job growth is in this will be the next phase of that it's a lot more inclusive a lot more inclusive and dr. Clark who you're familiar with through our revenue forecasting and those type of things will be doing it it will help us it almost becomes a mini strategic plan in some ways because it identifies the sectors we're really growing in we can project to grow in the other thing he's going to look at is where are we short in workforce and we need to put some extra emphasis to make sure that we have the workforce skills moving forward as well so this isn't really for a forecasting for the future budget it's more just a i think commissioner hensley and you know we've done this in a way that that revenue is a part of this discussion as well because i think when he's identifying these it helps our finance division project where where they're going to be as well so it's a it's a good partnership between the two divisions now it's been a great partnership and they have wealth of knowledge so i'm glad to see us working with them thank you Council Member Plumman. Thank you, Mayor. I had a question about number C, Mr. Barbier. I think this is a very natural handoff to visit Lex. I guess my question to you, does this boil down to now they will approve the third party usage? Primarily, that's one of the things that will happen and we'll still be able to use it as we have been using it. They have really been the only one that's ever monetized the mark, and they frankly are the ones that use it the most in promoting Lexington. So it was a very natural transition. But yes, they would be the primary enforcement entity with respect to other third-party users. So prior to this, were we signing off on those? We would get requests for usage? Well, we haven't had a lot of them, but yes, to the extent we were getting them, it would be the government making those types of decisions. like I said it makes sense I just didn't know how we were handling and then the other one I had was a and that has to do with the ESR grants and it's not so much a question but I was called by one of the of the other overnight centers and what they wanted to for me to say is was that they felt that they are needed be clear guidelines do they have to go through the application process or a special request because one came through special request or but and in reality both I believe you could either you could try to get money that way in the other way through the ESR I'm putting it out there because that was a question and they felt that they needed clear guidelines on that so no answer needed that's just passing along. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Is there any other question about new business, Councilmembers? All right. All those in favor of approving, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Before we have continuing business and presentations, is there a Councilmember who has a motion? Councilmember Lamb. Yes, Mayor. Thank you. I have a motion to place a presentation on the docket for National Parks and Recreation Month. So moved. Second. Thank you. Council Member Ellinger seconds. Is there any question? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. First is Neighborhood Development Funds. Do you have a motion? So moved. Council Member Plummer, Council Member Baxter seconds. Are there any questions? All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Next is May 4th, Summary Planning and Public Safety. That would be Council Member James Brown. Thank you, Mayor. The Planning and Public Safety Committee, May 4th, 2020, report out summary. The meeting was called to order at 1.05 p.m. Our first item was the approval of the April 6, 2021 committee summary. There were no additions or corrections, and the summary was approved without dissent. Next, we had a presentation by Commissioner Armstrong updating the committee on recruitment, retirement, and retention for public safety. Highlights from that presentation include impacts from the COVID-19 as well as social unrest in the community, a review of the lengthy hiring process, budgetary impacts from overtime and equipment for recruits, and a review of staffing levels with the recruiting class currently in process and one that is scheduled to begin. There was also some discussion about current strength in the division, the number of retirements, and the need for additional officers in the street when the hiring and training process is approximately 18 months. No comment or action was taken on this item. Our last item was a review of the proposed draft ordinance that would ban the Lexington Police Department from seeking no-knock warrants. This item was reported out at work session on June the 8th, 2021. The meeting adjourned at 2.43 p.m., and that concludes my report out. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you very much. Council members, do you have any questions for Council Member Brown? No? All right. All right. I am going to move to the podium for a presentation. and the first thing I'd like to do is ask all of our parks and recreation folks to please stand up I know there's several of you here and just want council members to see you and of course all of Parks and Rec couldn't be here but this is a good representation and then Monica would you want to join me at the podium please thank you all very much So here in Lexington, and I hope I can speak for council about this, we love our parks, right? They are beautiful, well-maintained, and offer something for everyone in our city. But we know our residents would not be able to enjoy them without the hard work of those in the Division of Parks and Recreation every day. And this month, our nation celebrates National Parks and Recreation Month. As mayor, I want to thank everyone who works to keep our parks clean, ensure that we offer fun programs that engage our youth, plan events for the whole family, and so much more. Your contributions to our city do not go unnoticed, and you make Lexington a great place to play. I'm joined today by Monica Conrad, Michael Johnson, Chris Cooper-Rider, Melvin Roland, Sean McStay, Curtis Mitchell, Kendrick Adams, Paul Hooper, Sharon Caruso, Rose Olive, Abby Karens, and Suzanne Libby. Did I miss anybody? Pop up if I did. I know our citizens and everyone on the council join me in thanking you for your hard work and dedication to our city. And much of your work, I know, is done on weekends. So now I have a proclamation to read, and it is the following. Whereas the U.S. House of Representatives has designated July as Parks and Recreation Month, and whereas with over 100 parks and natural areas, including over 50 trails spanning more than 60 miles, Lexington Parks enrich the lives of our residents. And whereas Lexington Parks and Recreation Programs build healthy, active communities and provide recreation services that improve the mental and emotional health of all of our residents, and whereas our parks and recreation programs increase our community's economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of the local tax base, increased tourism, the attraction and retention of businesses, and crime reduction, reduction and whereas parks and recreation areas are fundamental to the environmental well-being of our city and whereas in lexington we love our parks and our parks employees who take care of them now therefore i linda gorton mayor of lexington do hereby declare july 2021 not just today but all of July Parks and Recreation Month in Lexington thank you so much for all you do and congratulations let's do a photo you want to do a photo council come on Thank you. Thank you. thank you all so much and so now it's time for council reports are there any councilmember Sheehan thank you mayor I'm just going to build off of that parks presentation today the Kenwick Community Center opened so thanks to parks and recs for making that happen they're actually having an event there right now until 6 p.m. if in 6 p.m. if anybody wants to stop by for some food and fun activities and now the center will be open Monday through Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. thank you thank you councilmember Bledsoe thank you mayor just a few things first I'm going to be at the moon dance amphitheater tomorrow evening at 6 p.m. with the water quality team to discuss some of the water training the water draining issues in the Beaumont Reserve so if you live in the Beaumont Reserve and are concerned with some of the water issues and that's a six o'clock tomorrow night at the moon dance amphitheater and then second I have some good news and some sad news so good news is I have a a new legislative aide. Sean Denning is in the back of the room. He and his wife, Allie, have three little boys. And they live in the 10th district. And his background is in accounting and public engagement. So I look forward to having him on the fifth floor. If you get a chance to meet him, say hello. And then sadly, Christina Baker will be leaving us this summer to go to the Houston, the Texas A&M, the Bush School of Government and Public Policy for her master's degree. She's not only getting to go, she's getting paid to go. She did a phenomenal job, and I'm so excited for her next adventure. I'm so sorry to lose her. She's been a great asset for the 10th District to a lot of our finance and budget conversations. And I'm so thankful for your service to Lexington. I'm going to miss you tremendously. And that's all. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Lamb. Thank you, Mayor. I wanted to kind of build on the thanking Parks and Recreation employees, too, because I have Kirk Levington Park, and many of you all have heard me talk about that and how diverse it is and how widely used it is. And it had just been raining, and there was a dedicated employee out there that was mowing. And at first I thought, oh, my goodness, it's too wet grass to be mowing. And I'll tell you, I drove by later that day, and that park was absolutely spectacular. It was beautiful. And so we have the most amazing employees in our government, period. But when you see the most highly used public places in our parks and the dedication of our employees to make sure that they are safe and usable and fun, it's just wonderful. And I'm just so thrilled that we can support and hold up our parks employees this year, this month, and just very appreciative of it. And also, it seems like, I haven't heard anything terrible, but it seems like that we had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend and the fireworks. I didn't get to watch the ones downtown, but I have heard many reports to the positive, but I have heard many reports to the negative. And I will say, for one thing, I will be glad when everybody gets rid of their fireworks that they have at their personal properties that are shooting them off illegally. because I'm personally tired of it, and I'm tired of hearing people complaining because they have bona fide rights to complain, but I sure wish that people would be more common sense about it and not be shooting them off until the wee hours in the morning because our police department has many more priority things to do besides be dealing with something like that. So I am looking forward to the 4th of July moving past that, and hopefully that we will be able to sleep better at night by not having all the cracks in the pots. So thank you so much, Mayor. Thank you. Councilmember James Brown. Thank you, Mayor. I'd also jump on that bandwagon as far as acknowledging and recognizing our folks in park and recreation. I think especially last year, one of the few activities that everybody felt comfortable doing was to go outside our parks and our neighborhoods and across the city were a safe haven for a lot of folks. and that's only possible from the hard work from our folks in the Department of Park and Recreation, so I salute them. Along the same note, in today's new business, there was a recognition of a grant coming from Bluegrass Community Foundation for Charles Young Park, so I just wanted to acknowledge the hard work from Brandy and Monica in Parks for actually engaging the neighborhood that surrounds the historic East End neighborhood that surrounds Charles Young Park and reaching out to those neighbors and to those community members, having conversations about bringing an additional amenity that would not only enhance the trail, but then also the park and the families that live in and around that area. So I know there's going to be some continued conversations around that. and then also acknowledge the Bluegrass Community Foundation and all the partners with contributing those funds and investing in our neighborhoods. And then I would also like to recognize my summer intern, Betsy Mullins. She was down here earlier. She's probably upstairs now with Tiffany. She's a student. She's a rising sophomore at the University of Miami, Florida, and she came back home to Lexington just to intern with my office this summer, So I appreciate her passion for civic engagement and all the work that she's been doing to help us out. I might not get the chance to acknowledge her and thank her for her hard work. I know we're going to recess this week, and I think she'll probably be headed back to school before we come back. But I just wanted to give her a shout out and recognize her for her engagement. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Maloney? Thank you. I too want to echo the parks and rec. As you all know, on my Facebook, I go to the moon dance every chance I get. I think it's the best kept secret. Now everybody knows about it. The last two Fridays have been staying in room only. We're using the other fields now. We're using both fields. So I do want to commend all the parks and rec people over the years, especially during the pandemic. As you can see, our golf numbers have been up, so a lot of people are starting to get out in our parks. So it's helped a little bit. So I, and all of them, and the 4th of July, and the folks that helped with the running, a lot of volunteers, I mean non-volunteers, city employees helped with the 10K. So I was glad to see all the hard work, so I commend all of them. And also the police and fire for all their work during the 4th of July. So I appreciate all y'all's hard work, and I heard the fire work for good. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member McCarn. Thank you. I'd like to welcome two different groups to the second district. First is the United Way, the new Waypoint Center that opened at Black Williams last week. We had a good turnout for the event, and I'd like to welcome them to the district, and along with Ramsey's in their new location. They'll be opening at Great Acres here in the near coming months. So we're very excited about that and looking forward to it. And then I wanted to give a – for this weekend on Friday, July 9th from 5 to 8 p.m., Manchester Music Hall will be Food Truck Fridays and I look forward to seeing you all out there. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Legree. Thank you, Mayor. While we're talking about events happening all throughout our community, I wanted to remind everybody that Thursday Night Live has started again with Central Bank and the Downtown Lexington Partnership. I've gotten a lot of questions from constituents and community members about when that would start. It started last Thursday the 1st and I hope that while we're on recess people can take time on their Thursday evenings to go downtown and enjoy Thursday Night Live. It's just a reminder about that. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other council reports? All right. There is a mayor's report to approve if I could have a motion. So moved. Second. All right. Thank you. Are there any questions? those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? That motion passes and then I just wanted to also say on Thursday our new budget kicked in the first of July and so I believe this is Commissioner Casey Allen Bryant's first work session officially. Welcome. Yes, Commissioner of Social Services and it's our new commissioner of general services chris ford's first work session as new commissioner so welcome and um so we're rolling now on our new budget thank you all and next is public comment and we have two people who wish to speak and if you'll come to the podium and state your name and your council district and you'll have three minutes. Jess, you're first. Jess Bowman, 9th district. I emailed but hadn't heard back from council and for obvious reasons after I speak you'll see why I want this on public record. Every person of goodwill is called upon to work passionately and unrelentingly to realize the American dream and the persons who are working to do this are not dangerous agitators, they are not dangerous rabble-rousers, but they are the persons working to save the soul of America. MLK Jr. July 4th, 1965. This past week, the FOP went on another tirade, this time sharing more edited video, calling out local organizers by name and endangering their safety. My employer and address were shared in the comments on their page, plus a suggestion that people come to my work physically and verbally assault my co-workers, including to spit on them. Comments were up for hours until Facebook removed them. Let that sink in. threats of assault were made on a police page but not removed or denounced by police. They violate community standards of a social media platform but not standards or ethics of our local police union. This won't silence or scare me. What is far more dangerous is the target FOP has put on local black female organizers. These tactics of white supremacy are not new having been used by police since their creation as the slave patrol. They were used against black community leaders during the civil rights era. MLK Jr. was labeled an extremist and the most dangerous to the nation as he dared call out police brutality and discrimination in our systems. Just as these women have spoken out about the still deep-rooted bias in policing in Lexington, they've stood on the front lines out of love for community and for that they have been vilified. There were no riots in Lexington this past year, but you don't have police to thank for that. You have black women to thank for that. Black women who kept the city safe. Black women who have and continue to keep the community focused on the task at hand in equitable Lexington. They've called for reform at great personal sacrifice and risk to life and safety from the very people who claim to protect and serve. Where are the good officers we hear you speak of? Why are they not standing up to the executive board of their union to stay? Stop acting like sixth grade bullies. The FOP is only further complicating any attempts officers on the street are making to form community partnerships and eroding whatever tenuous trust may exist. In fact, Chief Weather stated in a recent news interview regarding violent crime that the problem they're running into solving these cases is that the people are not speaking up, but why would they? Maybe the leaders in the FOP aren't interested in building community, but rather in increased control. We are just getting started on police reform. We have a long way to go to root out bias in our department and create equity in how all of our citizens are policed. Some difficult conversations are still waiting to be had. I would urge the mayor to remember this abusive behavior in your CBA negotiations. You owe it to all residents of Lexington to have our backs. And I would remind the council, should the police union continue to use bullying tactics instead of coming to the table in good faith and with honorable intent, you have the legal authority to restructure and reorganize. And maybe, just maybe, that's what it will take to balance the scales. Thank you very much. Next is Nick Feldman. You don't look like Nick Feldman. I think he signed up to talk about one of the new business items in case you had any questions about it. Okay. And he has left. Oh, there you are. I'm sorry. Well, welcome. Mayor Gordon, I've never liked my voice on this thing. Mayor Gordon and council members and all those in attendance. Thank you. I just want to thank you for your support with the Spiegel Heights project. And I'm very close to getting going. And I just hope you are as excited as I am. I just really know what a tremendous impact it's going to have on this community. And we'll thank you for working with me. Thank you very much. Thank you. Appreciate it. That is all. Those are all the folks who are signed up. So the vice mayor has a motion. Thank you, mayor. I move that we go into closed session pursuant to KRS 61.8101C for the purpose of discussing pending litigation. Is there a second? Second. Council member Plowman seconds. Any discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone- All right, council members, do I hear a motion to come back into open session? So moved. All right, Council Member Ellinger moved, Council Member Lamb seconded. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right, we are in open session and I would ask for a motion to adjourn. So moved. Council Member Plowman moves, Council Member Sheehan seconds. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Anybody opposed? All right, thank you very much, we are adjourned. Thank you.