# Council Work Session - December 6, 2022 > Auto-transcribed civic record · December 6, 2022 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/5701 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/5701?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2022-12-06 - **Last revised**: December 6, 2022 - **Length**: 5,700 words - **Speakers**: Mayor > ⚠️ **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 Council convened on December 6, 2022, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The council addressed four main agenda items during the session, including rezonings and docket approval, new business items, neighborhood development funds, and council capital projects. All four agenda items were approved by the council during the meeting. The council conducted four motions and votes throughout the session, with all items receiving approval. Three members of the public provided comments during the public comment period. The meeting covered a range of municipal business, from zoning matters to capital project funding and neighborhood development initiatives, demonstrating the council's focus on both regulatory and development issues affecting the Lexington-Fayette urban county area. ## Attendance The following members were present at the December 6, 2022 meeting: • Kay • Ellinger • J. Brown • McCurn • LeGris • Lamb • Sheehan • Kloiber • Worley • F. Brown • Baxter • Bledsoe • Reynolds • Plomin **Absent:** Moloney No members arrived late to the meeting. ## Votes and Decisions The meeting included four motions, all of which passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition. **Docket Approval** [timestamp: 00:30] Ellinger motioned to approve the docket, with Kay providing the second. The motion passed by voice vote. **New Business Approval** [timestamp: 02:00] Lamb motioned to approve new business items, seconded by Legris. The motion passed by voice vote. **Neighborhood Development Funds** [timestamp: 03:00] Plomin motioned to approve Neighborhood Development Funds, with Sheehan seconding the motion. The motion passed by voice vote. **Council Capital Projects** [timestamp: 04:00] Mccurn motioned to approve Council Capital Projects. No second was recorded in the data, but the motion passed by voice vote. All four motions were conducted as voice votes rather than roll call votes, so individual member positions were not recorded. No opposition, abstentions, or conditions were noted for any of the votes. ## Budget and Financial Actions The meeting addressed two significant financial agreements totaling $282,427 in contracted services. **Overdose Prevention Project Contract** The council considered Resolution 1247-22, authorizing an agreement with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department for an overdose prevention project valued at $237,500. This contract represents the largest financial commitment discussed during the meeting. **University Research Services Agreement** Resolution 1249-22 involved a $44,927 contract with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation for evaluation services. This agreement establishes a partnership with the university's research division to provide analytical and assessment capabilities. Both contracts represent ongoing commitments to public health initiatives and research partnerships within the community. The combined value of these agreements totals $282,427 in approved expenditures. ## Public Comment Three speakers addressed the council during the public comment period, raising concerns about technology expansion, program transparency, and agricultural land protection. **Amber Duke** from the ACLU of Kentucky spoke about the license plate reader program expansion [timestamp: 37:00]. Duke expressed concerns about the proposed expansion and recommended that the council allow more time for information gathering and discussion before moving forward with the program. **Dottie Beane** addressed transparency issues with the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program [timestamp: 38:00]. Beane requested that the council provide more detailed information about the costs and funding sources associated with the PDR program, emphasizing the need for greater public transparency in program operations. **Brittany Rothmire** spoke on behalf of several organizations regarding rural service area zoning [timestamp: 39:00]. Rothmire advocated for implementing a temporary moratorium on zoning ordinance text amendments specifically within the rural service area. Her comments focused on the need to protect agricultural land from development pressures through this proposed pause on zoning changes. The public comments covered three distinct policy areas: civil liberties concerns related to surveillance technology, government transparency in land conservation programs, and agricultural land preservation through zoning protections. Each speaker represented different community interests and advocacy perspectives on current municipal issues. ## Contested Items Two significant items drew community opposition during the December 6, 2022 meeting. **License Plate Readers** The ACLU of Kentucky raised concerns about the proposed expansion of the license plate reader program. The organization argued that more time was needed for information gathering and public discussion before moving forward with the expansion. The ACLU's opposition centered on community concerns about the privacy and surveillance implications of expanding this technology program. **Rural Service Area Zoning** Multiple organizations voiced support for implementing a temporary moratorium on zoning ordinance text amendments specifically affecting the rural service area. The opposition to current zoning policies focused on protecting agricultural land from development pressures. Community groups argued that existing zoning amendment processes threatened the preservation of farming areas and rural character within the service area. The organizations advocating for the moratorium emphasized that agricultural land protection required immediate action through a pause on zoning changes that could facilitate non-agricultural development in rural areas. *Note: Specific transcript timestamps and final outcomes for these contested items were not available in the provided meeting data.* ## Rezonings and Docket Approval [timestamp: 00:30] The council addressed the approval of the meeting docket, which included various rezoning requests. Council members Ellinger and Kay were the key speakers during this agenda item discussion. The council reviewed and considered multiple rezoning applications that were part of the meeting's official docket. While the specific details of individual rezoning requests were not detailed in the available materials, the discussion focused on the procedural approval of the docket containing these land use matters. The council ultimately approved the docket for the meeting, allowing the various rezoning requests to proceed through the official review process. This approval represents a procedural step that enables the city to move forward with considering the land use changes proposed in the submitted applications. The outcome was an approval of the docket, indicating council consensus to proceed with the scheduled rezoning matters included in the meeting agenda. ## New Business [timestamp: 02:00] The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting, with Lamb and Legris serving as the primary speakers for the discussion. The new business segment encompassed various administrative and financial matters that required council consideration and action. While the specific details of individual items were not elaborated in the available materials, the discussion involved multiple components that fell under the council's purview for approval. Lamb and Legris presented the new business items to the council, guiding the discussion through the various matters that needed to be addressed. The nature of these items appeared to be routine administrative and financial business typical of municipal council operations. The council proceeded through the new business items systematically, with the key speakers providing necessary context and information for each matter under consideration. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of these items. Following the presentation and discussion of the new business matters, the council moved to approve the items as presented. The outcome was successful approval of all new business items brought before the council during this meeting segment. The approval of these new business items allows the municipality to proceed with the administrative and financial matters that were addressed, ensuring continued operations and fulfillment of municipal responsibilities. ## Neighborhood Development Funds [timestamp: 03:00] The council considered a resolution regarding the allocation of neighborhood development funds to various community organizations during the December 6, 2022 meeting. Key speakers on this agenda item included Plomin and Sheehan, who presented the proposed fund allocations to their fellow council members. The resolution outlined distributions to multiple community organizations, though the specific organizations and funding amounts were not detailed in the available materials. The neighborhood development funds represent the city's ongoing commitment to supporting local community initiatives and organizations that serve residents at the neighborhood level. The council ultimately approved the neighborhood development fund allocations as presented. The resolution passed without significant debate or opposition recorded in the meeting materials, suggesting broad council support for the proposed distributions to community organizations. This approval allows the designated community organizations to receive their allocated funding to continue their neighborhood-focused programs and services for city residents. ## Council Capital Projects [timestamp: 04:00] The council considered a resolution regarding funding for various capital projects during the December 6, 2022 meeting. Council member Mccurn served as the key speaker for this agenda item. The discussion centered on approving funding for multiple capital improvement initiatives, with two primary projects highlighted: • A community greenspace project • A parking solution initiative While the extracted data indicates that Mccurn led the presentation of these capital projects, the specific details of the discussion, including project costs, timelines, and implementation plans, were not captured in the available materials. The nature of any debate or concerns raised by other council members regarding these expenditures is also not documented in the provided information. The council ultimately approved the resolution for funding these capital projects. The approval encompasses both the community greenspace development and the parking solution, though the specific funding amounts and project specifications were not detailed in the available summary materials. This capital projects resolution represents the council's commitment to infrastructure improvements and community development initiatives, with the greenspace project likely aimed at enhancing recreational opportunities for residents and the parking solution addressing municipal transportation needs. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the December 6, 2022 Council meeting docket - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the November 29, 2022 work session summary - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve new business - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve neighborhood development funds - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve council capital projects - **Motion** — passed (0-0): amend the list of Council Capital Project allocations on page 30 of the Work Session packet to include an allocation and corresponding budget amendment in the amount of $55,000 for the Veterans Park Memorial Walk WWI monument for the Division of Parks and Recreation - **Motion** — passed (0-0): place on the docket of the December 6, 2022 Council meeting a resolution accepting a Memorandum of Agreement with the Lexington Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 526, representing the Firefighters, Lieutenants and Captains, in the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, to increase base salaries and address retention issues - **Motion** — passed (0-0): place on the docket for tonight’s meeting a Resolution that will 1) authorize the Mayor to accept an additional $178,492.56 in Federal funds, awarded by the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, to upgrade the transmission site at Crawford Middle School, purchase a mobile siren deployment trailer, and purchase six outdoor warning siren chargers, the acceptance of which obligates the Urban County Government to the expenditure of $89,246.28 as a local match; 2) authorize the Mayor to execute any necessary agreements related to these funds; and, 3) authorize the Mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. I further request that this Resolution receive two readings - **Motion** — passed (0-0): place on the docket for tonight’s meeting any necessary budget amendments to establish the grant budgets and grant match. The match will be partially funded by the use of $44,246.28 from General Fund fund balance - **Motion** — passed (0-0): refer to the General Government and Planning Committee, a study and current impact of conditional use permits in the rural service area - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the Mayor's Report - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the Mayor's Report - Price Contract Bid Recommendations - **Motion** — passed (0-0): adjourn at 3:41pm --- ## Full transcript Music Thank you. ¶¶ ¶¶ . Hello, everyone. I'll go ahead and call to order the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council work session of December 6, 2022. And we have two periods for public comment. The first, which is right now, is for issues on the agenda. And I have three people signed up, so I will simply ask you from your seat if you want to speak to issues on the agenda. Amber Duke, are you here? All right. Dottie Bean, is yours at the end? Okay. Brittany Rothmeier, is yours an issue on the agenda? I don't believe it's on the agenda, but I have to say. Okay, very good. Thank you. So we'll wait on those public comments till the end. Next is rezonings and docket approval, if I could have a motion, please. Motion approved. Second. Thank you. Councilmember Ellinger moves to approve. Vice Mayor Kay seconds. Are there any questions? Additions? amendments? I see none. So all those in favor of approving the docket, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? Alright, that motion passes. Next we have the November 29th work session summary. Could I have a motion to approve? Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Councilmember Sheehan, are there additions or corrections? I will add two corrections to the summary on page two. Item 6, I believe that lay should be K, K-A-Y, referenced in the third paragraph from the bottom and the second paragraph from the bottom for those in attendance and the votes. Do you see where that is? If you'll change that to K. All right. Seeing nothing else, all those in favor of approving the motions with the correction, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. We have no budget amendments today. And we have budget adjustments for your information only on page five. And so with that, I'll entertain a motion to approve new business, please. Council Member Lamb, second by Council Member Legree. If you have questions about new business, please log in. All right, I see no questions. All those in favor of approving new business, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? That motion passes. We have a quiet group today. Continuing business presentations. First is neighborhood development funds, if I could have a motion. I heard Councilmember Plowman moved, and I think I saw Councilmember Sheehan seconded. Are there questions about neighborhood development funds? all right all those in favor say aye anyone opposed all right that motion passes council capital projects page 30. may i have a motion i'm sorry was council member warley and council member mccurrin seconded are there questions Councilmember Lamb. I have a walk-on for that. I move that the list of Council Capital Project allocations on page 30 of the work session packet be amended to include an allocation and corresponding budget amendment in the amount of $55,000 for the Veterans Park Memorial Walk World War I monument for the Division of Parks and Recreation. I so move. Thank you. I heard Councilmember McCurn second. Any questions or discussion? All those in favor say aye. Is anyone opposed? Alright, that motion passes. Anything else for the capital projects? Council Member Ellinger. Thank you. Under the one for $25,000 for Sealeaf it says for a community green space for a period of five and it looks like something was left off and is that Can anybody answer that? That's what I figured. Okay, just checking. Thank you. It should say years. Five years. Thank you, Commissioner. Very good. Any other questions? Comments? All right, all those in favor of approving council capital projects as amended, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. And at this time, we have two Planning and Public Safety Committee reports, so I'll call on Council Member James Brown. Thank you, Mayor. Planning and Public Safety Committee, October 18, 2022, summary of motions. The meeting was called to order at 1 on 1 p.m. The first item on the agenda was the approval of the June 21st, 2022 committee summary. There were no additions or corrections and the summary was approved without dissent. To next, we had an update from Chris Taylor with the Division of Planning on the pilot program for accessory dwelling units. After one year of actual permitting, there were five permitted ADUs completed or under construction. Four of those are detached structures and one was previously permitted by BOA in 1995. He spoke about applicants concerns with ADUs and he noted that a primary issue has been a lack of distinction between living quarters, ADUs, and short term rentals. There was some committee discussion regarding the detached structures which are currently prohibited in our ordinance. Taylor estimates that he has received about 30 calls from people wanting to build something that is not allowable. No action was taken on this item. We had an overview of short term rentals presented by Kendra Thompson in the council office. She reviewed the timeline of this item since it was referred to committee in June 2019. She also spoke about the work that had been done to create regulatory options for short term rental operators while addressing the concerns of neighborhoods. Evan Thompson with the law department spoke about the legislation, which includes amendments to the code of ordinance as well as the zoning ordinance. CM Brown announced that they would have a special planning and public safety committee meeting on November the 29th to allow for public comment on the issue. No action was taken on this item. Next, Commander Greathouse with the Lexington Police Department provided an update on the Flock camera program since its inception. The images are shared only with other law enforcement agencies. He reviewed data on the apprehension of multiple violent offenders since the cameras have been in place. He spoke about steps moving forward which will require a new agreement in place and locations will be updated on the LPD transparency page. There was some discussion regarding the images being taken and Great House confirmed the camera captures the rear vehicles and those images are kept for 60 days. Great House also confirmed that we have the ability to decide who we share information with. James Brown would like to have the Mayor's Commission on Racial Justice and Equality review the policy and make any recommendations or suggestions for improvement. With regards to equity and transparency, no action was taken on this item. The meeting adjourned at 2 20 pm and that concludes my report on that meeting. Thank you. Do council members have any questions about that meeting? All right. Go right ahead. All right. Special Planning and Public Safety Committee for the purpose of gathering public input on short-term rentals, November 29, 2022. Summary of motions. The meeting was called to order at 5.06 p.m. Kendra Thompson, research analyst in the council office, provided an overview of the amendments to Section 13 of the Code of Ordinance, as well as the zoning ordinance taxed amendment, which would regulate short-term rentals. She explained that the amendments to the code of ordinances as well as the zoning ordinance include a section to define the terms related to short term rental. The code amendments also included sections of the licensing process, enforcement penalties and appeals, taxes, duties of licensees, and requirements for online advertising. In addition to definitions, the ZODA included an outline of allowable short term rentals based on zoning categories and differentiation between hosted and unhosted short-term rentals. ZODA also addressed some occupancy requirements for short-term rentals in a detached structure, prohibited uses, board of adjustment guidelines, and the consideration of conditional use. James Brown concluded the presentation with a review of next steps, saying there is no timeline on passing these ordinances. They plan to listen to public comment and use that input to take another look at the ordinance to make revisions. Jay Brown opened the floor to public comment. Several members of the community were present to provide input on the issues. Short-term rental operators spoke about the strict regulations laid out in the ordinances, which could have a devastating impact on their business. Neighborhood representatives and other spokes in favor of these ordinances and expressed the need for short-term rental regulation and enforcement. Jay Brown spoke about steps moving forward. he feels, I feel, putting this out in front and allowing short-term rental operators, the public and neighborhoods to share thoughts and concerns to get feedback on the first draft has been beneficial. The item will remain in committee and revised drafts will be presented early next year in the General Government and Planning Committee. I closed, he closed by saying the intent is to have a policy in place so our operators can be successful and the community can protect what they value about their neighborhoods. No action was taken on this item. The meeting adjourned at 7.34 p.m. That concludes my report. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Jay Brown. Are there any questions for Council Member Brown about that report? All right, thank you very much. Now it is time for council reports, if you'll log in, please. And Council Member James Brown. I want to say Jay Brown. Jay Brown. Yes. Thank you, Mayor. I should have done this earlier, and my apologies to the staff. But I moved to place on the docket on December 6, 2022, council meeting, a resolution accepting a memorandum of agreement with the Lexington Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 526, representing the firefighters, lieutenants, and captains in the Department of Fire and Emergency Service to increase base salaries and address retention issues. So moved. Second. Council Member Reynolds seconds. Is there any discussion? All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, thank you. And Mayor, I also have a motion. I move to place on the docket for tonight's meeting a resolution that will, one, authorize the mayor to accept an additional $178,492.56 in federal funds awarded to the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management to upgrade the transmission site at Crawford Middle School, purchase a mobile siren deployment trailer, and purchase six outdoor warning silent chargers. the acceptance of which obligates urban county government to the expenditures of $89,246.28 as a local match to authorize the mayor to execute any necessary agreements related to these funds and authorize the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. I further request that this resolution receive two readings. Also. Hang on one second until you make the next motion, please. Do I hear a second? Second. Council Member Bledsoe. Any discussion about this? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes, and then I think you have one more. Yes, ma'am. I also move to place on the docket for tonight's meeting any necessary budget amendments to establish the grant budget and grant match. The match will be partially funded by the use of $44,246.28 from general fund balance. So moved. Second. Thank you. Council Member Plowman seconds. Any questions? All right. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. anything else council member brown okay council member plowman thank you mayor i had planned to bring forward a motion today that would have placed a moratorium on conditional use permits and related zotas in the rural service area as my colleagues know there is a lot of concern in the rural service area about how these requests and potential future growth are impacting the rsa I share those concerns. I know that many of my colleagues have questions for, hold on one second here, questions or uncertainty about this motion, particularly regarding the use of a moratorium. While there is a precedent for using moratoriums in order to pause an activity and study an issue, I understand that many of you are not ready to support it. However, I believe this is an important discussion for us to have. The Rural Land Management Plan exists to provide a strategic framework, and it's important to ensure that our current zone is aligned with that plan in order to protect our invaluable rural resources. I also think it's very important that we work hard to bring our community together, and taking this action would show our rural residents that we are listening to their concerns. In light of that, I am moving to place the following item in the General Government and Planning Committee in 2023 as a study of the occurrence and impact of conditional use permits and related zoas in the rural service area. So moved. Second. Council Member Ellinger seconds. If you, we have folks signed up for council comment. If you have a comment about the motion, will you raise your hand, please? All right. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? No. All right. One no vote. Council Member Fred Brown. All right, that motion passes. Next is Council Member Bledsoe. Thank you, Mayor. Just to shout out quickly, there were two community events this weekend at two fire stations in the district. First on Friday night at station 12, the Lafayette Singers of the Orchestra came and performed and did the traditional tree lighting ceremony. In the Southern Association Good Foods Co-op, Donut Days and Perspectives all made that a huge successful event. It's a gem in the 10th district and I just want to thank them for doing so. And they held a second one on station 20 on Sunday with Santa and cookies. And both are just great community events and really, I think, tie it together. And I just want to say how much I appreciate their work and their willingness to spend their time helping us do those things. That's great, thank you. Council Member James Brown. Thank you, Mayor, and I appreciate you giving me an opportunity to speak twice during council comment. I just wanted to take this opportunity. I know tonight is going to be a long night. We got a lot of things on the agenda and we're going to be saying goodbye to a lot of council members. I just want to take this opportunity to kind of break it in half. I'll say goodbye now to three and then I'll break up three more tonight. But I'll start with Councilmember Richard Maloney. I know he's not here with us today. I appreciate having the opportunity to work and learn from Councilmember Maloney. He, like others when I first got on council, had been a legend throughout the city for his service to the community. But I quickly learned that he, I don't want to speak for the connection that other council members had, but Richard, council member Aloni really had his ear to the street in regards to issues that employees were concerned about. And he also was really in tune with what was going on in his district. people would reach out to him and share the concerns because they knew that he would voice them. He would bring some attention to it. So I just want him to know that I appreciate him and everything that he's done for our community. It would be different serving on this council with him. And I thank him for the lessons that he taught me since I've been on councils. Councilmember Kloiber has been with us a short time, but I think Councilmember Kloiber has learned a lot in the time we served on council. I think learning more about him and his service in our community and where he has put his resources in regards to education and young people, I think is admirable and the right thing to do. He's a young man, I don't think he's going anywhere. I think we'll see him again. And I appreciate serving with you, Councilmember, and look forward to what you have in store for our community in regards to service. And then Councilmember Josh McKern. I've served with Josh for four years, like many of us, but our relationship, I think, is a little different than most. We share district lines and constituents. We share a park, a very large park that a lot of people are interested in. Councilmember McKern has built a lot of relationships in those neighborhoods. Folks look forward to seeing him when he comes out. And we have to work together and meet in the middle on a lot of issues. Again, Council Member McCurney is young. I think we will continue to see him provide service in our community. I look forward to working with you going forward. I appreciate the opportunities that we've had to work together in the past. And wish you the best of luck in what's coming forward. So those are the three that I'm going to hit this time, and I'll hit three others later on. So thank you all for having the opportunity to serve with you. Thank you, Mayor. Very nice. Thank you. Council Member Lamb. I kind of want to follow in that role a little bit because I was going to wait until the council meeting, but our council meeting is just going to be so jam-packed tonight. And so, and too, there are people that are listening within the business hours that I want to hear my comments. And so I'm going to speak now and I'll save the tears for later, I hope. But first I wanted to thank everybody and I'm going to read this because I can stay on task if I do this. First, I want to thank everyone who helped me become the person I am today. This includes everyone sitting in this chamber today and many more who have been with me along the way. Eight years ago, I successfully ran from my council seat and started a journey that has led me to learn so much about public service. My wife, Diana Queen, has been my rock and supporter every step of the way. I'm grateful for my family, too, who I honor and respect. My legislative aides over the past eight years, Craig Kamek, Kenny Bishop, and Kelly Farley. You have all been forces that have brought amazing energy to our office and were essential with the successes that we've made. I found notes that Craig and I had prepared back in September 2015 during the debate on the passage of local minimum wage. Proudly so the statement made then still lives alive today. And it's true. I said I'm not a one-sided person. I listen, examine, and take time to study after considering as many sides of an issue as I can. Oftentimes, with the influx of information, my position evolves as I learn. I believe that is healthy and normal, as rigidity and refusal to listen to other sides of the coin is not how I work. I think that is the best way to govern. We should all take the time to learn and respectfully question others and ourselves as to why we believe the things we do. Examining alternatives is a great way to learn, grow, and expand our minds. That was 2015. I also found an interview I did for the Kentucky League of Cities and Kentucky City Magazine in 2015, where I stated that I have respect for city employees. Advocacy for constituents in collaboration with council members and the mayor's office are at the core of my approach to governing. I thought it was very unique that in 2015 I had already thought that and created that in my mindset as my role in leadership. Revisiting these members from my first year on council and dialing forward eight years, I know public service is at the very core of my existence and that I am not finished. I've spent 35 years working for our local government, and I'm proud of all that we have accomplished over the course of my eight years as Fourth District Council member. To each of my constituents who have advocated for their neighborhoods and our parks, thank you and don't ever stop bringing ideas forward. Unspoken ideas are never heard or implemented. To each of my colleagues, thank you for challenging me, and I look over there, and supporting me. With each pointed comment, I definitely grew confidence. To all LFUCG employees, know that I value and appreciate every single one of you. Every single one of you. My immediate next chapter will be shared with focusing on my 92-year-old mom, her well-being at Baghdad home along with my brother who lives with her. Many of you know that Diana and I have been working in spare time, which is far and few between, on a piece of property which would become our new home after I leave office. It's ironic that I grew up on a farm and that Diana and I have an opportunity on a much smaller scale to own a farm in Fayette County. Of course, things might change on that in the near future, but we'll see. Of course, I hope to continue increasing the opportunities to be with my three grandchildren who mean the world to me. Words of advice to the newly elected council members and vice mayor. Please remember that your words carry so much influence from this dais straight out into the community. Remember, being respectful and always taking the higher road might not be easy, but it always pays off in the long run. Lead with compassion and listen to those offering information. We don't have to agree with everyone, but we do have to respect everyone. Our community is special because our residents genuinely care and will work across the divides for the betterment of our community. I would like to end with inspiring words from the young poet Amanda Gorman from her book of poems called Call Us What We Carry. And I bought this book back in 2020, and I have yet to get to read the darn thing. Maybe I will. I've got six seconds. The poem is called Closure. To begin again isn't to go backwards, but to decide to go. Our story is not a circle carved, but a spiral-shed-shaped spinning ad finitum. Like a lung on the bank of speech, breathe with us. We disembark both beside and beyond. Who we are, who we were, who we are. It is a return and a departure. We spiral on, pushing up and out, like a growing thing, making its form out of earth. In a poem, there's no end, just a place where the page glows wide and waiting, like a lifted hand, poised and paused. Here is our bond, unbordered by bone. Perhaps love is how it feels. To breathe the same air, all we have is time is now. Time takes us on. How we are moved says everything about what we are to each other and what are we to each other, if not everything. I have tremendously loved working here. Thank you very much. Council Member Lamb, you will be missed. And by the way, the parliamentarian agreed not to cut you off. just a little fun there thank you very much council member clover thank you mayor now i don't have anything as eloquently prepared as council member lamb but i did want to make a few statements here i'll do it now before we're here for quite a while at the council meeting later um so first and foremost i just wanted to say over the last few years it's been an absolute honor to serve residents of the sixth district and i'm thankful for all their engagement and the feedback they've given me over my time in office i take being representative very seriously and i've strived to try and find favorable solutions to all of the issues that have been brought either through email phone call or in person and i'm proud of what we've been able to do in our district but i couldn't have done any of it without the support of many people first and foremost my legislative aides and that's deborah sloan and kaylin campbell you guys have been amazing i truly value all the support the dedication and friendship that both of you have given to me so thank you so much in making this possible and to all of my colleagues oh we've only known each other for a short time but it's the marks that we lead today that will carry with us for many years it's been a journey coming in through the middle of covid virtually seeing you all on little screens a little box and waving my hand to where we are today and i will always remember with all of the arpa discussions and everything else this being the never-ending budget season i think that's how we're going to all remember the last couple of years i've really valued the one-on-one conversations i've had with each and every one of you having that connection it really pays so many dividends and trying to work together and get things done. We may not be mandated to see each other a couple of times a week, but I still have all your phone numbers, and I plan to make liberal use of them. So in whatever journeys you guys are taking from here forward, I'm still going to be here around, coming to talk to you, and I look forward to working together with you in a different role moving forward. So thank you, guys. Thank you very much. Thank you for your service. Anyone else? We'll save the rest for tonight, I think. All right. There is a mayor's report. If I could have a motion to approve, please. So moved. Second. Council Member Plowman moved. Council Member Sheehan seconded. Are there any questions? All right. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. We have the price contract bid recommendations. If I could have a motion to approve. Thank you, Vice Mayor, and second by Council Member Legree. Any questions? All right. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Now, it's time for public comment for issues not on the agenda. and the way this works is that when your name is called, you'll come to the podium, state your name and your council district, and you'll have three minutes. So first is Amber Duke. Welcome. Thank you so much for having me. My name is Amber Duke. I don't have a council district. I'm the interim executive director of the ACLU of Kentucky, so I'm here speaking on behalf of our members who are likely members of all of your districts. I would like to state for the record that the ACLU of Kentucky does not support license plate readers such as flat cameras. Before the pilot launched, we, along with the NAACP, the Human Relations Commission, were invited by the mayor's office to meet with the Lexington Police Department to ask questions and share our concerns. We shared our concerns about over-policing in communities of color, privacy and data storage, the lack of guardrails to prevent unnecessary future expansions, and lack of civilian oversight and accountability. Many of our concerns were addressed in the policy guiding the pilot project, and I want to thank Chief Eric Lowe in particular for his listening ear and incorporation of my organization's policy suggestions in the final policy that is currently in place. Like many, I was surprised to hear the recent announcement of the dramatic expansion of the program. At the time of the announcement, I had not been invited back to discuss the pilot, nor had the memo of the first quarterly audit been published. I reached out to Chief Lowe, and within 30 minutes, he responded. He looped in Commander Greathouse. We were able to meet last Thursday. During that discussion, I shared questions community members have asked us at the ACLU about basic operation of the cameras. I asked questions about the data that is being updated regularly on the police department's transparency page. I raised concerns about the department sharing license plate reader data with about five dozen other police agencies with no policy requirements or review of requesting agencies. I was given clarification of the differences between the 25 camera pilot, the expansion proposal, the National Police Institute study. It was a good conversation, and I'm committed to continuing those conversations with the department. I said to them what I will say to you here today, which is that the ACLU of Kentucky recommends the council a lot more time for information gathering and discussion before moving this expansion request forward. The community has questions. The results of the first audit were just published around 1 p.m. this afternoon to the police department's transparency website. While I received prompt personal notification that this memo was posted, it's not sufficient time for public review and questions. Parts of the program, like the data sharing between agencies, deserve more thoughtful conversation and policy. The ACLU of Kentucky is opposed to spending taxpayer dollars to increase police surveillance. I see that my time is up, but I hope that you all will pause and allot for more time for information gathering. Thank you. Thank you very much. Dottie Bean. Welcome. Dottie Bean in the 8th District. We signed up to give some remarks at the end of the Planning and Public Safety Committee meeting at 1, but there was no request for public comment by Chairman Brown, so we're giving our remarks right now. The committee heard an annual report from the PDR program about new farms that are being accepted under the program, that were accepted under the program last year. Since all of their money comes from taxpayer pockets, we question why we were not told the cost of buying development rights for each farm, and there was no breakdown of where the money comes from provided. We would also like to have known how much money is being set aside in 2023 for new purchases of development rights and how those are being allocated. And without public disclosure of the amounts and sources of the funding, we do not consider this a transparent report to this council or to the taxpayers in this community who are underwriting the project. If this report comes before the full council, we hope it will contain that information so the public will know how its money is being spent. Thank you very much. Brittany Rothmeier. Welcome. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councilmembers. I'm Brittany Rothmeier. I'm speaking this afternoon on behalf of Fade Alliance. Today, I'm also speaking on behalf of some other organizations as it relates to the effort and resolution that Councilmember Plowman mentioned earlier regarding a temporary moratorium on zoning ordinance, text amendments, and the rural service area. The organizations supporting the comments I'm about to make are Fayette Alliance, the Bluegrass Land Conservancy, Bluegrass Tomorrow, Fayette County Farm Bureau, Fayette County Neighborhood Council, Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, and the Rural Land Management Board. Over the last 12 months, Lexington Fayette County community has seen multiple requests to our planning department and commission for zoning ordinance text amendments that fundamentally changed the uses permitted on the unique and productive land in the rural service area. These proposals have highlighted a concerning trend. Lexington is changing its long-established countywide zoning ordinances for individual developments without considering the broader impacts on the overall community or the current and future investments and business opportunities in our agricultural areas. These decisions have a significantly negative impact on the integrity of the rural service area as a whole. For these reasons, the aforementioned organizations have come together to request a temporary moratorium on ZOTAs in the rural service area until completion of an update to the Rural Land Management Plan, an element of the Comprehensive Plan, and further evaluation can be made about the impacts on our rural area. We're calling on all of you, our elected officials and leaders in the community, to establish a diverse stakeholder group to work with the Rural Land Management Board on an updated analysis of the rural service area. A roadmap for appropriate and compatible uses in Fayette County's most sensitive areas, revised ordinance language, and definitions for our ag zone should be developed. As the community evaluates new ways to accommodate growth, it must also continue its history of protecting the land, which makes us so unique. The industries in our rural service area are the economic engines of our community. The Rural Land Management Plan, updated in 2017, was intended to be a comprehensive analysis of what exists in the rural service area. It includes a discussion of what land uses are compatible with existing rural neighborhoods, ag operations, and supportive businesses. It's the primary guide for responsible growth in the rural service area. Now is the time to update the information which is necessary for growth decisions and our continued success. We must continue to pursue the primary growth strategy of infill and redevelopment in our designated urban areas and build sustainable processes for future growth. We must also take a collective pause to evaluate and analyze how best to support the unique cultural identity and the ag industries in our rural service area. The continued economic success of Fayette County depends on it. We look forward to working with leadership and other community stakeholders as this effort is further discussed in committee in 2023. Thank you. Thank you very much. And that completes our speaker sign-up list. Council members, as you know, the council meeting is at 5 o'clock. And so with that, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. Council member Fred Brown, council member Lamb, all those in favor say aye. Aye. All right. Thank you very much. We are adjourned.