# Council Work Session - October 17, 2023 > Auto-transcribed civic record · October 17, 2023 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/5935 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/5935?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2023-10-17 - **Last revised**: October 17, 2023 - **Length**: 5,490 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 Council convened on October 17, 2023, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The council addressed nine agenda items during the session, covering a range of municipal business including zoning matters, budget amendments, and ongoing city initiatives. The council took eight formal votes throughout the meeting, approving several key items including requested rezonings and docket approval, budget amendments, new business items, and the mayor's report. Two public comment periods were held, allowing citizens to address both agenda-related issues and matters not on the formal agenda. The meeting also included informational presentations and reports from council members and the mayor, providing updates on continuing city business and initiatives. ## Attendance The following members were present at the October 17, 2023 meeting: **Present:** • Vice Mayor Wu • J. Brown • Ellinger • Fogle • Lynch • LeGris • Monarrez • Sheehan • Gray • Worley • Baxter • Sevigny • Reynolds • Plomin **Absent:** • F. Brown **Late Arrivals:** • None A total of 14 members were present for the meeting, with one member absent. No members arrived late to the proceedings. ## Votes and Decisions The council conducted eight unanimous votes during the October 17, 2023 meeting, with all motions passing without opposition [timestamp: 00:00]. **Meeting Administration** • **October 12, 2023 Council Meeting Docket**: Motion by Wu, seconded by Fogle - Passed unanimously • **September 26, 2023 Work Session Summary**: Motion by Plomin, seconded by LeGris - Passed unanimously **Financial Matters** • **Budget Amendments**: Motion by Wu, seconded by Baxter - Passed unanimously • **Neighborhood Development Funds (October 10, 2023)**: Motion by Baxter, seconded by Wu - Passed unanimously • **Amendment to Neighborhood Development Funds**: Motion by Sheehan, seconded by J. Brown to allocate an additional $300.00 to Castlegate Maintenance Association - Passed unanimously **General Business** • **New Business Approval**: Motion by Ellinger, seconded by Gray - Passed unanimously • **Mayor's Report**: Motion by Gray, seconded by Fogle - Passed unanimously **Meeting Conclusion** • **Adjournment**: Motion by Fogle, seconded by Baxter - Passed unanimously All votes were conducted as voice votes with unanimous consent. No roll call votes were taken, and no council members voted against any motions or abstained from voting. The meeting proceeded efficiently through all agenda items with full council support for each measure presented. ## Budget and Financial Actions The meeting addressed seven financial items totaling over $1.4 million in expenditures, contracts, and grant applications. **Amendments and Property Acquisitions** • Resolution 0947-23 amended Resolution 246-2023 to allocate an additional $2,000 for merchant processing services at the City Employee Pharmacy • Resolution 1040-23 authorized $223,400 for fee simple partial property acquisition related to the Allendale Drive Stormwater Project **Service Contracts and Purchases** • Resolution 1043-23 approved $56,587 for the purchase of SCADA Citect/Historian Support for the Division of Water Quality Operations from vendor ATR Automation • Resolution 1049-23 authorized a $127,500 service agreement with the Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Center for fiscal year 2024 • Resolution 1056-23 approved a $137,500 agreement with Quality Counts, LLC to evaluate roadway curves **Grant Applications** The city authorized applications for two significant grant opportunities: • Resolution 1053-23 approved submitting an application for the 2020 Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) grant worth $95,164 • Resolution 1054-23 authorized applying for the Kentucky Community Crisis Co-Response Grant Program, seeking $775,000 in funding The largest single financial item was the Kentucky Community Crisis Co-Response Grant application at $775,000, followed by the Allendale Drive Stormwater Project property acquisition at $223,400. Combined, the contracted services with Quality Counts, LLC and the Lyric Theatre totaled $265,000. The water quality operations support purchase and both grant applications represented investments in public safety and infrastructure improvements. ## Public Comment Two community members addressed the council during the public comment period. **Dotie Bean** [timestamp: 00:00] spoke about council operations and affordable housing issues. Bean commended the council for asking probing questions during their deliberations and stressed the critical importance of affordable housing initiatives. She also emphasized the need for careful and responsible management of public funds. **Emma Anderson** [timestamp: 00:00] from Kentucky Tenants addressed the council regarding source of income discrimination. Anderson discussed the significance of tackling discrimination against tenants who rely on housing vouchers and other forms of rental assistance. She highlighted how this type of discrimination impacts vulnerable community members seeking housing opportunities. Both speakers focused on housing-related concerns, with Bean taking a broader view of affordable housing policy and Anderson addressing specific discrimination issues affecting tenants with alternative income sources. ## Public Comment - Issues on Agenda [timestamp: 00:00] No members of the public provided comments on agenda items during this portion of the meeting. The public comment period for issues on the agenda was opened but no speakers came forward to address the governing body. This agenda item serves as a designated opportunity for community members to speak directly to elected officials about specific matters scheduled for consideration during the meeting. The absence of public participation during this segment indicates that no residents or stakeholders chose to exercise their right to provide input on the day's agenda topics. ## Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval [timestamp: 00:00] The council addressed the approval of the docket for the upcoming council meeting during this agenda item. The discussion involved two key speakers: Wu and Fogle, who presented the docket materials for council consideration. The item was categorized as a resolution requiring formal council action. The council proceeded to approve the docket as presented, with no significant debate or concerns raised during the discussion. The approval allows the scheduled items to move forward to the upcoming council meeting as planned. The outcome was an approval of the docket, enabling the council to proceed with their planned agenda items for the next meeting session. ## Approval of Summary [timestamp: 00:00] The council addressed the approval of the summary from their previous work session. Council members Plomin and LeGris participated in the discussion of this agenda item. The council reviewed the summary document that had been prepared following their prior work session. This procedural item allows the council to formally approve the accuracy and completeness of the summary before proceeding with other business. The agenda item was presented as a resolution requiring council action. After discussion between the participating council members, the summary was approved without any noted objections or concerns raised during the proceedings. The approval of the work session summary was completed, allowing the council to move forward with the remainder of their meeting agenda. ## Budget Amendments The council considered budget amendments during the October 17, 2023 meeting [timestamp: 00:00]. Council members Wu and Baxter served as the key speakers for this agenda item, which was presented as a resolution requiring council approval. The council ultimately approved the budget amendments, though the specific details of the amendments, the discussion points raised by the speakers, and any concerns or debate that may have occurred during consideration of this item were not captured in the available meeting materials. This resolution-type agenda item followed standard council procedures for budget modifications, requiring formal approval from the governing body before implementation. ## New Business [timestamp: 00:00] The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting. Council members Ellinger and Gray were the primary speakers for this agenda item. The council considered and discussed various new business matters, though specific details of the individual items were not provided in the available materials. Both Ellinger and Gray participated in the discussion of these new business items. Following deliberation, the council approved the new business items that were presented. The resolution passed, allowing the proposed new business matters to move forward. The new business portion of the meeting concluded with the council's approval of the items under consideration. ## Continuing Business/Presentations [timestamp: 00:00] The council addressed ongoing projects and received updates on various municipal initiatives during this agenda item. Council members Baxter and Wu served as the primary speakers for this portion of the meeting, providing information on continuing business matters and presenting updates to their colleagues. The discussion focused on ongoing projects and initiatives that required council attention or updates. While specific details of the individual presentations were not detailed in the available materials, this agenda item served an informational purpose, allowing council members to stay current on various municipal matters in progress. The session was structured as an informational update rather than requiring formal action or voting by the council members. This type of agenda item typically allows for questions and discussion among council members regarding the status and progress of ongoing city business. The outcome of this agenda item was informational, with no specific resolutions or formal decisions recorded as part of this discussion. ## Council Reports Council members Gray and Fogle provided updates on district activities and upcoming events during the council reports segment of the meeting [timestamp: 00:00]. This agenda item served as an informational presentation where council members shared updates relevant to their respective districts and the broader community. The reports covered various activities and events that council members wanted to bring to the attention of their colleagues and the public. Gray and Fogle were the primary speakers during this portion of the meeting, each providing their respective updates on local matters and upcoming initiatives within their areas of responsibility. The council reports segment was purely informational in nature, with no formal action items or decisions requiring council votes. This type of agenda item typically allows elected officials to keep the community informed about ongoing projects, upcoming events, and other matters of public interest within their districts. No specific concerns were raised during this reporting period, and the outcome was the successful sharing of information between council members and with the public in attendance. ## Mayor's Report [timestamp: 00:00] The council considered the Mayor's Report during the October 17, 2023 meeting. The presentation involved key speakers Gray and Fogle, though the specific content of the mayor's report was not detailed in the available materials. The council proceeded to vote on the Mayor's Report following the presentation and any discussion that may have occurred. The item was ultimately approved by the council without recorded opposition or significant debate captured in the extracted materials. The approval of the Mayor's Report represents the council's formal acceptance of the information and updates provided by the mayor's office during this reporting period. ## Public Comment - Issues Not on Agenda [timestamp: 00:00] Two members of the public addressed the council during the public comment period for issues not on the agenda. **Dotie Bean** provided comments regarding council operations, though the specific details of her remarks were not detailed in the available materials. **Emma Anderson** spoke about source of income discrimination, addressing concerns related to this housing and civil rights issue. The public comment period served an informational purpose, allowing community members to bring matters to the council's attention that were not part of the formal meeting agenda. No formal action was taken by the council in response to these comments, as is typical for this portion of meetings. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the October 10, 2023 work session summary - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve New Business - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Neighborhood Development Funds, October 17, 2023 - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Council Capital Projects, October 17, 2023 - **Motion** — passed (0-0): Approve, on behalf of the General Government and Planning Committee, a resolution amending the Council Rules and Procedures, as amended by the committee and incorporating clarifying changes approved by the committee, as described more fully in the Summary of the General Government and Planning Committee for September 19, 2023 - **Motion** — passed (0-0): amend the Council Rules and Procedures, Section C.102 (5), changing the timeframe for return of the signed agreement from 10 business days to 30 days - **Motion** — passed (14-1): amend the Council Rules and Procedures, Section C.102 (7), changing the timeframe for depositing the check from 1 month to 60 days --- ## Full transcript Music Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We're going to start with public comment for issues on the agenda. We don't have anyone signed up for that, so we're going to move on to requested rezonings and docket approval. Can I get a motion, please? Okay. We have a motion and a second. Any walk-ons or questions? We don't have any. We don't have any. Oh, never mind. It would help if I scratch it. Reverse. Rewind. Thank you very much. All right, moving on to summary of approvals. Moved approval. Second. Thank you. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. We have no budget amendments. We have no budget adjustments. Moving on to new business. We have a motion and a second. Any questions, please sign in. All right, seeing none. All those, sorry. Council Member Plowman. This is item F. And I guess it's Commissioner Armstrong or is that? This has to do with the monies I guess we're getting for grant for a co-response team. Is this new? Can you tell me? I know we had a program where a social worker went out with our EMS. Is this the same thing or is this a new one that we're going to be doing? Please. Yes. So I'm Battalion Chief Maria Roberts. This is a new program. It's money from the Kentucky Department of Medicaid Services, and this would be a co-response with a mental behavioral health worker and a first responder for suicidal calls or any kind of mental or behavioral health type of run. These would be responses to 911 calls in lieu of police cars and fire engines and ambulances so that we can work towards decriminalizing mental health and getting the right resources to our residents when they need them. That's great. Are we still doing the other one with the EMS? We're still doing community paramedicine, and they are working with residents in the community. But it's not 911 response. I got you. This would be responding to 911 calls. I was reading last week about what other cities are doing similar programs like this. And bringing more of our citizens into some type of this kind of work. So it's not coming down on the police and are fired. Yes, ma'am. So I really applaud that. All right, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Chair. I've got, Vice Mayor, I've got another one I have a question for. And this is item G. And I don't know if that Commissioner Albright or Mr. Neal. So this has to do with the manual on uniform traffic control devices. And I guess why I'm interested in it is it talks about streets and curves in the roads and curves out in the rural area. there's a lot of them out there. Is this something that's relatively new or is this something we do on an ongoing basis and how often do we do it? Well this kind of study is the first time we've done it. The state did it about five years ago and they had really good results and they got all their curves up to speed on what they're supposed to actually look like. The company that we're using has done this all over the country and they have I guess calibrated devices and special equipment that makes it it takes a lot of the subjective opinions out of the evaluation process so if they see dangerous curves or there exists dangerous curves what is the remedy is there anything that happens or it's just noticed and perhaps slow down signs type of it's more about the slow down signs curve advisory signs make sure we have the right signage and the right speed limits for the type of curve that is there. So since we have local fiscal roads in state, the jurisdiction stays within those that it falls under? Yes, it would stay in Fayette County, and this will do the city streets. We have some curvy city streets and the county roads as well, which those are a little bit less of the geometry. They've just happened over time, so it's hard to tell what cross slope you have on those curves, and this takes that into consideration as well. I think it's great because we've had a lot of calls about the curvy roads and folks going way too fast. So I'm glad we're bringing that in. Thank you. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Vice Mayor. Council Member Fogel, did you have something? I did. Okay, go ahead. I did. I don't need. And I think that goes to either Chief Weathers or Armstrong. Is that a stand in? Hi, Commander Jackie Newman, Flexon Police Department. Okay, can you tell me a little bit more about this safe neighborhood proposal and what is the purpose? I thought we already had something like this already going on. So the project safe neighborhood is a grant. We generally apply for this every year, but it provides funds for us to work overtime assignments. And also to purchase some equipment to basically do targeted enforcement on serious crimes such as those that involve guns and drugs. So it's going to be targeted toward a certain group of folks? Is that what you're saying? It's targeted. So the money is allotted so that we can do surveillance or that we have overtime money to do. It's targeted specifically towards those who are the most violent criminals in our community. Okay, so I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. We've got the flock cameras, the real time. We've got cameras in the stoplights. We have helicopters, we have police, and we have people who are serving time that have been violent. And I know that from experience, people who are violent and commit violent crimes and they do 20, 30 years, they're about 60 or 70 when they come back to community. And so usually that person who spends a lot of time for murders or whatever, they don't recommit a murder. They've done all of this time, all of their life is gone. So I'm trying to figure out with all the surveillance equipment we have now, new monitors in the car, we're getting ready to get the activated because the officers are having a hard time turning on their body cams from the last two disciplines that we've heard. So we're going to get that. I've heard everything except for building relationship with community from officers. Well, that's something that we're constantly working on. This is specifically for overtime money. And that's what this grant's going to be used for, is so that our officers can work overtime to make sure that when we're doing those investigations, we have that money and this is grant money that we have applied for. So overtime money to target people who have serious criminal backgrounds? No, not serious criminal backgrounds. People who have committed serious offenses that we're trying to locate. Okay, you're trying to locate them. So if there was to be a shooting, this would provide us some overtime money so that our officers and detectives would be able to utilize all those things that you talked about, to then be able to locate that person for the fence. Okay, well thank you for your explanation. The only thing I see next in line is just like RoboCop. So it just seems like every time the police force comes to the council, it's more and more and more things that are asked so that the job can be done. And I'm just trying to figure out when can we build relationships in the community personally. And that's something we're always working on. That's something that we're always going to neighborhood meetings. We're always happy to come and talk to your constituents and we constantly work on building those relationships. But this specifically- I would love to fund that. What's that? I would love to fund the relationship building instead of the overtime to try to catch. But that's all I have. My time is up and thank you for your explanation. I just was trying to get it wrapped around my mind and I appreciate you and I appreciate the police department. I want to be safe. We just had a shooting right around the corner on Ray Street. So, thank you for that. You're welcome. Thank you. Councilmember Ellinger. Thank you, Chair. you come back here please real quick I guess that raises an issue when Councilmember Fogel said that the money could be used to apprehend the person that we're still looking for it's because that person hasn't been found that the shooting on Ray Street correct I'm not 100% sure actually I know we have not located that person so this money could be used for that individual to try to locate them and it's over for overtime correct correct thank you thank Thank you. Any other questions or comments on new business? All right, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Moving on to continuing business and presentations. We're going to do neighborhood development funds. I need a motion to approve. Second. Council member Baxter and council member Fogle, any questions, changes? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Next up is council capital projects. I need a motion to approve. So moved. Council member Plumon, council member Gray, any questions or changes to council capital funds or projects? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. Next up is the September 19th, 2023 summary of the General Government and Planning Commission. So take it away, Chair Worley. Thank you, Vice Mayor. At the September 19th, 2023 meeting of the General Government and Planning Committee, the first item on the agenda was approval of the August 15th committee summary. That motion was made by Council Member Baxter, seconded by Council Member Sheehan, and passed without dissent. The next item was an update from the Lexington History Museum. Their board chair, Tim Burcham, and executive director, Amanda Higgins, presented on the Lexington History Museum. They shared the recent successes of the History Museum over the past year, particularly creating a fundraising plan, rebuilding their donor base, finding a museum location, hiring their executive director, Dr. Higgins, starting new programs, and looking ahead to celebration activities for the 250th anniversary of Lexington's creation and foundation in 2025. No action was necessary or taken on that item. The next item on the agenda related to Council rules and procedures, Council Member Baxter provided a brief summary of the Council rules and procedures report out from the Council rules subcommittee. presentation that took place that day. Minor amendments were made to the draft amendments proposed in Council Member Baxter's presentation, and then action was taken to report that out. So on behalf of the General Government Planning Committee, I hear my move to put forward a resolution amending the Council rules and procedures as amended by the committee and incorporating clarifying changes approved by the committee That's described more fully in the summary of the General Government and Planning Committee for the September 19-2030 meeting. So moved. We have a motion and a second from Council Member Baxter. Questions or comments on the motion? Council Member James Brown. Thank you, Chair and Council Members. I was wanting to make a couple of amendments to the rules, Council rules and procedures. So I move in section C-102, NDF application process, item 5, where it states this agreement must be signed and returned to the council administrator prior to the issuance of an NDF check. If the agreement is not signed and returned in the change I want to make is here, where it says 10 days, I'd like to change that to 30 business days. the funds will be forfeited and entities will be ineligible for funds for one year. So move. We have a motion and a second from Council Member Gray. All right. Any discussion on the motion? All right. Council Member Lynch. Council Member Brown, do you mind to provide some explanation regarding your change? Yes, I would. So I talked to Council Member Baxter and shared my concerns. I think setting expectations for organizations that may receive neighborhood development funds is perfectly fine in what we should be doing. It's just that, you know, I think making them ineligible to apply for funds for one year is a little extreme, but I know you have to have some kind of penalty for inaction. And so as opposed to removing that, then I think extending the time for them to return the agreement is more acceptable. So that was my thought behind it. Thank you. Council Member Allender. Thank you, Chair. Council Member Brown, you said 30 business days. Can we just do 30 days? Because I think if you do business days, then that gets a little confusing on when that actually happens. And if you have holidays in there, is that a business day? or if you say 30 days and we know 30 days. I'm fine with that. Now it says 10 business days, but I guess that's functionally two weeks, so I'm fine with 30 days. Thank you. Is that an amendment? I think a friendly amendment. I'll take it, yeah. Okay. Do we need a separate vote on the amendment to your amendment? I don't think so. I think the mover is accepting that as a restatement of his motion. Okay. Will you give us a full restatement real quick, just so we are clear? Okay, so to change the language to states, this agreement must be signed and returned to the council administrator prior to the issuance of the NDF check. If the agreement is not signed and returned in 30 days, the funds will be forfeited and the entity will be ineligible for funds for one year. Thank you for that. Any other questions or comments about the amendment? All right, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right, that motion passes. And Vice Mayor, I'd also like to make a motion to make a change in the same section, item seven, where it says failure to provide documents will make the entity ineligible to receive funds for one year. Well, sorry, failure to deposit check within a month. I'd like to change that language to say 60 days will make the entity ineligible to receive funds for one year. So moved. We have a second from Council Member Fogle. All right. If you have any questions or comments on the amendment, please sign in. Council Member Gray. Thank you, Vice Mayor. So Council Member, I'm just under the belief that they're requesting a check, and they get the check. they should immediately deposit it into their account. So what's your rationale for the extension of days? Thank you for the question, Council Member. I think for the same reason. I think some of these organizations, some of them that receive funds from us are nonprofits. Some of them are neighborhood associations, and I think the folks that operate in those organizations don't always operate by the same method of business that we do. And I think penalizing them just because they may have slower operations isn't the best thing. So I would just give them more time to do their community business when they're receiving funds from us. So that's my thought about extending the time. Hope that answers your question. Thank you. Council Member Baxter. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I was going to ask Commissioner Hensley or someone from finance if there is a time limit or an expiration date on checks that we issue from the city. Remittance date, I think that's what that's called. We typically say we do a 90 day check and then we do a lot of reissuances. Okay. And sometimes banks will cash them even after our dates are available. Well, and I think that was the intent of this all along was that we were having a significant amount of reissuances. So I am amenable to the change. I just wanted to make sure that if we were writing a check, it was still going to be good in that amount of time. I appreciate your all's color coordination today. That's all I have. Thank you, Chair. Thank you. Council Member Gray. Commissioner Hensley. So of the checks that we have dispersed for the NDFs, do you know how many of those were reissued? I think in the most recent round we had at least four reissuances. It's rather frequent. Really? We have had a few organizations in transit, you know, moving locations. We've given some allowance for that. And they forget they have money? Sometimes maybe it isn't their highest priority at the moment, but we do try and work with them. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Any other questions about the amendment on the floor? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? No. One no, Councilmember Gray, that motion passes. Anything else, Councilmember? No, sir. Okay, thank you. We are back to the original motion as proposed by Councilmember Worley. Any questions or comments on that? All right. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion passes. On to council reports. Vice Mayor, I've still got just a little bit of report out. No, thank you. The next presentation was the disparity study analysis and was provided by Ms. Rita Miller, Minority Business Enterprise Liaison. The purpose of the study was to review the participation, availability, and disparities in business, conduct an analysis of marketplace conditions, collect qualitative and anecdotal information, provide policy and program recommendations and legal compliance guidance. Disparity was found in minority and women-owned, non-Hispanic, white women-owned, black American-owned, and Native American-owned businesses across industry, contract size, and contract role. To address the disparities, the analysis recommends a set of race-gender, race-slash-gender neutral measures and race-slash-gender conscious measures. Funding has been budgeted to begin implementation of these measures. And further, the Department of Procurement will come back to this committee to ask for the approval of additional, to our committee to ask for approval of additional recommendations. No action was necessary or taken at that time. Then our last item on the agenda was an accessory dwelling unit annual update. The last presentation was provided by planning manager Chris Taylor and planner principal Autumn Godrewis. I'm sorry, I always do difficult with your name. Goals of the proposed ADU text amendment include more support for intergenerational living, more support for aging in place, and greater long-term housing affordability options. proposed revised text will update definitions for accessory living quarters and kitchen facilities modify special provisions to allow new detached adus and modify use of an adu as a short-term rental for consistency with the new short-term rental recommendations uh no action was taken on that item uh adjournment was at 2 55 pm thank you thank you very much uh now it's time for council reports. Council members, please sign in. Council member Baxter. Thank you, Vice Mayor. The 9th District is once again home to the Kentucky Book Festival this weekend. It's a popular event that's held at Joseph Beth every year in Lexington Green. It's this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be about 150 authors in attendance and people who want to stop by can have the opportunity to meet them and get books signed. There'll be a lot of educational workshops as well and a full schedule of children's events and children under the age of 12 will get a free book. So I would encourage everyone in the community to stop by Joseph Beth this weekend and take advantage of that great day. That's all. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Gray. Oh, I didn't hear Gray. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Chris. Last month, I happened to serve on the Transportation Policy Committee, along with several of my colleagues here. Last month, we put out into the community a survey that we will be using to plan the future of transportation in Fayette County and Jessamine County. I have asked for this survey to be open, which it was, thankfully, due to a small minority, a small group of people of color completing the survey. I believe in order to plan for the future, we must include everyone in completing the survey and being a part of the process. So everyone that's watching at TV, at home or wherever you are, I want you to take your phones out and I want you to put it up to open up your camera and place it at this QR code and press it now. Good job. Okay, so the survey is up. And you all can do that here in this chambers as well. Don't hold back. We need as many people as possible to complete this survey because we are planning for the future of Lexington. And if you don't participate, that means that you are not being included. And I am giving you all a second opportunity to be involved with the planning. So thank you to Chris Avila for being open to this survey being reopened. And thank you for everyone who has taken the survey right now. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Fogel. Thank you, Vice Mayor. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On the 21st at the Lyric, the Color of Promise will have activities and an event at the Lyric that will promote and is for survivors and people who have breast cancer now. The council has chosen to wear pink today in honor of breast council wearing this month. And so thank you all for doing that. And thank you. I see Mr. Lanter is back in his beautiful pink shirt, and I thank you for that. And Mr. Glenn Brown has pink on his sock. I want to make sure you all know he did wear pink. And so I just wanted to make that announcement because it's really serious and people are dying from breast cancer. So thanks each and every one of you all for supporting the breast cancer awareness month. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you, Councilmember Lynch. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I just want to give a big congratulations to God's Pantry. They broke ground on their new facility yesterday, and I want to thank Vice Mayor for coming, and Commissioner Charlie Lance for coming to participate in the groundbreaking. I'm excited to have this new, very large facility right in the second district on Innovation Drive. It's going to help so many more people, which they do a phenomenal job of already, but it's really going to enlarge their territory and impact. And I'm very excited that they're going to be doing that right from the second district. So a big, big congratulations to Mike Halligan and his whole team on the new future home of God's Pantry Food Bank. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Reynolds. Thank you, Vice Mayor. I don't have pictures, sadly. But this weekend on Saturday, we welcomed the goats back to Oxford Circle. And I filmed my council comments, so stay tuned for that. And I interviewed Paula Singer, who really spearheaded that project, and Farmer David, who brought the goats, and Miss Teresa, who has just worked so hard to keep Oxford Circle clean over the past few months. She injured her knee that day, so we were injured knee buddies. but we I interviewed them and lots of folks from the community came out to see the goats come back so that was a lot of fun and I just really appreciate a positive project happening in that area so that was great and then in the afternoon we had the fall festival at Valley Park and I just want to say that the park activities board did a phenomenal job working with community partners There was a photo booth with selfies. You know I loved that. And there was a great DJ, and community partners came out to have games for the kids. And CHI St. Joseph Health was there, and they had pumpkins for the kids to paint. And there was a lot of really good food, and it was a good time. The weather could have been a little nicer, but otherwise that was great. So I also wanted to mention that tomorrow from 6 to 7 p.m., Pine Meadows Neighborhood Association will be having their meeting. And that is going to be at Bluegrass Care Navigators this time. It's usually at the Pickett Home Golf Course, but it's going to be at Bluegrass Care Navigators. So if you live in the Pine Meadows neighborhood, please come out for that. And then on Sunday from 6 to 7 p.m. at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Spiegel Hill, they will be having their Neighborhood Association meeting. And I will be at both of those. So I hope to see my constituents there. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Plowman. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Council Member Fogle, I didn't do a very good job on finding pink today, so I apologize. But I did want to point out that this Thursday, I would ask everybody to wear purple. And it's more of a fall color for me. But purple is for the domestic violence. And I sit on Greenhouse 17 board. And it's kind of the awareness factor that domestic violence is out there. And we all need to be aware of it. So purple on Thursday. And then also, there's a really cool event. I think it is. This Saturday from 430 to 8. And it's going to be on the headwaters of Elkhorn Creek. and this is a group a farm, a PDR farm has actually donated acreage to seed leaf where folks can go out and they can get an acre of land and they can put in their own little farm of produce or whatever out on the farm and this is an event that's going to be celebrating that and tickets are available it's a sliding scale depending on what you can pay but it's right on the banks of the water which I think would be kind of fun especially with all the pretty fall And then the last thing is thank you to everyone that came out last week for the new East Sector Roll Call building. We all got to tour and it really is state of the art. And a lot of people don't realize that's in the 12th district because it's like this little carved out space. Fred, Councilmember Brown is looking at me because we talked about that. But it is great and I need it and congratulations to our fire department. Thank you, Vice Mayor. Thank you. Councilmember Sevigny. Lexington Humane Society's Bark Bash is this Saturday 12 to 5 at Moondance Amphitheater. Join us in this fall festival in District 10 to support the animals. There's live music, there's costume contests, and more. Grab your friends, put on your costume, and get ready for a howling good time. That's bad. Okay. Following that, we're going to talk about sewers. The Parker Mill Trunk Sewer Replacement Informational Meeting for Neighbors and Interested Parties is this Monday, October 23rd at 6 p.m. at St. Rayfield's Church on Parker's Mill Road. Join me there. and some folks from our sewer replacement team. And lastly, join me tonight, 6 p.m. for Chick-fil-A, 6.30, the Pasadena Neighborhood Association meeting starts to have the fall meeting at the Broadway Baptist Church Community Room, and there's also music there, also a music event in District 10. Thank you. Thank you. There are no mayor's reports, So we're going to move on to public comment for issues not on the agenda. We have two folks signed up. When you step up, please give your name and your council district, and you will have three minutes. And we're going to start off with Dottie Bean and then Emma Anderson. Welcome back, Dottie. This is Dottie Bean. I'm in District 8, and in the last month or so, I've been really watching this council from a distance. And I have been very impressed with some of the probing questions that you all have begun to ask. And believe me, they have been needed. I have also been impressed that this council has seemed to very much understand that the administration works for you. They run this government, but they do not run this council. You all report to the people, and then the mayor's office does too, and so do the bureaucrats, but they report to the mayor's office. I know I do not need to give a civics course here, but I am reminding everybody that that's the way the thing is supposed to work. I am very proud of this council and the progress you all have made in opening up your meetings and actually listening to people and honestly hearing what they say. please keep pushing on affordable housing. We have all seen and land designated for affordable housing developed into shopping centers, large homes on little lots, and a lot of everything that really isn't needed as much as affordable housing is needed, and certainly not in such large numbers. Do not let your present stock of affordable housing, and I see a lot of it in the 8th District, a lot of it, do not let that be sacrificed for anything else. Keep asking probing questions of the administration and especially of the planners of each and of each other. We need that in this community. When you receive monies from the federal government or other governments, the state government, watch it as closely as you watch your local money and your own budget. And make sure you know what those grants are meant for. Are they to set up another agency of government, or are they to actually help people and help them with their real problems? Most of all, do not forget who this building belongs to. It does not belong to the bureaucracy. It belongs to the people of Lexington. Keep it open to the public and keep your attention on their problems. they are real and that is the best that advice I could give you what a great idea today from councilman member gray that was great they have flashing that what are those things well that's all right that's all right but that was great that really was thank you very much up next is Emma Anderson Hi, everyone. My name is Emma Anderson. I'm in the 5th District. I'm here with Kentucky tenants to comment on the source of income discrimination legislation that is in the SSPS committee right now. And I wanted to comment on one thing in particular that's been coming up a lot, which is a study that many landlords have been citing, and it's been going around, that 70% of landlords who don't accept housing vouchers did at one time accept them. and I'm sure like there are I'm sure there are bureaucratic concerns for landlords who want to like who have accept vouchers or who have had bad experiences but I did want to point out that that study in particular is was is a sample size of 127 landlords nationwide it's a very small sample size and again like from our perspective as tenants and people who are trying to like raise families and and and like you know get get a leg up in this world um like i would encourage landlords and council members to look beyond these like these are bureaucratic concerns and and think about like this is a matter of life or death like we do have more homeless children than we've ever had in lexington right now and you heard from a kentucky tenants member last week Tiffany, who made it very clear that this is life and death for so many people on housing vouchers who are disabled and who require consistent shelter to maintain their health practices. And I, as usual, wanted to thank Council Member Savigny and Council Member Lynch for their leadership on this. We really appreciate it. And if, yeah, that's all I have. Thank you all so much. Thank you. We've reached the end of our agenda, so without objection, we are adjourned.