Music Welcome. I'd like to go ahead at 6 o'clock, so I'll call to order our Urban County Council meeting of March 7th, 2024 and the first item of business is our roll call. Vice Mayor Wu? Here. Council Member Fred Brown? Here. Council Member James Brown? Here. Council Member Chuck Ellinger? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Whitney Elliott Baxter? Yes, ma'am. Council Member Tana Fogel? Here. Council Member Denise Duker-Gray? Present. Council Member Hannah Legree? Here. Council member Shayla Lynch? Present. Council member Brenda Menares? Here. Council member Kathy Plowman? Here. Council member Jennifer Reynolds? Here. Council member Dave Savigni? Here. Council member Liz Sheehan? Here. Council member Preston Worley? Yes, ma'am. Thank you. We have a quorum. And I'd like to invite to the podium Pastor Francisco Castro, President of the Greater Garden Site Association, who's going to offer our invocation. Welcome. Thank you very much, and it's a pleasure to be here with you guys. I'm going to do it with a little twist, if it's okay with you. I will recite the Lord's Prayer, and those of you who know it, join me, but I will do it in Spanish. If you don't mind, at the end I will revert to English, and we will finish. Let's bow our heads. And now, Heavenly Father, we come to you asking for a special blessing on this meeting and a special blessing on our leaders, Lord, because we understand and we know that it is by your favor that we have them leading us. Lord, we ask for a special anointing on their lives, protection on their families and on their lives, Lord. And we ask that you take hold of this meeting today and that you bless us. We ask all this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen. Thank you so very much. Now it is time for two special proclamations. I'd like to invite Councilmember Jennifer Reynolds and Megan Talley to the podium. Megan, come join us. Megan is a resident of the Cardinal Valley neighborhood in the 11th district. She has served as the president of the Cardinal Valley Neighborhood Association and as a member of the Cardinal Valley Park Activity Board. Megan works at Nathaniel Mission, where she has dedicated both her professional career and her free time serving others. She's deeply rooted in her community and cares deeply about the well-being of her neighbors. Megan, you are a great example of a good neighbor, and I thank you for all that you have done, and encourage you to keep up the good work, although I think in April you're going to be a little bit busy. So thank you very much, and now it is time for me to present you this proclamation. I'm very happy to be able to do this. Whereas for over six years, Megan Talley has served as a leader on the Cardinal Valley Park Activity Board and the Cardinal Valley Neighborhood Association, where she served as president. And whereas she has dedicated both her professional work at Nathaniel Mission and her free time to serving the greater Cardinal Valley area, helping with countless activities in the park, including camps, Easter egg hunts, back-to-school rallies, fall festivals, and much, much more. Whereas Megan cares deeply about community safety and has worked with her neighbors to reimagine Cardinal Valley. And whereas Megan does everything with kindness and humility and always looks for solutions to problems to make the Cardinal Valley area a better place to live for everyone. Whereas the City of Lexington thanks Megan for her service and dedication to Lexington, now therefore I Linda Gorton, Mayor of Lexington, do hereby declare March 7, 2024, Megan Talley Day in Lexington. Thank you so much. Congratulations. You know if it's a boy or a girl. It's a boy. Thank you so much. So I'll ask Megan, do you want to say a few words? would you like to or you don't have to okay i am honored i'm very honored um all right to be acknowledged and and i do i i love my community so good that's wonderful council member reynolds thank you mayor this month i wanted to honor a few women since it's um women's history month and tomorrow is international women's day who do a lot in the district but are not always recognized so i've known megan since college and since she's been involved in the cardinal valley area she has done nothing but step up to leadership roles and try to make our community better and i just think that she always serves in a lot of humility i think i've only seen her get upset once or twice in like seven years so that's pretty good and I just want to thank her for her service and I know that as things change in the next few months she'll still find ways to make our community better so thank you so let's get a photo Thank you. Now, I wonder if Susan Spaulding would join me at the podium. Susan is also a resident of the 11th district and for many years she has been a volunteer in the Greater Gardenside Community where she served as the president of the Greater of excuse me of the Gardenside Neighborhood Association. Susan has worked on many initiatives to help better her community. She has brought local fresh produce to the neighborhood by collaborating with the Lexington Farmers Market and has partnered with many organizations to bring diverse events to the 11th District. Susan, your hard work and devotion have made our city a better place to live. Thank you for your service, and now it's my pleasure to present this proclamation. Whereas Susan Spaulding has been a dedicated volunteer in the Greater Garden Side Community, where she served as the President of the Garden Side Neighborhood Association, and whereas she has dedicated a significant amount of time and energy to make the community a better place, with her dedication to the Greater Garden Side Association and her work to bring a diverse assortment of activities and events to the greater Gardenside and Cardinal Valley neighborhoods, and whereas she led efforts to provide Gardenside with fresh local produce by collaborating with the Lexington Farmers Market to bring the market to the area every summer, and whereas Susan's invaluable contributions have set off a ripple effect within the neighborhood organization to continue her amazing work and devotion and whereas the city of lexington thanks susan for her service and her dedication to our city garden side and cardinal valley now therefore i linda gorton mayor of lexington do hereby declare march 7th 2024 susan spalding day in lexington congratulations thank you for your work thank you thank you she chooses not to say anything but thank you so i'll ask council member reynolds if she'd like to speak thank you mayor susan is a very ambitious person and for years back when there was a strip club on alexander drive that was causing a lot of crime she got together with other residents and helped shut it down to make Alexandria Drive a better place for everyone and that formed an organization called the Greater Garden Site Association. She was also president of the Garden Site Association, so two different associations both with the name Garden Site. She was very involved with both and honestly she was the impetus for a lot of changes, a lot of collaboration with local businesses all along the Alexander Drive corridor and I can say that this woman not only cares about her community deeply but is one of the most detail-oriented people I have ever met and I know it is I am in awe of how just on top of things you always are and you're always thinking ahead and trying to figure out what the best next thing is and I really admire you and thank you for your service to the area Do you want to leave? Do you want to leave? No? Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. Now it's time for a second reading of ordinances. Ordinance number one, an ordinance cementing section 2-96 of the Lexington Fayette Urban County Code of Ordinances to rename the Metropolitan Environmental Improvement Commission of the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government to the Environmental Commission of the Lexington Bay County consistent with current practice amending section 2-97 of the code of ordinance to reduce the consistent the number of members of 20 to 25 and adding a council members and non-voting ex officio member and amending section 2-99 of the code of ordinances to add an information officer as an officer of the Commission and setting officers terms at two years effective upon patches of council number two an ordinance many article 4-8 it's a land subdivision regulations of Lexington Bay urban county government updating surety requirements for the completion of a public improvements as follows amending section 4-8 it to expressly incorporate the requirements of LFUCG engineering manuals for the completion of public improvements, amending section 4-8A to provide for pre-engineering manuals for the completion of public improvements, amending section 4-8A to provide for pre-final inspection for public improvements for purposes of calculating surety, amending sections 4-8B and 4-8C to update requirements for reductions of surety, and amending section 4-8D to update requirements for renewal of the surety. Number three, an ordinance amending certain of the budgets as electing to favor every county government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriating reappropriating funds fiscal year 2024 schedule number 36 and number four an ordinance amending the authorized strength by abolishing two classified positions of solids processing supervisor grade 519 e and creating two classified positions of solids processing supervisor grade 519 and in the division of water quality thereby changing the Fair Labor Standard Act FLSA status of the positions from exempt to non-exempt transferring all incumbents to the non-exempt position and converting the bi-weekly salary of all incumbents in an hourly rate of pay effective the first payroll Monday following passage of counsel thank you thank you very much and now I'll entertain a motion to approve councilmember Ellinger is there a second who councilmember Sevigny thank you and when you're ready if you'll take a roll call vote please vice mayor will council member Fred Brown yes council member James Brown councilmember Ellinger yes ma'am councilmember Baxter councilmember Fogle yes councilmember gray yes councilmember Legree yes councilmember Lynch yes councilmember Menardes councilmember Plowman councilmember Reynolds yes councilmember Sevigny yes councilmember Sheehan yes and council over Worley thank you very much those all pass and going to give our clerk a moment to let me into the meeting please I'm here but I'm not on the electronic no okay there we go thank you very much all right now it's time for first reading of ordinances. Ordinance number five, an ordinance amending the civil strength authorized civil service authorized strength by creating one classified civil service position of public service supervisor grade 517 and in the division of water environmental services effective upon passage of council. Number six, an ordinance amending certain of the budgets of the Lexington Fay Urban County government to reflect current requirements for municipal expenditures and appropriately reappropriating funds fiscal year 2024 schedule number 37. Number seven, an ordinance of Lexington Fay Urban County government authorizing issuance of its various purpose general obligation bonds series 2024 a in one or more sub series in an aggregate principal amount of 38 million sixty thousand dollars which amount may be increased by up to an amount an amount of up to 10 percent or decreased by an unlimited amount improving a form of series 2024 a bonds authorizing and designated officers to execute and deliver the series 2024 a bonds authorizing and directing the filing of notice with the state local debt officer providing for the payment and security of series 2024 a bonds maintaining a sinking fund creating a bond payment fund for the series 2024 a bonds authorizing the acceptance authorizing acceptance of the bids of the bond purchaser of the series 2024 a bonds and repealing inconsistency inconsistent ordinances and number eight an ordinance of Lexington Fay Urban County government authorizing the issuance of Lexington Fay Urban County government various purpose general obligation refunding bonds series 2024 B in one or more sub series in an aggregate principal amount of seven million seven hundred twenty thousand dollars which amount may be increased or decreased by an amount of up to ten percent for the purpose of refunding all of all of the outstanding principal amount of Lexington Fay urban county government general obligation bond fund bonds various purpose general obligation refunding bonds series 2014 a approving a form of bond authorizing designated officers to execute and deliver the bonds providing for the payment and security of the bonds creating a bond payment fund and escrow funds maintaining the hereto for established thinking fund authorizing a certificate of award for the acceptance of the bid of the bond purchaser for the acceptance for the purchase of the series 2024 B bonds and authorizing escrow trust agreement and repealing inconsistent ordinances. Thank you. Thank you very much. Are there any walk-ons, council members? All right, does anyone have a motion to suspend any of the items and given second reading? No? All right, we will move on then to second reading of resolutions. Resolution number one, a resolution accepting the bid of thermal service LLC in the amount of $87,555 for West Hickman Solids Processing Building Hydronic Heating System for the Division of Water Quality and Authors in the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to exceed an agreement with the Thermal Service LLC related to the bid. Number two, a resolution ratifying the permanent classified civil service appointments of Jayla Herring, Customers Count Special Senior, Grade 5, 14 and 20.156 hourly. The Division of LexServe, affected January 24th, 2024. Jesse McKinney, Equipment Operator, Grade 512N, 21.219 hourly. the Division of Streets and Roads effective January 13th, 2024, Katrina James, Administrative Specialist Senior, Grade 5, 18N, 26.561 hourly, the Division of Grants and Special Programs effective February 1st, 2024. Number three, a resolution authorizing the Mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to execute an agreement with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Community-Based Services for participation by authorized staff from the Division of Aging and Disability Services as certified application counselors on the Commonwealth of Kentucky self-service portal at no cost to the Urban County Government. Number four, a resolution authorizing and directing the Mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to execute change order number one to the grant agreement by Ashwood townhouses of laredo inc for a stormwater quality project decreasing the contract by the sum of ninety nine thousand eight hundred sixty dollars and thirty eight cents from ninety nine thousand eight hundred sixty dollars and thirty eight cents to zero dollars number five a resolution authorizing the inducting may be happy to re-hearing government to execute change order number one to the grant agreement with beaver creek hydrology llc for stormwater quality product decreasing the contract by the sum of one hundred twenty seven thousand dollars one hundred twenty seven thousand fifty dollars from one hundred twenty seven thousand fifty dollars to zero dollars number six the resolution authorizing inducting the man you have hearing kind of government to execute a change order number one to the grant agreement with lakeshore village inc for a stormwater quality project decreasing the contract by the sum of two hundred twelve thousand nine hundred thirty two dollars from two hundred twelve thousand nine hundred thirty two dollars to zero dollars and we have a bit of a pause here and council member james brown has a motion thank you mayor i move i move to remove from tonight's docket item number seven under resolutions second reading relating to the authorization of a merger for purposes of a jobs fund agreement with summit biosciences inc so move council member gray seconds are there any questions all right all those in favor please say aye is anyone opposed all right that motion passes thank you very much so we'll go right on to number eight number eight a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of hearing government to exceed the first renewal of a contract with hazen and sewer psc for sanitary sewer remedial measures program management consulting services for the division of water quality at a cost note to exceed nine hundred thousand dollars number nine a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of hearing government to exceed supplemental agreement number one the contuckety transportation cabinet for acceptance of three hundred fifty six thousand dollars in additional federal funds in the conservice transportation program slx for the design phase of the liberty road improvement projects the acceptance which obligates the urban county government to the expenditure of 89 000 as a local match and authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget for these grants number 10 a resolution authorizing and direct the mayor on behalf of the government to exceed an agreement awarded pursuant to rfp number 8-23 with palmer engineering for design engineering services for their wilson downing intersection improvements project for the division of engineering and a cost to exceed 172 172 187 dollars number 11 a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the government to execute an agreement with smart communications holding llc for the installation and operation of an inmate communications system at the division of community corrections at no cost the urban county government. Number 12, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute an agreement awarding a class B infrastructure incentive grant to the University of Kentucky Research Foundation for a stormwater quality project at a cost to exceed $316,126.75. Number 13, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute and submit an application for the encroachment permit to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to allow for the closure of Oliver Lewis Wafer Street Fest at no cost to the urban county government. Number 14, A resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the U.S. Department to exceed a professional services agreement or to pursue into RFP number 2-2024 with Solar Energy Solutions, LLC, for installation of a roof mounted solar photovolactic system at the Division of Parks and Recreations maintenance building at Masters and Station at a cost not to exceed $62,853. Number 15, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the U.S. Department to exceed an engineering services agreement with Strand Associates, Inc. for the design of the Liberty Road Improvements Project at a cost not to exceed $1,244,333. Number 16, a resolution authorizing and directing on behalf of the government to execute and submit a grant application to the US Department of Homeland Security to provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant if awarded which grant funds in the amount of $1 million in federal funds under the 2023 assistance to firefighters grant program to host a paramedic training course as, the acceptance of which obligates the Irving County Government to the expenditure of $100,000 as a local match and authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. Number 17, a resolution authorizing and directing on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute and submit a grant application to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant if awarded, which grant funds in the amount of $500,000 in federal funds in the 2023 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program to add preventative cancer and cardiac screenings to incumbent physicals, the steps of which obligates the Irving County Government to the expenditure of $50,000 as a local match and authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. Number 18, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute and submit a grant application to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security To provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application to accept this grant if awarded, which grant funds in the amount of $500,000 in federal funds under the 2023 Assistance of Firefighters Grant Program to add personal protective equipment, PPE, and replacement of two brush trucks, the acceptance which obligates the urban county government to the expenditure of $50,000 as a local merchant authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. And number 19, a resolution authorizes the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute a purchase of service agreement with Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. for various services related to the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame, including the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame induction ceremonies in 2024 and 2025 at a cost not to exceed $25,000. Thank you. Thank you very much. Is there a motion to approve? I move. Second. Council Member Plumman and then Vice Mayor Wu seconds. When you're ready, if you'll take a roll call vote, please. Vice Mayor Wu? Yes. Councilmember Fred Brown? Yes. Councilmember James Brown? Yes. Councilmember Ellinger? Councilmember Baxter? Yes. Councilmember Fogle? Yes, ma'am. Councilmember Gray? Yes. Councilmember Legree? Yes. Councilmember Lynch? Yes. Councilmember Menares? Yes. Councilmember Plowman? Yes. Councilmember Reynolds? Yes. Councilmember Sevigny? Yes. Councilmember Sheehan? recuse on 12 yes on the rest and council member worley thank you very much those all pass now it's time for first reading of resolutions when you're ready number 20 a resolution authorizing directly on behalf of every county government xco change order number one to the grant agreement with lakes edge Edge Condominium Association Inc. for a stormwater quality incentive grant project, decreasing the contract price by $1,679 from $12,000 to $10,321. Number 21, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the original government to execute a contract with Verdon Company, Essel's provider for repairs to the historic scholars street clock at a cost not to exceed $75,775. Number 22, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the original government to execute change order number one to the grant agreement with Friends of Wolf Run Inc. from a stormwater quality incentive grant project, decreasing the contract by the sum of $5,818.08, from $29,385 to $23,566.92. Number 23, a resolution authorizing and directing the bay on behalf of the government to execute change order number one to the grant agreement with Living Arts and Sciences Center, Inc., for a stormwater quality incentive grant project, decreasing the contract by the sum of $12,454.36, from $30,500 to $18,045.64. Number 24, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute change order number one to the grant agreement with Friends of Wolf Run, Inc. from a stormwater quality incentive grant project, decreasing the contract by the sum of $10,087.97 from $32,184 to $22,096.03. Number 25, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute change order number one to the grant agreement with Bluegrass Green Source, Inc. for a storm water quality incentive grant project, increasing the contract by the sum of $4,640.70 from $35,000 to $30,359.30. Number 26, the resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to exceed a third amendment and extension to the existing health services agreement with CHSTX, Inc., DBA, Yes Care Successor by merger to the rights and obligations of Corizon, LLC, Increasing the contract price by the sum of $281,369.68 from $5,778,306.96 to $6,059,676 in fiscal year 2024. Number 27, a resolution designated the speed limit on Viley Road as 35 miles per hour and authorizing and directing the Division of Traffic Engineering to install proper and appropriate signs and accordance with this designation. Number 28, a resolution designated the speed limit on Crawley Lane as 35 miles per hour and authorizing and directing the Division of Traffic Engineering to install proper and signs in accordance with this designation. Number 29, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County, Lexington, Fay, Irving County government to execute amendment. Number 5, to the tag your agreement with the US Department of Transportation which will modify the budget for the Town Branch Commons project and moves the remaining funds from the option phase to the base phase pending federal approval. Number 30, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County government to execute an agreement and accept a grant award of $300,000 from the Recycling Partnership Inc. for the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works Division of Waste Management in order to purchase recycling equipment for and for outreach activities the acceptance of which does not obligate the urban county government to take expenditure funds and authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds under the grant budget. Number 31, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to exceed an amendment to the agreement with Community Action Council for the Lexington Bay, Bourbon, Harrison and Nicholas Counties Inc. CAC, the final form of which shall be subject to the approval of the Department of Law, allocating an additional $40,000 of federal funds ARPA to the CAC to provide temporary emergency shelter and supportive services to the homeless families caring for minor children and authorizing the mayor to exceed any other needed agreements or amendments with CAC related to these funds. Number 32, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to amend resolution number 158-2021, which established priority areas for the community-based initiatives program operated as a part of the extended social resource ESR program to add additional priority area mental health at no cost to the Irving County Government. Number 33, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute an agreement related to the neighborhood development funds with Christian Benevolent Outreach, Inc., $4,049. Kentucky Refugee Ministries, Inc., $2,000. Intercity Breakthrough Ministries, Inc., $1,000 Hill and Dale Neighborhood Association, Inc., $525. Seize Your Given Opportunities, Inc., $1,100 Fayette County Farm Bureau Education Foundation, Inc., $500 Fayette Alliance, Inc., $1,000 Tates Creek High School PTSA, Inc., $1,000 Veterans Park Elementary PTA, Inc., $4,646.70. And Castle Gate Maintenance Association, Inc., $318 for the Office of the Urban County Council to call to exceed the subs stated. Number 34, a resolution accepting the bid of BE equipment in the amount of $889,456.33 for a new baler for the material recovery facility for the division of water waste management and authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Erbkennig Government to execute an agreement with BE Equipment Inc. related to the bid. Number 35, a resolution accepting the bid of DC Elevator Company in the amount of $256,600 for the Dunbar and Picadome Elevator Repair for the division of Parks and Recreation. Authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Erbkennig Government to execute an agreement with DC Elevator Company related to the bid. Number 36, a resolution accepting the bids of Omni Commercial LLC in the amount of $94,500 for the demolition of the Schlittle Tennis Courts for the Division of Parks and Recreation. And authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute an agreement with Omni Commercial LLC related to the bid. Number 37, a resolution accepting the bid of Hoist and Crane Service Group in the amount of $140,426.16 for the Jib, Crane, and Hoist for the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management. And authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute an agreement with Hoist and Crane Service Group related to the bid. Number 38, a resolution ratifying the primitive classified civil service appointments of William Wood Jenkins Engineering Technician Principal, Grade 519N, 28.322 Hourly in the Division of Engineering, effective March 13, 2024. Terrence Tichner, Skilled Trades Worker, Grade 515N, 21.797 Hourly in the Division of Streets and Roads, effective February 7, 2024. Chrissy Mullins, Staff Assistant Senior, Grade 511N, 18.876 Hourly in the Division of Police, effective February 1, 2024. Emily Fay, Public Information Officer, Grade 518N, 24.2222 hourly in the Division of Emergency Management, effective January 24th, 2024. Claude Lewis, Public Service Worker, Grade 5OAN, 18.739 hourly in the Division of Facilities of Fleet Management, effective February 21st, 2024. Unmantifying the Permanent Classified Civil Service Permanent Sworn Appointments of Scott Edley, Police Sergeant, Grade 515N, 41.300 hourly in the Division of Police, effective January 17th, 2024. Evan Northcutt, Police Sergeant Grade 315, 41.300 hourly in the Division of Police, effective January 17, 2024. Number 39, a resolution authorizing and approving the purchase of 130 West New Circle Road, Suite 170 and 134 West New Circle Road for the operations of the Division of Water Quality and authorizing and directing the mayor to sign any documents deemed necessary and acceptable by the Department of General Services and the Department of Law regarding the purchase at a cost not to exceed $6 million. Number 40, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the government to execute change order number one to the agreement with North Lexington Holdings 2 LLC for the storm water quality incentive grant project, decreasing the contract by the sum of $48,255 from $48,255 to $0. Number 41, a resolution authorizing the Division of Police to purchase maintenance and support for the Farrow 3D crime scene scanner from Farrow Technologies Inc., a sole source provider, and authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with Farrow Technologies Inc. related to the procurement of these services that are costing them to exceed $2,360. Number 42, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to exceed an agreement awarded a Class B education incentive grant to the Fayette County Public Schools for a stormwater quality project that are costing them to exceed $39,900. Number 43, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute an agreement Awarding Class B Infrastructure incentive grant to Parton Lex Acquisitions, LLC for a stormwater quality project at a cost of $186,983.63. Number 44, a resolution of the Lexington Fay Urban County Government authorizing the advertisement for bids and distribution of preliminary official statement for the purchase of the principal amount of its various purpose general obligation bonds, series 2024A, in an aggregate principal amount of $38,060,000, which amount may be increased by an amount of up to 10% or decrease by an unlimited amount and various purpose general obligation of refunding bonds series 2024 B in an aggregate principal amount of $7,720,000, which amount may be increased or decreased by an amount of up to 10%. Number 45, a resolution authorizing and direct to the mayor on behalf of the government to execute a service agreement with Friends of Wolf Run Inc. for services related to the Wolf Run watershed water quality basins and update project for the Division of Environmental Services. And it costs not to exceed $9,600. Number 46, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the American government to execute a test security agreement with Aragon Metrics Inc. For testing applicants applying for community correction sergeant promotional processes at a cost of $5,160. Number 47, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the American government to execute a quick claim deed and any other documents necessary to the transfer of a portion of non-utilized right of way located adjacent to the property at 3541 safest way to the abutting property owners. Number 48, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute agreement with cabinet for health and family services accepting $50,000 in federal funds from the Kentucky opioid response effort in order to support the community paramedicine program. The acceptance of which does not obligate the urban county government to expenditure funds, authorizing the mayor to execute any necessary amendments related to these funds, and also authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget established for this grant. Number 49, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute and submit a grant application to the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet seeking an award of $99,038 in federal funds from the 2022 Project Safe Neighborhood Grant, which shall be used for the purchase of computer hardware and database software to provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application. And to accept this grant if the application is approved and the acceptance of which does not obligate the Irving County Government to the expenditure of funds and authorizing the mayor to transfer unincorrent funds to the grant budget for these grants. Number 50, a resolution authorized by the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute and submit a grant application to Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, Department of Environmental Protection to provide any additional information requested in connection with this grant application and to accept this grant if awarded. which grant funds are in the amount of $110,000 in commonwealth of Kentucky funds for the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works, the Division of Waste Management, to support one-day household hazardous waste recycling event, the acceptance of which obligates the every county government to the expenditure of $27,500 as a local mention, authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. Number 51, a resolution authorized in the mayor to execute an agreement with the final form of which shall be subject to the approval of the Department of Law the Northern Kentucky Legal Aid Society, Inc., DBA Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, at a cost of $200,000, $100,000 in fiscal year 2024 for the provision of housing stabilization services and payment of rental assistance on behalf of eligible families participating in eviction diversion, mediation, and further authorizing the mayor to execute any other needed amendments or agreements related to the use of these funds. Number 52, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute an engineering services agreement in order to pursue it to RFP No. 1-2024 with Tetra Tech, Inc., for the development of the comprehensive climate action plan for the Lexington Fayette County Metropolitan Statistical Area for the Division of Environmental Services at a cost not to exceed $505,000. Number 53, a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement, the final form of which shall be subject to approval of the Department of Law with Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, Inc. at a cost not to exceed $400,000, $150,000 in fiscal year 2024. For the provision of housing stabilization services and payment of rent and security deposit assistance on behalf of the eligible families referred by the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Office of the Fayette County Public Schools, and further authorizing the mayor to execute any other needed amendments or agreements related to the use of these funds. Number 54, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute an agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for the acceptance of $426,648 in state reimbursable funding, FD04, for the Innovation Drive and Georgetown Road Improvement Project, the acceptance of which obligates the Irving County Government to the expenditure of $200,000 funds as a local match, with such local match, subject to the reimbursement by the Commerce Lexington, Inc., and authorizing the mayor to transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget. Number 55, a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the government to execute a memorandum of agreement order pursuant to RFP 4-2024 with Solar Energy Solutions LLC for its participation as installer in the Solarize Lexington program at a cost to exceed $1,088,733.30 for grants awarded pursuant to the Solarize Lexington program. Number 56, a resolution authorizing the Division of Police to purchase Trimble X7 Crime Scene Scanner, T10 Tablet, Control Panel, and Forensic Suite Software from Sealer Geospatial, a sole source provider and authorizing the mayor on behalf of the government to execute any necessary agreement with Sealer Geospatial related to the procurement at a cost of $995. And number 57, a resolution authorizing under the mayor on behalf of the urban county government to execute an agreement related to neighborhood development funds with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., $900. Allegro Dance Project, Inc., $1,800. Lafayette Track and Field Boosters, $1,200. Unity in the Community, $550. Growth Point Development, Inc., $1,350. Community Inspired Lexington, Inc., $1,750. And Kentucky Center for Grieving Children and Families, Inc., $754. For the office of the urban county council at a cost not to exceed the sum stated. Thank you. Thank you very much. Council members are there walk-ons did you have a walk-on did you know walk-ons does anyone have a walk-on all right thank you now suspensions motions to suspend Councilmember Baxter thank you mayor I have to first would be item number 36 like this has been the rules and give second reading for the demolition of the Shiltoe tennis courts are moved vice mayor Wu seconds are Are there questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that passes. Okay, and then for item number 47, I move to suspend the rules and give second reading in order to execute a quick claim deed, so moved. All right, Councilmember Gray seconded. Are there questions? All those in favor please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Legree. Thank you, Mayor. On behalf of the administration, I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to item number 21, which relates to the repair of the historic Sculler Streetcock, so moved. Thank you. Council Member Reynolds seconded. Any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Anything else, Council Member will agree? No. Council Member Fogle. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Mayor. I have five on behalf of the administration. Number five are 23, 31, well I'll just do 23 first. On behalf of the administration, I move to suspend the rules for second reading for number 23, a resolution for the Living Arts and Science Center, so moved. Second. All right, Council Member Ellinger seconds. Are there any questions? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? that motion passes on behalf of the administration number 31 I move to suspend the rules for second reading for us to execute the 40,000 in federal funds over the CAC so moved thank you councilmember Savigny seconds are there questions all those in favor say aye aye anyone opposed all right that motion On behalf of the administration, I move to suspend the rules and have a second reading for number 48 for the agreement with the cabinet and health and family services of the opioid response efforts. So moved. All right, Vice Mayor Wu seconds. Any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. And number 51, on behalf of administration, I move to suspend the rules for the Legal Aid Society and the services. So moved. Second. Council member Reynolds seconds. Are there any questions? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that passes. And it's my pleasure on behalf of the administration, For number 53, I move to suspend the rules and have a second reading for Goodwill Industry and the $400,000 to go for the children of the Fayette County School and the McKinsey-Vento. So moved. Council Member Ellinger seconded. Any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. All right. Anyone opposed? Thank you. Thank you. That motion passes. Thank you. Next is Council Member Worley. Thank you, Mayor. I have three. On behalf of the administration, I move to suspend the rules, give second reading to item number 35, related to elevator repairs at Picadome and Dunbar Community Center. So moved. Council member Legree seconded. Are there questions? All right. All those in favor, say aye. Anyone opposed? That motion passes. Thank you, Mayor. I also move to suspend the rules, give second reading to item number 37, the acceptance of a bid award on behalf of a fleet maintenance project. So move. Thank you. Council Member Savigny seconded. Any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you, Mayor. And lastly, I move to suspend the rules, give second reading to item number 39. This is acquisition of a site for water quality on West New Circle Road. So moved. Aye. Second. I heard three seconds. Council Member Baxter, you might have gotten in there first. Any questions? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Sheehan. Thank you, Mayor. On behalf of the administration, I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to item number 55. This is the memorandum of agreement with solar energy solutions for the Solarize Lexington program. So moved to. Thank you. Council Member Legree seconded. Any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Council Member Sevigny. Thank you, Mayor. I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to number 33 on NDF. So moved. Second. Third. Well, I have to admit I heard Council Member Gray first and loudest. Any questions? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. Thank you. That passed. And I have a second one. I move to suspend the rules and give second reading to item number 57, also NDF. So moved. Second. and that is ntf all right and council member reynolds seconded no who did i hear over there council member focal seconded all right any questions all those in favor say aye anyone opposed all right that motion passes that's it anyone else have a motion to suspend the rules all right let's just double-check I think that we have 21 23 31 33 35 36 37 39 47 48 51 53 55 and 57 is that correct all right when you're ready if you'll give those second reading please. Number 21, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the government to exceed a contract with Verden Company, a socialist provider for repairs to the historic scholars street clock at a cost not to exceed $75,775. Number 23, a resolution authorizing under the mayor on behalf of the government to execute change order number one to the grant agreement with Living Arts and Sciences Center Inc. for a stormwater quality incentive grant project decreasing the contract by the sum of $12,454.36 from $30,500 to $18,045.64. Number 31, a resolution authorizing the Indirecting of the Mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute an amendment to the agreement with Community Action Council for the Lexington, Fayette, Bourbon, Harrison, and Nicholas Counties, Inc., CAC, the final form of which shall be subject to the approval of the Department of Law, allocating an additional $40,000 of federal funds, ARPA, to the CAC to provide temporary emergency shelter and to support services to the homeless families caring for minor children and authorizing the mayor to execute any other needed agreements or amendments with with cac related to these funds number 33 a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the every county government to execute an agreement with related to the neighborhood development funds with christian benevolent outreach inc 4049 kentucky refugee ministries inc two thousand dollars inner city breakthrough ministries inc one thousand dollars hill and dale neighborhood association inc 525 Seize Your Given Opportunities, Inc., $1,100 Fayette County Farm Bureau Education Foundation, Inc., $500 Fayette Alliance, Inc., $1,000 Tates Creek High School PTSA, Inc., $1,000 Veterans Park Elementary PTA, Inc., $4,647.70, and Castle Gate Maintenance Association, Inc., $318 for the Office of the Urban County Council, a cost not to exceed the sub-stated. number 35 a resolution accepting the bit of dc elevator in the amount of 256,600 for the dome bar and picadome elevator repair for the division of parks and recreation and authorizing the mayor on behalf of the government to exceed an agreement related with agreement with dc elevator company related to the bid number 36 a resolution accepting the bid of omni commercial llc in the amount of 94,500 for the demolition of shillito tennis courts for the division of parks and recreation and authorizing the mayor on behalf of the government to exceed an agreement with Omni Commercial LLC related to the bid. Number 37, a resolution accepting the bid of Hoist and Crane Service Group in the amount of $140,426.16 for the Jib, Crane, and Hoist for the Division of Facilities and Fleet Management, authorizing the Mayor on behalf of the American Government, text you in agreement with Hoist and Crane Service Group related to the bid. number 39 a resolution authorizing and approving the purchase of 130 West New Circle Road suite 170 and 134 West New Circle Road for the operations of the division of water quality and authorizing and directing the mayor to sign any documents for deemed necessary and acceptable by the Department of General Services and the Department of Law regarding the purchase at a cost not to exceed six million dollars number 47 a resolution authorizing the mayor and we have the government to execute a quick claim deed and any other documents necessary to transfer a portion of non-utilized right-of-way located adjacent to the property at 3541 safest way to the abutting property owners number 48 a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the government to execute an agreement with the kentucky cabinet for health and family services accepting 50 000 in federal funds from the kentucky opioid response effort in order to support the community paramedicine program the system which obligates does not obligate the european county government to the expenditure of funds and authorizing the mayor to execute any necessary amendments related to these funds and authorizing also authorizing the mayor transfer unencumbered funds within the grant budget established for this grant. Number 51. Oh, number 48, sorry. Nope, number 51. A resolution authorizing the mayor to execute an agreement with the final form of which shall be subject to approval of the Department of Law with the Northern Kentucky Legal Aid Society Inc. DBA Legal Aid of the Bluegrass at a cost not to exceed $200,000, $100,000 in fiscal year 2024 for the provision of housing stabilization services and payment of rental assistance on behalf of eligible families participating in eviction diversion mediation and further authorizing the mayor to exceed any other needed amendments or agreements related to the use of these funds number 53 a resolution authorized in the mayor to execute an agreement with the final form of which shall be subject to the approval of the department of law with the goodwill industries of kentucky inc at a cost to exceed 40 000 400 000 150 000 in fiscal year 2024 for the provision of housing stabilization services and payments of rent and security deposit assistance on behalf of the eligible families referred by the mckinney vento homelessness office of fayette county public schools and further authorizing the mayor to exceed any other needed amendments or agreements related to the use of these funds number 55 a resolution authorizing and directing the mayor on behalf of the government to exceed a memorandum of agreement order pursuant to rfp number 4-2024 with the solar energy solutions llc for its participation as installer in the solarized lexington program at a cost to exceed 1 million 88 733.30 for grants awarded to pursue to the solarize lexington solarize lexington program and number 56 57 a resolution authorizing a deck to the mayor on behalf of the urban county government taxing a really to the neighborhood development funds with alpha kappa alpha sorority inc nine hundred dollars allegro dance project inc one thousand eight hundred dollars lafayette track and field boosters one thousand two hundred dollars unity and community inc 550 and growth point development inc one thousand three hundred fifty dollars community inspired lexington inc $1,750 and the Kentucky Center for Grieving Children and Families Inc. $754 for the office of the Irving County Council at a cost not to exceed the sum stated. Thank you. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? Thank you. Council Member Sheehan, Council Member Plowman seconds and when you're ready if you'll give those take a roll call vote please. Vice Mayor Wu? Yes. Council Member Fred Brown? Yes. councilmember James Brown councilmember Ellinger councilmember Baxter councilmember Fogle yes councilmember gray yes councilmember LeGree yes councilmember Lynch yes councilmember Menard is councilmember Plowman councilmember Reynolds yes councilmember Savigny yes councilmember Sheehan yes and councilmember Worley all right thank you very much those all pass council members I would like a motion to approve communications from the mayor councilmember Fogleman council members the big knee seconds are there any questions all right all those in favor please yeah I send anyone opposed all right that motion passes next I'll entertain a motion to approve our price contracts councilmember gray second council Council member Sheehan, are there questions? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that passes and then council members you have about five pages of for your information only communications. And that brings us to disciplines. There are no disciplines tonight. And that brings us to Council announcements. Vice Mayor Wu. Thank you, Mayor. I would like to deliver a statement on behalf of the majority of the Urban County Council. We the undersigned mourn the lives lost in the horrific conflict in Palestine and Israel. We condemn the targeting, killing, and kidnapping of civilians. We plea for the release and safe return of all civilian hostages. We ask that the government of Israel allow desperately needed humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza. We call for a permanent end to the violence and for lasting peace in the region. Most of all, our hearts go out to the people of Lexington, our friends and neighbors who have lost family, friends, and loved ones in Gaza, in Palestine, in Israel. As a practice, this council, your local legislative body, does not take positions on matters of national and international policy. But we know that a war happening 6,000 miles away has a direct impact on our communities right here at home. We are also keenly aware that we in local government are the most accessible to the people, and we are proud of that fact. Over the past months, members of our Palestinian community have organized, rallied, spoken to and spoken with us. We thank you for sharing your difficult personal and emotional stories. We acknowledge that there are others who are afraid to speak out. We want you to know that we see you and we hear you. We were elected by you to serve you, the residents of Lexington, through impactful legislation and funding of important local programs and services. We remain committed to you, our constituents, to protect and defend you from Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and all forms of discrimination, hate, and violence. We will continue to work in substantive ways to support this community and all communities in need. We encourage everyone to show empathy and compassion in these difficult times and to reach across our differences and help one another through this time of anxiety trauma and grief we call on other leaders elected leaders at all levels of government faith leaders community leaders and student leaders to do your part in supporting the people you represent your communities it will take every single one of us to continue to make lexington a better city for everyone. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next is Councilmember Gray. Thank you, Mayor. I would just like to concur with the statement. I made many statements prior to today. I've had written statements, I have pictures, I have donations. So you, the community, you know where I stand on the matters. You You matter to me, your safety of your family members, and matter to me. And I call for a ceasefire. Excuse me. Excuse me. I need to just, I'm not going to take much of your time and we'll give it back to you, but the council has rules about conduct in here. And they do not allow clapping or booing or yelling or screaming or whatever. You can do this quietly if you support something. Thank you. Council member, are you finished? No, of course not. Okay, please go ahead. So next, I would like to say, Chris, that was that beautiful. So earlier this week, one of our schools in the 6th District, which is Mary Todd Elementary School, was on spotlight. Common Spirit Health, the national healthcare organization St. Joseph is a part of, was at Mary Todd Elementary on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, working on a National Doctors' Day ad campaign. Several Mary Todd Elementary students will be featured in this national-wide ad campaign. Doctors Day is celebrated nationwide, and this year it will be celebrated on March 30th, 2024. And it will focus on students from the north side at Mary Todd, which is awesome. It's a major thing for Fayette County Public Schools, and I'm just so proud of the young people who I had a witness. i was able to witness their statements which was just amazing statements uh... that they were making about uh... that medical profession and there what doctors do in our community one even spelled out set the scope and i was like that's how you spell it and mel kudos to the citizens at mary todd go bulldog bulldogs uh... and last once again in sixth district at one of our great elementary schools liberty elementary elementary students are putting on its production of a laden this friday and saturday night beginning at six p m uh... this is this is a free event that is open to the public it begins at six p m each night come out and support our young people they need to hear know that we support them in all that they did thank you mayor thank you very much council member reynolds thank you mayor I want to remind everyone, I know I've said it several times, but that this Saturday is the grand opening of the new Lexington Public Library on Versailles Road. And it will be from 12 until 5. There will be dancing, music, and all sorts of activities with a press conference around 1230. So I hope that you will come out and join. It is a beautiful space, and I'm super excited about it. But tonight, I just want to thank the council members that signed the statement that we read this evening. And I know that addressing these topics are extremely challenging. I made a personal statement early in December that I still stand by. And I will reiterate it in saying that I care about our Israeli residents and our Palestinian residents. And as a leader that values life, I want to say that I want to see a ceasefire in Gaza. I want to see the lives of all innocent civilians preserved and I want Lexingtonians and their families to have a safe place to live with food, water, and a safe home. Thank you. Thank you very much. Councilmember Fogel. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Vice Mayor, for reading that statement. And thank you council members for supporting that statement. Last month, we did not have a lot of council meetings, but it was celebrated black history. And we have a state representative that is going to introduce a bill that will lengthen black history from February, which is the shortest month to April the fourth when Martin Luther King was assassinated. So the photos that you see on the screen now is some of the black history activities at Winburn. They had a great parent turnout to come and support the students for the black history month. And then as we roll forward, I was also honored to be at Rise Academy, the only female school in Lexington. Sadly that it has been stated that the sixth grade program will cease to exist after next year. So we got a lot of work to do in my other job. But these are some of the little folks that attend RISE Academy. And we are honored because they have chosen our very own mayor for Women's Month to celebrate, and so we look forward to that. So this is RISE Academy. It is definitely in Council Member Lynch's district, but we all share the students that go there. So Council Member Lynch, I am so happy that you are that representative in the second district. So, and they love you. And they wanted me to tell you that, and I wanted to tell you that publicly. I love you, too. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Worley. Thank you, Mayor. So I am one of the council members that did not join the vice mayor's statement tonight. It's not because I either agree nor disagree with some or all of the statements, and I do not criticize nor take issue with any of my colleagues who felt compelled to join the statement or have made statements of their own. But I do believe that it is not the purview of this local government to make statement on the specifics or merits of global conflict or international affairs. Our official comments should be limited to our jurisdictional sphere, the public safety, public health, and public works of the City of Lexington. I am, however, on record speaking generally to the matter within the limits that I believe our government should speak. when I joined the mayor's statement earlier that I continue to endorse, which makes explicitly clear that we will not accept Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, or anti-Arab sentiments in our community. And I stand by that. And we said when violence spills over into our country with attacks on Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities, Lexington says, not here. Moreover, we should treat one another with respect, acknowledge each other's grief, affirm each other's humanity, and pray for compassion and peace. So while I respect all of my colleagues' personal opinions on the matter, and I'll not share mine here, I think as an elected official in Lexington, what I am happy to say is that I commit to do all I can to make sure that to make sure that Lexington is welcome, safe, and prosperous place for all people. And I will continue to pray for peace throughout the world. Thank you. Thank you very much. Are there any other council members who wish to give announcements? All right, thank you. That brings us to public comment. And we have many people signed up and a few who are yielding their time to others. And so the way this will work, if you are yielding your time, I'll call your name and ask you to confirm that you're in the room. And then when you are called to speak, if you'll come to the podium, please, and you'll need to restate your name for the record and state your council district, and then you'll have three minutes or the amount of time you're yielded. So first up is Charles Height, who will be followed by Nimona Oliphant. Charles, are you in the room? Will you take the podium, please, and state your name and your council district, and you'll have three minutes. Welcome. Thank you, Madam Mayor and ladies and gentlemen of the council. I agree with a council person that said this is not the proper forum to deal with foreign affairs. The proper forum for foreign affairs, if you don't like what's going on, address it to your congressperson, your senator, or the president. With all the problems we have in the urban county government, I don't need to list them all here, homelessness, crime, poverty, drugs, I think the Urban County Council has enough on their plate without involving themselves in foreign affairs. That said, I am not in favor of the letter that you read. We did not call for a ceasefire before defeating Chojo in Japan in World War II. We did not call for a ceasefire before defeating Nazi Germany and Hitler. This is not the time for a ceasefire. Evil must be defeated. The only way you're going to have peace in the Middle East is for evil to be defeated and the terrorism be rid of. Thank you. Thank you very much. is Nimona Oliphant followed by Ben Bandy. Welcome. Thanks. Thanks for having me. I'm Nimona from the 10th District. I just want to first say I appreciate the statements that were made tonight. Supports of ceasefires. I would have liked to see it a lot sooner, but I am still happy to see it. I just want to speak a little of my own experience. Never felt the need to share this before, but I am tonight. I'm Jewish. I attended Temple Bethel in Ormond Beach, Florida for a very long time. I was very, very lucky to have a rabbi who was anti-Zionist and who also agreed that these were the things that need to be spoke of in our country because it affects everything. We talk about things not mattering in Lexington, talk about homelessness, problems like that. We send money overseas that could be used here. And so to act like it doesn't affect anything is very not looking at things in a broader scope. I also want to talk a little about specifically addressing more the democratic side of things. For the last 10 years I've been seeing Democrats really spout and speak about the dangers of nationalism, the dangers of ethnostates. There is no greater ethnostate than the state of Israel. None. They have different permits for people of different religions. They have different roads for people of different religions. I believe we call that apartheid. And to be honest, it's just arrogant to not even address these things. As someone who's Jewish, I'm very tired of my religion and my faith being used as a weapon against innocent people. You can't have conflict be eradicated when you kill people's entire families. Seventy percent of the 30,000 people killed are women and children. Who in their right mind would forget that happening to them? Ever. The same way that I'll never forget the Holocaust, the same way I'll never forget the Namibian Holocaust, the same way I'll never forget the Holocaust and genocide happening in the Congo currently. These things all are connected. and being suppressed is what leads to conflict. I will never, ever stand for innocent people dying, ever. And just like many people, I want all the hostages to be released. We can't have this, though. We are sending billions of dollars for bombs that are being dropped on children's heads. Not a single person deserves that. No one deserves that. And I just think it's very much time. If you didn't feel like the need to sign on to this tonight, Definitely look at how maybe you reacted to the Ukraine war, see if it was very similar aspects. I think many of you made political statements then. Thank you for your time, and please let there be peace in Palestine. Thank you. Next is Ben Bandy, followed by Leandro Braga. Welcome. Ben Bandy. I am a renter in District 10. Shalom Aleichem, and peace be upon all of you. I'm a religious Jew, and I minored in Jewish Studies on a scholarship at UK Baruch Hashem. Thank you for all of you who have asked for a ceasefire. This is going out to the rest of you. I'm here to ask for an official ceasefire resolution. For months, you have sat and listened to one very small man, a man who parades himself as the false figurehead of my community rather than the constituents behind me who are begging for an end to this violence. This man's public history of racism and Islamophobia tarnishes any argument that he may have with regards to this genocide, and it is honestly offensive that you choose to listen to him over the rest of your constituents, Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian, and the like, who call for a ceasefire resolution. You're too scared of being falsely labeled as anti-Semitic on the condition of calling for a ceasefire, but I am here to tell you there is nothing in my Jewish values that supports the atrocities happening in occupied Palestine. You are in a chokehold by a single man, and you are too scared of him and his false sense of power to do what is right. And I'm here to tell you as an observant and proud Jew, I call for a ceasefire and the liberation of the Palestinian people. This man will also have you convinced that this isn't a Lexington issue, that we have other things we can focus on. So let's face the truth. Our tax dollars as citizens of Lexington, Kentucky, and the United States fund this genocide, a genocide that has killed over 35,400 people and counting, a genocide that has killed and starved countless children and their families if they're fortunate enough to still have their families. These tax dollars come from myself and the constituents behind me whose families are being directly impacted by the violence perpetuated by the state of Israel. You sit and hear stories from these people whose families are being torn from their land who may never see Palestine again. Do you feel anything from these anecdotes? These are tax dollars that could go towards public education, libraries, housing, safety, and transportation, yet people have the audacity to sit and claim that this isn't an issue for us. If not us, then who? If not now, when? And when we get to election season, we will remember who put our tax dollars where, and we will make sure that that memory is put to good use for the rest of Lexington and the Palestinian people. Heed my words as a warning, you will not get our votes if you continue to force us to fund this violence. I believe in tikkun olam, the Jewish principle of healing the world, and we will never heal this world until we see a full cessation of the state-sanctioned violence happening in Palestine. As long as you continue to allow this genocide to happen, you will not see your votes flow in the ballot box. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free and Yeretzei Hashem. Thank you. Thank you very much. In the future, please make your celebrations quiet while people are speaking. That's per council. Thank you. Now, Leandro Braga, followed by, and hang on just one second, sir. followed by Sophia Shalosh. So I'll ask if Katrin Flores is here and you're giving your three minutes to Sophia. Okay. Is Laura Hazelwood here and you're giving your three minutes to Sophia? All right. Thank you very much. All right. Leandro, podium's yours. Welcome. Leandro Braga, 11th District. Most of you know me as Naki. What do I even want to say? I've lived my life from a place of deep sorrow, incredulity really, that like this, this is the best our civilization can achieve. And it brings me no joy to say this, but I'm particularly embarrassed to live in Lexington. Because in my time here, I have watched so-called city leaders applaud the most reprehensible gentrification. I've watched scumbag developers do whatever they want and get away with it, and I have seen an endless stream of meaningless platitudes amounting to nothing from elected officials. But now, recently, for the first time in my life, there is leadership in this city that I feel really inspired by. Leadership that I feel proud to walk behind and leadership that I feel honored to stand beside and that leadership is being provided exclusively by the Lexington for Palestine group over and over again they have brought us the most precious of gifts which is the opportunity to safeguard the integrity of our souls and so I'm getting up here tonight just to say that my heart swells with pride just to know these people. That I am full of gratitude to be on the planet at the same time as they are. Because what could possibly be the point of this life if we don't stand up in this moment? How meaningless will be anything else that we achieve ever? And so I just want to say to the members of Lexington for Palestine, to the members of our Palestinian community, to the members of our extended Palestinian community, that I love you. I love you, and I will follow you through the gates of hell, although I know damn well that you are not the ones dragging us there. Thank you. Next is Sophia Shalash, and you'll have nine minutes. And following Sophia will be Alyssa Rigney, and is Musa Saman here? Yes. Where are you? All right, are you yielding your time to Alyssa? All right, thank you. All right, welcome Sophia. My name is Sophia Shalash. I'm from District 4. I can't stop thinking about Aronia, a woman whose twin babies were born in October and killed last week. She had them after trying to conceive for 10 years, after three rounds of IVF, and they were killed in an Israeli airstrike on her home in a safe zone along with her sister, nephew, a pregnant cousin, and more than a dozen other family members. She had woken up at around 10 p.m. to breastfeed Naim, the boy, and went back to sleep with him in one arm and with Sam the girl in the other. Her husband was sleeping beside them. The explosion came an hour and a half later. The house collapsed. I screamed for my children and my husband. Their father took them and left me behind. I didn't get enough of them, she said about her twins. I swear I didn't get enough of them. To reiterate, Rania and her family were sheltering in an area that Israel told them was safe, and they bombed the house anyway. This is just one story I'll never forget. I don't have time in my nine minutes to tell you about Hela, the grandmother killed by a sniper while holding the hand of her white flag-waving grandson, or Khaled, the two-year-old, the age of my daughter, poisoned to death from the animal feed he was forced to eat. due to a man-made famine imposed by Israel while aid trucks waited just miles away. Or the boy carrying his brother's body parts in his school bag. Or the mother pleading to take a last look at her child and was told, he's torn to pieces, there's nothing left to see. Or to describe the earth-shattering screams of the mothers as they use their hands to dig through rubble looking for their children. The screams that I feel in every cell of my body. That every mother should feel. Tell me something. How should those glimpses in Tereza make me feel? Is rage not appropriate? Am I supposed to remain poised and eloquent when I speak about them? it's nearly impossible and that expectation is dehumanizing. More than 150 days of people justifying the massacre of my family. Tell me, what am I supposed to feel? Is rage not appropriate? Coming to city council meeting after city council meeting asking for a ceasefire resolution and after months receiving a statement. I appreciate the statement, I do, but we can do more. What does it say that you care more about how we deliver our message and on what tone than the genocide that is occurring with all of our tax dollars? That the second someone understandably raised their voice in anger after listening to hateful rhetoric the last time we were here, that within seconds they were escorted out of this room. Do you want peace or do you want compliance? Call me angry, call me what you want, but as I speak to you my people are being killed. That makes me angry. Author Cole Arthur Riley says, the delusion of the oppressor is to expect a person to ask nicely for the knife to be removed from their chest. The demand for civility and the immediacy of violence is a technique of distraction, not care. To not feel rage is to not think of Palestinians as human. To not feel rage is to remove your culpability from these atrocities. To say a ceasefire resolution is not in the purview of counsel is to have no imagination. Lexington tax dollars are killing the family members of Lexington residents. How much more local can it get than that? If the only outcome of a resolution is to inspire hope, to keep people fighting for a better world, then shouldn't that be enough? Does that make me naive? Maybe so. But I would rather be trying than doing nothing at all. I never expected that calling for an end to a sky raining bombs on families would be considered divisive, divisive, divisive, anti-Semitic. Those are the words that we keep hearing. A sky raining bombs on families. I know we can go farther than a statement. We want to join the more than 70 cities passing a ceasefire resolution to pass a message to the leaders that can make a change that no more. I have rage, but I also have hope. because people keep showing up. Because the people of Gaza have not given up for over 75 years. And hope is something you can never take away from them or from us. To those of you who keep showing up, who keep fighting, I want to share some words from Bilal and Gaza with you. He wrote them after more than 140 days into this genocide, after experiencing more loss than any of us can imagine. Where do you look for hope? And when do you stop waiting for it? I don't know. But we will keep looking up. Everywhere we go and every time we breathe, and as long as we can hold our necks high, in the darkest days, even in the darkest nights, because we make hope, we don't look for it. In a land where the living is dead and the dead are forever living in the hearts of their loved ones. And so for everyone who's showing up, keep fighting. Keep talking about Palestine. If you feel rage, it just means that you are human. It means that you have a deep love for others and a deep love for justice. Use that rage and let it fuel your actions and keep making hope. Thank you. Next up is Alyssa Rigney and we confirm that you'll have six minutes. Welcome. We want to be sure you get your full time. Cool. Okay. Hello. My name is Alyssa Rigney and I'm from district, I'm a constituent of district 11. I don't think our timer is working yet. Okay. My name is Alyssa Rigney and I'm a constituent of District 11. Is Aaron Bush known? Yes, go ahead. I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force. And I will no longer be complicit in genocide. I'm about to engage in an extreme act of protest. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers is not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal. If you have not seen that video, last week a young man by the name of Aaron Bushnell, glory to him, decided that he refused to be complicit in genocide. And in the most extreme act of protest, he went to the Israel Embassy in D.C. and he partook in immolation. Immolation is considered to be the most extreme form of protest that one can do, and it involves lighting yourself on fire, and in most cases, burning to death. Aaron was an active duty member of the US Air Force and a beloved member of his community. And I want to emphasize that he did this protest in sound mind. What I am trying to figure out today for those of you who have not explicitly called for a ceasefire is who it needs to be and what measures they need to take for you all to do something. It seems very clear that five months to the day later, the over 30,000 martyrs in Gaza are not enough. Being urged by the Palestinian community in Lexington is not enough. The Muslim community in Lexington is not enough. The Arab community in Lexington is not enough. It seems very clear that the allies in Lexington, who are none of those things, is not enough. Do you all support our troops? Is Aaron Bushnell one of our troops enough for you? Hearing him, was that enough for you? And that wasn't the whole video. He screamed, free Palestine, while he burned to death because he did not want to be complicit in genocide. Does it open your heart? Do you feel your humanity coming back now? Or does it need to be a military member from Kentucky? Does it need to be someone closer to you? I'm genuinely curious because does it need to be your spouse telling you this isn't okay? Or your child? Maybe your niece or nephew? Does it need to be your best friend? Who does it need to be? How close must this genocide reach until you feel like you are personally affected? What do we need to do to get you to care? Do I need to go stand outside this building and set myself on fire for you to care, for you to listen to my Palestinian friends, your constituents? What do we need to do? Here is the point in which your humanity decides to make an appearance because it is not showing now. Thank you. Next is Katherine Larson. Thank you for those of you who are quietly expressing your opinion. Katherine Larson and following Katherine is Ansel Reuven. Welcome. Hi. Thank you. My name is Katherine Larson and I live in District 10. I'm not sure how many of you all were raised to be pro-Israel, but I would be curious to know. I have lived in Kentucky now for almost 11 years, but I grew up in rural North Dakota. I was not raised to be pro-Israel, nor against, but I also was not taught what Zionism is. And I'm 37 years old, so that's pretty embarrassing for me to admit. I asked my mom about this because I was just wondering if I had missed something, but she says that our family never talked about it and that she's actually never heard anyone talk about it in North Dakota ever. Learning about the Zionist Project in the last year has been mind-blowing for me to say the least. As a mental health professional, I can't help but think about all of this from a psychological perspective. who understands psychology knows that this did not begin on October 7th. You cannot oppress, mistreat, and abuse a population of people for 75 years and not expect resistance. If they've got any self-respect, they will resist. As a therapist, I understand that the only way to healing and liberation for someone trapped in an abusive relationship is to resist, to do whatever they can to change the situation, which is to treat themselves with dignity and respect because abuse is not deserved, ever. Occupation is not deserved. Forced displacement is not deserved. What is the alternative to resisting except self-denial and the dehumanization of the self by accepting ongoing abuse? Palestine is not the primary perpetrator of abuse in the relationship between Israel and Palestine. How can we call out the terrorism of Hamas if we are not calling out the tenfold terrorism of the Israeli occupation forces. Have you all not seen the absolutely vile, evil videos that Israeli soldiers have uploaded of themselves? Anyway, so I genuinely think it's safe to say that we all know this did not begin on October 7th. 750,000 Palestinians were kicked out of their homes and off their land 75 years ago. How could that have happened? Do you all care that that happened? I'm sure you all are really nice people here, but I'm really not understanding how you're still not doing anything to take an official position in support of a ceasefire. My understanding is that a ceasefire resolution is finally moving to Metro Council in Louisville. Is it that you all are still genuinely questioning whether or not what we are witnessing is a genocide? Because even if you only consume mainstream media propaganda, people here have shown you, so you can't say that you haven't seen. I've heard someone here who has spoken recently and said Israel doesn't care what you all think and you won't be able to stop them, so why try? He said no offense to you all and then followed with his offensive statement directed at you all. And so I hope that doing the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing is enough. Thank you very much. Next is Ansel Reuven followed by Shakira Syed. Ansel, are you here? Do we have folks outside who are waiting? Oh, are you? Okay, you're here. All right, welcome. And then next will be Shakira Syed. Welcome. My name is Ansel Reuven, District 3, and I'm also a board member of the Kentucky Jewish Council. I've sit here for the last hour as speakers discuss the horrors of war, which we've now seen in Gaza as a direct result of the actions of Hamas on October 7th. That Air Force kid, he doesn't speak for us. I'm a Marine. I'm a combat vet. And I'm angry. That kid does not speak for us. What was left out of the remarks today was the cause of this way the evils of October 7th perpetrated by Hamas, a terrorist group. Hamas has launched attacks on Israel for various reasons including its beliefs in armed resistance against Israeli occupation, its rejection of Israel's rights, and its desire to assert control over Palestinian territories. These attacks are part of Hamas's broader political and ideological goals. Hamas has called for the death of all Jews and are at war with not only Israel, but America, American values and principles that this country was founded on. They invaded Israel on October 7th, murdered, raped and kidnapped as many people as they possibly could. Hamas took 240 hostages, half of whom have since been ransomed, rescued or brutally murdered. There's still over 100 hostages that remain in Palestinian captivity, including Americans, elders, women, and babies. In the weeks after the attempted genocide of October 7th, Hamas leaders made clear they would repeat these attacks again if they could. The current war has two goals for Israel. To return all hostages and the disarmament and complete neutralization of Hamas, so they cannot carry these attacks out again. They return all the hostages and any resolution that does not call for these two terms met unconditionally is merely performative. Such a resolution will only have one effect, encouraging and increasing anti-Semitism here in Kentucky. Since October 7th, we have seen the repeated pro-Hamas protests calling for violence against Jews, targeting a Jewish people, threats against members of the Jewish community, vandalism of Jewish materials. The sad part is this is spoiled, this is spilled over into our woke educational systems as we have seen with Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, and UPenn. There are students that are afraid to walk out of their dorm rooms every day for fear of being attacked. This issue is also personal. Three years ago I was ran over when some driver was yelling anti-semitic slurs during a menorah lighting at the Jewish Student Center. He crushed, shattered half of my body. Took me three years and several thousand dollars in rehab to get better. As long as you continue to reject peace, from the river to the sea, Palestine will never be. Thank you. Now I'm going to remind all of you who are sitting here everyone has the same right to speak so I please ask you to listen quietly and give everyone respect just like you've been given respect that's the council rules are you Shakira are you Shakira so is Shakira here come up Shakira Syed is next, followed by Alaa Hassan. Welcome, and we'll respect every single speaker. Thank you. Good evening. Thank you. My name is Shakira Syed, I'm from the 5th District. Before I begin with what I have here in my notes, I wanted to, well, let me just preface by saying that in my notes, I was going to ask the council, who of you would be the first, who of you would be the bravest here to step forward first? And Councilwoman Gray, that's you. And I'm honored to be here, to have been here, to witness this, to hear you say and call for a ceasefire. I wish it would have been my district leader, but it wasn't, and it was you. and I'm proud, very, very proud. Thank you very much. Vice Mayor Dan Wu, thank you for your statement. However, it falls very short. It is a very easy way to just brush off the issue here. and I think your name is Worley, Preston Worley. You said that there is, I don't remember your words exactly, but something to the effect of that there is no place here in Lexington for this issue to be brought up. and I disagree with you. Yesterday, somebody else mentioned that Louisville passed a resolution for calling for a ceasefire. And in his speech, and I unfortunately do not know his name, I'll wait for the mayor's attention and for Worley's attention. Thank you. He said, Louisville is not in Gaza, but Gaza is in Louisville. And it is the same here in Lexington. Lexington is not in Gaza, but look before you. Gaza is here. Now, to the actual notes that I have here. Thank you. You have 38 seconds left. children are starving and we need humanitarian aid to be allowed in Israel is not allowing it which of you will be next brave enough to call for a ceasefire thank you thank you very much next is Allah Hassan and then I would like to confirm that Hafsa Arshad is in the room. Where are you? Have you yielded your time to Janine? All right, thank you. Janine will be next. Welcome. As-salamu alaykum. May peace be upon you all. My name is Alaa Hassan, and I'm in District 12. These last two weeks have been very, very tiring. It's not to say anything of the last five months, but these last two weeks especially, I wake up every day and I don't want to wake up. I'm so tired and exhausted of looking at my family being subjected to genocide that I don't want to wake up because I don't want to have to look at my phone, but I look at it because I have to bear witness, like I've said before. These last two weeks specifically with Aaron Bushnell, with the Flower Massacre, and if you don't know what that is, please look it up. With the man that was ran over by a tank with his hands zip-tied behind his back. With the little boy, 10 years old, Yezen. He died this morning. He was killed this morning. 10 years old and he died at 11 pounds because of the forced starvation and famine that has been inflicted upon the Palestinians in Gaza. I want you to think about it 11 pounds at 10 years old so I know a lot of you council members know me personally or have met with me personally and I invite conversation with all of you guys, especially the people that I have yet to meet with. I appreciate the statement that has been released and I know we have a long way to go. This statement does not let you all off the hook. It is a stepping stone. And I hope you all view it this way and you don't sit back and say, I've done my part, I'm done, because this is far from over. until a ceasefire is called we still have work to do and I'm willing to work with you all so I invite conversation I invite dialogue I want to speak with you all so that you guys can get my perspective and so I can understand where you all are coming from I've spoken to several council members and one thing that has been told to me is that we are talking about it and we haven't released a statement yet, but that doesn't mean we don't care. But to us, we don't see that you care because we can't, if you guys don't let us know that you care in the form of a statement or a resolution, we can't know. So that's why we ask and we are persistent in speaking with you all. we invite you all to come to educational events we invite you all to speak to us and to ask us questions we are not helpless sometimes we just feel helpless and this is a stepping stone to overcoming the bridge of helplessness thank you so much next up is Jenin Enakoa and you'll have six minutes to speak welcome My name is Janine Anakoa, I am from the 7th district. I'm here to discuss an incident that occurred on February 27th, last Tuesday, on UK's campus. Hayworth a prominent Zionist speaker was invited by Turning Point USA to speak to students about Israel. Me and other students decided to join the discussion which was a public event on a very public campus. We exercised our American right to freedom of speech and hope to discuss with students why an event such as that one is entirely Zionist propaganda. A colleague of mine told students that our tax money is exactly what is funding this genocide and this military warfare used against innocent Palestinians, which a very prominent religious leader who may be in the room with us allegedly responded, thank you for your contribution. He was also heard saying invade Rafa, invade Rafa after the event. As we began to speak out, we were systematically targeted and removed from the auditorium for daring to speak out against the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. Doors were locked and police were placed to barricade the entrances. Those who looked Arab, Palestinian, Muslim, or even who stood with us were not allowed into the event, even those who came later that were not part of the initial discussion. We were profiled and our rights were violated. UK campus police threatened to arrest us while protecting those drowning the sound of genocide. Your inability to act and to simply utter the words immediate and permanent ceasefire is exactly what allows groups and individuals like UK and Turning Point USA to openly discriminate against us. Your beloved esteemed university that prides itself on diversity and inclusion allowed such discrimination and took advantage of the youth to spread more hate. This issue is not far away. It is right here in Lexington. We as students do not feel safe and protected by our own university's police force that we fund. And while we students will be in student debt for the rest of our lives, we are funding their free education. We are not naive. We know that passing a ceasefire resolution in our city is not going to stop this alone. But it is part of a bigger fight so that we can join other U.S. cities that stand against genocide. So that the day that Palestine is free, we can say that we took action. Opposing a ceasefire resolution is complying with violence from both sides. I really hope that everything we have spoken today and for the past five months and will continue to speak until a ceasefire resolution is passed has not fallen onto deaf ears. Because believe it or not, this does affect you. It affects every single one of you because it affects us. Your stance will be recorded in history. I can promise you that. Thank you. Thank you very much. Now is Hannah Issa here? And are you giving your time to Jenna? OK. So Jenna Shalash, you will have six minutes. Welcome. Hang on one second. We want to get your time up to six minutes. Dear Philistine, With a heavy heart, tears I've swallowed. Witnessing your pain, my spirit hollowed. Children, mothers, fathers taken away. Streets of laughter now in disarray. Homes, schools, hospitals, a haunting sight. Skeletons remain shrouded in the night. Guilt within me, blessed beyond compare, grateful to God for each breath of air. Once taken for granted, my blessings untold. Now I see as your story unfolds. Every day I share your history, shouting loud for the world to see. A ceaseless hope for a peaceful morn to return to days before you are torn. Weary of pleading the truth to unveil, illegal acts we must boldly assail. Until my next words, three promises I make. Thanking God for every step I take. Telling your story no matter the pain, holding on to hope in sunshine or rain. They tried to bury us, but seeds we remain. With my Palestinian kin, we break the chain, persisting in the fight for you, a proud Palestinian through and through. My name is Jenna Shalash, and I want to share my perspective as the daughter of Suleiman and Helwa Shalash. My father hails from Shukba, Palestine, while my mother was raised in Lexington, Kentucky. Unlike my mother, who can freely enter our country, I find myself unable to do so. In 2018, I had the opportunity to visit Palestine for the first time. It was a momentous occasion where I not only met my cousins and aunts, but also gained Palestinian citizenship. This citizenship grants me certain privileges such as the ability to own land, work, and enjoy the minimal rights bestowed upon Palestinians. However, it is disheartening that as a Palestinian citizen I cannot enter my own homeland. Lexington may not be in Palestine, but Palestine is in Lexington. While you may be shielded from the distressing images of murdered children, grieving mothers, and brutalized fathers, we as Lexington Palestinians are constantly advocating for the voices in Palestine, all while striving to find a voice for ourselves. I recently received the Charles and Susan Shear Scholarship at Transylvania University, an honor that was quickly tarnished. A Facebook post from Transy's Media and Communication Department highlighted my activism, leading to a comment labeling me as a terrorist supporter. This incident, though minor, exemplifies the challenges faced by Palestinians in Lexington. Despite my three years of hard work, a 4.0 GPA, leadership roles, and multiple jobs, I was reduced to my ethnicity. This is just a small glimpse into the broader impact on Palestinians in Lexington. I am fortunate to have lost only two family members, whereas my best friend from Muqaza has lost over 60. The recent loss of 15-year-old Khalil Shalash and 17-year-old Kais Shalash near the entrance to Shukba is a stark reminder of the harsh realities faced by my people. It might seem that your actions or words have no bearing on Palestine, but they resonate deeply with Palestinians in Lexington. While we appreciate being heard, we ask, why stop there? Can't we be heard and have the same right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that is so fundamental to American history? You with your capabilities and influence have the power to call for a ceasefire and make history. The lives of Lexington residents depend on it. And before I step away from the podium, I want to give a quick shout out to Ms. Reynolds for leading the path as a trailblazer and asking for a ceasefire, and for Ms. Gray for following in her footsteps. And I hope you all will take note of these strong women's desire for humanity and call for a ceasefire yourself. Thank you. Thank you. Next is Rabbi Litvin. Are you in the room, Rabbi? Welcome. I just thought when it says 3. Just let us get the time right. Okay, there you go. Welcome. Good evening. My name is Rabbi Litvin, District 3. I'm an emissary at the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachemid El-Snierson, the foremost Jewish leader of the modern era. I also serve as rabbi at Chabad of the Bluegrass, the local branch of Chabad Lubavitch, the largest Jewish organization in the world. I serve as rabbi at the Chabad Jewish Student Center at the University of Kentucky, and as chairman of the Kentucky Jewish Council, and I'm the senior or longest-serving rabbi in Lexington right now. Two weeks ago, I stood here, and I condemned the effort by pro-Hamas protesters to demand this council issue a ceasefire, resolution in Israel's war against the genocidal Hamas terrorist group that began following the atrocities of October 7th. I made two points that night. The first is that this body does not have the power to make a ceasefire happen in that war. Any effort would be purely performative. The second is that a ceasefire resolution would be superfluous because a ceasefire has already been offered. Since before this conflict started, in the days after October 7th, Israel offered a ceasefire with two simple and moral requests, the return of the hostages who were kidnapped, including eight Americans and a nine-month-old baby, and a return to the dead bodies of the people who were kidnapped after their death, and the surrender of the Hamas terrorist group who carried out the atrocities of October 7th. When I finished speaking amid outbursts, the Lexington Police Department felt the need to keep me away from the mob that had gathered for violence against my person. In the hall, the same voices that had just demanded peace were yelling slogans of war, including victory for Gaza. Those same hateful voices first emerged on October 8th, hours after the slaughter, rape, and murder at the Nova Festival. The kidnapping of 240 people as naked women were being paraded through the streets of Gaza and as Israel tried to identify the bodies of peoples in cities all across the border. They gathered together yelling slogans for violence against Jews in their homeland, against Jews here in Lexington, and the genocide of Jews just up the block as they did this past Saturday. The idea that there's a genocide happening in Gaza today is nothing more than an anti-Semitic blood libel. There is a war, and war is terrible. I wish this war wasn't happening. I wish that Hamas didn't start this war on October 7th. Today's statement, which lacked the courage to even name Hamas or the events of October 7th, is a shameful abdication to the mob, and it won't work. It is shameful that the statement was made without any effort to include a single voice from the Jewish community. As students at UK and local high schools are attacked for being Jewish, this council has turned a blind eye. I pray for peace in the Holy Land. it'll happen as soon as Hamas chooses peace rather than terror. God bless and protect the heroes of the IDF. Am Yisrael Chai. Bring the hostages home now. Thank you very much. That concludes our public comments, so I will ask for a motion to adjourn. All those in favor say aye. Thank you. We are adjourned. Thank you all for coming. Thank you.