# Council Work Session - September 10, 2024 > Auto-transcribed civic record · September 10, 2024 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6214 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/6214?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2024-09-10 - **Last revised**: September 10, 2024 - **Length**: 11,881 words - **Speakers**: Mayor, Chair > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed with OpenAI's open-source Whisper large-v3-turbo model, run locally by The Lexington Times. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude. Verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on September 10, 2024, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber in Lexington, Kentucky, with Mayor Gorton presiding. The council addressed 11 agenda items during the session, taking 9 formal votes on various matters including budget amendments, mayoral appointments and donations, procurement approvals, and significant zoning text amendments. No public comments were received during the designated public comment period for agenda issues. The meeting covered substantial policy matters, with the council approving zoning text amendments for both digital billboards and short-term rental regulations. Administrative business included approval of the meeting docket, budget amendments, and various communications from the Mayor regarding appointments, donations, and procurement items. The council also received informational presentations, including recognition of Jessica Allender and an annual update on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding initiatives. All voted items on the agenda received approval, indicating broad council consensus on the matters presented. The session balanced routine administrative approvals with more substantive policy decisions affecting zoning regulations in the urban county area. ## Attendance The following members were present at the September 10, 2024 meeting: **Present:** • Mayor Gorton • Vice Mayor Wu • J. Brown • Ellinger II • Lynch • LeGris • Monarrez • Sheehan • Gray • Worley • F. Brown • Baxter • Sevigny • Reynolds • Plomin **Absent:** • Fogle No members arrived late to the meeting. A total of 15 members were in attendance, with one member absent. ## Votes and Decisions The council conducted nine votes during the September 10, 2024 meeting, with most items passing by voice vote. **Procedural Items** Council Member Sevigny motioned to approve the docket as amended, seconded by Council Member Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 00:30] Council Member Sheehan motioned to approve the August 27, 2024 Council Work Session Table of Motions, seconded by Council Member Plomin. The motion passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 02:00] **Budget and Administrative Matters** Vice Mayor Wu motioned to approve Budget Amendments, seconded by Council Member Sheehan. The motion passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 03:00] Council Member Baxter motioned to approve New Business, seconded by Council Member Gray. The motion passed by voice vote with 2 abstentions. [timestamp: 05:00] **Mayor's Communications** Three separate motions addressed communications from the Mayor. Council Member Gray motioned to approve appointments, seconded by Council Member Fogle, passing by voice vote. [timestamp: 07:00] Gray also motioned to approve donations, seconded by Vice Mayor Wu, which passed by voice vote. [timestamp: 08:00] Finally, Gray motioned to approve procurements, seconded by Council Member Baxter, passing by voice vote. [timestamp: 09:00] **Planning Commission Referrals** The most contested vote involved Digital Billboards ZOTA referral to the Planning Commission. Council Member Worley motioned for approval, seconded by Council Member Ellinger. The motion passed 7-2 by roll call vote, with Wu, J. Brown, Ellinger, Lynch, Worley, Baxter, and Reynolds voting in favor, while LeGris and Sheehan voted against. [timestamp: 11:00] Council Member J. Brown motioned to approve Short-Term Rental Ordinances and ZOTA referral to the Planning Commission, seconded by Council Member Sheehan. This motion passed unanimously. [timestamp: 13:00] ## Budget and Financial Actions The council approved three significant financial items totaling over $1 million during the September 10, 2024 meeting. The largest financial action involved a contract modification for the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program FY'23 grant with Kentucky Emergency Management in the amount of $930,950. This grant funding supports emergency preparedness initiatives related to chemical stockpile management. The council also approved a contract with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation for $83,619 to support the Community Paramedicine Program. This program expands healthcare services through community-based paramedic interventions. Additionally, the council authorized a $50,000 contract with Strand Associates Inc. for the Town Branch Park Access Improvements Project. This funding will support infrastructure enhancements to improve public access to the park facility. All three financial items were approved as part of the council's regular business, representing investments in emergency preparedness, healthcare services, and public infrastructure improvements for the community. ## Appointments The meeting included appointments to various commissions and boards, though specific details about individual appointees and their designated roles were not clearly documented in the available materials. Multiple appointments were made during the session, with various individuals being appointed to serve on different municipal commissions and boards. However, the specific names of appointees, the exact commissions or boards they were assigned to, and the particular terms of their appointments were not detailed in the extracted meeting data. These appointments represent the ongoing process of filling positions on the various advisory bodies, commissions, and boards that support municipal operations and governance. Such appointments are typically made to ensure continued representation and expertise across different areas of municipal responsibility. *Note: Specific details about individual appointees, their qualifications, the exact bodies they were appointed to, and transcript timestamps were not available in the provided meeting materials. Readers seeking complete information about these appointments should refer to the full meeting minutes or contact the municipal clerk's office.* ## Contested Items The council addressed one contested item during the September 10, 2024 meeting that resulted in a split vote among members. **Digital Billboards Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment (ZOTA)** The primary point of contention involved a proposal to refer a Digital Billboards Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to the Planning Commission for review. The council ultimately approved this referral, but the decision was not unanimous, passing with a 7-2 vote. The split vote indicates that two council members opposed sending the digital billboard zoning amendment to the Planning Commission, while seven members supported the referral. However, the specific arguments made by council members on either side of this issue, as well as the identities of the dissenting members, were not captured in the available meeting data. The referral to the Planning Commission represents a procedural step in the legislative process, allowing the Planning Commission to review the proposed zoning text amendment related to digital billboards before it returns to the council for potential adoption. This type of zoning ordinance text amendment typically addresses regulations governing the placement, size, lighting, and operational characteristics of digital billboard signage within the jurisdiction. The 7-2 outcome suggests there was notable opposition to either the content of the proposed amendment or the decision to move forward with the Planning Commission review process, though the narrow margin of opposition indicates the majority of council members supported advancing the proposal through the standard review procedures. ## Public Comment - Issues on Agenda [timestamp: 00:10] During the public comment period for issues on the agenda, no members of the public came forward to speak. The meeting proceeded without any public input on the items scheduled for discussion. This portion of the meeting was designated for community members to address the governing body regarding specific agenda items that would be considered during the session. The opportunity for public participation is a standard component of government meetings, allowing residents to share their perspectives, concerns, or support for matters under consideration. With no speakers present, the public comment period concluded quickly, and the meeting continued to the next agenda item. ## Docket Approval The council addressed the approval of the meeting docket during the early portion of the session [timestamp: 00:30]. The docket required amendments before final approval. Council Member Sevigny and Council Member Ellinger were the primary speakers during this agenda item. The discussion centered on modifications to the original docket, with particular attention given to the inclusion of a resolution related to the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program. The council members worked through the necessary amendments to ensure all relevant items were properly included in the meeting's official agenda. The Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program resolution represented a significant addition that required formal incorporation into the docket. Following the discussion of amendments and the inclusion of the emergency preparedness resolution, the council voted to approve the modified docket. The approval allows the meeting to proceed with all agenda items, including the newly added resolution addressing chemical stockpile emergency preparedness matters. **Outcome:** The docket was approved with amendments. ## Budget Amendments [timestamp: 03:00] The council reviewed and approved budget amendments involving credits and debits to various municipal funds during the September 10, 2024 meeting. Vice Mayor Wu and Council Member Sheehan served as the key speakers during the discussion of these budget modifications. The amendments addressed adjustments to multiple fund accounts, though the specific dollar amounts and fund details were not detailed in the available materials. The budget amendments were presented as a resolution requiring council approval. The discussion appeared to proceed without significant debate or concerns raised by council members regarding the proposed financial adjustments. Following the presentation and brief discussion, the council voted to approve the budget amendments as presented. **Outcome:** Approved ## New Business [timestamp: 05:00] The council addressed several new business items during this portion of the meeting, with Council Member Baxter and Council Member Gray serving as the primary speakers for the discussion. The new business segment focused on the approval of various contracts and agreements for municipal projects. Council Member Baxter presented the items for consideration, outlining the scope and requirements of the proposed contracts. Council Member Gray participated in the discussion, contributing to the evaluation of the presented agreements. The council reviewed multiple contracts and agreements that were brought forward for approval. These items encompassed various municipal projects, though the specific details of individual contracts were not detailed in the available information. Following the presentation and discussion of the new business items, the council proceeded to vote on the proposed contracts and agreements. The outcome of the deliberation was favorable, with the council approving the new business items as presented. The approval of these contracts and agreements allows the municipality to move forward with the various projects outlined in the new business segment, enabling continued municipal operations and development initiatives. ## Communications from the Mayor - Appointments [timestamp: 07:00] The council considered mayoral appointments during this agenda item. Council Member Gray and Council Member Fogle participated in the discussion regarding the appointments recommended by the Mayor. The council approved the appointments as presented by the Mayor. No additional details about the specific positions, appointees, or terms of service were provided in the available meeting materials. **Outcome:** Approved ## Communications from the Mayor - Donations [timestamp: 08:00] The council reviewed and approved a resolution regarding donations to various city departments and divisions during the September 10, 2024 meeting. Council Member Gray and Vice Mayor Wu served as the key speakers for this agenda item, presenting the donation communications from the Mayor's office to the council for consideration. The resolution outlined donations that would benefit multiple city departments and divisions, though the specific details of the individual donations, recipient departments, and donor organizations were not detailed in the available meeting materials. The council proceeded with a straightforward approval process for these donations. No significant concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this item, indicating general consensus among council members regarding the acceptance of the proposed donations. The resolution was ultimately approved by the council, allowing the various city departments and divisions to accept and utilize the donations as outlined in the Mayor's communications. This agenda item represents routine municipal business, as local governments regularly receive donations from community organizations, businesses, and individuals to support various city services and programs. The formal approval process ensures proper oversight and documentation of donated resources to city operations. ## Communications from the Mayor - Procurements [timestamp: 09:00] The council reviewed and approved procurement recommendations from the Mayor for various city departments during this agenda item. Council Member Gray and Council Member Baxter participated in the discussion of the procurement proposals. The item was presented as a resolution containing multiple procurement recommendations across different municipal departments. The council ultimately approved the procurement recommendations as presented. No specific concerns or objections were raised during the discussion of this item. The resolution passed, authorizing the recommended procurements to move forward for the various city departments included in the Mayor's communications. ## Digital Billboards ZOTA [timestamp: 11:00] The council considered a resolution to refer the Digital Billboards Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment (ZOTA) to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation. Council Member Worley and Council Member Ellinger were the primary speakers during the discussion of this agenda item. The proposed text amendment would modify existing zoning regulations related to digital billboard signage within the city. The council approved the referral, which will send the Digital Billboards ZOTA to the Planning Commission for their analysis and recommendation before returning to the council for final consideration. This procedural step allows the Planning Commission to conduct a thorough review of the proposed zoning changes and their potential impacts on the community. The resolution was approved, moving the Digital Billboards Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment forward in the review process. ## Short-Term Rental Ordinances and ZOTA [timestamp: 13:00] The council addressed Short-Term Rental Ordinances and a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment (ZOTA) during the September 10, 2024 meeting. This agenda item involved both the approval of new regulations for short-term rentals and consideration of related zoning changes. Council Member J. Brown and Council Member Sheehan served as key speakers during the discussion of this item. The council deliberated on the proposed ordinances that would establish new rules and regulations governing short-term rental properties within the jurisdiction. The discussion resulted in the council approving the Short-Term Rental Ordinances. Additionally, the council decided to refer the associated Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment to the Planning Commission for further review and consideration. This dual approach allows the immediate implementation of short-term rental regulations while ensuring that the related zoning changes receive proper review through the Planning Commission process. The approval of the ordinances provides a regulatory framework for short-term rental operations, while the ZOTA referral ensures that any necessary zoning modifications will be thoroughly evaluated by the appropriate planning body. The outcome represents a comprehensive approach to addressing short-term rental regulation, combining immediate policy implementation with careful consideration of zoning implications through the established planning review process. ## Recognition of Jessica Allender [timestamp: 15:00] Mayor Gorton recognized Jessica Allender for achieving accreditation as a National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Certified Procurement Professional. This recognition acknowledged Allender's professional accomplishment in the field of governmental procurement. The National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) certification represents a significant professional milestone for procurement professionals working in government settings. The Certified Procurement Professional designation demonstrates expertise in public sector purchasing practices, regulations, and procedures. This was an informational item with no action required by the governing body. The recognition served to publicly acknowledge Allender's professional development and commitment to excellence in governmental procurement practices. ## Annual ARPA Update [timestamp: 17:00] Jennifer presented the annual update on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) progress for Lexington, providing an overview of various projects and investments funded through the federal program. The presentation served as an informational briefing to update officials on how ARPA funds have been utilized across different municipal initiatives and projects within Lexington. Jennifer outlined the current status of ongoing ARPA-funded programs and highlighted key investments that have been made using the federal relief funding. This was a presentation-style agenda item focused on providing transparency and accountability regarding the use of federal ARPA dollars allocated to the municipality. The update covered various projects that have benefited from ARPA funding, though specific project details and dollar amounts were not detailed in the available information. The session was informational in nature, with no formal action items or decisions requiring a vote. The annual update serves as part of the municipality's ongoing reporting requirements and commitment to public transparency regarding the use of federal relief funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the September 12, 2024 Council Meeting Docket, as amended - **Motion** — passed (0-0): place on the docket for the September 12, 2024 Council Meeting, a resolution authorizing the mayor on behalf of the Urban County Government to execute an agreement for modification #1 to the CSEPP FY23 grant contract extending the date of the closeout operational period of the contract to September 30, 2025 at no cost to the Urban County Government - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the August 27, 2024 Work Session Summary - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Budget Amendments - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve New Business - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor- Appointments - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor- Donations - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve Communications from the Mayor- Procurements - **Motion** — passed (0-0): initiate the Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment (ZOTA) for the Digital Billboards as presented to the General Government and Planning Committee on August 29, 2024, for Planning Commission consideration and recommendation - **Motion** — passed (0-0): approve the proposed short-term rental ordinance and initiate the proposed ZOTA for Planning Commission consideration and recommendation, as amended - **Motion** — passed (0-0): amend the previous motion to postpone the docketing of the short-term rental code of ordinance changes to a time certain, that time being when the ZOTA items are referred back from the Planning Commission and would coincide with the docketing of those items - **Motion** — passed (0-0): adjourn at 4:19 p.m --- ## Full transcript Music Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Welcome everyone. We're going to go ahead and start. And I'd like to go ahead and call to order the Lexington Fayette Urban County Council work session of September 10th, 2024. And the first item on our agenda is public comment for issues on the agenda. And it looks like we do not have anyone signed up to speak. So we will move right on to our docket approval and I'll- I'll move it. Thank you. Council Member Savigny and Council Member Ellinger and ask if you have any changes or additions. Council Member Reynolds. Yes, I have an item that I would like to add to the docket. And I'm trying to think, I don't have the exact wording. Is this a walk-on? Yes, it is. Okay. This is about the U.S. Army and FEMA. And should I just read that? Yeah. So the U.S. Army and FEMA developed 12 benchmarks to serve our core long-term program goals to meet NATO treaty conditions and are destroying the chemical weapons stockpile stored at Bluegrass Depot. And so every year, Congress appropriates funding for this project for two counties and eight surrounding counties in case of chemical accidents during destruction. The overall mission is to protect communities and enhance emergency response long after the program ends. And so Fayette County's role is to enhance and support the mission. And funding is provided through reimbursement through this pass around, and it'll be to Kentucky Emergency Management. So I move this is going to have 12 benchmarks that are key in accessing capabilities and reporting the chemical stockpile emergency preparedness program. Each benchmark is allocated funds under CFDA 97.04 beginning October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2025. This is a total of $930,950, which is $249,950, and it's allocated to close out these activities. Thank you. Is that a resolution? Is that a resolution or an ordinance? It's a resolution. Resolution? Is that a resolution? Thank you. Okay. I'm sorry, I was supposed to have something in front of me that isn't in front of me. Council Member Ellinger seconded. And Director Larkin, is it a resolution? Yes, ma'am. Okay, thank you. Would you like me to read the resolution? Yes. Sure. This is a resolution to authorize the mayor on behalf of the Irving County Government to execute an agreement for modification number one to the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program FY23 grant contract, extending the date of the closeout operational period of contract to September 30th, 2025, at no cost to the Urban County Government. And Council Member Ellinger seconds that. Thank you. My apologies. Are there questions? No questions. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you very much. Anything else for the docket? We have a few zone changes. Are there any motions for those? There's second reading. All right. All those in favor of approving the docket as amended, please say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Thank you very much. Next up, we have the August 27th, 2024 Council Work Session Table of Motions. Move to approve. Second. Thank you. Vice Mayor moves approval. Council Member Sheehan seconds. Are there any questions, corrections, additions? All right. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. and this brings us to budget amendments if I could have a motion please vice mayor moves councilmember Sheehan seconds and please log in with your questions councilmember Sevigny thank you mayor I just because there's some big changes in credits and debits between the general services funding her full urban services district fund and landfill fund I just would like someone to explain that. Are you on? On the budget amendment list. Okay, generally for all of them or? Yeah, there's a there's a $768,000 credit to the general services fund, a $951,000 credit. Director Luker, welcome. Hello. I just want to know what those are in layman's terms. Thank you. Yeah, so the $768,000 credit, there's also another budget amendment that is a hit to the general fund that is unrelated to the ab valorem. That's $15,206. The rest of that is with the ab valorem changes. So that is based on the approved rates that council approved a couple weeks ago. That's the adjustment to our revenue in the general fund. It's the impact is 783,520 and then in the urban services fund it's 951,160. And then the landfill fund, what's that debit there? That is, they needed additional funds for a project at the Haley Pike. And so this is a project that's been going on for a couple years with the study and everything. So they just needed more money for the project, so that's what that one is. And we don't typically budget the landfill fund, so. We do budget the landfill fund and we've had budget for this project in different phases over the years. It's just they need more money for this specific project. Okay, so it's just coming out of the fund balance of that fund. The landfill fund balance. Thank you, that's all I have. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Are there any other questions about budget amendments? All right, all those in favor of approval, say aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you. You have four information only budget adjustments on page 6 through 10. And that brings us to new business. Could I? Thank you. Council Member Baxter, second by Council Member Gray. And please log in with your questions. Council Member Sheehan. Thank you, Mayor. I don't have a question, but I need to recuse on C and G because of my affiliation with UK. Okay, C and G, thank you. Vice Mayor Wu. Thank you, Mayor. I have a question about item V as in Victor, if Amy Glasscock or Kevin Atkins is around for that one. I think that is Amy Glasscock. Thank you, if you can give me a little more background and detail on this agreement. On what, I'm sorry? On this agreement with Community Ventures. So that is for economic development RFP that we released earlier this year. We narrowed it down to three agencies and Community Ventures was one of those that was selected. They will be providing some economic development services for us. Do you have any detail in terms of kind of what that work entails? that says here, assist with small business owners, connections and networking, entrepreneurial startup assistance. Are we at the phase where you can speak to kind of what that looks like in terms of that work? It'll be just the basic working with them to help our businesses, to business growth and that sort of thing here in Lexington. Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councilmember Reynolds. Thank you, Mayor. I wanted to ask if either Chief Wells or Commissioner Armstrong wanted to highlight a C about the paramedicine program. I believe, I think this is, as you know, a great program and I would love for you to elaborate a little bit on this item. Hello. Hi, Council Member. Thank you for the question. Of course. For those that don't know me, Battalion Chief Jordan Soss. Item C is related to our community paramedicine program. It's tied to a contract with UK. Last year they signed an agreement for one year with the option for two additional extensions. And so this is the first of the extensions. And it's essentially for them to continue the research. They're gathering the data. It's related to our overdose follow-ups. And so all of this data is non-identifiable, but it's just for them to continue this work with the overdose follow-ups. And you said there's a possible one more extension after this one? Yes, ma'am. That's my understanding. Okay, great. Thank you so much. You're welcome. I really appreciate it. And then I don't know if Commissioner Albright or Director Burton would like to address the changes to the Town Branch Park entrance, item D. Can you give a little explanation as to why the changes? Sure. So in the initial excavation near the KU substation, we found two of their buried lines that they didn't exactly locate correctly. And as a result, that has resulted in some pretty heavy redesign of the walls nearby that will retain the main entrance off of High Street and what used to be Jefferson. So that's, we've burned through those design funds because of that major change and need to basically backfill those in case we have any other substantial field changes to address. Okay, wonderful. So it's just going to be more costly? Right. Right. What we don't want to do is have a field issue and not have the engineer on a basin on retainer effectively to address those issues. Okay. Do you have an idea of completion of that part? So initially we were shooting for the end of this year. That's probably going to slide into the first of next year because, again, we had probably a two-month delay trying to resolve the issues around these KU duck banks. We've had some efficiencies through other parts of the schedule that were getting closer to being back on schedule, but there's still going to be some delays. So probably the first of next year. Okay. Thank you very much. Yep. Thank you. Thank you. Councilmember Fogle. Thank you, Mayor. Could I have the C, as in Charlie? I have a quick question. And D, please don't go too far, as in dog. And as you're coming up, my question is just simply this. As they're collecting data, have we been, the council and the mayor's office, have we been given any data so far of what you have collected so that we can watch the trend of what's happening with the collection for this? Do we have any data from point A to present? I don't know the answer to that, ma'am. I don't know what our community paramedicine program has shared with UK or what they're allowed to share. So we're funding something that we can't get information from? No, I'm not saying that you can't get it. I just, I am unaware of what is allowed to be shared at this time. Okay, the only reason why I'm asking is that if the council is funding an initiative, I would like to see the trend if the data that you're collecting, that improving are the folks because this data that you're collecting, First District has a lot to do with this data as well as the rest of the city. So I would like to see some evidence of what our money is paying for. So if there's some way that the council can be provided with that, that would satisfy me. Because I don't want to, and I hope our colleagues don't want to fund something that we can't see. If it's progressing, what is it doing? Is it changing lives? How do we locate and help with our services as we're funding these programs? Correct, and I'll see what I can find out for you. And just so you know that these funds are all part of the grant. There's no local monies being involved. Okay, and I still would like to have some evidence just to see. We've got great community partners. How can we help assist the University of Kentucky? Yes, ma'am. I'll see what I can do. If I might add, I think that the study isn't finished until next year. I mean, normally in the middle of a study, they don't give out data. So I don't know if that has something to do with it or not. But they're not finished. Okay. I can check on that as well. The public might want to know, so maybe we should change that and let people give out data as they're doing the study. But I can go to the letter D. Thank you, Mayor. Yeah, I think it has to do with the grant, the stipulations in the grant. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I guess I need to see the grant. There you go. Okay. This is a community question as well as mine. Who owns Town Branch Park? So- Is it a private entity? Item D is related to the public infrastructure components. So the roads, the sidewalks, etc. It's us. On Manchester, and there's been a small roundabout next to the Rupp Arena entrance. Town Branch Park is a separate, that is privately funded, separate entity from what we're doing. They're married obviously because we're tying together in certain spots. But we have a definitive line as to where their work starts and where ours stops along the corridor. And I know that you can run into complications because our pool at Douglas Park, as they started to dig and we were ready to do the work, there was another layer. Right. And then there was another layer that they did not foresee. So thank you for that. I just wanted to make sure I got that distinction. So the city part that we're improving, that's going to be city space, right? Correct, that'll be public space. Okay, I'm just checking because I have so many homeless people getting arrested for sitting on public space. I want to make sure I know where that line draws. Thank you. Yep. I'm done, Mayor. Okay, thank you very much. Council Member Legree. Are you in there, Council Member? doesn't show you as active. He was right to me. Oh. Yeah, he is active. Do you mind to go after Council Member Luguri? I will not forget you. Thank you, Mayor. Mine is quick. I also need to recuse on items C and G. Thank you. C and G. All right, thank you. Council Member Sevigny. Thank you, Mayor. I just have a question on item A. thank you as someone who's done some of these projects before the only these normally we kind of rubber stamp I just think this one's a little odd because they got approved for a pretty big infrastructure award for $300,000 in 2021 and we're three years later and of course the costs have increased but i just don't know exactly why they i don't know why there's been a three-year delay and then i don't know exactly what the project is is it a parking lot um yeah it's typically green infrastructure which would be rain gardens pervious pavement and some type of storm water educational signage for the visitors or that visit the church um you know i i scrutinize these things pretty carefully too because i concerns me that they take a while and come back so you'll see what i we described in the memo there's a value engineering that goes on here yeah i want to make sure that we're just not coming back for more money because we missed something or we forgot something or we overlooked it and then also too is that you'll see that the the boats rise together our increase is 20 percent there's increase as well 20 so there's everybody rises and falls together. They're capped at $360,000 because if they would have submitted this and asked for an award, that's the maximum amount of award that you can get and we will not go past that number. And it's kind of funny how the award kind of magically came to the $300,000. I'm sorry. Doesn't it kind of come to the $360,000 number, the 80%? Well, I think we value engineered them back because I think they actually were looking for more than that. And it was like, no, you can't get there. So where did we, and I know where the money usually comes from for the water. It's usually from the water quality fees. Did we have to take this $60,000 from current projects that you're thinking of awarding? Or where did that money magically kind of come from? Of the annual allocation, which by ordinance is 10% of revenue, the board had decided to set aside some amount of that appropriation every year for this purpose. Because it really started happening when the pandemic happened. You know, obviously things got put on hold, prices began to start escalating, inflation and all that. So they set up basically a sub fund within the allocation that would fund change orders. Okay. I struggle with this one a little bit, I'm just going to tell you, but I mean, I'm sure it's a good project. It's just like sometimes I think we have to hold our award holders to their, like get the work done, do the work, you know, or a lot of them have to basically, they bag the project and just say we can't get it done. I understand. It's a fine line between not doing the project at all and losing the benefit that you're gaining from it by investing some more money but i have that same same challenge thank you so much thank you mayor thank you councilmember baxter thank you mayor director martin i was trying to i was trying to say don't go anywhere don't go anywhere um i have a question about item t and this is a project that you and i've been working on for quite some time it's the blenheim trunk line project so first thank you for finding some money to get it done and then can you give me a timeline of what we're looking at here is it still spring we're hoping to break ground in january january yes you will probably see some more items coming forward on this in future work sessions as far as the right of entry to be able to get in where we need to get to to replace it there's a few easements that go along over the last week and a half or so i think all the agreements the property owners are have come together now and i think i think we're getting there very very much so so right now the the memo that i wrote today for a future work session speculates january of 2025 as far as the start date okay great thank you so much for the update thank you mayor thank you are there any other questions about new business all right all those in favor of approval say aye anyone opposed and then we had the two folks council members who recused thank you all right we do have communications from the mayor for appointments so I'll entertain a motion council member gray and second by council member Fogle are there any questions all right all those in favor please say aye is anyone opposed all right that motion passes next are the communications from the mayor on donations and there are some councilmember gray moved vice mayor Wu seconded. Are there any questions? All those in favor say aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. And then we have communications from the mayor procurements. I'll entertain the motion. Council Member Gray. Is there a second? Council Member Baxter. Are there questions? All right, all those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Now we have our continuing business presentations, and I'll ask Councilmember Worley to give both of his General Govan Planning Committee reports. Welcome. Thank you, Mayor. We'll start with the report out from the, let's see, this would be the June 11th, 2024 regular meeting of the General Government Planning Committee. The first item was approval of the May summary, which passed unanimously. The second item was public input subcommittee partial report out. That item passed out of committee and was reported out at the June 11th work session. the next item was an update and review of the short-term rental policies no action was taken on that item as it was intended to be taken up after our break and it was taken up today will be addressed in the next report out um excuse me was taken up a couple weeks ago when we'll be addressed today the following items were removed from committee a study of the consent agenda process for council meetings study of conditional use permits and related zone text amendments in the rural service area and a review of the rural land management board's recommendation process to uh planning commission uh that meeting adjourned at 2 18 pm next merit we have the uh report out of the august 29th the special called meeting of the general government planning committee where the first item was review of the june 11 summary which passed unanimously. The next item on the agenda was that of digital billboards regulation. Jennifer Sutton, the council research analyst and Tracy Wade of planning the planning manager represented on behalf of the item the state of Kentucky's current billboard regulations govern the size, number of faces, angles, sensor requirements, the way messages must be displayed, and the location of digital billboards. These regulations currently have a takedown and exchange policy which require the removal of static billboards to place up digital billboards. Currently the billboard regulations in Lexington do not address digital billboards. Wade shared the proposed zoning ordinance text amendment which covers authorizing but regulating the location, maximum size, minimum spacing, duration of digital billboard messages and luminance digital billboards it also defines various terms needed for the zoning ordinance text amendment motion was made by councilmember Worley to approve and refer the digital billboards zoning ordinance text amendment as presented to the Planning Commission seconded by councilmember Ellinger it's motion passed 702 so on behalf of the committee I so move councilmember Baxter seconds are there questions vice mayor Wu thank you mayor can I ask a couple of questions of I'm gonna say probably Tracy Wade or maybe Tracy Jones or someone from planning with regarding director Duncan thank you director Duncan so and I apologize I would like to apologize Councilmember Worley if we did go over this during GGP and I missed it. So when it says billboard regulations don't address digital billboards, what does that mean exactly if you're a business owner or if you're Lamar and you want to put up a digital billboard? Is it prohibited or just unregulated? Currently, Vice Mayor, is that what you mean? Yeah, right now. Yes, it is not permitted in Lexington. Okay, it's not permitted. Yes. And then I just want to be clear with kind of the process moving forward here is that if this ZODA as presented goes to the planning commission, can you walk us through kind of what the next steps are and what the shot clock or the time frame is? Certainly. Vice Mayor, should the council choose to initiate this as a ZODA through second readings, would be two weeks from this Thursday, then the Planning Commission would have 60 days to return a recommendation to the Council. And given the following of the holiday schedule, that would be approximately November 21st when the Planning Commission would hold their public hearing on this, return it to the Council. At that point, you probably wouldn't take it up until January. You could either choose to approve the Planning Commission's recommendations or refer it back to the Committee for further consideration. Okay, great. Thank you, Director. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Other questions about the motion? All right, all those in favor, say aye. Oh, excuse me, wait. Council Member Reynolds. I'm sorry. I think our monitors are not acting quickly today. So I just wanted to make a statement about the motion that several of us are committed to investigating the light issue with the billboards, which I know is a concern of many of our constituents, how the light compares to one of our regular billboards that we have right now and how that light pollution affects neighborhoods. So I just wanted to let everyone know that though we may move this forward, we're also going to be looking into that before we have any final decision when it comes back to us. Thank you. Thank you. Anything else on the motion? All right. All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right, that motion passes. Thank you, Mayor. The next item on the agenda was a short-term rentals policy review, where Evan Thompson from the Division of Law presented on the item and gave an overview of both code of ordinance changes and zoning ordinance text amendment changes. That would give a change to proof of residency requirements, change occupancy limits, Give guidance to the Board of Adjustments as to considerations to be taken into account when weighing conditional use permits, all of which will be referred to the Planning Commission. A motion was made by Council Member James Brown to approve the proposed short-term rental ordinance and refer the proposed text amendment to the Planning Commission. It was seconded by Council Member Sheehan, which passed unanimously, so on behalf of the committee, I so move. Thank you. Is there a second? Vice Mayor Wu seconds. Is there any discussion? Council Member James Brown. Thank you, Mayor. I just want to be clear to folks that are watching or maybe hear it that are concerned about this issue that this is, if it passes, one of the first steps in reviewing this policy and that the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing so there will be plenty of opportunity for folks that are interested to weigh in on these draft changes that we're moving forward. So thank you, Mayor. Okay, thank you. Anything else? member warley thank you mayor uh well it may seem odd to make a motion to amend your own motion there is a procedural mechanism here that part of these uh changes are zoning ordinance text amendments that require referral to the planning commission and a recommendation to come back within 60 days whereas part of these changes are just changes to the code of ordinances which would otherwise be immediately docketed uh onto our next docket so because of that i I move to amend my motion to postpone docketing of the code of ordinance changes to a time certain, that time being when the zoning ordinance text amendment items are referred back from the planning commission and will coincide with the docketing of those items. So moved. Second. All right. Council Member Ellinger seconded. Are there questions about the motion to amend? Makes perfect sense. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Is anyone opposed? All right. That motion to amend passes. Now we have the underlying motion on the floor, which will postpone the ordinance changes until after the planning commission comes back with their ZOTA. All right. Any questions? So that you can do them together. I think that's the whole. intent. All right. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? All right. That motion passes. Thank you, Mayor. Lastly, no action was taken on items referred to committee and the committee adjourned its meeting at 4 44 p.m. Thank you, Mayor. All right. Thank you very much. Does anyone have anything else to ask Council Member Worley about either of these meetings? Okay. Thank you Thank you very much. All right. That brings us to a special recognition today. Jessica Allender, you're already on your way. Hi. Jessica, in case you do not know her, works in our division of procurement where she serves as a procurement officer. And as we all know, we have a very strict set of guidelines that help our government function and those guidelines run right through procurement. Our government has one of the best, most efficient, most ethical procurement teams that you will find anywhere. And Jessica recently received her accreditation as a National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Certified Procurement Professional. And she began the process in 2023 and completed it earlier this year. She is one of only three employees in the Division of Procurement to attain this certification and the other two employees have retired or moved on. So Jessica, this accreditation is really a great asset to our government and I want to thank you for your willingness to pursue it and to expand your knowledge. And so as I congratulate you and thank you for your hard work, I'd like to read the proclamation. All right. This is Jessica Allender Day. Whereas Jessica Allender is a 10-year veteran employee of the Lexington-Fayette urban county government where she started as a staff assistant senior in the division of procurement in February 2014. And whereas in 2017, Jessica was promoted to a buyer position in the division of procurement, then promoted to procurement officer in July of 2024. And whereas Jessica was recently accredited as a National Institute of Governmental Purchasing Certified Procurement Professional, 10 times fast to say that, and whereas she's one of only three in the Division of Procurement to attain this certification and the only current employee to hold the accreditation, and whereas we thank Jessica for her dedication and her service to the city of lexington now therefore i linda gorton mayor of lexington to hereby declare september 10th 2024 jessica allender day in lexington congratulations and thank you very much for all your good work okay all right here's jessica thank you so much mayor i would also like to thank director slayton and Commissioner Hensley for investing in me and I appreciate the opportunity. Wonderful. Should we get a photo? We shall. All right, we shall. Come on up here. Thank you. Thank you. I invite Jennifer Warrenma to the podium to give the annual ARPA update. Welcome. Hello, how are you? Sorry, I couldn't find the clicker, but I think we've got it. Good afternoon, council members and mayor. Thank you for allowing me time today to update you on the American Rescue Plan Act progress. It's been three years and every year the treasury wants me to come before you and talk about all the great things you've allocated money to. Before we start, I have asked members of the ARPA team to join us here today, even though they have lots of work to do. I thought it was really important that you all see the team that works with myself, Sally, Glenn, and Hillary to make this happen day in and day out, hundreds of emails, invoices, all of that. So if we could just take a moment, those of you who have asked to be here, if you could just stand or wave for me. So we've got Teresa, Marty, Chris Toutant in grants. Marty processes hundreds of invoices a month with great detail. And Teresa, exactly the same. Chris Toutant keeps all of our parks projects running and deals with me on a weekly, if not daily basis. So I wanted to give them a shout to you all today. So with that, we'll go ahead and get started. So I put together for you all some sort of impact reports and highlighted some of the things that are happening in your districts and for vice mayor and at large, some of the construction and programmatic things we've done to kind of highlight the things that you've probably talked to your constituents about, that your constituents have called you about and asked what are you doing with that federal money. And so you'll have those in front of you to really dive in. And since they'll be only 10, 15 minutes today, you can do that in your spare time. And I want to sort of hit on some of the highlights of the last 12 months. These were our expenditure categories, as you know. The obligated and expense numbers that you see there are actually through the last financial report that you received. Those numbers are greater now. And also of note is since I turned the slides into Shantae, we now have 65 projects completed. Many thanks to those that stood up. So we've continued to make very, very quick progress with a lot of diligence from the team. And then as you all know, I'm sure you've heard this a million times from me, $121 million ARPA investment in our city. And I had Chris Dorge, I had asked him a couple months ago to put together a map of our county so we could really illustrate where these projects are. And I think it's really important to note that while I can't report on any other cities or states, I can tell you that we have had ARPA impact in every single council district in Lexington, Kentucky, which I think is a really important point because not only have residents been helped programmatically around the county, but we have construction projects that have happened from affordable housing to public space, which we'll get into in just a minute. So as you can see from that map, from our urban core all the way out past our boundary, you can see some red stars that really indicate where the allocation and the impact has been in our city. Probably a little easier for you to see in your packet as well. So what I want to do today in the interest of time is focus on just a few higher level accomplishments that we have had with the ARPA program. And I want to start with affordable housing. Rick McQuady, Charlie Lanter, and their staff has done an incredible job. So you allocated over $17 million in addition to your general fund allocations since the start of ARPA. And I've sort of listed there for you some photo, there's some photos on the right obviously, listed all of the investments. Please note the flats at Woodland will close in the next eight weeks, as will Wellington Park apartments. So you'll see encumbrances for those large allocations. But to give you just a bit of background, Rick put together some talking points for me today, and this really has been impactful for our residents. So your $17 million investment in ARPA has actually leveraged an additional $106 million ARPA, or in affordable housing here in Lexington. And we have funded over 690, and to be exact, 696 units here in town. 388 of them are new, so they were developments like you see up on top. Davis Park is an example of that, as is Oakdale, off of Green something, Greendale, I knew you'd know. out in Councilmember Lynch's district. And then we've had 284 rehab units, and we've acquired and rehabbed an additional 24. Rick did want one of the takeaways of today for you all, particularly with the affordable housing investment, to be that these, many of these are loans, low interest loans that will be paid back to the fund, which will equal $434,000 of interest payments back to the fund every year for the next 20 years. And I think that's quite an accomplishment for you all. That allocation will continue to assist our residents well into the future. So Rick and his team have just done an incredible job. We've also had economic development. Amy was here. You all called her up to the podium a little bit ago. But we've got Coldstream and Legacy Park. and then we've also done our economic development grants. The economic development grants were one of the earlier projects and the earlier allocations that's complete. And then we've had a lot of impact with our nonprofits. We have multiple nonprofits that we have assisted with both infrastructure, capital investments, and then programmatic investments. And while I can, I'm going to flip here and point out to you that in the nonprofit capital grant program, which was about a $6.2 million investment, Teresa Maynard over the weekend processed our final invoice to complete that project. So the interesting thing about that project is while Teresa had to manage multiple relationships, multiple financial pieces, making sure they did what they said they did so she could pay their invoice, that program alone impacted 23 different nonprofits in our community. These were things such as server replacements, we need equipment to lift people, we need a new computer. I mean it was any number of things and so a huge thank you and kudos to Teresa Maynard for completing that over the weekend. So that was a fun email to send to CAO Hamilton on Monday. Now I want to talk just a little bit about all of our investments in parks and recreation and you can get into the pictures and do you all of that in your free time. But I wanted to sort of spread these out and show you all across the district what we have done. So you all allocated $32 million to public space investments in Lexington, which is really a phenomenal statistic. Here we've had things such as a new pirate ship at Woodland Pool, to new filters and pumps and diving boards. So it's really been across the gamut, but things for our residents to enjoy when they go in the summer months to our aquatics facilities. We also have so many sports courts. We have done tennis courts, pickleball, basketball courts. And so I wanted to list here some of the court projects, the parks that have seen court improvements. Councilmember Fred Brown, that middle picture is your district, and they actually started a pickup game right after you all cut the ribbon. And Park sent me a picture. So I've included that in my treasury reporting as well. I thought that was a great photo. It just showed they were ready to get out there. Playgrounds, all across the city we have done playgrounds. Some of these were brand new. So parks took them down to the ground and started over. The middle photo there, we get Masterson Station Park. Maybe we got a couple new features. Duncan Park got a lot of new amenities. And then up on top, I wanted to showcase northeastern playground because this really was the first in lexington it's a bouldering wall a climbing area and this really was a park i'm sure everyone's familiar with it but it's parched up top somewhere that not a lot of people went to play it was aged out and so parks really did something creative here and you can see that that ribbon cutting was especially well attended by children maintenance this one you know these are the things we have to do that we don't always want to put in the budget but the master plan tells us we need to do it. So we have anything here from irrigation to ADA improvements to roofs, HVAC. So again these are items that we want to budget and we try to budget but it's hard to ever get caught up with how many facilities we have. So you can kind of see there that top photo is actually an ADA enhancement we made to make that park accessible. We also have some paving we did with parking lots that needed some attention down at the bottom. And then trails. So when we went out and asked the community, what do you want to see with this ARPA funding, one of the number one things we heard was we want trails. We want trails, we want connectivity, we don't want to be in the street. We want it to be safe. And so I just highlighted here a few different trails, some in neighborhood parks. center is Jacobson Park which actually now I have a good photo of that I could have swapped out. I'll do that in your infographic. I'll give you a better photo. And then at the bottom is Raven Run. So this is an accessible trail for folks that may not want to go all the way down to the river or be able to get down to the river. So your ARPA funding designed, built and that is fully able for use now. And then finally we've got some investments in parks and recreation Recreation facility development so up top we have woodland so this is a new restroom and then there's a TR section to hold things For the program the center we funded the design of Phoenix Park Which really led the way for the construction that is now underway and at the bottom? We see the Valley Park Community Center. This is the ribbon cutting this photo is a bit dated as well There's been a significant progress on that site now too and And then investments in people. So Ural's investments, it really is phenomenal. I wanted to share with you all a couple statistics on our investments in people. Particularly the It Takes a Village personnel. With funding Divine Karama's salary and this program, while it didn't fund specifically the people that he was assisting, the children that he was assisting, He had hundreds of students over the course of ARPA that he was able to assist and mentor with your allocation to his salary. Very early on, you all paid premium pay, and you have also paid for summer youth job training program, which I'm happy to report is now also completely expensed. That was 816 youth in our community benefited from ARPA paying for the summer youth job training program. So I think that's pretty remarkable as well. And then again, we've got our transition plan, broadband, code enforcement grants. Over 50 individuals were able to stay in their home because of code enforcement grants that assisted them with projects that potentially could have had them exit their home and liens on their home. And I want to pause here and just tell you, we are in the next three weeks going to get great news. We had a large university in the United States do a study about equity. And they looked at our code enforcement grant program, they picked that out of our big ARPA report and said we really like this. This is innovative, this is something different. And while I can't say the name of the university, and I can't tell you what it is, I can tell you that we scored very high in equity and they really liked this program. So there will be more to come by the end of September on that. So I thought that was pretty exciting. And then you can just sort of go down the line. We've had major investments in people. We've done winter sheltering twice, transitional sheltering, and then we've also funded Jeff Heron's Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention for three years with a major impact there as well. And then finally, investments in public infrastructure, the Jefferson Street Viaduct is up on top. That is almost near completion. ARPA is completely expensed. Then we also had a partnership with the Lexington Housing Authority to build the street infrastructure to support an affordable housing development that will be coming there. So with all of that said, I think I have two minutes left. Okay. So as you all know, all the funds for ARPA need to be encumbered on purchase orders by the end of December. I'm happy to tell you all ARPAs allocated. I had a council member yesterday ask me, do we have any money left? And I had to say no, we don't have any money left. But we do have those large purchase orders I told you about coming on for affordable housing in the next eight weeks. And we will continue to report to the Treasury, to you all. I'm always available if you have any questions. And I did want to tell you on lexingtonky.gov forward slash ARPA, I spent the summer putting together a photo archive of every project we have done from start to finish, primarily with help from Chris Tutant and our PIO's office. So if there's anything that interests you in your neighborhoods and you want to look and see where did we start and where did we finish, it should be in there. If not, you can send me an email. And I just want to ask to sort of conclude this presentation for a bit of grace and a bit of flexibility. We will have budget amendments that come to you over the next couple of months, sort of closing out here and moving over here. and some of them may be as small as $10, but we're going to get them all in the right place so we can make sure that we hit that December 31st deadline. And again, I want to thank you all for your support. Every time I have a question, I need you to support our office and our program. You always do, and I want to thank you publicly for that. And I think that's it, Mayor. Thank you. I'm sure there will be questions, but I do want to congratulate you and the team. This is a monumental effort, And back when we, do you remember we first saw the December 24 deadline and it seemed like so far away. Yeah, it's not. Now it's almost here and you've done it. So congratulations to the entire team. Thank you for your good work. What questions do you have, Council Members? Council Member Reynolds. Thank you, Mayor. Jennifer, I just want to say you are one of the most organized, detail-oriented people I have ever met or worked with. And everything you do is amazing. And I'm so impressed, honestly, how you handled all this. And you kept us up to date and your team and everybody. Because really, when we set out to figure out how to spend all this money, it was overwhelming. And we tried to do the best we could as we went along. And you all, everyone has done a fantastic job. And so I really want to thank you all for keeping us up to date and in the loop and keeping everything the way that it's supposed to be for reporting. And as we look over, you know, how we ended up allocating this money, we could have done a lot of different things and maybe they would have been great as well. But the thing I'm proud of about this is that we we touched many parts of the city and did a lot of different things that were for everyone. And so I hope that this money makes a big impact for years and years to come. And thank you so much again for your part. I don't have any questions, I'm just, I think it's great. Thank you. Thank you. Vice Mayor Wu. Thank you, Mayor. And thank you, Ms. Warman, for the presentation. And I think you've set too high a bar maybe for presentation packets. I have to say publicly, Sally wanted those in frames, but some of the photos aren't ready yet. So I don't know where she is, but that's to come. We'll save that for a few months, don't worry. It's terrific. And we're out of money. Couldn't buy any frames. It, to me, reads like kind of a scrapbook of our process, and it really is great to kind of see them all summarize like that, to see, as Council Member Reynolds said, like how many different parts of the city we touch and how many different elements of the city that we touched as well. And I think you touched on this at the end of your presentation, that difference between the 121 million that we were given and the 113 plus that is obligated, that difference is going to be made up by the end of the year. It will. Two large purchase orders totaling over $5 million will be put on for affordable housing. We have about another $900,000 in Cardinal Run North, which is play equipment, port in place, welcome sign, anything you can sort of think of. So we've got a couple. Councilmember Gray, we've got Constitution Park that will go on shortly. So we've got projects that are in the bid phase or almost there or they've been awarded, for example, with the Affordable Housing Board. And as soon as the project closes, the purchase order will go on. Yeah, and I remember we had a couple of, not many, but a couple of instances where we had to kind of cost some stuff back because projects weren't working out. Any more of those on the horizon that you know of? If there are, I will not want to have to come up here and tell you, so the answer is no. Okay. Terrific. And then one last, I'm always a big fan of bragging rights for Lexington. And I remember, I don't remember if I was talking to you or someone else about how nationally we're ahead of the curve in terms of getting this money obligated and then getting our projects finished, because we're, what, two-thirds, three-quarters of the way through about two years ahead. Yes, definitely two years ahead. And I do think part of that kudos needs to go to you all who have allowed us flexibility to come to you and say we need to move a budget here. We need to shift here. This came in over budget. Can we pull from here? Without the flexibility of our lawmakers allowing us that opportunity to bring those forward and pass that, we would probably be a bit farther behind. So while we work to bring you the plan, we always appreciate the fact that you review the plan and have, I think, always approved it. so we appreciate that we appreciate your work and your whole team on this thank you you're welcome council member james brown thank you mayor and thank you jennifer for the presentation and your work on this um i appreciate you bringing the other folks from around government that have helped with arpa because it was truly a team effort i know you and the caos office have been maybe i shouldn't say but y'all will probably be glad once all this money's spent and you're you're out of the ARPA business. It's been fun, but yeah. Yeah, the other thing I'll say too is, you know, this process wasn't easy. It was hard. And I think, you know, I like to thank the folks in the community that came to all the input sessions and shared their thoughts about where we needed to invest the money and where we needed to put it. And I think it was real helpful, especially early on for me, once we started allocating money, and folks from the community were saying, where are you spending this money? It's not being spent equitably. And I remember contacting you, and you printed out a report of all the money that was spent in the district and made me copies that I could hand out and clearly show them where we were investing this money. So, you know, I think we could have, you can always second guess what you did and where you spent money, but I think we spread it pretty good and across the board. And I will also defend our spending on parks projects. When you think about the city and the needs across the city, they're not the same everywhere. But one way we could try to equitably spend money and provide resources and improve quality of life was in our parks and I think we've done that. I think we've raised the bar and just have to do everything that we can to maintain it going forward. So thank you and your office and everything that you have done to get this done. So thank you. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Councilmember Gray? Thank you, Mayor. And Jennifer, job well done. Thank you. I am so proud of you all. I'm so proud in that I went on one conference, the NLC conference, and I have a whole list of friends around the country who are council members and mayors. And I let them know of how you keep us up to date on everything and the emails that we receive. Evidently, this is not the norm. Okay. And so I- Don't tell Treasury. Yeah. Evidently, this is not happening in other cities. So I want to publicly say job well done in keeping the council members in the loop of every single thing, every single step of the way, and making sure that we have even sometimes more information than what we need. But- Yeah, that's probably true. I welcome, I love information. So job well done in keeping us informed in where all the funding is going. And actually other cities, many of them, they have not encumbered all their funds yet. Yes, that's what we're hearing. Yes, so job well done to you all. Lexington is showing that we are leaps and bounds ahead of the game and bringing excellence to our residents. So thank you for the excellence that you have brought this entire time. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Councilmember Fogel. Thank you, Mayor. Jennifer, thank you. You're welcome. And thank you for these beautiful packets. I'm looking at first district and I'm like, mm-hm. So most of the money was already allocated before this council took our seats. And so, but since then, we have been able to go into the mayor's office, give some priorities that we would like. I see this beautiful, I always talk about the Douglas Park swimming pool. There's more to the first district than that. But I'm just saying, I want everybody to come swim and then get out of our pool and let our community have it. But I just wanted to say thank you and for the whole team. You know what I'm saying? I remember when I was just sitting in your office and I was talking about, I don't want to talk about these three priorities. I want to talk about one. I want to talk about a 1929 swimming pool that had been in Douglas Park since 1929. And Miss Sally just sat there and she looked at me, she looked at you. She got up out of her seat, she went upstairs and I was like, man, did I run her off? And then she came back down and she said, we can do it. We've got this money from our allocated, we can ship some things, we can pull from here, we can do this. And so I walked out of there smiling and I was able to tell my community because there's something soothing in water. Yes. For Douglas Park, that meant community. I remember as a child standing in line to get into the swimming pool because it was so packed. And when the mayor said, this is an underutilized pool, and I said, well, look at it. Who wants to come there? And so we walked out with that pool, and that's going to be the center point. And so I just wanted to say thank you. Not only that, I believe if we check the data, There was no fatalities last winter for the people who were out on the street that needed a place to sleep. And the housing and homeless, our coalition and our office, Charlie and a group of partners. We got together, got those tents up, and people were able to come in and come out, even bring their pets. I mean, we went to the extension. So I would just like to say this, Lexington is a welcoming city, is it not? So tell them other cities that didn't spend their money to send it on over here, we will welcome that extra funds that they cannot spend. So thank you, thank you for your smile, thank you for always being present, and the whole entire team, Parks and Rec, everyone. And so we'll just keep moving and we'll stay on top of the map. I'm so glad to be here. I want to tell you publicly that CAO Hamilton, Monica, Chris, and Michael, their diligence on Douglas Pool has continued since that first meeting. And we do our site visits out there, they keep us updated continuously on the progress there. So while it was important then getting it to the completion date and getting it open is equally important to them. Yeah, and so I want you to know, First District, I know that's not the only project, but that's the big project. That's the big one. Yes. Definitely. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Anyone else? All right, thank you so much. Thank you all very much. Yes, appreciate you. Next up is council reports, if you'll log in please. Council member Worley. Thank you, mayor. For the benefit of those keeping the record today and the public, In making the report outs for the general government planning committee meeting, I, surprising of myself, misused a legal word that has a different meaning than what the committee actually stated. I use the word for both short-term rentals and billboards refer to the planning commission. And the committee's work, if you look back at the committee's minutes, it was actually initiate a zoning ordinance text amendment to the planning commission. And those do have a distinction, so I want to make sure that's clear for the record. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Gray. Thank you for my council announcement. I will be showing my council comment. Thank you. Week without driving. Thank you. Councilmember Lynch oh you're I'm sorry I thought you were just saying hello 6th district councilwoman Denise gray here to raise awareness around an exciting and new campaign called week without driving week without driving takes place September 30th through October 6th. This is a national campaign coordinated by America Walks. The goal is to challenge people who regularly drive to better understand the barriers faced daily by those who do not or cannot drive. Roughly one-third of Kentucky residents do not have access to driving as a regular means of transportation, transportation, whether due to age, ability, income, immigration status, or any number of other reasons. On the other hand, many residents would simply prefer not to drive if they had better alternatives. Lexington is a city where getting around without a car is exceedingly difficult, making it more convenient and comfortable to take the bus, walk, bike, or even roll would benefit every resident. Improved access to other modes of transportation will lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, reduced traffic and congestion, improved physical and mental health and safer streets for everyone, all while creating more pleasant and inviting places to live, play and work. I would like to ask you, the residents of the 6th District, to embrace this challenge and to participate in Week Without Driving. You can do this by not only sharing info about the campaign on your social media and with your family and friends, but also by considering other forms of transportation during the week of September 30th. You can walk. You can ride your bike. You can jog. Or you can fly. I would love to hear your stories and experiences about how you get around Lexington and what you have planned for a week without driving. If you would like more information on the campaign, please go to weekwithoutdriving.org. I am looking forward to hearing from you. And as always, thank you for all your support. See you soon. One minute. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. I just wanted to add a little personality to. Thank you, I think you did just that. Now it's time for Council Member Lynch. Thank you, Mayor, and thank you, Councilwoman Gray, for that great video. I want to recognize an event that happened in the second district this past weekend, and then make an announcement about a couple of things that are coming up this week. So the Brain Injury Alliance of Central Kentucky had their second annual 5K in Coldstream Park. You all know that the second district is the 5K race capital of Lexington. And so we had yet another beautiful 5K race in the second district. This is their second year for hosting it. They had over 200 participants that came out this past weekend. The weather was beautiful. And their mission is to serve those affected by brain injuries through outreach and advocacy. And so they're doing just that. They raise a lot of money with their 5K. And it was a beautiful day to either run, to walk, to roll, or stroll. And all individuals with varying levels of abilities were participating in that 5K, which was beautiful to see that Saturday morning. So thank you to the Brain Andrea Alliance of Central Kentucky again for hosting your 5K race in the second district. And you all are a great organization. Please continue doing what you're doing because we are truly benefiting from that. Next announcements are on behalf of the Department of Public Safety to all of our neighbors. On September 11th, the September 11th remembrance ceremony is happening on Wednesday, September 11th at 9 a.m. at the Fallen Firefighters Monument in Phoenix Park. So I would like to invite all of our neighbors in the city to come out for that remembrance ceremony that's happening on Wednesday. Also, later that day, the 9-11 Memorial Stair Climb is happening at Kroger Field. The gates will open at 6 p.m. The climbing begins at 7 p.m. I will be there with my colleagues, Council Member Chuck Ellinger and Council Member Dave Savigny. We'll be climbing those Kroger Field stairs on Wednesday. And I think Council Member Savigny and I are going to have on full gear, right? Full gear. I'm looking forward to that. So please, neighbors, come on out for the stair climb. I think you can still register for that stair climb. Last year was an awesome, awesome event, and it looks to be another great one on September 11th. So please come out. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member Reynolds. Thank you, Mayor. Well, I wanted to mention a festival that is coming up this coming weekend. It's actually in the 2nd District, but it started in the 11th District several years ago. It is called Viva Mexico, and it was started by Casa de la Cultura to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day. in Mexico they celebrate their Independence Day and have a big they call it a grito which is like a yell at 10 o'clock to celebrate their freedom and as you know we have a lot of Mexican immigrants in Lexington and so it has become a really big festival and that will start at 2 p.m. at Masterson Station Park and it will go till late and so I suggest that you go out It's a really special day, the 15th of September. It's like the best day of the whole year, and it is also a wonderful time to celebrate this festival, so check it out. And then I just wanted to take a moment to mention that my council aide who has served with me and for the 11th district for the past two and a half years, Sarah Morales, is moving on to other adventures, and I wanted to thank her for the work that she's done. I know the constituents will miss her dearly, and I know I will miss working with her. So thank you, Sarah. She's sitting in the back, so you can give her a hard time later. And then my new aide, Isabel Ballard, is starting this week. She's also sitting in the back. So make sure that you introduce yourself as she tries to learn all of local government things in a short amount of time. So thank you very much. Council Member Fogle. Thank you, Mayor. So I did not coordinate this, but I was going to show you all Douglas Foo, the design of Douglas Foo. And so it just fits right into what we were talking about and presenting today. Jennifer, I'm telling you, I did not know that. So I wanted to just refresh the community's memory about what we are awaiting in our community. And that is going to be a big part of our community. There is an upcoming event at Green Acres this weekend. It's the Green Acres homecoming. Please come by and break bread with us at Green Acres Park. It's going to happen on Saturday. really wasn't ready for that photo. But since this, for those people who don't recognize him, this is Patrick Mitchell. He has been a very big part of our community for quite some time. He is transitioning into heaven. He has captured through his lens of photography devastation in Lexington, the beautification in Lexington. and so the lyric will have a memorial and we will transition the whole entire lyric with his work And so to his family and to the community, as he has decided to go home to his own apartment at the Bett, and he's being cared for, but he's in his last stages. and so I just wanted to honor him James Cleveland said I've been telling y'all this since I swore in give me my flowers while I yet live and so I wanted us to give him a bouquet of flowers from this whole establishment here at 200 East Main Street in our community of the first district in the rest of the city of Lexington and so I just wanted to lift him up so it's a bittersweet announcement that I'm making and so if you'll just take his picture down for right now I also want to turn my attention to Traffic Engineer Parks and Recreation for all the wonderful work that you guys have been doing you've been showing up at the and I don't know if Commissioner Albright but you've been You've been showing up at community meetings, you've been talking to the community about the safety. Traffic engineer has every one of my schools looking beautiful, safe crossings, flashing lights at Winburn Middle School, just like they have at Transylvania, which is still one of my schools in the district. But our elementary school children and their parents are so excited about the new safety signals and signs that are put up in our neighborhood. So I want to give you all a shout out. There's some more flowers that I'm just going to throw out there to you. And to our population of the unhoused. And we're working on it. I just want you to hang in there. And to the new Life Day Center. Want to give them a shout out. I drove by today. Everybody's underneath of a project that we supported and paid money on and invested in folks. They're underneath of that shelter, and they are actually installing a fan to actually give them some more relief of this heat. So thank you all. Thank you, council members, for allocating the money to go to that project. Thank you, Charlie, for all the work that you do. That's it Mayor. All right. I'm out of breath. Thank you. Councilmember James Brown. Thank you Mayor and thank you Councilmember Fogle for recognizing Patrick Mitchell. I just want to say he has been a force in Lexington for a while. Great guy and our prayers go out to him and his family. I just want to acknowledge the Kentucky's Veteran Hall of Fame event, myself, the Mayor, Councilmember Lynch, Councilmember Sheehan, and a representative from Councilmember Gray's office attended the event last Friday where they recognized Craig Kamek and his work with that commission. That just shows the mayor's commitment to that event and that effort, and they recognized and thanked us for being a participant but then also encouraged us to do more with them. And then the Roots and Heritage Festival was this weekend. And I just want to thank all the departments and city government that helped support that event. I know when I went out Friday night, our police department was out there, as well as our fire department and waste management on the job doing what they have done for years. So I just want to thank everybody in city government that's involved with that festival and holding it up. And then earlier today when we had the presentation for Sense of Place, I recognized Tiffany Brown and Council Member Plowman for all their work, And I failed to recognize Sean Denny and Ashley Dunsmore, her council aides, who have also helped with that project. So I just wanted to recognize them and say I appreciate the work that they're doing as well. So thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Council Member Savigny. Thank you, Mayor. Since Council Member Lynch brought up the 5K Capital of Lexington, And I just wanted to remind everyone that the music capital of Lexington is going to be hopping this weekend on Friday the 13th. Yes, that's Friday the 13th. If Francine doesn't intercede at Moondance, we're going to have an 80s night. So bring out your mullets and your big hair. And Boogie G and the Titanic's will be there as well as Rebel Without a Cause. And it is a fee-based event to raise money for some improvements at Moondance, so come join us at 7 o'clock. Then Council Member Reynolds said, I distinctly remember her saying September 15th is the best day of the year. It is also her birthday that day, so she does share a birthday with the Mexican Independence Day. But it is also another fantastic event in, yes, the music capital of Lexington. Southland Street Fair and Tall Sound are both taking place Sunday afternoon. It's going to be a great, great event, lots of music, lots of fun, bouncy houses, booze, food and drinks. So please come and join us at those events. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you very much. Mayor, I would like to challenge that. There's no way you're the music capital of the world when we have TD Young on Second Street. Does any other council member have anything else to report? All right, that brings us to public comment for issues not on the agenda and we have no one signed up, so I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. All right, all those in favor say aye. Aye. We are adjourned, thank you for coming. Thank you.