# Urban County Council Work Session - March 17, 2009 > Auto-transcribed civic record · Council · March 17, 2009 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/812 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/812?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2009-03-17 - **Body**: Council - **Last revised**: June 17, 2026 - **Length**: 6,578 words > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed by OpenAI Whisper-1. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude Sonnet. Speaker labels and verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The Urban County Council convened on March 17, 2009, with Mayor Newberry presiding. The meeting included 6 agenda items spanning procedural approvals, committee updates, a proclamation, and a community presentation. The Council approved two substantive items — a summary and a package of New Business Items A through K — and heard four informational items, including updates from the Intergovernmental Committee and the Corridors Committee, a Social Services Month Proclamation, and a presentation from the Community Housing Foundation. A total of 3 motions and votes were taken during the meeting, and 1 public comment was received. ## Attendance The following members were present at the March 17, 2009 Council meeting: - Mayor Newberry - CM Gorton - CM Beard - CM James - CM Crosbie - CM Henson - CM Lawless - CM Blues - CM Gordon The following members were absent: - CM Feigel - CM Lane - CM McChord - CM Myers No members were recorded as late. A total of 9 members were present and 4 were absent. No quorum issues were noted in the data. ## Votes and Decisions Three votes were taken during the March 17, 2009 Council meeting, all of which passed unanimously. - **Approval of Meeting Summary** [timestamp: 0:04]: CM Gorton moved and CM Beard seconded a motion to approve the summary of the March 10, 2009 meeting. The motion passed unanimously. No individual roll call votes were recorded. - **Approval of New Business Items A–K** [timestamp: 0:36]: CM Beard moved and CM Gorton seconded a motion to approve new business items A through K. The motion passed unanimously. No individual roll call votes were recorded. - **Motion to Enter Closed Session** [timestamp: 42:57]: CM Stinnett moved and CM Gorton seconded a motion to go into closed session. The motion passed unanimously. No individual roll call votes were recorded. ## Public Comment One member of the public addressed the Council during the public comment period of the March 17, 2009 meeting. - **Lewis Cobb** [timestamp: 39:41] spoke on the themes of community unity and leadership, emphasizing the importance of respect for all citizens and the need to acknowledge the contributions of every member of the community. No additional public comments were recorded during this portion of the meeting. ## Approval of Summary [timestamp: 00:04] The Council took up a motion to approve the summary of the meeting held on March 10, 2009. CM Gorton and CM Beard were the key speakers on this item. No concerns or debate were noted in the record. The motion was approved. ## New Business Items A-K [timestamp: 0:36] The Council took up New Business Items A through K, a block of agenda items covering various authorizations including applications, amendments, and agreements related to public works, finance, and public safety. - CM Beard and CM Gorton were the key speakers during consideration of this agenda block. - The items were presented for Council approval as a group, encompassing a range of municipal business across multiple departments. - The block of items was approved by the Council. *Note: The available data does not include a detailed breakdown of the individual items A through K, the specific content of each authorization, or the particulars of any debate or concerns raised during discussion. Readers seeking the full detail of each sub-item are encouraged to consult the meeting agenda or view the meeting video beginning at the 0:36 timestamp.* ## Intergovernmental Committee Update [timestamp: 01:43] CM James provided the Council with an update on recent activity from the Intergovernmental Committee. The presentation was informational in nature, covering two primary topics that had been under the committee's consideration. - **Construction Apprenticeship Program:** CM James discussed the committee's work related to a construction apprenticeship program. Specific details of the program's structure or status were addressed as part of the update. - **Oath for Commissions and Boards:** The committee also took up the matter of the oath administered to members of commissions and boards, which was highlighted as another area of focus in the committee's recent deliberations. The update was presented for the Council's awareness, and no formal action or vote was required. The outcome of the agenda item was informational, serving to keep the full Council apprised of the Intergovernmental Committee's ongoing work. ## Corridors Committee Update [timestamp: 05:29] CM Blues provided the Council with an update on recent activity from the Corridors Committee. The report covered three main areas the Committee has been focused on: the creation of an ordinance, the development of bylaws, and ongoing maintenance projects. No vote or formal action was taken on this item, as the update was presented for informational purposes only. ## Social Services Month Proclamation [timestamp: 08:47] Mayor Newberry briefly addressed the Social Services Month Proclamation during the meeting, noting that the formal presentation of the proclamation would take place the following week rather than at the current session. No additional discussion, debate, or concerns were raised regarding this item. The announcement was purely informational in nature. ## Community Housing Foundation Presentation [timestamp: 11:05] Karen Mundy, President of the Community Housing Foundation, appeared before the Council to present information about her organization's work in the community. Mundy's presentation focused on the Community Housing Foundation's efforts to provide home repairs and ramp construction for low-income and elderly homeowners. The presentation was informational in nature, giving Council members an overview of the services the organization delivers to residents in need. No vote or formal action was taken as a result of this agenda item. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (0-0): Approval of the summary of 3/10/09 - **Motion** — passed (0-0): Approval of new business items A-K - **Motion** — passed (0-0): Motion to go into closed session --- ## Full transcript ... for months at a time. ... on today's agenda? Seeing none, we'll proceed. We have no docket approval. We do have the March 10th summary to approve. Move approval. Second. Council Member Gordon has moved and Council Member Beard has seconded that we approve the summary of March 10th. Is there any discussion? All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Oppose, no? Motion carries. Uh, we have no budget amendments. We do have a few items of new business today. Move for approval. Second. Council Member Beard has moved and Council Member Gordon has seconded that the, uh, new business items be approved. Is there any discussion? Council Member James. Thank you, Mayor. Um, I wanted to ask a question regarding item C on the new business items. It has to do with Human Resources. Is there anyone here from that division? Uh, I do not see them at the moment, unless they're back in the corner. Okay. If they, um, they arrive prior to the end of the meeting, I'd just like to talk with them. Thank you. Thank you. We appreciate the consideration. Um, any other questions? Those in favor of approving the items of new business, please let it be known by saying aye. Aye. Oppose, no? The motion carries. Um, we're now down to the, uh, presentations, and the first one we have is from the Intergovernmental Committee. Council Member James. Thank you, Mayor. The Intergovernmental Committee, um, the information is in your packet, pages 25 to 31. Uh, just right off the bat, there was no legislation that came forward out of the Intergovernmental Committee meeting from March the 10th. We talked about several issues. We discussed the construction apprenticeship program and had, um, several folks here to speak regarding the apprenticeship program, as well as our own Anthony Wright, who was here for our reference. Um, and what came, I won't go through, uh, uh... Everything's in your packet and all the minutes are there and they're accurate. Um, I will say that the April Intergovernmental Committee, we will discuss this issue again. Um, the gentleman presenting and Anthony, myself, and others, um, made some notes and we will have that topic to discuss again in April. Be happy to, um, talk with anyone. I'll meet you between now and then if you wanna talk about it. We also, um, Council Member Beard brought an issue forward regarding the oath for commissions and, um, boards, and this was something that in the banking world, they used, um, an, an oath for the officers, um, on boards and he thought that this would be a good idea for our boards and commissions. And we discussed that, discussed the, the pros and cons and such. Um, what we did come up with is that Council Member Meyers had asked for similar sort of, um, uh, concept or program or thought to go into our boards and commissions, and he was already working with the law department on this. And Commissioner Askew did say that there were some, um, state laws that we needed to keep in mind regarding appointed commissions and boards and that at the next meeting, working with, um, a committee of Council Member Beard, Council Member Feigl... Who else was on that committee? Um, maybe it was just Council Member Beard and Feigl. Um, they're gonna, they're gonna sit on a committee, or, uh, just kind of a work group with, um, Commissioner Askew and, um, bring back to us some recommendations for a potential oath, um, as well as some other issues re- related to boards and commissions that, l- like I said, Council Member Meyers had already brought forward. So we'll look forward to that discussion in April as well. Um, the l- last item we talked about was the grievance, um, procedure. I brought forward a, a resolution and at that time, it just didn't feel like on the committee since some of the committee members were new to the issue of grievance and, um, and we, there were some things that just need to be worked out as far as administration was concerned, so that resolution was not really even considered. It was just brought forward, but it did spark a lot of conversation, so um, we will hear some information more in the future regarding the grievance procedure and, um, do hope to bring everyone up to speed on the issue, on the issues related to the grievance procedure. On, and I will tell you that on all of these, I believe on all of these, we've received, um, a lot of email, um, since then. So folks are watching our standing committee meetings and reading the minutes, so I just wanted to tell everyone on the Intergovernmental Committee and the other standing committees that our standing committees seem to be pretty effective in getting information out to the public and getting that feedback, so we look forward to sharing all of, updates on all of this in the April intergov. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you very much. Um, I'm not certain who is bringing the Corridors Committee report. I will. Okay, thank you. Council Member, please. Thank you, Mayor. I, uh, am bringing forward the, uh, Corridors Committee Report for March, March 10, uh, sitting in here for Dr. Stephens, who is, uh, happily out of the country, uh, temporarily. Uh, committee met at 11:00 AM, uh, on the, on the 10th, and, uh, first of all, discussed the, uh... ... the creation of an ordinance and, and, and bylaws and a mission statement to codify the rules and regulations, uh, pertaining to the, to the committee. The Corridors Committee is, has a, has a long but rather, uh, vague connection to its, its, its first enabling legislation, and, and, uh, uh, it's doubtless past due time for the, uh, for the committee to, uh, you know, to, to, uh, determine its structure, and to, and to codify it. So we do look forward to bringing forward to council, uh, I'm hoping sooner rather than, than later, uh, an ordinance that will, that will define the mission, and, uh, uh, and assign the membership- Mm-hmm. ... uh, of that, of that committee. So we'll be working, uh, with the law department to do just that. At the- ... March 10 meeting, uh, the, the difficulties with limited personnel and budgets, uh, providing ongoing maintenance for various, uh, projects that the committee over the years has set in motion, that was discussed. Uh, there were no motions or, or resolutions, uh, to that, uh, to that issue. Seven projects currently underway were discussed with the contractors. The urban forester, Tim Qua- Query, requested an appropriation from the committee budget for purchase of trees for the Man o' War, for Man o' War at the airport entrance median at a cost of $15,000. Streets, Roads and Forestry would do the work and plan the maintenance. Also, he requested $5,000 for purchase of trees to be planted on Louden Avenue to supplement the recent, uh, the recent street project. The committee approved the request and will submit the motion to the council for approval. Funds have been budgeted. That concluded the business of the committee. The next meeting, uh, will be on April 14th at 11:30 AM. That's my report. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Any questions for Council Member Blues? All right, we'll move along. Um, the agenda shows that the next item is a proclamation about Social Services Month. Actually, um, uh, what we're going to do is present that, I believe, next week, and this week I have one involving Kentucky American Water Company in an effort to try to conserve our water resources. And so I'd like Ray Golden, who's the Director of External Communication, to join me at the podium. I should tell you that yesterday, uh, morning, Ray and I talked about Reforest the Bluegrass where Kentucky American is helping us out with that project. Yesterday afternoon, he was taking care of a little issue out on Versailles Road near Alexandria Drive. So, uh, Ray's had a lot of contact with Irvin County Government this week. This is a, a fairly short proclamation that I wanted to, to share with you. Whereas, Kentucky American Water is joining WaterSense, a partnership program sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency to protect the future of our nation's water supply, to remind Americans to check their household fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks, and whereas, 10% of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day, and leaks account for, on average, 11,000 gallons of water wasted annually in each home, and whereas, fixing most leaks can save 10% or more on water bills, and whereas, by making a few simple changes to use water more efficiently, citizens can have a major impact on the environment and protect precious drinking water resources. Now, therefore, I, Jim Newberry, mayor of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, do hereby proclaim March 16th through 20th, 2009 as Fix a Leak Week, and encourage families to leak-proof their homes and report leaks in schools and workplaces. Ray, let me present this to you, and thank you for helping us, uh, conserve our water resources. Thank you very much, Mayor Newberry. Appreciate it. Thank you, City Council, very much on behalf of the company. Thank you. Now it's, uh, my pleasure to welcome to the podium, uh, representatives of the Community Housing Foundation, Inc. for a presentation, and particularly Karen Mundey, its president. Karen? We have a DVD we're gonna show you first, and then I have a few remarks after that, so can you cue that up? According to 2007 US Census Bureau, 33,000 people in Lexington-Fayette County are 62 years old and older, and approximately 14% of the population is made up of people with disabilities. There are people in our community without safe access in and out of their home. There are elderly homeowners who are barely hanging on through the next rainstorm in their home with a roof that will not provide shelter from the rain, clinging onto the home where often they grew up and where they raised their children, clinging on to the neighbors and the neighborhood that they love, clinging to their home. The Lexington Bluegrass Association of Realtors, LBAR, was at the forefront of realtor participation in the community when it started the Realtor Community Housing Foundation in 1992. The Housing Foundation is a five oh one C3 nonprofit organization that provides exterior and emergency home repairs for low income, elderly homeowners, and build ramps for people with disabilities. Realtors also volunteer through the Housing Foundation to help single parent graduates of Virginia Place become first time homeowners. Now we have a rare chance to meet some of the people who have been involved with this innovative agency. First, I'd like to introduce one of the four founders of RCHF, Mr. Jeff Ritzy with Rector Hayden Realtors. How you doing sir? How are you? All right. First of all, let me say it's a pleasure to meet you. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. Appreciate it. Good. Now, what motivated you to start this housing foundation? Well, I had been, uh, involved in compute- community service committees on the board of realtors for several years prior to, uh, actually in the late 1980s, and myself and others decided that we would focus our charitable issues on the housing issues as part of our profession, and, uh, thus the beginning of the Realtor Community Housing Foundation, just putting all our resources towards housing issues. Hm. All right. Right. What does the Realtor Community Housing Foundation mean to you? Well, personally, I've always felt the responsibility. I think every profession has a responsibility to give back. I think we were doing charitable things before we ever thought up the Realtor Community Housing Foundation, but we felt the need to focus our efforts on, again, on housing situations, since that's what we do as a business, and that's what we make our living from, so it only makes sense to give back to that, uh, uh, to that public that we serve. Wow. Well, thanks for all of your tireless efforts and the vision to put together such a valuable community driven organization. Well, we enjoy it, and a- and appreciate it. Thanks. It's really fun to see the folks use the ramp first time after they've been dropping them in a wheelchair down three or four stairs, you know. We think the ramps are a valuable service to the community, especially to the folks that need them. For me, it's, it's an opportunity to give back. Um, I feel like there have been so many blessings in my life from people, and, um, I just want an opportunity to be a blessing of somehow of someone else. I have... I don't have words to really say how much this mean to me. I thank God for these people like you all, and it's a blessing. It's a blessing from Him. Next, I'd like to welcome Chip Crawford, who presently chairs the Remodelers Council of the Home Builders Association of Lexington. Chip. . Come on in here. Why is this program a successful partnership for the Remodelers Council? Well, this is our one, uh, and only community service program that we will focus on, uh, as a, as an association. So we've put a lot of effort and a lot of time and energy into it. What kind of feedback do you receive from remodelers who have participated in Repair Affair, uh, Ramp, and other, uh, programs? Oh, I love it. Love the working with the people. It's exactly what we do, remodel homes, and, um, it's just, uh, it feels really good to get back to the community in this way. Right, right, right. What types of community partnerships are essential to the success of the Housing Foundation program? Well, what we need to focus on to, to take it further is our relationships with our vendors and our suppliers, and, and really enhancing our, our partnerships with the rest of the building community to help make this even more, uh, vibrant and, and, and bigger than it is now. Right, right. So, so what you're telling me is that you need more partnership? Always. Okay, great. Well, thanks, Chip, for your efforts and continuing to grow. Thanks. It's a great program. Thank you. Well, it's, it's a very... it's heartwarming. Um, it's amazing. It... you actually, you go home so thankful that you've made a difference in somebody else's life. Um, we help people find houses as realtors every day, but actually having physical labor and helping someone stay in their home even longer, it's, it's worth its weight in gold. I think it's a great experience. You're helping, uh, individuals who normally couldn't do this for themselves. A lot of them are older or handicapped, and, um, it's a good opportunity to help people who need things, and you're providing a service back to the community. The community's been good to us, so it's a way to pay back the community and help others. Now, we have an opportunity to talk to someone whose home was actually worked on by Repair Affair volunteers. Sharon. Nice to meet you. Thank you. Nice to meet you. Listen, I gotta ask a question or two. Okay. What does being able to stay in your home mean to you? Well, it means everything. I mean, being able to stay in the home I've been in for 36 years, you know, I raised my children there, and, um, I don't know where I would move at this point. Uh, that's, that's the home I've had all this time, and it means a lot to be able to be in something familiar and around, with the neighborhood and, and all. It's just, uh, it's a real, a blessing. It really is. Right, right. What would have happened if these repairs were not available? Well, the house would have stayed in disrepair. I mean, there wasn't any way I could have done it, and my children don't live here, so I wasn't able to get any help there. So it really meant a lot that, that they were willing to do this for me. Well, Sharon, what does it mean to have your house repaired during Repair Affair? During the Repair Affair? Yes. Oh, it was great. I mean, uh, all these wonderful people came in and just took over. They started painting, they started repairing, and it wasn't anything I could have done myself, and they did it very quickly and very well and professionally. ... um, it was, it was overwhelming to see that many people come in and, and really work. And they were so happy to do it. That was, that was a great part too. Well, thank you, sir. That's awesome. Thank you. Thank you. How I found out about it was, uh, a dear lady right behind me that put her rip on two years ago. So I called them and they sent me an application. I don't really have money. I probably have borrowed money to do it. Because applicants say they really need it. That's for sure. Couldn't see whether, say whether we would, how it would be without it. But it's something that's really needed because there, there's a lot of people, you know, just even worse off than me, that could use this service and don't have the money. That's the main thing. And they just treat it like a king. Our last guest is with Haymaker Bean Residential Real Estate and is board president for the Realtor Community Housing Foundation. Karen? Hi, how are you? I'm fine. How are you? Nice to meet you. Good. Thanks. Nice to meet you. Come on in here. Come in. So tell me, what needs do you see in the community that the Housing Foundation should address? Well, um, one of the, one of our biggest campaigns, of course, is taking care of the elderly, helping them stay in their homes, which is what we do through Repair Affair and Prepare Affair. And so we have more houses than we can get to, really, and more houses than we have funds to take care of. Great. Great. Great. What is your vision for the future of the Housing Foundation? Well, my hope is that we will be able to reach more families, take care of more families, whether they be elderly, those that need wheelchair ramps or, um, uh, families who just need to be educated on how to better care for their homes, uh, as they go into the future. Young families. Great. Great one. Great. What tools does the foundation need to get there? Well, we always need money. We're always looking for more money, but we also need good volunteers. We need folks the, that, like the Remodelers Council has been wonderful to help us. The Home Builders, um, have been great to help us and support us. We've had lots of realtors to come out, but we also could use other community volunteers, not just like those from the mortgage companies or the real estate companies. Well, thank you so much. Thank you very much. There you have it. I'd like to thank everyone who has joined us for taking time out to talk about this critical work being accomplished by RCHF. Most importantly, I'd like to thank you for taking time out of your schedule to learn about this work. Remember, there are many ways to become involved. The important thing is that you do. Please contact us at 859-276-2693 to learn more about what you can do to help. It's helped me, you know, 'cause, uh, I wouldn't have been able to do it financially. It was just a, a God-sent thing. It's just given me total freedom to go in and out of the house without anybody being around. That's how much it... I can do it without, by myself now without somebody having to watch me. The most challenging part of being involved is wanting to do more and maybe we don't have the resources or not having enough time to accomplish everything is probably the hardest part 'cause you just wanna do more at the end of the day. Um, first of all, I have to tell you it's a real honor for me to be here. Many friendly faces here. You all have known me, some of you have known me for many years. But it's a real honor for me to be here and share with you what we do with the CDBG money that you allot to the Realtor Community Housing Foundation. We can take the $40,000 that you give us, with our volunteers, we can multiply that by about seven. So we are able to go out and do the repairs, take care of these folks and keep them in their homes. And it's really, um, it's really an honor to be part of that. And, and I just am very thankful to be in this place at this time and do, do these kinds of things. It's a way for us as realtors to give back to the community, but it's also, um, just an awesome, um, opportunity for, um, volunteers to be involved. Um, by the time we get finished with Repair Fair and the ramps, because of all the great volunteers that we have, um, we have, um... Andrea James serves on our c- um, on our, um, board. And, and so we have a councilwoman, we have realtors, bankers, remodelers, um, and like Chip Crawford said, they've even solicited, um, materials and, um, labor from their vendors. Uh, the Home Builders Association has been very invol- involved with us and we have a group of retired gentlemen who are from Emmanuel Baptist Church who help us with the ramps program. Your engineering department designs the ramps. These guys go out and build them for us. And they were, by the way, just last week, recognized by Governor Beshear at the Prayer Breakfast. Um, they won the esteemed William Cooper Award for Community Service. So, um, you know, they, those guys have just been invaluable for us. Then, the Kentucky Colonels have also recognized our efforts in installing wheelchair access by gran- granting us, um, a grant in the amount of $4,500 towards that effort. And those ramps have already been put in, in service. So, uh, another privilege that we share is we help... ... the graduates of Virginia Place, um, once they've graduated from UK and have attained a job and can qualify for a loan, realtor volunteers help them find a house and give them back their commission up to $2500 toward their closing costs. So it's really, and I've had the privilege of doing that, and it is an awesome privilege to watch these young people who've struggled to get through college, raising children, living at Virginia Place, actually get into a home. And it's really an honor to do that as well. Um, we also partner with three Lowe's stores here in town and Shiloh Baptist Church. In the fall, we do Prepare Affair. This is something that is relatively new, but this is an effort to teach homeowners how to do preparatory maintenance for upcoming colder winter weather. And then after Prepare Affair is conducted at Shiloh Baptist Church, then the Lowe's people go out to a few select homes and do some winterization. Last- Ms. Mundy, you have about a minute towards the- Okay. Um, I'm almost done. The one thing that I wanted to really share with you that I'm excited about and we have, um, a news release about it, thanks to, um, cooperation from the mayor and, um, uh, from Paula King, who's been great to work with. We have been selected as one of only five cities in the United States as a 2009 ambassador city by the National Association of Realtors and the US Conference of Mayors for our partnership with you on, on Repair Affair and Ramps. So, um, that was the big deal about my being here today is I just wanna thank you for your support and the continued support, um, and to let you know that we will be having Repair Affair on Thursday and Friday, May 7th and 8th. If you'd like to come join us, we'd love to have ya. Thank you. Thank you very much. Are there any questions for Ms. Mundy about the program? Ms. Hinson, Council Member Hinson. Karen, thank you for coming out and I, I'm really glad that there's an organization like this in Lexington that's a real cooperative effort between a lot of different folks, so I'm just, I'm really glad that you guys are there. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks again. Any others? All right. We're ready to move on to council reports. Council Member Crosby. Uh, thank you, Mayor. Um, I just wanted to, wanted to introduce, uh, today a very special guest that I have with me. Um, as you can tell, he's not shy. Uh, his name is Gray Harris and he is a student at Athens Charlesburg Elementary. He's 10 years old and he's in the fourth grade in, he- Or fifth grade, um, or third grade. Third grade, I'm sorry. I'm getting him confused with my children, which are surrounding him, but, um, in ages. And his, uh, parents, Bob and Tina, brought him here today to spend the afternoon with the Vice Mayor and myself. He has a, a project for school that he's working on on government, so he has, uh, grilled the Vice Mayor and I all afternoon on various questions regarding local government. And Michelle, you may have some competition because he's a, he has some pretty tough questions for us. But, um, he's enjoyed being here and I promised him I'd let him say hi to maybe his mom and dad. Thank you for coming and, and being with us, Gray. That's all I have. Thank you. I- I failed to, uh, mention a moment ago that Michael Allen is here. Council Member James, if you want to address a question you had about one of the new business items a moment ago, perhaps we could do that now. Thank you, Mayor. Thanks, Mr. Allen. Sure thing. Um, item C, can you, the, it just talks about abolishing a position and creating a position. Um, what section of human resources would this position fall into under the new, newly created position? The, um, the Department of Hu- the Division of Human Resources has been reorganized from the standard, uh, positions. This is, uh, a total rewards, which includes what used to be classification, compensation and benefits. So we approach, uh, the employment of our, you know, our employees more holistically versus, um, siloed. Um, the total rewards concept is, uh, pretty standard now in human resources. So it includes benefits, compensation and classification. Okay. Thank you. That's all I have. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. Any other questions for Mr. Allen before we let him go? Thank you. Very much. Thank you, sir. All right. We'll return to, um, council reports. Council Member Hinson. Thank you, Mayor. I just wanted to, one quick announcement tonight that there is a neighborhood meeting, homeowner's association meeting actually, for Harrisburg Square at, uh, 7:15 tonight at their, um, community center. Thank you. Thank you. Council Member Lawless. Yes, I, um, just wanted to announce that there is a neighborhood association meeting for the Columbia Heights Neighborhood Association at 7:00 PM tonight at Ashland Terrace. Thank you. Council Member Beard. Um, thank you, Mayor. I would like to move for approval of the neigh- Neighborhood Development Fund list for, uh, the March 17th work session today. Do I- Second. I have a motion by Council Member Beard, second by Council Member Gordon to approve the NDF. Any discussion? All in favor, please say aye. Opposed, no? Motion carries. Anything further, Council Member Beard? All right. Council Member Blues. Thank you, Mayor. I have, uh, several upcoming neighborhood association meetings starting with tonight at 7:00. The Masterson Station Neighborhood will meet at the, uh, clubhouse corner of Masterson Station Drive and, uh, and Jacqueline Lane. On Wednesday, tomorrow, March 18th, at 4:00 PM, the Western Neighborhood Associat- Western Suburb Neighborhood Association Board will meet with, uh, with consultants from, f-f- our streetscape consultants, and, uh, and Downtown Development Authority and Public Works in the, uh, uh, DDA, uh, um, meeting room in the Phoenix building to, uh, to talk about streetscape issues as they particularly affect the, uh, western suburb neighborhood, and we're looking forward to that discussion. Thursday night, the 19th, uh, well, we have three neighborhood association meetings that evening. Spiegel Heights meets at 7:00 PM at Antioch Baptist Church on Ferguson. Uh, the Melrose Oak Park Neighborhood Association meeting, 7:00 PM. That's at the, uh, Thompson Road Baptist Church. And little bit earlier, 6:30 PM, Bragtown Neighborhood will meet at Bragtown Baptist Church. Next Monday night, March 23rd, two meetings that begin at seven o'clock. The first in Oakwood, uh, Oakwood Neighborhood Association. Their monthly meeting will take place at, in the Oakwood Park Community Center. And again, at the same time, 7:00 PM on the 23rd, the Marlboro Radcliffe Neighborhood Association will hold its monthly meeting in the community center in Marlboro Park. Then Wednesday night, March 25th, uh, I'm hosting the Second District, uh, Neighborhood Association President's meeting at the North Side Library. That starts at s- 6:30 PM, uh, and our theme that evening will be emergency preparedness. We'll have representatives from, uh, from emergency management and also from Kentucky Utilities, and I'm, I'm hoping we can, we can, uh, provide a step-by-step program for, uh, for neighborhood, uh, leaders to, uh, uh, to institute emergency preparedness programs in their neighborhoods. An important topic and looking forward to seeing a number of the neighborhood leaders there. Again, that's Wednesday, March 25th, uh, 6:30 PM the social hour, 7:00 PM the meeting starts, and that's at the North Side Library. Thank you, Mayor. Thanks. Council member, uh, Gordon. Thank you, Mayor. A few meetings coming up. Um, the Stormwater Fee Task Force will meet on March 19th, that's a Thursday, from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. Um, I'm hoping that maybe we'll be finished by then, and I know all the task force members are. Um, that meeting will be here in the council chamber on the 19th. The planning committee's report will get reported out next Tuesday, but I wanted to alert, uh, council members that the planning committee is looking at two extra meetings. One to address the zoning ordinance, uh, text amendment, which has to do with extended stay, and we believe that will take its own meeting. And then, the second special meeting that we will have will be to address the 2040 vision, the Parks Master Plan, and the Blue Horse brand. And I will let you know as soon as we've confirmed those dates. Thank you. Council member James. Thank you, Mayor. Um, first of all, I wanted to say thank you to, to council member Gordon for attending the East End Small Area Plan public meeting last night. I think it was very well attended and a lot of good input. Um, those in attendance were current residents, past residents, and, um, just involved and folks that were invol- that are involved in a potential commercial retail segment along Third Street. It was a pretty exciting meeting to see that plan unveiled and to hear the feedback. Um, so I'll keep you up to date on how all that's going along. Um, wanted to also announce a couple of neighborhood meetings tonight. The Meadows Loudon Neighborhood Association meets at seven o'clock at their regular spot, and the S- uh, Smith Town Neighborhood Association meets, and they're meeting at Consolidated Baptist Church out on Russell Cave Road, kind of, um, uh, th- they do a little change of venue every now and then, and Consolidated is where they're meeting tonight at seven o'clock. Um, also wanted to, oh, announce that 6:30 on Thursday, the William Wells Brown Neighborhood Association will have its monthly meeting at the Phyllis Wheatley Center, and that's on Chestnut Street. So, um, residents, if you, uh, need more information about those meetings, feel free to call my office. If you dial 311 and, and ask for my office, they'll connect you. Um, also wanted to just say thanks to those that put together the council retreat last, um, last week. I think it was a, it was a good, a good retreat. We had some good conversation and to ask the vice mayor, um, Vice Mayor, if you, if you have any thoughts from the council retreat last week. Um, we had someone from KLC talk to us about restructuring and charter review and such, and wondered if you had thought any about how can we, how should we r- proceed, um, as a council or Committee of the Whole meeting or something like that. Well, I think that there were some, you know, that was good information that we got last week, and, um, after meeting with Joe Ewalt, uh, from the KLC, um, what was that? Yes, a week ago maybe, it was Sarah and Joe, I think we can put the two together and perhaps- ... go somewhere from there. Where? I can't say. Kevin is, yeah, Kevin's interested in another task force, right. No, A- Andrew, let's, let's, let's, uh, we don't need to be, I don't, you, you know, it's, good humor's always good, but, um, I think we can take it from there some, you know. I don't know exactly where Council Member James right now, but we heard that. I know that several council members heard it and were able to take that and maybe perhaps process it and then we can go from here. Sure. I just, I just wanted to mention it, because it is an, it is an issue that's in committee and we've been, um, I know the, as it stands for status now, it says Committee of the Whole, so I just wanted to kind of bring it up again and let folks know that this is, it is in committee. It's something that we have, um, been having forward motions on. We've had several meetings updating you and talking with you about, how do we proceed from here? And then hearing KLC speak last week, um, with their observation, or at least that representative's observation, um, and Joey, well, I just wanted to put it out there again that there is some forward motion that can happen to help for the efficiency, um, I believe and, and even from an outsider's perspective that there may be, there's something that we can do so, um, I'm down to continue to work, work on that issue, but, um, would encourage, um, council to move forward with something. I like the new language of work group, perhaps, instead of task force since we've had a lot of task forces working so, and I know Council Member Lawless has also expressed interest in that, the comments that were offered on Friday. So let's think about a small work group then that can look at it continually, continue to look at it. Thanks. Thank you. Thanks, Mayor. Let me speak to one piece of that, anyway. I asked, uh, Commissioner, I asked you to pull together some thoughts about how we might deal at least with that portion which we discussed on Friday about shortening some of the resolutions of the number of resolutions and ordinances that we deal with. And I know, um, Council Member Lawless has some interest in working on that particular issue as well. So, um, I hope the two of them will get together here shortly and bring forward something by way of a blue s- the blue sheet process where we can have a, have a proposal for your consideration shortly. Any other council member have a report? All right, there's no Mayor's report today, so that brings us down to, uh, public comment on issues not on the agenda. I only have one person who has indicated a desire to speak and that's Mr. Cobb. If you'd step to the podium you'll have three minutes. First, giving and honor to the most high God. Thank you, Ma'am, for another opportunity to speak. Giving honor to the council, Council Man Myers in his absence, giving honor to Council Man George Brown in his absence. Thankful to be alive today. With all that's going on in Kentucky and Lexington, we got great dreams, great goals, but we gotta fail, we fail to realize the value of all his citizens. We have failed as leaders. We've ha- we have failed as Black leaders. We've failed to inspire the youth to be leaders. We've failed to continue to climb on the shoulders and the backs of our forefathers, the struggle that they put down to make it easier for us. We've failed to continue that struggle. So before Lexington can go forward, we gotta go backward and grab that wherewithal to fight for our life. Lexington is changing, but until Lexington respects the dignity and the respect of them slaves that they brought over here chief side, we not gonna have no connection. Y'all have to acknowledge this. The most highest place me strategically in front of all of you at, at certain times. You can g- ignore it, you can push it away like it's nothing, but it's happening for a purpose. We have to come together. A nation is only stronger, as is morality. We don't have a money problem, we got a morality problem in Lexington. Our youth don't respect you. They don't think y'all care about them. We got to show them that they worthy to invest in a future. I'm asking Lexington, I'm asking the council, do something different. Show some love, genuine love for all of your citizen, not just for white people, not just for rich people, but for Black, Mexicans, everybody, 'cause we all got to live together. We tied together in a single garment of destiny. I might save you. You might save me. That's what it's boiling down to. I can't overlook nobody. We all in the aquarium together. Let us live, Mayor. Let me shine. Might be a blessing to you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Cobb. Does anyone else wish to address the council? All right, we have one matter we need to address by way of a closed session. Council Member Stennet, I think. Thank you, Mayor. I move the Irving County Council enter into closed session pursuant to KRS61.18101(C) for the discussion and proposed litigation against the Lex and Fed Irving County Government. Second. Have a motion and a second. Any discussion? All in favor, please say, "Aye." Aye. All opposed, "No." Motion carries.