Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government held a meeting on June 29, 2021, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber of the Urban County Government Center, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The meeting addressed six agenda items, including both informational presentations and business requiring formal action. The council took three votes during the session, approving items related to meeting summaries and new business matters. One public comment was heard during the designated public comment period for issues on the agenda. Key presentations included updates on the Lexington Workforce Resource Center and a report from the Task Force on Neighborhoods in Transition, providing the council with important information on workforce development and neighborhood planning initiatives.

Attendance

All 15 members of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council were present for the June 29, 2021 meeting.

Present: • Mayor Linda Gorton • Vice Mayor Steve Kay • Council Member Josh McCurn • Council Member Kathy Plomin • Council Member Amanda Bledsoe • Council Member James Brown • Council Member Richard Moloney • Council Member Chuck Ellinger • Council Member Susan Lamb • Council Member Preston Worley • Council Member Fred Brown • Council Member Jennifer Reynolds • Council Member Liz Sheehan • Council Member Hannah LeGris • Council Member David Kloiber

Absent: None

Late: None

The meeting achieved full attendance with no absences or late arrivals recorded.

Votes and Decisions

The council took three unanimous votes during the June 29, 2021 meeting, with all 15 members present voting in favor of each item.

Approval of June 22, 2021 Table of Motions 3:00 Council Member Josh McCurn motioned to approve the table of motions from the June 22, 2021 meeting, with Council Member Kathy Plomin providing the second. The motion passed unanimously by voice vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays. All council members voted in favor: Mayor Linda Gorton, Vice Mayor Steve Kay, and Council Members Josh McCurn, Kathy Plomin, Amanda Bledsoe, James Brown, Richard Moloney, Chuck Ellinger, Susan Lamb, Preston Worley, Fred Brown, Jennifer Reynolds, Liz Sheehan, Hannah LeGris, and David Kloiber.

Approval of New Business Items 10:00 Vice Mayor Steve Kay made a motion to approve new business items, seconded by Council Member Josh McCurn. This motion also passed unanimously by voice vote with 15 ayes and 0 nays, with the same 15 council members voting in favor.

Small Business Economic Recovery Grant Program Funding 20:00 Council Member James Brown motioned to approve the second tranche of funding for the small business economic recovery grant program, with Council Member Kathy Plomin seconding the motion. The vote was unanimous with 15 ayes and 0 nays by voice vote. All 15 council members supported this funding measure.

All three votes demonstrated complete council unity, with no opposition or abstentions recorded on any of the items considered during this meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council approved three significant funding allocations totaling $953,230 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to support local organizations and programs.

Resolution 0637-21 authorized a sub-recipient agreement awarding $205,730 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission. This grant will support the commission's ongoing civil rights and human rights initiatives within the urban county.

Resolution 0650-21 approved $170,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to NAMI Lexington for the operation of the Fayette Mental Health Court. This specialized court program provides alternatives to traditional criminal justice proceedings for individuals with mental health conditions, offering treatment and support services instead of incarceration.

Resolution 0655-21 allocated the largest portion of funding, totaling $577,500 in Local Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, to three cultural organizations. The recipients include the Lyric Theater and Cultural Arts Center, LexArts, and the Explorium of Lexington. This funding aims to support the recovery and continued operations of these important cultural institutions that serve the Lexington community.

All three allocations represent strategic investments in community services, mental health support, civil rights protection, and cultural preservation using federal recovery funds designed to help communities rebuild and strengthen essential services following the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding decisions demonstrate the council's commitment to supporting both social services and cultural organizations that contribute to the community's well-being and quality of life.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, one resident addressed the council regarding issues in the community.

Chris spoke about panhandling concerns in Lexington 0:30. Chris expressed concerns about aggressive panhandling occurring in certain areas of the city and urged city officials to address both the immediate issue and its underlying root causes.

Contested Items

The council addressed one contentious issue during this meeting that resulted in a split vote among members.

No-knock warrant ban

The council voted on implementing a ban on no-knock warrants, which generated significant debate among council members. The disagreement centered on concerns about public safety and transparency in law enforcement practices.

The proposed ban would apply specifically to the Lexington Police Department and would not extend to other law enforcement agencies operating within the jurisdiction. This limitation was part of the contentious discussion, as some members expressed concerns about the scope and effectiveness of such a restricted ban.

The debate reflected broader tensions between public safety considerations and police reform efforts. Council members who supported the ban likely viewed it as a necessary step toward greater transparency and accountability in policing practices. Those opposed may have raised concerns about potential impacts on officer safety and law enforcement effectiveness.

The measure ultimately passed despite the split vote, indicating that a majority of council members supported implementing the no-knock warrant ban for the Lexington Police Department. However, the contentious nature of the vote suggests the decision was not unanimous and reflected genuine disagreement among council members about the appropriate balance between police reform and public safety concerns.

The limitation of the ban to only the Lexington Police Department, rather than all law enforcement agencies, represents a compromise position that may have influenced the final vote count.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:30

During the public comment period for agenda items, one community member addressed the city council regarding ongoing concerns in Lexington.

Chris spoke to the council about the issue of panhandling occurring throughout the city. The speaker expressed safety concerns related to this activity and emphasized the need for the city to take action to address what they characterized as the underlying root causes of the problem rather than just the visible symptoms.

The public comment was informational in nature, providing community input on an issue affecting residents. No formal action was taken by the council in response to the comment during this portion of the meeting.

Approval of Summary

3:00

The council considered approval of the summary from their June 22, 2021, meeting. Council Member Josh McCurn and Council Member Kathy Plomin were the key speakers during this agenda item.

The motion to approve the meeting summary was presented and discussed by the council members. The summary covered the proceedings and decisions made during the previous week's council session.

Following the discussion, the council voted to approve the summary of the June 22, 2021, meeting. The motion was successful, with the summary receiving official approval from the council.

New Business

10:00

The council addressed several new business items during this portion of the meeting, with Vice Mayor Steve Kay and Council Member Josh McCurn serving as key participants in the discussion.

The primary focus of the new business segment involved the approval of sub-recipient agreements related to federal funding. These agreements represent formal arrangements that would allow the distribution of federal funds to qualifying recipients within the community.

Vice Mayor Kay and Council Member McCurn led the discussion on these funding agreements, though the specific details of the federal programs, funding amounts, and intended recipients were not detailed in the available materials. The sub-recipient agreements appeared to be part of a broader federal funding initiative that required local government approval and oversight.

The council proceeded to vote on the new business items presented, ultimately approving the measures under consideration. The approval of these sub-recipient agreements will enable the city to move forward with the distribution of federal funds according to the established program requirements and guidelines.

No significant opposition or concerns were noted during the discussion of these new business items, suggesting general council consensus on the proposed agreements and their implementation.

Continuing Business

20:00

Council Member Amanda Bledsoe provided a report on the Budget, Finance & Economic Development Committee meeting during the continuing business portion of the June 29, 2021 council session.

Bledsoe's presentation included updates on the city's financial status and ongoing economic development partnerships. The report covered recent committee discussions regarding budget matters and collaborative efforts with economic development organizations.

This agenda item served as an informational update to keep the full council informed of the committee's recent activities and decisions. No formal action was taken during this presentation, as it functioned as a status report on the committee's work.

The report allowed council members to stay current on financial and economic development matters being addressed at the committee level before they potentially come before the full council for consideration.

Lexington Workforce Resource Center

30:00 Elodie Dickinson presented an update on the Lexington Workforce Resource Center, describing it as a pilot project designed to deliver job training and placement services at the neighborhood level.

The presentation focused on the center's mission to provide localized workforce development opportunities, bringing employment resources directly to community members rather than requiring them to travel to centralized locations. Dickinson outlined how the pilot program aims to address employment challenges by offering training programs and job placement assistance within the neighborhoods where residents live.

The workforce resource center represents an innovative approach to connecting job seekers with opportunities while reducing barriers to access that might prevent participation in traditional workforce development programs. By operating at the neighborhood level, the center seeks to better serve residents who may face transportation challenges or other obstacles to accessing employment services.

This agenda item was presented for informational purposes, providing council members and the public with an overview of the pilot project's structure and objectives. The presentation did not require any formal action from the governing body, serving instead as an update on this workforce development initiative.

The neighborhood-focused model represents a departure from conventional workforce development approaches, emphasizing accessibility and community-based service delivery to better reach residents in need of employment assistance and job training opportunities.

Task Force on Neighborhoods in Transition Report Out

50:00

Council Member James Brown and Hilary Angelucci presented the final report from the Task Force on Neighborhoods in Transition during this informational presentation. The task force was established to study and develop recommendations addressing involuntary displacement occurring in neighborhoods throughout the city.

The presentation focused on the task force's findings and proposed solutions to help prevent residents from being forced out of their communities due to rising housing costs, gentrification, and other economic pressures. The report represents the culmination of the task force's work examining patterns of neighborhood change and their impact on long-term residents.

Council Member Brown and Angelucci outlined the key recommendations contained in the final report, which are designed to provide tools and strategies the city can implement to mitigate involuntary displacement. The recommendations aim to help preserve neighborhood character while ensuring existing residents can remain in their communities as areas experience economic development and change.

This was an informational presentation, meaning no formal action was taken by the council during this meeting. The report out serves to inform council members and the public about the task force's completed work and findings. The recommendations will likely be considered for future policy development and implementation as the city works to address housing affordability and neighborhood stability challenges.

The presentation provides council members with the research and analysis needed to evaluate potential policy responses to involuntary displacement, setting the stage for future discussions about which recommendations to pursue and how to implement them effectively.