Council Work Session

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council convened on May 9, 2023, at 3:00 PM in the Council Chamber at 200 E. Main St, Lexington, KY 40507, with Mayor Linda Gorton presiding. The council addressed seven agenda items during the session, covering a range of municipal business including zoning matters, budget amendments, and new legislation.

The meeting included three public comments from citizens addressing issues on the agenda. Council members conducted six formal votes throughout the session, with all substantive agenda items receiving approval. Key business items included requested rezonings and docket approval, budget amendments, neighborhood development funds, and the passage of the C.R.O.W.N. Act Ordinance. The council also approved routine matters such as meeting summaries and new business items, demonstrating productive progress on both administrative and policy matters affecting the Lexington-Fayette community.

Attendance

The following members were present at the May 9, 2023 meeting:

Present: • Vice Mayor Wu • J. Brown • Ellinger • Fogle • Lynch • LeGris • Monarrez • Sheehan • Gray • F. Brown • Baxter • Sevigny • Reynolds • Plomin

Absent: • Worley

Late Arrivals: None

A total of 14 members were present for the meeting, with one member absent. No members arrived late to the proceedings.

Votes and Decisions

The meeting included six motions, all of which passed by voice vote 0:00.

Rezonings and Docket Approvals A motion to approve requested rezonings and docket approvals was made by an unidentified member and passed by voice vote.

Summary Approvals Plomin made a motion to approve summaries, which was seconded by Gray. The motion passed by voice vote.

Budget Amendments Baxter moved to approve budget amendments, with LeGris providing the second. The motion passed by voice vote.

New Business Items Ellinger made a motion to approve new business items, seconded by Sheehan. The motion passed by voice vote.

Neighborhood Development Funds Amendment LeGris moved to amend neighborhood development funds, with an unidentified member providing the second. The motion passed by voice vote.

C.R.O.W.N. Act Ordinance Worley made a motion to advance the C.R.O.W.N. Act ordinance, which was seconded by Ellinger. The motion passed by voice vote.

All votes were conducted by voice vote rather than roll call, so individual member positions were not recorded. No motions received opposition or abstentions during the meeting.

Budget and Financial Actions

The council approved several contracts and financial agreements totaling over $1 million in expenditures and grant acceptance.

Professional Services Contracts: • Resolution 0461-23 authorized a $6,000 Professional Services Agreement with Tania Walker for the It Takes A Village Summer Youth Program • Resolution 0482-23 approved a $28,000 Professional Services Agreement with Andrews Counseling and Consulting PLLC for trauma counseling services

Facility and Infrastructure Agreements: • Resolution 0477-23 approved a $3,528 extension agreement with CivicLex for rental space at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center • Resolution 0483-23 authorized the largest expenditure, a $938,577 Engineering Service Agreement with Palmer Engineering, Inc. for the Harrodsburg Road Share Use Trail project

Grant and Community Program Actions: • Resolution 0486-23 accepted $116,620.70 in additional ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services for the Extended School Program • Resolution 0485-23 approved Amendment No. 2 to the Fayette Park Homeowners Association, Inc. Neighborhood Action Match agreement, though no dollar amount was specified for this amendment

The approved contracts span various city services including youth programming, mental health services, arts facility operations, and infrastructure development. The Harrodsburg Road trail engineering contract represents the largest single expenditure, accounting for approximately 85% of the total contracted amounts approved during this meeting.

Public Comment

During the public comment period, three speakers addressed the meeting to express support for the C.R.O.W.N. Act 0:00.

Jitana Bentonly spoke first, identifying herself as a nurse and member of the Links Incorporated organization. Bentonly advocated for the C.R.O.W.N. Act, highlighting its significance for both health and mental well-being in the community.

Kiki Mckenzie followed with personal testimony about experiencing discrimination related to her hair while participating on a dance team. Mckenzie shared her story to demonstrate the real-world impact of hair-based discrimination and voiced her support for the C.R.O.W.N. Act as necessary legislation to address these issues.

La Donna Walker concluded the public comment session by speaking about the broader importance of self-representation and individual identity. Walker emphasized how the C.R.O.W.N. Act would enable people to express themselves authentically without facing discrimination based on their natural hair or protective hairstyles.

All three speakers focused exclusively on supporting the C.R.O.W.N. Act, presenting both personal experiences and professional perspectives on why the legislation is needed to protect individuals from hair-based discrimination in various settings.

Public Comment - Issues on Agenda

0:00

During the public comment period for agenda items, three speakers addressed the meeting in support of the C.R.O.W.N. Act. The speakers were:

• Jitana Bentonly
• Kiki Mckenzie
• La Donna Walker

All three commenters spoke in favor of the C.R.O.W.N. Act, though the specific details of their remarks and the nature of their support were not detailed in the available materials. The C.R.O.W.N. Act typically refers to legislation that prohibits discrimination based on natural hair textures and protective hairstyles.

This agenda item was informational in nature, providing community members an opportunity to address the governing body on matters scheduled for consideration during the meeting. No action was taken during this public comment period, as is standard practice for such segments of government meetings.

Requested Rezonings/Docket Approval

0:00

The council considered and approved requested rezonings and docket approvals during this agenda item. The resolution was passed without recorded discussion or debate from council members.

No specific details about the individual rezoning requests, property locations, or zoning classifications were documented in the available meeting materials. The council proceeded directly to approval of the requested rezonings and docket items as presented.

The outcome was approval of the requested rezonings and docket approvals.

Approval of Summary

0:00 The council addressed the approval of the summary from the previous meeting as the first item of business.

The agenda item was presented as a resolution for the council's consideration. No specific speakers were identified during the discussion of this procedural matter.

The council proceeded to approve the summary of the previous meeting without recorded debate or concerns raised by council members. This represents standard procedural business typically handled at the beginning of council meetings to formally acknowledge and accept the record of prior proceedings.

Outcome: The summary was approved by the council.

Budget Amendments

The council considered budget amendments during the meeting 0:00.

The budget amendments were presented to the council for approval, though the specific details of the amendments and the amounts involved were not detailed in the available meeting materials. No speakers were identified as presenting or discussing the amendments during this portion of the meeting.

The council proceeded to vote on the budget amendments without recorded debate or discussion. The amendments were approved by the council.

The brevity of this agenda item suggests it may have been a routine administrative matter or that the amendments had been previously reviewed in detail during earlier meetings or work sessions.

New Business

0:00

The council addressed new business items during this portion of the meeting. According to the meeting records, the new business items were approved by the council.

Outcome: Approved

*Note: The meeting transcript and detailed discussion points for this agenda item were not available in the provided materials. For complete information about the specific new business items discussed, their details, and the full council deliberation, please refer to the complete meeting video or official meeting minutes.*

Neighborhood Development Funds

0:00

The council considered a resolution regarding neighborhood development funds during this meeting. LeGris served as the key speaker for this agenda item, presenting the proposal to the council.

The resolution was brought forward for council approval, though specific details about the funding amounts, target neighborhoods, or intended projects were not detailed in the available meeting materials. The discussion centered on the allocation and management of these development funds for neighborhood improvement initiatives.

During the deliberation process, the council made amendments to the original proposal before moving forward with approval. The specific nature of these amendments was not elaborated upon in the meeting summary, but they were significant enough to modify the resolution from its initial form.

Following the presentation and discussion of amendments, the council voted to approve the neighborhood development funds resolution. The approval indicates the council's support for directing resources toward neighborhood development initiatives, though the implementation details and specific beneficiary areas would likely be determined through subsequent administrative processes.

The successful passage of this resolution represents the council's commitment to neighborhood improvement and community development efforts within their jurisdiction.

C.R.O.W.N. Act Ordinance

0:00

The council considered an ordinance implementing the C.R.O.W.N. Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on natural hair, texture, and protective hairstyles. The legislation aims to protect individuals from workplace and educational discrimination related to their natural hair characteristics and culturally significant hairstyles.

Key speakers during the discussion included council members Worley and Ellinger, who addressed various aspects of the proposed ordinance. The C.R.O.W.N. Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) represents an effort to codify protections against hair-based discrimination that disproportionately affects Black individuals and other communities.

The ordinance would establish legal protections for hairstyles such as braids, locs, twists, and other natural hair textures and protective styles that are often targeted for discriminatory treatment in employment, housing, education, and public accommodations. By advancing this legislation, the council seeks to address systemic barriers and promote inclusive policies that recognize and protect cultural expression through hairstyles.

The council approved the C.R.O.W.N. Act ordinance, moving it forward in the legislative process. This action aligns with similar measures adopted in numerous states and localities across the country as part of a broader movement to eliminate hair discrimination and promote workplace and educational equity.

The passage of this ordinance represents a significant step toward ensuring that individuals cannot face adverse treatment or exclusion based on their choice to wear their hair in its natural state or in protective styles that reflect their cultural heritage and personal preferences.