Week of February 14, 2022

Written By Megan Gulla

🔎 - Big topic this week: ARPA Committee of the Whole

ARPA Committee of the Whole (COW) is back this week, and it’ll be in person!

Tune into the ARPA COW on Thursday, Feb. 17 at 3:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber on 200 East Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507. You can also still view this meeting via LexTV.

The last time the ARPA COW met, LFUCG’s Chief Administration Officer, Sally Hamilton, presented suggestions to reorganize the allocations for proposed projects. She used ARPA funds and three other sources to fund each project. In this recommendation, CAO Hamilton would move nine projects into a $22.5M competitive fund for large-scale projects. She also would remove or decrease funding for 5 other projects. You can view the specifics in our “Updates from Last Week” section of the newsletter from Jan. 24.

Council will continue their discussion on project funding decisions. We’ll see if they utilize any of CAO Hamilton’s suggestions.

🔎 - The CivicLex Annual Report is here!

We’ve just released our Annual Report for 2021! This report lays out our bottom line, all that we had done last year, and what we want to do in 2022— We’ll continue strengthening the health of our civic infrastructure. Thank you to all of our board members, advisory group members, donors, staff, readers, and everyone involved with CivicLex for making this work possible!

🏢 - This Week in City Hall: On the Table - Public Input for the Comprehensive Plan

This week, you should watch a presentation from CivicLex in the Planning and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday, February 15!

We'll be presenting about On the Table, which will serve as the primary community input process for the 2023 Comprehensive Plan Update through a partnership with LFUCG.

  • On the Table is a week-long, city-wide conversation about Lexington's future.

  • Anyone can participate in the conversation by hosting or joining a table between April 10 - 16, 2022. Conversations can happen in-person or digitally, in parks, libraries, churches, businesses, schools, restaurants, and more!

  • We built On the Table with a 36-person Advisory Group, made up of representatives from BCTCS, Blue Grass Community Foundation, Commerce Lexington, Fayette Alliance, Fayette County Neighborhood Council, FCPS, Lexington Public Library, LFUCG, Transylvania University, United Way, University of Kentucky, and many more!

  • We'll present about the OTT survey, designed in partnership with the Martin School for Public Policy at UK and the OTT Data Working Group, which will gather general public input for the Comprehensive Plan.

  • Through qualitative and quantitative responses, the survey will gather public feedback on neighborhoods & housing, the environment, jobs & prosperity, transportation, and urban/rural balance.

  • Want to learn more about On the Table? You can find out all you need to know here!

In addition to our presentation, Commerce Lexington will present about their partnership with LFUCG to gather input from the business community for the Comprehensive Plan update.

  • They'll be hosting conversations at Commerce Lexington's office from April 6 -12.

  • Their Business Feedback sessions will focus on major employers, small businesses, tech & entrepreneurs, signature industries, and builders/developers/realtors.

  • The agenda for their meetings will focus on how the Comprehensive Plan impacts businesses, general feedback on Lexington's business climate, and the experience businesses have navigating city planning & development.

🏃 - Get Engaged

City Committee Watch Party
Join CivicLex and UK's Office for Student Success to watch and talk about the week's LFUCG Committee meeting! These City Committee Watch Parties, which are open to students and community members alike, and include free snacks, will take place every Tuesday from 5-6pm. Feel free to drop in even if you can't stay the whole time!

Join us Tuesday, February 8 at 5pm in the Gatton Student Center at UK!

RSVP

🗞 - Updates from Last Week

Economic Development Partnership Update

Last week, the Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee heard updates from LFUCG's Economic Development Partners. Nothing of note happened in this meeting. See last week's coverage for more information.

Public Arts Master Plan

Heather Lyons, LFUCG'sLFUCG's Director of Arts and Cultural Affairs presented the new Public Art Master Plan proposed by the city's Public Arts Commission in the Council Work Session. The Public Arts Master Plan was created to guide the purchase and maintenance of public art on LFUCG property using LFUCG money set aside by the city's Percent for Art ordinance.

Read our summary of the Master Plan'sPlan's Goals and recommendations here. Read the complete Public Art Master plan here.

  • Council discussed the recommended staff positions for this Master plan, including Heather Lyons' own position, a public art program manager, and an events program manager. Lyons said that the work this Master Plan brings would be beyond her position. These other positions could help the program function effectively and efficiently spend funds.

  • Lyons emphasized that this would preferably include performing artists in the community, not just statues and murals.

  • There was a lot of contention among Council Members about the Public Art Master Plan. Some Council members said that the city should not invest taxpayer money into hiring internal staff for the arts as it would conflict with external arts organizations. Some on Council emphasized the importance of art in Lexington for our quality of life and supported some of the goals of the Public Art Master Plan.

  • Ultimately, the broad goals of the Public Art Master Plan will go into effect immediately. Still, many of the recommendations - like new staff for Public Art and creating a Division of Arts and Culture - look unlikely to be implemented by Council.

🏢 - This Week in City Government

Monday, February 14th

Board of Adjustment Meeting
⏱ - 1:30-5:00 pm on February 14th
📍 - 2nd floor, Council Chamber, 200 East Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

Continued Discussion, Reapproval, and Extension Filing Deadline
⏱ - 4:00 pm on February 14th
📍 - 7th-floor Planning Office, Phoenix Building, 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

———

Tuesday, February 15th

Planning & Public Safety Committee
⏱ - 1:00 pm on February 15th
📍 - 2nd floor, Council Chamber, 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No input option

Council Work Session
⏱ - 3:00 pm on February 15th
📍 - 2nd floor, Council Chamber, 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - In person

———

Wednesday, February 16th

Courthouse Area Design Review Board
⏱ - 2:00 pm on February 16th
📍 - 2nd floor, Council Chamber, 200 East Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

Greenspace Commission and Trust Meeting
⏱ - 3:00-5:00 pm on February 16th
📍 - Zoom
📺 - Zoom Link
🗣 - No input option

———

Thursday, February 17th

Corridors Commission
⏱ - 12:00-1:00 pm on February 17th
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Zoom Link
🗣 - No input option

Planning Commission Work Session
⏱ - 1:30 pm on February 17th
📍 - 3rd-floor Conference Room, Phoenix Building, 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

ARPA Committee of the Whole
⏱ - 4:30 pm on February 17th
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No input option

Council Meeting
⏱ - 6:00 pm on February 17th
📍 - 2nd floor, Council Chamber, 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - In person

———

Friday, February 11th

No meetings

Megan Gulla
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