Week of January 31, 2022

Written By Richard Young

🔎 - Big topic this week: Rural Broadband

This week, we'll be watching a presentation from Aldona Valicenti, Lexington's Chief Information Officer. She'll present the findings from a rural broadband study and further recommendations for network construction and funding.

You can watch the meeting on LexTV on Tuesday, February at 1 pm.

Much of Fayette County has access to cable, coaxial cable, or fiber internet, but rural communities around Central Kentucky (including many parts of Fayette county)remain underserved. The city conducted a Rural Broadband Opportunity Study in 2017 to combat this issue.

  • The city found that, on their own, Internet Service Providers are unlikely to supply broadband internet to rural parts of Fayette County. Based on the 2017 study, estimates show it could be as much as 9x more expensive to serve these areas.

  • Since then, the circumstances have changed.

    • COVID-19 has increased the need for high-speed internet access in these underserved rural areas for distance learning, Telehealth appointments, Teleconferences, telework, and online government services.

    • There are now far more funding opportunities than before. Possible funding sources include a $1M federal grant given to Kentucky specifically to expand high-speed internet among the commonwealth, Infrastructure Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds, and ARPA funds.

  • Valicenti's recommendations are for LFUCG to perform a broadband infrastructure survey of the areas in need and create a request for proposal.

    • The city is also considering a regional approach. This means they could work with communities near Lexington to install broadband for rural communities on a larger scale. Covering more rural communities would allow access to more funding and support from the state government.

🏢 - This Week in City Hall: Home Composting Pilot Program

On Tuesday, LFUCG Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works' Angela Poe will present LFUCG's home composting pilot program.

Watch the meeting on LexTV on Tuesday, February 1 at 1 pm.

In the summer of last year, LFUCG launched a home compost pilot program to reduce organic waste going to the landfill. This week, Angela Poe will present the results of the pilot.

  • LFUCG says that there was significant demand for the program, and the pilot reached 45 households.

  • The pilot came in $3,000 under budget.

LFUCG is considering continuing the program. If they do, it may look like the following:

  • Three workshops in the winter, one in January and two in February.

  • Continue to pay Seedleaf to participate.

  • Increase cap from 20 households per workshop to 30-35 households per workshop. Their target is reaching 100 households per year.

  • The project continuation would cost about $12,475.

🏃 - 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 1 at 6pm in the Gatton Student Center at UK!

Voting 101 workshop
It's Primary season! The CivicLex team wants you to be an informed voter, so we're hosting a workshop on Wednesday, February 9 about how to vote in this May's elections. Join us to learn all the who's, what's, when's, and where's of Lexington's 2022 Primaries featuring special guest Don Blevins, the Fayette County Clerk.

You can RSVP here or join the Zoom meeting here.

ADU Conference
From 8:30 am to 12 pm on February 1 and 2, the Division of Planning will have a virtual conference for anyone interested in learning more about Accessory Dwelling Units. Here's our explainer on what they are and what introducing them could mean for Lexington.

  • The conference will feature professional speakers who are experts on everything related to the ADU process. They will speak on their multiple uses and implementing them on a project level.

You can sign up for this free conference and find more information on the Imagine Lexington website.

Opportunity Zone Input

The Urban League of Lexington, EHI Consultants, and the City of Lexington are holding a series of events about Opportunity Zones in Lexington.

Opportunity Zones are part of a federal program that allows investors to delay their capital gains taxes by investing them in funds to redevelop designated low-income communities. Any profit made through these Opportunity Zone Funds is tax-free for the investors. Nationally, Opportunity Zones have a mixed reputation.

Lexington has one Opportunity Zone, including much of Lexington's North and East End neighborhoods. These EHI/Urban League events seek to gather input on how Lexington should deal with Opportunity Zones.

There are upcoming events on January 25 and February 8 at noon. Register at https://cutt.ly/OZMeetings.

Food Access

2020's Commission for Racial Justice and Equality recommended that the city focus on improving healthy food access throughout the city. The city is considering creating a new mobile grocery store that would take fresh food into communities with little access to groceries.

You can get involved by attending one of five focus groups:

  • Centro de San Juan Diego, 1389 Alexandria Drive, at 5:30 pm on January 19

  • Lexington Legends Ballpark, 207 Legends Lane, at 5:30 pm on January 25

  • Black & Williams Neighborhood Center, 498 Georgetown Street, at 5:30 pm on February 15

  • Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, 300 East Third Street, at 5:30 pm on February 22

  • Virtual Zoom Meeting at Noon on March 8. Zoom link will be made available at a later date.

You may also fill out this survey with your thoughts and experiences.

🗞 - Updates from Last Week

Lexington's Financial Outlook
In last week's Tuesday Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee, Dr. Michael Clark, Associate Professor of Economics and Director, Center for Business and Economic Research at UK have a presentation forecasting Lexington's economy and the city's revenue. Check out last week's newsletter for more info.

Here are some takeaways from his presentation:

  • There were too many uncertainties in the years to come to make sound predictions on revenue past 2023, but he did go over some of the issues that could affect revenue growth in the coming years- while setting aside the pandemic.

    • The last few years had unusual data due to COVID, so moving forward, LFUCG can probably see revenues similar to the two years right before the pandemic. Specifically, slow and steady growth for Lexington's payroll tax revenue and profit tax revenues.

  • Employment rates in Lexington are still relatively low, so, moving forward, there could still be an increase in people participating in the workforce.

    • But, there are 9,400 people out of the workforce entirely and aren't looking for jobs. There are a few different ways employers could react to this - they could offer higher wages, provide new incentives like tuition assistance or sign-on bonuses, or move to automation.

    • There was a worry from some on Council that new benefits like tuition assistance or a move to automation - neither of which would hit LFUCG's payroll tax - could erode the city's revenue.

FY2023 Council Budget Process
Stacey Maynard, council administrator, presented the FY2023 Council Budget Process to the Council. There were no changes made to the proposed process.

Who is Running for Office?
The deadline to apply to run in Fayette County's primary election has passed! Just before this, a few more people filed. This is our last round of newly-filed candidates. You can always find our complete list here.

  • District 4 - Barry Saturday, former social studies teacher and 2018 District 4 candidate has filed.

  • District 7 - Joseph Hale, resource analyst for Kentucky, has filed.

  • District 10 - Ross Mann, trial attorney at Hughes & Coleman, has filed.

🏢 - This Week in City Government

Monday, January 31st

Subdivision Plans and All Development Filing Plans Deadline
⏱ - 4:00 pm on January 31st
📍 - Planning Office, Phoenix Building — 7th Floor, 101 E. Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

———

Tuesday, February 1st

Louisville and Lexington ADU Conference
⏱ - 8:30 am - 12:00 pm on February 1st
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Registration Link
🗣 - No input option

City Employees Pension Fund Board Special Meeting
⏱ - 10:00 am on February 1st
📍 - Government Center — 12th floor conference room, 200 E. Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

Internal Audit Board Meeting
⏱ - 11:00 am on February 1st
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Zoom Link
🗣 - No input option

Public Arts Commission Meeting
⏱ - 11:00 am on February 1st
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Watch via LexTV
🗣 - No input option

Environmental Quality & Public Works Committee
⏱ - 1:00 pm on February 1st
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Watch via LexTV
🗣 - Public input option

Council Work Session
⏱ - 3:00 pm on February 1st
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Watch via LexTV
🗣 - Public input option

———

Wednesday, February 2nd

Louisville & Lexington ADU Conference
⏱ - 8:30 am - 12:00 pm on February 2nd
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Registration Link
🗣 - No input option

———

Thursday, February 3rd

Planning Commission - Subdivison (Sub)Committee Meeting
⏱ - 8:30 am on February 3rd
📍 - Phoenix Building - 3rd floor conference room, 101 E. Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

Planning Commission Zoning (Sub)Committee Meeting
⏱ - 1:30 pm on February 3rd
📍 - Phoenix Building - 7th floor conference room, 101 E. Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

Special Committee of the Whole (COW)
⏱ - 3:00 pm on February 3rd
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Watch via LexTV
🗣 - No input option

Ethics Commission Meeting
⏱ - 5:30 pm on February 3rd
📍 - Phoenix Building - 3rd floor conference room, 101 E. Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No input option

———

Friday, February 4th

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)
⏱ - 12:00 pm on February 4th
📍 - Phoenix Building - 7th floor conference room, 101 E. Vine St.
📺 - Zoom
🗣 - No input option

Richard Young
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Week of January 24, 2022