Week of May 2, 2022

Written By Megan Gulla

🔎 - Big topic this week: Council Budget Link Committees

The Mayor's proposed budget is out, but it has a long way to go and many link committee meetings to get through before we see the final budget. Last week, Council had its first budget link committee meeting for FY23. This week, you can keep up with the process by watching the Council budget links on zoom:

  • Monday, May 2, 2022, at 9 am: CAO & Public Safety

  • Monday, May 2, 2022, at 1 pm: Finance, Economic Development & Planning

  • Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at 9 am: General Services and Social Services

  • Wednesday, May 4, 2022, at 1 pm: General Government

  • Thursday, May 5, at 9 am: General Services and Social Services

  • Friday, May 6 at 1 pm: General Government

Stay tuned for our updates next week! Council will hold these meetings in the 5th-floor conference room of the Government Building on 200 East Main Street, Lexington, KY. These meetings are also available to watch remotely via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84179046607?pwd=Si9ZUERJY3RhTzVRekhLeFFEenkxZz09

Meeting ID: 841 7904 6607 Passcode: 129754

🔎 - This week in City Hall: Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee Meeting

The EQPW committee will be meeting on Tuesday, May 3, at 1 pm. Last week, the Council discussed some of these presentation topics at the EPQW Budget Link meeting - you'll see those mentions in Updates From Last Week.

  • Pavement Management Plan: D8 CM Fred Brown and Commissioner Nancy Albright will present the city's Pavement Management Plan, which the Council's Paving Subcommittee created in 2016. This plan collects data to decide how, when, and where the city repairs our roads and sidewalks in each district. They'll be presenting Pavement Management history and previously passed resolutions, FY23 Plan Policy Updates, and Future Plans based on the 2021 data survey.

  • Aesthetic Crosswalks: D10 CM Amanda Mays Bledsoe and Commissioner Albright will present Crosswalk Art (meant for low traffic conditions like residential and local streets) and Decorative Crosswalks (meant for high traffic locations like the main roads in Lexington called Corridors). This presentation will go over the requirements and maintenance for these installations. If necessary, sponsors looking to install crosswalk art and decorative crosswalk would be responsible for funding the art and the crosswalk markings. They would need to submit an application to LFUCG and be reviewed by the EQPW.

  • Sevierville Waste Digesters: Recently, some Council <embers visited Sevierville, Tennessee, to see their waste management facility. This facility charges people in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg for their solid waste and processes it into usable compost that is offered free of charge to the public. CM Richard Moloney and Commissioner Albright will be presenting more on Sevier Solid Waste Inc and Lexington's current system. According to recent findings in the 2022 Waste Characterization Study, of the material collected in dumpsters, 30% could be composted, and 32% recycled. CM Moloney and Albright will discuss starting a feasibility study to consider this kind of facility in Lexington.

Tune into these meetings in Council Chambers at 200 E Main Street or via Livestream!

🏃 - Get Engaged

Candidate forums and surveys!
We've got the one-stop-shop for candidate forums on Lex.Vote! Head over to this page to stay informed for primaries.

  • The League of Women Voters Lexington has recorded their forums for candidates running for the following races: Council At-Large, Districts 1, 4, and 5, County Attorney, Democratic Candidates for County Judge/Executive, Republican Candidates for County Judge/Executive, Circuit Court Judge District 7 and District Court Judge District 1.

  • Kentuckians for the Commonwealth recorded a forum with the Mayoral and County Attorney Candidates on Law Enforcement, Racial Justice, and Accountability.

  • Fayette Alliance also has survey answers from some candidates available now.

  • We sent out brief surveys to many of the primary candidates a couple of weeks ago. We already have a few available now on Lex.Vote!

Election Day on May 17 is coming very soon, so get ready to vote!

Find all of these on Lex.vote under more resources!

🗞 - Updates from Last Week:


Council Budget Link Committee: Environmental Quality and Public Works

Here's what happened at the first budget link committee last week.

  • D1 CM James Brown presented on behalf of the Corridor's Commission, responsible for assessing, planning, and improving major roads in Lexington. This presentation included a proposal to fund two additional welcome signs for Lexington at $600,000. The Mayor allocated $300,000 in funding for one welcome sign in her proposed budget. The next step in this proposal is for Corridors Commission to bring forward a proposed funding source for the two additional welcome signs.

  • D7 CM Preston Worley asked the committee to consider increasing the bond funding for paving to fully fund the paving management plan. This plan would cost $15M. Proposed paving funding is currently at $9.5M from Capital Project Funds. The remaining proposed funding of $3.5M comes from the Municipal Aid program. A resolution passed in 2016 required $15M to be allocated to paving; since then- the funds have been a few million short.

  • CM Richard Moloney asked about completing a feasibility study for starting a waste facility like the one in Sevierville. Moloney and Commissioner Albright will be presenting on this opportunity at this week's Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee Meeting.

Budget Stabilization Cow

Here's the summary of last Thursday's Budget Stabilization Committee of The Whole. In the meeting, Council considered several items that weren't funded through ARPA for funding through Budget Stabilization, a fund designed to make up for any budget shortfalls. As we said last week, the city's projected revenue for FY23 is considerably higher than in previous years.

  • Housing Stabilization, Energy Efficiency: Vice Mayor Kay presented this item. This project would provide housing stabilization in neighborhoods with residents vulnerable to displacement by providing energy efficiency support to up to 200 low-income homeowners. This project also includes job training in the energy sector for solar panel installation, energy efficiency and carbon footprint reduction incentives, and training for energy entrepreneurs. LFUCG would partner with United Way of the Bluegrass for project management. This project would cost approximately $5M.

Council discussed a possible trial run on a few homes needing solar panels for more affordable utilities.

  • Youth Sports Complex - CM David Kloiber brought this item up with a request for $10M. CM Bledsoe and CM Chuck Ellinger are now asking for $4M for a sports complex to provide more community greenfield space for youth.

Council was pleased with the new price of this item.

  • Crime prevention through downtown lighting suggestions recommended by the Lexington Police Department and Parks and Recreation: D3 CM Hannah LeGris presented this item. She argued that this would allow for better visibility and safety at night. This project would replace streetlights with LED lights, which are much brighter. This project would cost about $170,300.

Council was overall supportive of this item.

Versailles Road Corridor: This item from CM Reynolds focused on improvements on Versailles road like protected bike lanes, replaced curbs, wider sidewalks, and traffic-slowing medians. This would cost $31M.

Here are some other Council Member asks up for consideration: The Arboretum for $300,000, $544,700, Arts and Culture Masterplan for $2.5M and Lexington Distillery District for $2.5M.

These items will have further consideration in Budget Link Committee Meetings.

🏢 - This Week in City Government

Monday, May 2

Council Budget Link: CAO & Public Safety
⏱ - 9:00 am on May 2
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Council Budget Link: Finance, Economic Development & Planning
⏱ - 1 - 4 pm on May 2
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Subdivision Plans & All Development Plans Filing Deadline
⏱ - 4:00 pm on May 2
📍 - 7th-floor Planning Office, Phoenix Building — 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

———

Tuesday, May 3

Council Budget Link: General Services and Social Services
⏱ - 9 am - noon on May 3
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Environmental Quality & Public Works Committee
⏱ - 1:00 pm on May 3
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Council Work Session
⏱ - 3:00 pm on May 3
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

———

Wednesday, May 4

IR Steering Committee
⏱ - 10:30 am on May 4
📍 - 5th-floor Conference Room, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Council Budget Link: General Government
⏱ - 1 - 4:00 pm on May 4
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Racial Justice & Equality Commission
⏱ - 3:30pm on May 4
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

———

Thursday, May 5

Planning Commission — Subdivision (Sub)Committee Meeting
⏱ - 8:30 am on May 5
📍 - 3rd-floor Conference Room, Phoenix Building — 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Water Quality Fees Board — Special Meeting
⏱ - 9:00 am on May 5
📍 - North Elkhorn Conference Room, Tate Building — 125 Lisle Industrial Ave.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Council Budget Link: General Services and Social Services
⏱ - 9:00 am - 2:00 pm on May 5
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Planning Commission Zoning (Sub)Committee Meeting
⏱ - 1:30 pm on May 5
📍 - 7th-floor Conference Room, Phoenix Building — 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Special Committee of the Whole (Budget Stabilization)
⏱ - 4:30 pm on May 5
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Ethics Commission Meeting
⏱ - 5:30 pm on May 5
📍 - 3rd-floor Conference Room, Phoenix Building — 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Council Meeting — Mayor’s Proposed Budget Public Hearing
⏱ - 6:00 pm on May 5
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

———

Friday, May 6

Senior Services Commission
⏱ - 8:30 am on May 6
📍 - Senior Center — 195 Life Ln.
📺 - No virtual option  
🗣 - No public input

Watershed-Focused Monitoring Program Training
⏱ - 9 am - 10:30 am on May 6
📍 - Town Branch Wastewater Treatment Plant — 301 Lisle Industrial Ave.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
⏱ - 12:00 pm on May 6
📍 - 7th-floor Conference Room, Phoenix Building — 101 East Vine St.
📺 - TBA 
🗣 - No public input

Council Budget Link: General Government
⏱ - 1:00 - 4:00 pm on May 6
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Megan Gulla
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