Week of May 9, 2022

Written By Megan Gulla

🔎 - Big topic this week: Kentucky Gives Day 2022

Each week, over 1,000 of you read our newsletter about happenings in LFUCG and the Lexington community. To keep this machine going, we need your help!

Tomorrow is Kentucky Gives Day– a statewide day of giving. If you like our newsletter and our work in general, we would appreciate any support you can give - even if it's just $10! We're trying to raise $5,000 and would love to have 100 unique donors participate.

We'll send a reminder email tomorrow about participating in the official KY Gives Day, but if you want to contribute early, you can do so here.

Thank you again for your continued support of CivicLex!

🔎 - This week in City Hall: Redistricting Review Presentation

D10 CM Amanda Bledsoe and Council Research Analyst Jennifer Sutton will present a review of the 2021 redistricting process.

The redistricting process wrapped up in December 2021, with the Council approving the new district map in their final city council meeting. On Tuesday, May 10, the General Government and Social Services Committee will hear a review of the 2021 Redistricting process and suggestions on how it can improve the process after the next Census. One of those suggestions is a council-based Work Group to better facilitate improvements in LFUCG'S redistricting.

Bledsoe and Sutton will also compare the 2021 redistricting process to last year's. There are some notable changes between the two.

  • In 2011, there were four meetings for public comment, and the Committee held a redistricting workshop. The redistricting plan then was available in person in the Government Center and on the LFUCG website.

  • In 2021, a website and Data Hub were available on the LFUCG website, and there were only two public comment meetings.

This meeting will be held at 1 pm on Tuesday, May 10, in Council Chambers at 200 E. Main Street and is also available to watch via Livestream.

🏃 - Get Engaged

Lexington Mayoral Primary Debate at Transylvania University by WKYT and the League of Women Voters

On Monday, May 9 at 7 pm, Transylvania University is hosting a Mayoral Primary Debate with Mayoral Incumbent Linda Gorton, D6 CM David Kloiber, and Adrian Wallace. This event will be available to watch via livestream on WKYT. In-person seats are sold out for this debate at Transylvania University's Carrick Theater, but there is a waitlist available.

Bluegrass Greensource Sustainability Summit

Heads up to the readers interested in sustainability in the Bluegrass! Bluegrass Greensource is a nonprofit that works to provide environmental resources and information to schools, community groups, and local governments in central Kentucky. It is hosting an annual Sustainability Summit presented by Toyota Tsusho America Inc. on Thursday, May 12, from 8:00 am-5:30 pm at the University of Kentucky Gatton Student Center.

Register here to connect with environmental experts, community leaders, and organizations dedicated to environmental sustainability.

Learn more about the summit and pricing on their website.

Check out our LexVote one-stop election shop!

Our has plenty of election resources to keep residents in the know on the upcoming election's primary candidates.

  • Learn who the candidates are for Mayor and Council races, judicial races, and county races, and read their answers from surveys and forums.

  • Learn about campaign financing and the basics of primary voting from a breakdown of these issues and through our interviews with County Clerk Don Blevins and campaign staffer Courtney Daniel.

🗞 - Updates from Last Week:

Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee Meeting

The Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee met Tuesday last week. It passed two motions from the four presentations the Committee heard. Read the presentation summaries from last week to explain the discussed topics more thoroughly.

  • CM D10 Amanda Bledsoe's Aesthetic Crosswalk Guidelines were passed by the Committee.

  • The Committee also passed a motion to request the LFUCG administration hire a consultant to evaluate the pricing and feasibility of a waste management facility similar to Sevierville's.

Special Committee of The Whole: Budget Stabilization

In the Budget Stabilization Committee of the Whole, Council discussed 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.

Here are the items that came up in Budget Stabilization for discussion:

  • $100,000 - Aesthetic Crosswalks

    • CM Bledsoe presented this item. This funding would support aesthetic crosswalks in each district at schools with areas that may be dangerous for children to walk. Depending on the paint and weather, these crosswalks could last 2-10 years.

  • $1,000,000 - Land Acquisition for relocation of Fire Services and the Community Paramedicine program

    • CM James Brown presented this item. This funding would support land purchasing for a new building for Fire Services to replace the city's small and aging Fire Station 2, which has little room for the Parademicine staff.

  • $2,500,000 - Arts & Culture Master Plan Implementation Items

    • CM Kathy Plomin presented this item. This funding would go to LexArts; it would support creating and implementing an Arts and Cultural Master Plan for the City of Lexington.

  • $95,000 - Corridor Master Plan

    • CM James Brown presented this item. This funding would support new welcome signs for major corridors in Lexington.

  • $2,500,000 - Beautification of Manchester Street

    • CM James Brown presented this item with a Lexington Distillery District executive board member. This funding would be used to make aesthetic improvements to the Distillery District, including burying power lines, landscaping improvements, signage, public art, crosswalks, and better sidewalks.

  • $10,000,000 - Affordable Housing

    • CM Richard Moloney presented this item. This funding could specifically support individuals and families not making a low enough income for rent and housing aid but still in need.

Budget Link Meeting Updates

There were a few notable mentions in this week's set of link meetings. Typically, these meetings are full of discussion without many actionable motions. Action will be more evident in the Council Link reports at the Committee of The Whole meeting on May 31, 2022, at 10 am.

🏢 - This Week in City Government

Monday, May 9

Council Budget Link: Finance, Economic Development & Planning
⏱ - 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm on May 9
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Board of Adjustment Meeting
⏱ - 1:30 pm on May 9
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Waller Ave. Property Owners meeting - Infill and Redevelopment Steering Committee
⏱ - 7:00 pm on May 9
📍 - Online
📺 - Join meeting online
🗣 - No public input

———

Tuesday, May 10

Council Budget Link: CAO & Public Safety
⏱ - 9 am - noon on May 10
📍 - Virtual
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Vacant Property Review Commission (Appeal Hearings)
⏱ - 10:00 am on May 10
📍 - 3rd-floor Conference Room, Phoenix Building — 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

General Government & Social Services Committee
⏱ - 1:00 pm on May 10
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

Council Work Session
⏱ - 3:00 pm on May 10
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - LexTV
🗣 - No public input

———

Wednesday, May 11

Board of Adjustment Application Filing Deadline
⏱ - 8:00 am - 4:00 pm on May 11
📍 - 7th-floor Planning Office, Phoenix Building — 101 East Vine St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Transportation Technical Committee
⏱ - 9:00 am on May 11
📍 - 7th-floor Conference Room, Phoenix Building — 101 East Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Tree Board
⏱ - 10:30 am on May 11
📍 - 5th-floor Conference Room, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Commission on Veterans Affairs
⏱ - 11:30 am on May 11
📍 - Senior Center — 195 Life Ln.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Nonprofit Capital Grant Program Informational Workshop Webinar
⏱ - 1:30 pm on May 11
📍 - Virtual
📺 - Pre-register
🗣 - No public input

———

Thursday, May 12

Planning Commission Meeting — Subdivision Items
⏱ - 1:30 pm on May 12
📍 - 2nd-floor Council Chamber, Government Center — 200 East Main St.
📺 - No virtual option
🗣 - No public input

Infill and Redevelopment Neighborhood Meeting — Waller Ave.
⏱ - 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm on May 12
📍 - Online
📺 - Join meeting
🗣 - No public input

———

Friday, May 6

Megan Gulla
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