Week of September 06, 2021
The Highlights:
💡 - Big topic this week: The Mayor’s ARPA Priorities
If you’ve been following us here at CivicLex for the past few months, you’re probably tired of hearing from us about ARPA funds. We’re sorry! It’s just the (civic) gift that keeps on giving. Well, last week, the Mayor released her priorities for the allocation of almost $120M in federal ARPA relief dollars.
The mayor’s priorities gives council an idea of how the administration thinks ARPA funds should be allocated. Council will take these priorities into account (in addition to the results of the public survey and project submittals) when deciding how to spend ARPA funds.
Here’s what the Mayor wants:
Public Health/Social Services
$5 million rental assistance reserve
$3 million in COVID 19/public health assistance
$350,000 to support the work of the Safety Net violence prevention program (over 3 years)
$6 million in capital infrastructure funds for community partners who provide critical services such as violence prevention and intervention, mental and physical trauma support, addiction recovery, and homelessness
$240,000 to expand mentoring programs ($80,000 per year)
Economic Development
$17.5 million for infrastructure at Coldstream Research Campus economic development park
$2.25 million ($750,000/year) to develop ag-tech industry,capitalize on the momentum generated by the AgTech Steering Committee (Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Alltech and the City)
$5 million to create the Center for Economic Development to support business and provide workforce training
$1 million to support tourism industry, hard hit by pandemic
Parks & Neighborhoods
$10 million to fund proposals in Parks and Recreation Master plan including new trails, new playgrounds, new sports courts and community center and pool improvements
$10 million for funds to develop Cardinal Run North featuring a sports complex
$10 million for affordable housing
$250,000 to increase tree canopy
General Government & Investments
$4.5 million to support essential purchases in government without creating long term debt including funds for general government and public safety fleet, cybersecurity, salt barn, and police annex and headquarters
$1.5 million to fund Homelessness Prevention and Intervention for the next two fiscal years
$920,000 to expand summer youth employment programs for the next two fiscal years
$10 million to reward employees who have worked on the front lines throughout the pandemic and to retain employees who provide essential services in a highly competitive job market
🏢 - This week in City Hall: Few City Meetings
Since there aren’t many city meetings this week, here are a few things you can read:
What is Tree Week? It’s coming up in October, and being discussed in this week’s Tree Board meeting.
Where did Labor Day come from? Read this great primer from the Department of Labor
🏃 - City Committee Watch Parties at Cornerstone
Tuesdays, until October 5 from 12:30-3pm | UK Cornerstone
CivicLex is partnering with BBNvolved and UK Student Organizations and Activities to organize a series of LFUCG Council Committee Watch Parties at the UK Cornerstone every Tuesday until October 5 from 12:30-3pm. Join us to watch a live broadcast of local government committee meetings, and answer any and all questions you have concerning how local government works. There will also be optional crafting activities and food from Rolling Oven!
These watch parties are FREE and open to students & community members.
Please RSVP here.
🗞 - Updates from Last Week: Redistricting
Since few action items came out of last week’s BFED Committee Meeting, we’re focusing on Redistricting. This is from our coverage in the CivicLex Redistricting Newsletter:
The Redistricting Lexington Committee (RLC) held its second meeting on Wednesday, September 1st, in the Phoenix Building’s 3rd floor conference room. This meeting again lasted for two hours, with some new demographic information presented, along with discussion about the guidelines and timeline.
You can read the meeting packet here.
The group started by reviewing the two models Planning presented during the last meeting: the Traditional (often called Iterative) and Compact plans. As a reminder…
The Iterative plan keeps the districts mostly as they are, with slight adjustments to account for population changes.
The Compact plan, on the other hand, is an overhaul of Lexington’s districts and would split the large, rural 12th into several smaller and more socioeconomically diverse districts.
Iterative
Compact
The RLC heard from Chairman Wilson that VM Kay preferred the Iterative plan after speaking with County Clerk, Don Blevins, about precinct restrictions after the first meeting.
Keep this in mind because while the Redistricting Committee can make suggestions and recommendations for a particular plan, the final decision lies with Council.
The RLC also made it clear that the Committee is aiming for the November, rather that the April deadline. This isn’t final either, though, and depending on how the process goes, it may stretch out to April.
After this review, the RLC then discussed new business. Several themes emerged: representation, future decisions, pros and cons of the compact plan, projected population growth, the USB, political power, public input, and next steps.
🏢 This week in City Government
Monday, September 6
👷 - LFUCG Closed for Labor Day. Learn more about the history of Labor Day here.
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Tuesday, September 7
💂 - No City Meetings
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Wednesday, September 8
🌳 - Tree Board
⏱ - 10:30am on September 8
📍 - 200 East Main Street, 5th Floor Conference Room
📺 - No Viewing Option Available
📖 - Read the agenda
🗣 - Give input in person
🔦 - Highlights:
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Thursday, September 9
🗺 - Planning Commission - Subdivision Items
⏱ - 1:30pm on September 9
📍 - 200 East Main Street, Council Chambers
📺 - Watch via LexTV
📖 - Read the agenda
🗣 - Give input in person
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Friday, September 10
🎷 - Lyric Theatre Board Meeting
⏱ - 12:00pm on September 3
📍 - Digital
📺 - No viewing option available
📖 - No agenda available
🗣 - No input option available
🏃 More ways to get engaged
City Committee Watch Parties at Cornerstone
Tuesdays, until October 5 from 12:30-3pm | UK Cornerstone
CivicLex is partnering with BBNvolved and UK Student Organizations and Activities to organize a series of LFUCG Council Committee Watch Parties at the UK Cornerstone every Tuesday until October 5 from 12:30-3pm. Join us to watch a live broadcast of local government committee meetings, and answer any and all questions you have concerning how local government works. There will also be optional crafting activities and food from Rolling Oven!
These watch parties are FREE and open to students & community members.
Please RSVP here.
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🍃 - Provide your input for how Lexington should treat Open Space
The Division of Planning is proposing a Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments relating to Open Space.
What is open space? In the context of a city, think about small parks, greenspace, communal gathering areas, and other parts of our civic fabric. Open space provides opportunities for increased social cohesion and connection between neighbors and cultural events. It also has positive environmental impacts, including reduced water runoff, easing of heat islands, and more.
The Division of Planning's proposed changes to the Zoning Ordinance will set new definitions for open space, set open space requirements for new developments, and more.
🅿️ - Give your input on parking in Lexington
The Division of Planning has put out a call for community members to help gather data to evaluate the current parking situation in our city. Learn more and take the Parking Survey here.