April 4th, 2022
5th District Newsletter
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Hello Neighbors,
On the Table is less than a week away! You can find all of the registered conversations or sign up to host a talk yourself at: https://www.ottlex.org/join. My office has organized a 5th District On the Table for Monday, April 11th, 2022 at 6:00pm at the Lexington Senior Center; I hope to see you there.
There were two successful neighborhood cleanups over the weekend. Idle Hour Neighbors Alliance met on Saturday for a stream clean up in Idle Hour Park; these volunteers are wonderful stewards of our public spaces and their care for the park is unparalleled! The Henry Clay Estate also had a great turnout at their annual Spring Clean event--clearing the grounds of yard waste and other debris. Since COVID-19, Ashland has seen an uptick in neighbors using the trails on the estate to get some fresh air, walk their dogs, and enjoy the tranquility of the area. Thank you to everyone who came out to make the 5th a little cleaner over the weekend!
Speaking of spring, with the weather becoming warmer and our friends and families getting out more to our local parks, I want to take the opportunity to remind folks that golf carts are not permitted on public roads (or on sidewalks in parks). I've included more details in the newsletter below, but in order to help keep ourselves and our neighbors safe, please review LFUCG's rules about golf carts.
Finally, Council will be receiving an update from Mayor Gorton's administration on the Nonprofit Capital Project fund that we established through the American Rescue Plan Act. This pot of funds will go to help our nonprofit sector with one-time capital investments. The Mayor's team has been working on criteria for the program and I will be sure to communicate those with you once we have the proposal before us.
Take care,
Liz
Upcoming Meetings:
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COUNCIL VISIT TO SEVIERVILLE SOLID WASTE MANAGMENT
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I joined several of my council colleagues, Mr. Richard Boone from Lexington's Waste Management, and the Commissioner of Environmental Quality & Public Works for a tour of the Sevier County waste management plant in Tennessee. Their facility turns a majority of all solid waste into compost that is then distributed for free across the region as mulch. This approach to waste reduces the space needed for landfills, creates a usable product (mulch), and utilizes recycling to further reduce landfill needs.
Council will be discussing the advantages and potential roadblocks to this approach and many others in Fayette County as we seek improvements to our "solid waste stream." The issues surrounding solid waste in our region will require long-term solutions to modernize our approach locally.
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Friday, March 25th my colleagues and I celebrated with Lexington Police Officer Junior Pauleus as he was presented with a Congressional Record by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, honoring him for his response to a shooting that occurred on February 5, 2022, which resulted in him being shot in the line of duty. I'm thankful for his service and his recovery from his injuries.
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ASHLAND ESTATE SPRING CLEANUP SUCCESS
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Thank you to the numerous volunteers that helped in the annual Ashland Estate Spring Clean event! Over 20 participants helped to clear the grounds of yard waste and learn more about how to protect the Running Buffalo Clover on site.
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The Lexington Police Department has been working to reduce catalytic converter thefts.
Catalytic converters contain three precious minerals: platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Over the past two years, the value of these minerals has seen a step rise in value. It is estimated that Kentucky has seen a 234% increase in catalytic converter thefts from 2020 to 2021.
To help solve and prevent these crimes, the Lexington Police Department has dedicated detectives who specialize in the catalytic converter thefts. Since January 2021, these detectives have solved over 100 cases involving thefts of catalytic converters, resulting in 20 individuals being charged for the various crimes.
While detectives are continuing to work on catalytic converter theft cases, they are issuing the follow tips to help individuals prevent these types of crimes from happening to them.
- Consider installing a catalytic converter anti-theft device in your vehicle. These devices make the vehicle’s converter more difficult to remove, and less attractive to potential thieves.
- Engrave your vehicle VIN and phone number into your catalytic converter or paint your catalytic converter a bright color to make it less attractive to potential thieves.
- Try to park in a well-lit area and/or if you can, install motion-activated lights and security cameras.
- When parking in public areas, try to park near fixed objects that limit ground clearance around the vehicle.
- In public parking garages and lots, park near the front of the building entrance or other areas where pedestrian traffic is high.
Detectives are asking anyone with information regarding catalytic converter thefts to contact the Lexington Police at (859) 258-3600. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling (859) 253-2020, online at www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com, or through the P3 tips app available at www.p3tips.com.
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Remember that as we get out and about this spring and summer that, "the operation of a golf cart on the roadways, other than a designated crossing on or around a golf course is prohibited in Lexington." Golf carts on roadways pose many safety concerns. Help keep your families and our neighbors safe by using golf carts only in approved areas. Learn more here!
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REFOREST THE BLUEGRASS 2022
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Spring is here and that means it is time for Reforest the Bluegrass, Lexington’s annual tree planting event. This year’s in-person volunteer tree planting will be held on Saturday, April 9, at Belleau Woods Park. The Reforest at Home event will be held a week later on Saturday, April 16.
Pre-registration is required to participate in Reforest the Bluegrass at Belleau Woods Park on April 9 due to the small size of the site and limited parking. Volunteers will register for an hour block of time to plant trees and will receive a t-shirt and snacks for participating. We are excited to have an in-person planting this year and encourage participants to register early to reserve a spot.
Reforest at Home will take place on Saturday, April 16. Fayette County residents can select up to three free trees to plant at home. Residents are strongly encouraged to reserve their trees in advance and may choose specific species along with the pickup site, Castlewood, Jacobson, Masterson or Shillito. Pre-registration is limited to three trees per household. Trees not claimed through pre-registration will be available at the sites on a first-come, first-served basis. The limit on number of trees available on-site will depend on the number not claimed through pre-registration.
Pre-register for both events and find out more information at lexingtonky.gov/Reforest.
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The City of Lexington, along with the Bluegrass Regional Transfer Station, is offering Fayette County residents a free trash disposal day for non-hazardous household waste. The event is Saturday, April 9, from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Bluegrass Regional Transfer Station, 1505 Old Frankfort Pike.
Fayette County residents can dispose of up to one pickup truck load of non-hazardous household waste at this event. Residents can also bring items in a car or SUV.
Items normally serviced through the city’s curbside trash collection program will be accepted without charge. Construction and demolition debris as well as yard waste and large outdoor items will be accepted at the regular gate rate during the event; they do not qualify for free disposal.
The guidelines for the free disposal day are:
- Participants must present a valid Fayette County driver’s license
- All loads must fit in a standard truck bed or inside a car/SUV
- All loads must be covered by a tarp and level with the bed of the truck
- No commercial vehicles allowed
- All loads will be subject to inspection, and acceptance of materials at no cost will be at the discretion of Transfer Station employees
- Items accepted at no cost include: mattresses, box springs, bagged household waste, small indoor household furniture such as tables and chairs, up to four tires off the rim
- Items accepted for a fee include: material that does not originate from inside a household such as outdoor furniture and grills, as well as appliances, electronics, tire rims or any tires over four per load, yard waste of any kind, construction and demolition debris, building and remodeling material, outdoor sheds and shelters, water hoses
- Items never accepted at the facility include: hazardous materials, free-flowing liquids such as paint or pool chemicals, medical waste
Appliances and electronics will not be accepted for free during this event. Appliances may be taken to Environmental Recycling Inc. at 3899 Winchester Road where they will be accepted at no charge. Electronic devices, such as computers, printers, cell phones, microwave ovens and televisions, can be dropped off at no cost to the city’s Electronics Recycling Center at 1306 Versailles Road. Residents can donate liquid latex paint to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 451 Southland Dr.
Hazardous materials such as pesticides, motor oil and paint will not be accepted at this event. Fayette County residents may dispose of them at no cost at the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection on April 23.
Lexington offers free disposal days four times a year: January, April, July and October. Visit LexingtonKY.gov/TransferStation for more information on normal disposal rates and transfer station hours of operation.
For more information on the free disposal day, call LexCall at 3-1-1 or 425-2255. Learn how to sign up for text or email alerts about other Waste Management events by visiting LexingtonKY.gov/311alerts.
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DR. RICE C. LEACH PUBLIC HEALTH HERO AWARD
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The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department’s Board of Health has selected Dr. Sharon Walsh and Lexington Battalion Chief Marc Bramlage as the 2022 Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero award winners. The award is given annually to individuals who have demonstrated their dedication to improving the health of Lexington residents. The winners are announced each April as part of National Public Health Week (April 4-10, 2022). Learn more about these local heroes here!
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EXPUNGMENT CLINICS AND JOB FAIR
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Goodwill Industries of Kentucky and the Mayor's Equity & Implementation Officer, Tiffany Brown, are sponsoring two expungement clinics that are free to the public. LFUCG's clinic will also host a job fair that same day.
Goodwill is hosting an expungement clinic at their Lexington Opportunity Center on Friday, April 8th from 10:00AM-1:00PM. This clinic will be capped to 50 participants and as always, Goodwill will be partnering with Legal Aid of the Bluegrass and will be covering the fees associated with expungements for the participants.
Expungement Clinic & Job Fair - The Lexington Public Library is hosting an Expungement Clinic and Job Fair on April 29th in conjunction with LFUCG Equity & Implementation Officer to the Mayor, Tiffany Brown. Learn more about and sign up to participate or volunteer here!
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At the February Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee meeting, Chairwoman Bledsoe welcomed LFUCG’s Economic Development Partners. The Office of Economic Development works with these partners to bring opportunities for economic growth to Lexington. You can review a snapshot of their work in Lexington and other budget updates in the summary document here.
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LEXINGTON RECIEVES PAULA NYE GRANT
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The City of Lexington received a grant for $13,500 to purchase up to 32 bikes to use for youth programs. City staff will use the bikes to provide group rides and classes for youth in summer camps and afterschool programs. Students will learn bike safety and maintenance skills while they gain experience and build comfort levels with riding.
The bicycles will also be used in partnership with the Lexington Police Department and the mobility safety curriculum at Safety City. Safety City features a student-sized roadway with traffic signals that students utilize while driving special cars. Miniature buildings replicating the community make up the “city” in Safety City. It is complete with a police station, restaurant and fire station.
As Lexington continues to add more miles of bike lanes and mixed-use trails, outreach efforts seek to ensure that youth are familiar with road safety and feel comfortable and confident on a bike. Program participants will discuss safety for other forms of transportation as well, such as walking or riding scooters.
The Lexington Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Department for Environmental Quality and Public Works worked together to apply for the grant that was funded by the Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission’s Paula Nye Memorial Bicyclist and Pedestrian Education Grant.
The grant was established in honor of Paula Nye, Kentucky’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator from 2000-2005. This grant program is funded solely by citizen contributions made by purchasing Kentucky’s “Share the Road” specialty license plate. To date, the Paula Nye Memorial Education Grant has provided over $390,000 toward bicycle and pedestrian education programs.
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LFUCG BOARD AND COMMISSION VACANCIES
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Joining a board or commission is a great way to have your voices heard on local issues that matter to you. If you're looking for a way to give back and help to shape the direction of Lexington's future, I encourage you to review this list and apply! You'll find the current list of vacancies for the City's boards and commissions, application deadlines/requirements, and meeting schedules.
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Learn more about all current job openings here!
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