Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG)

Lexington’s Minority Business Enterprise Program (MBEP), in partnership with the Kentucky APEX Accelerator, held its first-ever “Building Stronger Connections: Resources for Contractors” event on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Picadome Golf Course Outing Room. The event was designed to inform contractors of the programs that are offered through the Department of Housing Advocacy & Community Development. The goal was to make contractors aware of programs that existed and the requirements that it takes to participate in federally funded programs, and funding sources available to small businesses such as Commerce Lexington’s Access Loan Program through their Economic Development, Community & Minority Development office. “It was great to collaborate with both divisions on this event and to share procurement and contract opportunities that LFUCG has through various programs," said Sherita Miller, "The event was successful and the Division of Grants and Special Programs and Code Enforcement are pleased with the contractor attendance. The goal is to host the event annually through the city’s MBEP outreach and event series." Terry Graves of Bluegrass Climate Solutions attended the event. He said the program has been beneficial to his company and recommended that other companies join as well. “The main thing is we’ve been actively involved in it and it’s been a blessing for us. It’s community oriented, so if anybody is thinking about it or on the fence, come join. It’s an experience and it’s something that benefits us more than it does the people that we work for. It’s a great experience,” Graves said.

👏 👏 Congrats to our Public Information Office (PIO) for being recognized with multiple awards from the Kentucky Association of Government Communicators (KAGC) during their annual Awards of Excellence Competition in Frankfort last week! They were awarded for their photography, graphic design, social media and internal communication efforts. The awards were in recognition of work completed in 2023. “I’m proud to work with such a dedicated and talented group of people,” PIO supervisor Stacey Dimon said. “Though we're an office of five, they go above and beyond in all they do. These awards are well-deserved and are a recognition of the great work produced by members of the Public Information Office.” The office was presented with an Award of Excellence for its Communications Newsletter in the internal digital communications category. The monthly newsletter focuses on communication best practices, knowledge items, platform updates and policy reminders for staff involved in content creation. Individual staff members were also awarded.  Amy Wallot   • Award of Excellence – Photographer’s Portfolio  • Award of Excellence – Photo Series – Halloween  • Award of Excellence – Lemonade Out of Lemons photo category – Hug  • Award of Merit – Social Media Presence for the City’s Facebook page  • Award of Merit – Single Photograph – Senior Firefighter  • Honorable mention – Beautiful Kentucky photo category – Bee and cosmos  Brandon Dunstan  • Award of Merit – Graphic Arts – Swiftie Sing-along poster The Kentucky Association of Government Communicators was founded in 1985 as a professional development organization for communications professionals within state government. It has since grown to welcome city, county, school systems and other public affairs personnel from across the Commonwealth.  #PublicInformation #LexingtonKY #GovernmentCommunications

Interested in a career with city government? Stop by our career fair Tuesday, NOv. 12 and learn about the various types of jobs we have available! Learn about opportunities for CDL drivers, apprentice positions at water treatment plants and public works, and jobs as public service workers. Meet with representatives from: • Community Corrections • E-911  • Facilities Management • Family Services • Fire Department • Fleet Services • Housing Advocacy & Community Development • Division of Planning • Streets & Roads • Waste Management • Water Quality • Youth Services   Spanish translators will be available. #NowHiring #KentuckyJobs #LexingtonKy

🎉 Lexington Parks & Recreation was a finalist for the prestigious National Gold Medal Award governed and managed by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Lexington was a finalist in the Class II category, which includes cities with a population of 150,001 – 400,000. “I could not be prouder of our city and division for being chosen as a finalist for this award,” said Monica Conrad, Director of Lexington Parks & Recreation. “This doesn’t happen without our amazing staff, wonderful community partners, and dedicated volunteers. While there is always work to do to meet the goals and needs identified in our Master Plan, our team and city leadership are dedicated to reaching those goals and ensuring our parks are welcoming and beautiful for all to enjoy. Thank you to AAPRA and NRPA for their recognition and continued guidance and resources they provide.” Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities throughout the country that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development, and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation, and one class for state park systems. Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff, and elected officials. Four finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year with the winner announced at the annual NRPA conference in October. Mayor Linda Gorton said, “It is no secret that we love our parks here in Lexington. With over 100 parks, as well as numerous community, arts, aquatics, and golf facilities throughout the city, there are so many amazing spaces for people to gather and enjoy activities. Congratulations to Director Conrad and the entire Parks team for their efforts in managing our wonderful park system and constantly working toward ways to expand and make it even better.” The finalist recognition only further demonstrates Lexington Parks & Recreation’s commitment to its vision, which is to inspire imagination and exploration and mission to build community and enrich life through parks, programs, and play. This was the first time in over 15 years that Lexington Parks & Recreation had applied for the award, and its first time as a finalist. Other finalists included Arlington County Department of Parks and Recreation (Arlington, VA), Roseville Parks, Recreation & Libraries Department (Roseville, CA), and this year’s winner, South Suburban Park and Recreation District (Littleton, CO).

Kathryn Barber took over as a Social Services Coordinator earlier this year. In her day-to-day, Kathryn is responsible for approving requests for rental assistance. She has two employees who work under her, so she approves their cases and also meets with clients. In addition, she answers questions from landlords and tenants throughout the day. "Housing is kind of my thing," Kathryn said. "It’s how I know I have a soul at the end of the day. I know I’ve helped people. I was at GreenHouse 17 for over 13 years in the housing stabilization, and I’ve always been involved with housing in some way since I was in college.” Kathryn, whose degree is from the University of Kentucky, did numerous internships in college. Those internships helped her learn that she loves working in housing assistance. Kathryn started off in a housing stabilization program, but the grant was absorbed by the Community Action Council so she went there. Once it ended, she began looking for jobs with the City. She immediately applied once she learned a housing stabilization program was beginning.  “I love the team," Kathryn said. "I love the approach to helping people and I also love the fact that the clients we have, they’re given autonomy to make their own decisions about if they’re applying and how they’re applying. We’re meeting them where they are.” The biggest thing she wants to do through her work is help the community. "I feel like if people have a foundation for any kind of success in life it’s to have a stable home," Kathryn said. "The best way to escape violence is to have a stable, steady home. If children can grow up in a home that is secure, they are more likely to succeed in whatever their endeavors are as they grow and to have a violent free as well. In the long run, it makes for a safer community for all of us.” Kathryn is married and has a son who will be 15 soon. She also has two fox red Labradors and spends a lot of her free time reading. Her favorite authors, among others, are Sarah Lyons Fleming, Colleen Hoover and Kate Chopin. Congrats on your position with the City, Kathryn! 

THANK YOU to our Streets & Roads crews, who have been busy clearing streets since Friday's storm. We appreciate all of the work from our teams in Water Quality, Parks & Recreation, Waste Management, Police, Fire and others for their work responding to the storm and its cleanup.

🎉 A big welcome to the 13 new officers of the Lexington Police Department! Over the last 30+ weeks, these recruits have learned topics ranging from law, operations, patrol skills, investigations, physical training, and more. We are honored to have them join the Lexington Police Department and want to thank them for choosing to serve our community. Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the Lexington Police Department! Congratulations on the well-deserved promotion! #PoliceOfficers #LexingtonKy #NowHiring

We have a new team that will assist the Police Department with mental health-related calls. Mayor Linda Gorton joined the Lexington Police and Fire Departments to launch the city’s Community Crisis Co-Response Team. “This program will greatly help our first responders respond to mental health emergencies,” Mayor Linda Gorton said. “With a mental health professional involved, we can provide a more focused approach to the person in crisis.” Earlier this year, Governor Andy Beshear announced that the city received an $850,000 federal grant from the Kentucky Department for Medicaid Services to establish a crisis response team. The application for the three-year grant was the collaborative effort of both the Lexington Police and Fire Departments. The grant allows the city to hire a full-time mental health professional to respond directly to mental health calls, in conjunction with the Lexington Police Department. In addition, the grant will provide overtime funding for police officers who have taken specialized training in responding to mental health emergencies, which currently includes approximately 45 officers. Lexington Fire Community Paramedicine recently hired Chris Perrine, who has a master’s in clinical mental health counseling, to work alongside the Police Department in responding to mental health-related calls. Fire Chief Jason Wells said, “With this grant, Lexington Fire and Police Departments will be better equipped to respond to mental health crises with compassion and strength. It’s a decisive step in our city’s evolution of what a first responder does. Meeting our residents where they are, just like we did with Community Paramedicine. These crisis response teams will bring a new and greater level of care to Fayette County.” Assistant Police Chief Brian Maynard said, “Having the Crisis Response Team responding to calls with officers will allow crucial mental health resources to be provided to individuals in need more quickly, and hopefully, help provide the individuals with a path out of crisis.” “The Crisis Response Team will be able to respond with the appropriate resources for individuals experiencing a crisis,” said Fire Captain Seth Lockard, who oversees the Community Paramedicine Program. “This response is going to change the current model, and provide the most appropriate response from public safety.” The Crisis Response Team is slated to work weekdays, when most mental health calls occur, Lockard said. The city receives approximately 3,000 mental health calls a year, with fewer calls coming in at night, or on weekends. Creating the Crisis Response Team has been a joint effort of several government departments. The Department of Housing Advocacy and Community Development and the Department of Social Services have worked closely with the Department of Public Safety to establish the service.

We had a great time earlier this month celebrating the graduation of Community Corrections Recruit Classes 24-07 and 24-08! Congratulations to all of those who graduated! #CorrectionsOfficers #LexingtonKy #NowHiring

💚 This year, the City of Lexington is welcoming 12 new businesses to Green Check, a green business sustainability certification program! An additional nine businesses are recertifying as Green Check members, solidifying their commitment to the program for another three years. New honorees include: Floracliff Nature Sanctuary (Gold), Artworks at the Carver School (Silver), Central Bank Center (Silver), Kenwick Community Center (Silver), Lisa Chiffolo, REALTOR (Silver), Paladin (Silver), Big Ass Fans (Bronze), Centered Holistic Health (Bronze), Lexington Salt Cave (Bronze), Lexington Tool Library (Bronze), Savané Silver (Bronze) and The JunkLuggers of Kentucky (Bronze). Recertifying honorees include: CivicLex (Gold), Living Arts & Science Center (Gold), John’s Run/Walk Shop (Silver), Lextran (Silver), Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center (Silver), Unitarian Universalist Church of Lexington (Silver), Wild Birds Unlimited (Silver), Boone Creek Outdoors (Bronze) and Doodles Breakfast & Lunch (Bronze). Green Check businesses demonstrate a commitment to improving the environment through making sustainable choices for their facilities and educating staff and visitors. Rachel Savané is pleased to join the program this year. “When I read an email about the Green Check program, I must admit I felt a zing of excitement because I have made personal green efforts (reduce, reuse, recycle) my whole life,” said Ms. Savané, of Bronze level Green Check business Savané Silver. “Of course, I integrate them in my business to maintain an awareness of my footprint. I am so pleased to live in a city with a conscience. Green Check affirms my choice of place to live, work and raise a family. Let's raise all conscious minds to the endless possibilities of doing better.” Green Check participants have initiated dozens of projects to improve sustainability through the years, including installing bike racks, planting rain gardens, upgrading to energy-efficient lighting, and providing recycling opportunities for staff, visitors and customers. This free, City-run program begins with a personal consultation and completion of the Green Check Sustainability Scorecard. The Sustainability Scorecard caters to organizations across a variety of sectors, including restaurants, non-profit organizations, retail and manufacturers. Although the certification is valid for three years, member organizations are encouraged to pursue higher levels through continued participation and achievement. Since its establishment in 2016, more than 70 businesses have participated in the Green Check program. The window to apply for Green Check certification is open now through Jan. 15, 2025.