Putting ideas “On the Table”

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – If you have ideas for how to improve the Lexington community, Wednesday was the day to put them “On the Table.”

13 thousand people were expected to do just that, at meetings all over the city.

At the Charles Young Center, people representing all walks of life came together with one goal, listening to others’ ideas, and trying to understand issues from different perspectives.

“We have to have empathy,” said one woman. “It doesn’t have to wait until it hits our front door, our doorstep, our race, our parents.”

It’s all about making the Lexington the best it can be. Most of the discussion was centered around concerns about school safety.

“What’s it going to take for Fayette County to see that this is harming our children,” asked one man. “This is quitting the learning time because now they have to worry about safety.”

One proposed solution was to add extra counselors in the schools. Right now, people at the meeting say the schools have one counselor for approximately every 800 students. That isn’t enough.

A junior from Bryan Station High School who was at the meeting says she hasn’t ever met her counselor.

Many at the meeting say, in general, adults need to be more involved in kids’ lives.

“We always look at ‘it takes a village to raise a child, if my child does something wrong, you are to correct them and let me know,’ but that chain of communication has been broken.”

Other topics they talked about were affordable housing in Lexington, and having more safe places for young adults to hang out after school, creating better relationships.

All suggestions from each “On the Table” meeting will be given to the city for consideration.