[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6428037,"mediaKeyId","5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd","parentId",5907204,"title","Live Green Lexington outlines marketing strategy, compost workshops and limits of behavior-change campaigns","audioSeconds",1130,"startMs",290000,"endMs",1420000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd&start=290&end=1420","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd/thumbnail_290000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6428037/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Live-Green-Lexington-outlines-marketing-strategy-compost-workshops-and-limits-of-behavior-change-campaigns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428037-c9d80c739ce5b5297b04a88cfa69bb87/orig.mp4?Expires=1770820641&Signature=AeQHxdmjxv0pXiJ~3vyKPcBQEMgt9lqL2R71DRgOyiMAkUoQ6g92Zlz1tDvvEF8GH9E6u~ldoSBGR7mhbpF3NHabvqvgDpZqWcp968VQ45boHdvcWSFsZ4g6FWvgr2Dw53TL1AsL17YdJLsRdIfEnzRW4vyYKRNecnXNwgFSjgejfpYDQxGWLEua~UMVPTuxUsOx32KFFI6kSdeEKp5VmoKoZ9Gt6QGnn-1dcr6f2QX9Z-6CZ6H5g-r06uAvt6rrDFshDI28bECZpSlTYQSob0fWhshrLfwl~1MnXKx~M~rkVBeiZRq6gvTF2yEbKzJJHx8va5iaVH1mPzIZcOXPLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lexington","date","2025-10-07T00:00:00Z","article","Angela Poe, program outreach manager senior for Lexington’s Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works (EQPW), briefed the committee on the city’s Live Green Lexington public information and engagement program, saying the goal is to inform residents about department services and encourage behaviors that support operations.

Poe told the committee, “It is our job in public information and engagement to inform the public about what EQPW does for them and try to engage folks in behaviors that help further our goals and help make Lexington, a better community.” She described the program’s three complementary teams — marketing, community outreach and education — and said today’s presentation focused on marketing activities.

Why it matters: Poe warned that mass marketing alone rarely changes behavior. She said the city uses advertising, social media and in-person events together to try to close knowledge gaps, increase familiarity and prompt action where residents are already inclined to act.

Poe outlined paid and earned outlets the city uses, including streaming and traditional television, print, radio, billboards, bus ads, targeted digital placements and social channels (Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor). She said the city plans to add YouTube features to “draw back the curtain” on operations — for example, wastewater plant tours and interviews with drivers — to humanize the work of the department.

Budget priorities and limits

Poe said budget availability shapes what the team can promote. “We have a pretty generous budget for storm water. Because of our storm water permit, we are required to do outreach,” she said, noting waste management also receives substantial funding because the city runs its own recycling operation. She added some topics, such as urban forestry, have no dedicated outreach budget and receive only limited stormwater-framed messaging when feasible.

Poe described the planning that goes into paid ads — audience demographics, current attitudes and desired behavioral outcomes — and said a single 30-second ad or print placement is rarely decisive. “Repeated exposure is necessary,” she said, and cautioned that paid marketing is resource intensive and largely one-way communication, with social media the main two-way channel.

Programs, evaluation and partnerships

Poe gave a status update on the compost outreach program: over the past four years 482 households have been trained, and workshops will run again in 2026 with registration expected to open in February. The workshops are led by Seedleaf and the University of Kentucky Extension; the Lexington Arboretum joined as a partner in 2025, though Poe said the Arboretum currently lacks a hosting space because of construction.

Participants receive a two- to three-hour workshop and a $50 voucher toward a composter at the online store. Poe described Reforest the Bluegrass and other community events as opportunities to combine in-person engagement with marketing, and said focus groups and surveys (notably for stormwater outreach) help target messages.

Committee members asked whether the city had considered additional platforms and tools. Councilmember Sheehan asked whether stormwater money can be used for urban forestry outreach; Poe said the department uses stormwater framing where appropriate but that trees provide benefits beyond stormwater impacts and budgets restrict messaging. Members also raised Reddit as an outreach channel; Poe and staff said they have discussed Reddit with GovCom and are weighing whether to use a Live Green account or post through the city account.

On artificial intelligence, Poe said the communications group does not use AI image creation for marketing materials: “My team has very strong feelings about that.”

Ending: Poe said Live Green Lexington aims for impact rather than impressions and acknowledged measurement remains difficult. She asked colleagues to encourage residents to sign up for 311 alerts and other city distribution lists so the department can target messages more effectively. The committee voiced appreciation for the outreach work and the planned YouTube and workshop efforts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Angela Poe, program outreach manager senior for EQPW, reviewed the Live Green Lexington outreach program, describing channels, budgeting priorities, and measurement limits; she also previewed 2026 compost workshops and partnership updates.","taxTitle","Lexington City, Fayette County, Kentucky","taxId",5707,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428029,"Councilmembers press for formal ops-and-maintenance checks in roadway projects",1135,2082000,3217000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd&start=2082&end=3217","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd/thumbnail_2082000.jpg","/articles/6428029/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Councilmembers-press-for-formal-ops-and-maintenance-checks-in-roadway-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428029-0980dd69f556c51248868e32b5ae5bc0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770820641&Signature=bvE31329x8GRYgvWJ5TVeDCRqdLF7-k2inFr2fJ-3CRVeynojsOE8tjVINBgZUBeqHHlsxx-D4zFwIOFlgXTgmOhalyPpZXPBYh0zT2cPIr0wh2roWNFWrc6fJKK27~ecmKa6vJ4KLpLqB~TuDzSoeDVmcbwOPErtb0tnPOXRGdEwaLwoK-DREruTYnzToLtKUCXe8MEOI1bxa4VUaUgl~yfADit8ZoH3QgIJPkhGAZU6SWq8YnxXihDumSxYlr8zu6~XEDbLlQ7y7xB6dEjdkcbITaqrMH8n0c4H5t3kwHuh1y4NRcXaom6zbXQ2-BYHWXXQrIPcg5ljQ6tCCkXRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilmember Reynolds introduced a multi-department effort to formalize how the city plans for long-term maintenance of roadway infrastructure, saying constituents have raised questions about who maintains elements such as trees, fences and signage after construction.

Brandy Petcher and Commissioner Albright presented a proposal to integrate operations and maintenance (O&M) considerations earlier in the roadway project lifecycle. Petcher said the goal is to “bring operations and maintenance considerations earlier into the process and then sustain that throughout the process as well,” so design choices reflect long-term upkeep and costs.

Why it matters: Committee members and staff said design choices that omit maintenance planning can produce assets that look good at opening but are costly or unsafe to maintain later. The presenters argued that early O&M input will extend asset life, control life-cycle costs and improve safety.

Case studies and problems

Commissioner Albright reviewed several projects to illustrate recurring issues. On Versailles Road, aesthetic elements added and later restored as funding shifted created maintenance complexity; trees installed under different utility requirements required replanting; and repeated vehicle collisions damaged new corridor elements, creating multiple separate insurance and replacement processes.

Albright also cited banner poles installed ahead of the World Equestrian Games that later lacked an identified funding source for replacement when they were damaged. In another project, design plans did not reflect restricted rights-of-way and overhead power lines; once funding and time constraints appeared it proved impractical to implement the original aesthetics.

Proposed changes and next steps

Staff described a proposed sequence of reforms: involve O&M staff during master planning and feasibility to flag future upkeep needs; include O&M input on material selection during preliminary and final design; have operations staff present during construction closeout so they receive as-built documents and institutional knowledge; and create a formal internal decision-checkpoint or checklist to make responsibilities clearer.

Petcher said the city is drafting a design manual that will incorporate complete-streets reviews, O&M considerations and other standards. Staff told the committee they expect to return with a progress update within roughly nine months and that the final product is likely to take the form of an administrative policy rather than an ordinance.

Questions and committee feedback

Council members asked for the final maintenance-responsibility mapping to be made available to council offices and 311 staff. Members also asked whether the corridors typology study addresses maintenance; staff said the typology focused on physical standards and did not directly resolve O&M responsibility. Councilmembers urged a clearer delineation of responsibility for signage, striping and trails where multiple divisions or external owners are involved.

Ending: Commissioner Albright and staff said work will continue to refine responsibilities and onboarding materials for designers, and thanked Councilmember Reynolds for sponsoring the initiative. Staff will return to committee next summer with additional detail and draft materials.","City staff and Commissioner Albright outlined efforts to embed operations and maintenance earlier in roadway planning and delivery, citing case studies (Versailles Road, Town Branch Commons) and proposing a policy/checkpoint process and updates to the design manual.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428017,"Streets and Roads lays out 2025–26 snow plan: salt stock, new equipment and staffing gaps",751,4251000,5002000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd&start=4251&end=5002","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd/thumbnail_4251000.jpg","/articles/6428017/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Streets-and-Roads-lays-out-202526-snow-plan-salt-stock-new-equipment-and-staffing-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428017-aa8c509593ce1163a5d02eb6b4b8f6dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770820641&Signature=i39I7NZZBIUpou~JczEq7SvYsTHzjxR9qh2Fr~erww0YVoMEzR6hQhT90SQUkMZEhTtaeamDYyaluDpQlhfahZ3c1SkZ4zkdfJsvV-VuzS3A3gnz9I~2jGg0gYuoI-NiRbjxDW4YdLKETQFhYianlueQVDpWpC7roiDzn0QnaRsa~Q9I-OFmkMkRMjOebaE330niDoMCi4Xp1-xLqD1dA-rSkWrbB9ZGrk67bI5SbSTfR087hS0BtcYu6BxZKzP6Ac7XIkDoutRO9tAVJ97S7VU5ttOh8jf1G4d2bkEeXZypycugXSKgocD6Giiql5HmhRcZ6rG2PO4OPhL9cR7Qgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rob Allen, director of streets and roads, presented Lexington’s snow and ice control plan for the coming season, describing service-level targets, salt inventories, route balancing and staffing needs.

Allen said the department’s goals for Service Level 1 (one to four inches) are to complete road treatment within 48 hours of precipitation ending and to clear sidewalks within 96 hours. He told the committee the city currently has roughly 8,800 tons of salt in two barns and can order an additional 11,000 tons under budgeted authority.

“Service level 1, which is 1 to 4 inches of snow, we project to complete the plan within 48 hours of the precipitation ending,” Allen told the committee. He described treatment tiers for Service Level 2 (4–8 inches) and Level 3 (8 inches or more) and noted consecutive small events can escalate to a higher service level for response planning.

Equipment, contractors and changes for 2025–26

Allen said the city added three tanker trucks, a custom blender and truck fill capability at the West Hickman barn, three new dump trucks (replacing high-maintenance units) and three additional contractor trucks from a longtime vendor (Red River Ranch), bringing contractor capacity to eight trucks. The department also added a landscape contractor able to provide up to eight trucks when higher service levels are declared.

Allen said the new blender allows adjustments to additive (beet-heat) mix to improve brine performance at subfreezing temperatures; the department said it successfully treated roads down to 15 degrees last year after increasing the additive percentage.

Routes, sidewalks and coordination with schools

Streets and roads rebalanced routes with University of Kentucky assistance to equalize mileage and time across four-truck routes within each zone. Allen said each route is assigned a primary salt barn (Old Frankfort or West Hickman). The plan does not commit to clearing every Fayette County School bus route in all but the most severe events; Allen said the department will scale up and add routes where possible during prolonged storms but that fully clearing all bus routes would require significant additional trucks, drivers and cost.

Allen described coordination measures: a stakeholders meeting with LexTran and Fayette County Schools, an agreement for mutual assistance with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) in emergencies, ongoing updates to internal communications and the inclusion of LexPark in planning. He also said PIO will prioritize messaging that explains what treated roads look like and manages public expectations about chemical treatment timing and visibility.

Staffing and shortages

Allen reported 68 CDL positions in streets and roads with nine vacancies; water quality has 29 positions and nine vacancies (potentially rising to 12). Parks maintenance will provide seven full-time CDL drivers plus up to 11 additional staff as needed. He described reliance on contractors, retirees and staff from other divisions to fill gaps and said nationwide scarcity of CDL-qualified drivers continues to hamper capacity despite pay increases and incentives.

Questions from council

Committee members asked about integration of school bus route GIS data; Allen and the Fayette County Schools transportation director said they are working with vendors to share route “shape files” and that updated routes for 2025–26 will be provided to the city. Councilmembers asked about sidewalk clearing priorities and why a previous two-sided clearing of Man O’ War had been reduced to a single-side focus to speed overall coverage.

Ending: Allen said the department will publish the final snow-and-ice control plan to the city website at month’s end, continue coordination with schools and partners, and work to fill CDL vacancies; committee members thanked staff for the presentation and for past emergency responses.","Director Rob Allen presented the city’s snow and ice plan, describing service levels, salt inventories, new equipment and the continued challenge of filling CDL driver vacancies; staff highlighted coordination with schools, contractors and LexCall/311.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6428014,"Committee approves Aug. 12, 2025 summary; no other votes recorded",61,257000,318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd&start=257&end=318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5907204-340e42cdc63278cbbd289e6ac262f3fd/thumbnail_257000.jpg","/articles/6428014/Lexington-City/Fayette-County/Kentucky/Committee-approves-Aug-12-2025-summary-no-other-votes-recorded","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6428014-7c91a374151b969b041428d603ae23e5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770820641&Signature=ZSxKYAYSkOkUZMXN-zDFgkm4TGCozDtj5snRkO7p--lm6b3nyfrNOeBt~faFB4ewjonLL4ttMcq2nPYQKc6A4Gb4tWbcRPAS8m8rrlK1sLl2vES9MHa6L09JTkKg14mR5yxCse7oxa3QfnuXAc0a4RZosBKdd-kAMkBHDC5mipnAhPgBOsVSpEb82zc5WNzyvFzwE12aV7LmvfELO198MYaXVuYd~A4JDAhCXzRXelDiGtmc09T~3RGbHUqKnOvoAg7568mqxrSdhN4VTTHB8u9q9htfmGs34MfL78dCSVMg-w7BD6WWejxvwvrmXSv2r2dq490twMAqjPvPOTKXbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the start of the October 7, 2025 Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee meeting, members moved to approve the committee summary for Aug. 12, 2025. Councilmember Sheehan moved to approve and Councilmember Curtis seconded; the chair called the voice vote and the motion passed.

No other formal motions, ordinance readings, or votes were recorded in the provided transcript. The rest of the meeting consisted of committee presentations and Q&A on Live Green Lexington outreach, coordination of operations and maintenance for community projects, and the snow-and-ice removal plan.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of committee summary, Aug. 12, 2025: Motion to approve (mover: Councilmember Sheehan; second: Councilmember Curtis); outcome: approved by voice vote. Vote tally: not specified in transcript.

Provenance: the motion and the chair’s confirmation that the motion passed appear in the committee’s opening minutes recorded in the transcript.","The Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee approved the August 12, 2025 committee summary by voice vote. No other formal motions or ordinance/resolution votes were recorded in the transcript.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Live Green Lexington outlines marketing strategy, compost workshops and limits of behavior-change campaigns

Councilmembers press for formal ops-and-maintenance checks in roadway projects

Streets and Roads lays out 2025–26 snow plan: salt stock, new equipment and staffing gaps

Committee approves Aug. 12, 2025 summary; no other votes recorded