‘We can do better.’ Lexington Racial Justice and Equality Commission to be permanent

A commission appointed by Mayor Linda Gorton last year to examine racial inequalities in policing, housing, education and economic opportunities will likely soon become permanent at a smaller size.

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council voted during a Tuesday work session to move forward a resolution establishing a permanent 15-member commission that will report annually or as requested to the council and mayor on issues involving racial inequality.

The resolution will get its first reading on Thursday. A final vote is expected July 6.

Gorton appointed a more than 70-member Commission on Racial Justice and Equality last year after months of social justice protests prompted by the police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. One of the temporary commission’s more than 54 recommendations in October was to make the commission permanent.

Gorton said the 15 members would eventually all serve four-year terms. The initial commission members would have staggered appointments, with some serving for two years and others serving for four-year terms. That would allow for some consistency and prevent all members from rotating off the commission simultaneously. The mayor would appoint all 15 members.

The key areas the commission would focus on will mirror those tackled by the 2020 commission.

• Health disparities.

• Law enforcement, justice and accountability.

• Housing and gentrification.

• Racial equality.

• Education and economic opportunity.

Councilman Fred Brown said he supported the commission but he thought council members should also be able to suggest appointments so the entire city is represented.

“We don’t hear from the silent majority of people,” Brown said.

Brown made a motion to put the makeup of the new commission into a council committee, but the motion ultimately failed.

Councilwoman Jennifer Reynolds said she believed the mayor should appoint the members with the overall goal of making the 15 members diverse. Council members should not pick.

“It’s easy for us to pick certain people,” Reynolds said. “We are not very diverse. So the hope of us picking a diverse group of people is not ideal.”

Councilman James Brown is the only Black member of the council. This is the first time in the history of the merged government the council has only had one Black member.

Gorton said she would make sure the commission reflects the community and has Black, Hispanic and other minorities represented.

The city had a race relations commission that was decommissioned in the 1990s. There is still $9,000 in that account for initial start-up costs for the commission. Going forward, if the commission needs more money, the city can make adjustments in future budgets, Gorton said.

Councilman Richard Moloney said the commission is long overdue.

“Lexington needs to see the light,” Moloney said. “We can do better.”