"Why are you learning about processes? Because you're going to be deciding whether or not Lexington needs a different charter review process," CivicLex Deputy Director Kit Anderson says, beginning a series of slides.
She's kicking off the evening's assignment for the 36-member community group, which is dusting off the Lexington-Fayette County Government charter, a document you might liken to the local constitution.
It's designed to be hard to change.Megan Griffith, Kentucky League of Cities
The night's topic is, in her words, a little "meta."
Because in reviewing the local charter, the group will be tasked with examining charters in four other cities and communities and deciding if Lexington should have a regular review of the document and what shape that might take.
Megan Griffith with the Kentucky League of Cities explains how the charter lays out the structure of local government, not specific policies or ordinances, and why it takes lots of steps to alter its contents.
"Really, it's our foundation. It's designed to be stable. It's designed to be hard to change," she notes.
But this Civic Assembly could, at least in theory, result in changes.
"If we reach a consensus about a specific change to the charter, we will present it to council as essentially a potential ballot amendment and they will have to vote and decide whether or not that should be placed on the ballot," Anderson explains.
In addition to charter review itself, the group is also weighing changes to council compensation. Should any recommendations they reach make it to the ballot stage, they would be voted on in November.
Tuesday marked the third of three sessions for the assembly, which is scheduled to begin deliberating on the topics this Saturday.