This Lexington board has never had a minority member. A proposed fix is on hold.

In 18 years, no minority has ever served on the board that oversees Lexington's farmland preservation program.

That fact was highlighted for a committee of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council Tuesday, but a proposed fix met resistance from some council members.

The Planning and Public Safety Committee decided to hold off on a proposal that would let the council increase diversity by nominating two additional members for the Rural Land Management Board, which has spent $79 million to preserve 30,000 acres of Fayette County farmland since its creation in 2000.

The mayor appoints the 13-member board, selecting from people nominated by several different groups, including Commerce Lexington, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, Kentucky Farm Bureau and the Lexington-Bluegrass Association of Realtors.

"There has never been a person of color on this board," said Councilwoman Amanda Bledsoe, who led a subcommittee to study the make up of the city's planning boards. "I don't think that was on purpose or intentional on anybody's part."

In contrast, the Urban County Planning Commission and the Board of Adjustment have had several minority members over the years.

Bledsoe said the proposal would still require all members of the farmland board, regardless of who nominates them, to have an interest in agriculture. Another recommendation included not allowing members of the Rural Land Management Board to serve simultaneously on the Urban County Planning Commission, which oversees zone changes.

Councilwoman Kathy Plomin, who represents the rural portion of Fayette County, said Tuesday there is no need to change the board's membership.

Plomin said she serves on a stormwater advisory committee and the bulk of the people on that committee are male. They have knowledge about stormwater issues, which is important for such a complex subject.

"I'm not sure if the Rural Land Management Board in the rural area is best served with folks who don't know what the rural area is about," Plomin said. "I would oppose it. "

"Why would we want to add two more members?" Plomin asked.

Councilwoman Susan Lamb said she doesn't think there is a need to add more members to the board.

Lamb said the mayor should ask the nominating organizations to think of diversity when they make nominations. That would fix the issue, she said.

"I think that's something simple," Lamb said.

She noted that the Rural Land Management Board has a subcommittee looking at changes to the program. That subcommittee "did not recommend any changes to the make up of the board," Lamb said.

Councilman James Brown said the farmland board's decisions effect more than just the rural portions of the county. There are plenty of minorities who are qualified to serve on the board, he said.

"I respect the comments about a certain area of expertise... but I'm pretty sure that we can find some diverse candidates that are knowledgeable in those subjects," Brown said. "The impact of the decisions made by those boards are felt by everybody in the city."

Councilman Richard Moloney said he thinks a board that oversees spending so much city money should have a council member or someone who represents the council. as a member. Of the $79 million spent buying conservation easements in Fayette County, $38 million was local money, $15 million was state money and $26 million was federal money.

Council members serve on the Lexington Center Corporation board, which oversees Rupp Arena and the convention center. When council members have questions, they can ask their colleagues on the board, which is helpful, he said.

Moloney said he was also concerned because "I have not seen much diversity on this board."

The issue of restructuring of the board will remain in the council's Planning and Public Safety Committee for now. Several council members suggested Bledsoe show the changes to the Rural Land Management Board.

This story was originally published April 18, 2018 at 3:26 PM with the headline "This Lexington board has never had a minority member. A proposed fix is on hold.."