Lexington council members fighting over seating chart: ‘I don’t care where I sit’
The 15-member Lexington council Thursday did not adopt a formal seating chart despite an earlier fight over who got to sit where on the council dais, sometimes referred to as the “horse shoe.”
The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, in a special meeting Thursday, discussed the issue for nearly an hour but ultimately made no final decision.
The council may continue to debate the issue at a later date, said Vice Mayor Dan Wu.
A seating chart was floated after a dust up in January when some council members fought over where they were seated. Six new members were sworn in in January.
Where council members sit is typically an informal process.
During council meetings the mayor sits at the center of the horse shoe. The vice mayor sits to the mayor’s right. The vice mayor sits in the center of the horse shoe when they are conducting meetings. The at-large council members, who are elected city-wide and serve four-year terms, typically but not always sit near the vice mayor and mayor.
An overhaul of the council rules and procedures earlier this year recommended a seating chart based on council districts but some on council questioned if that was the best way to determine seating arrangements.
If the current council were to sit by council district, starting with the First District on the left, the vast majority of the council’s minority members would be sitting on the left side of the chamber. White members would sit on the right.
Others suggested seating should be determined by seniority or years of service on council. Other elected bodies, including many state legislatures, determine seating arrangements based on seniority, some noted.
Others said if there is a disagreement on seats, the vice mayor should decide.
Councilwoman Jennifer Reynolds said many council members were told that seating in the chambers is “first-come, first-served.”
This January some council members put their personal belongings at a seat location only to find that another council member had moved those belongings in order to get that seat, she said.
Reynolds said other council members believed seats were designated by seniority, which created confusion in January.
“There is no written or unwritten rules,” Reynolds said.
Others said it’s rarely been an issue on council.
“I don’t think we need a policy,” said Councilman Preston Worley, noting that since he was appointed to council in 2017 he has moved seats several times.
Wu, who is also newly elected to council, had to mediate the disagreement over the seating arrangements in January. Wu has previously said he thought a seating arrangement was the easiest way to settle future fights.
During a straw pole during Thursday’s meeting, where council members were allowed to vote for multiple proposals, eight members voted to sit by seniority, seven members voted to allow the vice mayor to decide and six voted for no policy at all. Straw votes are not binding.
Wu said they will try to revisit the issue later since there was no consensus on the 15-member council.
Some council members said the kerfuffle over chairs made them look childish.
“I don’t care where I sit,” said Councilwoman Denise Gray. Gray said her items were moved from the seat that she had claimed after she was told it was first come, first served. But the conversation does not put anyone anyone in “in the best light,” she said.
