Here’s where candidates for the District 10 council seat stand on top issues in Lexington
.png "Ross Mann and Dave Sevigny are running for the Urban County Council District 10 seat. The election takes place Nov. 8, 2022.")
Two political newcomers are running for the District 10 Urban County Council seat: Ross Mann and Dave Sevigny.
Amanda Mays Bledsoe, who has held the District 10 seat for four terms, is running for state senate, so there is no incumbent in the race. The election takes place on Nov. 8.
District 10 includes the Beaumont and Southland neighborhoods.
Who are the candidates?
Ross Mann is an attorney who said he decided to run to address rising crime in Lexington. Citing staffing shortages within the Lexington Police Department, Mann said his priority would be to fully fund and work on retaining law enforcement officers.
“COVID and 2020 appears to have changed everything,” Mann said. “We cannot keep using a 2018 approach to address things.”
Dave Sevigny is a former business owner. Sevigny said he hopes to take his experience from running a business and use it to improve Lexington.
“I think logically,” Sevigny said. “I have a problem-solving mind, and I am a young retiree, and I think city council takes a lot of time. I’m willing to give it that time for as long as I serve.”
Public safety
Mann said he sees crime as the top issue in Lexington, and the main reason he decided to run for council.
“Crime and public safety in Lexington need to be addressed in an urgent fashion,” Mann said.
Mann said he would do this by supporting the police force, including looking at pensions, increasing the starting pay for police and ways to retain more police officers. Mann said he is also in favor of increasing pay for officers. Beyond police, Mann said he hopes to find ways to retain positions among first responders, including shortages among E911 responders.
It has “to start and end with supporting our police force,” Mann said. “I’m all in favor of a multi-factorial approach ... but we need to be funding the police fully.”
Sevigny said he supports current efforts to address violence in Lexington — like ONE Lexington, a group created to reduce gun violence among teenagers and young adults — but more resources are needed to address the root of violence in communities. Public safety, as well as access to general public services in Lexington, is among the top concern he’s heard from voters in the 10th district.
“Gun violence is systemic, and I think it’s one of those things that you have to work on addressing the root causes, versus just stepping up police,” Sevigny said. “I think police are an extremely important part of the equation. The things that ONE Lexington is doing is very important ... I think it requires more resources.”
Urban Service Boundary
Mann said he would support expanding the Urban Service Boundary only if there is a strategic plan in place to do so.
“We do need to address housing and growth, but we need to do it with a plan,” Mann said. “There has to be a specific plan.”
Housing is a main issue connected to expanding the Urban Service Boundary, where “supply is low and demand is high for housing,” he said.
Both candidates said that with a strategic plan in place, expanding the boundary could potentially open up more housing and economic development. However, both agree that a plan and data is needed.
Sevigny said he hopes for more data soon about expanding the boundary, and would support doing so if the committee presents data that shows it would be a positive for the community.
“I believe that a data-driven solution to expanding the Urban Service Boundary is needed,” Sevigny said.
As for economic development, Sevigny said he wants to focus on making Lexington a more attractive place to live.
“I want to do everything for our community to attract talent, because I think young talent is the most important thing we need to drive in our community, because it then drives people to locate here and it does drive economic development,” Sevigny said. “To me, a community has got to be safe, it’s got to have things that young people want.”
Ross Mann
Age: 41
Previous work experience: Owner of Ross Mann Law PLLC; previously worked for Hughes & Coleman as Managing Attorney of the corporate nursing home neglect and abuse department.
Other offices currently or previously held: None
Family members: Son, age 6
Dave Sevigny
Age: 59
Previous work experience: Tek Agency LLC consulting firm managing partner; DMD Data Systems Inc/Volta IT Firm, owner and president; Jamson Whyte-home furnishings- Director of Operations; IBM engineer/sales.
Other offices currently or previously held: James Lane Allen Site Based Council; Dogwood Trace President; Village of Rabbit Run Board/President; St. Raphael’s Church Vestry Sr. Warden/Board Chair; Diocese of Lexington Vice President Exec Council and Treasurer; Jr. Achievement Board; Commerce Lexington Executive Board
Family members: Wife, Paula; daughter Lauren, son Andrew, daughter-in-law Nikki; and three granddogs Cooper, Copper and Hux
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 8:00 AM.