On September 22, neighborhood leaders from all over Lexington-Fayette County attended an all-day workshop for neighborhood leaders. The workshop was held at the conference center of the Council of State Governments. Over continental breakfast and box lunches, participants had a chance to share problems, solutions and good ideas. During the program sessions, they also heard a variety of presentations of interest to individual citizens and to neighborhoods.

Topics included: 

• creating rain gardens to reduce storm water runoff;
• improving water quality in the stream near you;
• resources for aging in place, including expertise on Universal Design, the new Independent Transportation Network, and local agencies that can offer information and assistance;
• how to run an effective meeting and end it in an hour;
• neighborhood and homeowner associations and the IRS;
• dos and don'ts when hiring an association manager; and
• typical neighborhood problems and what we've learned about how to deal with them.

Response to the workshop has been enthusiastic.  In fact some associations are asking to have some of the sessions repeated at FCNC meetings or at the meetings of their own associations.

Associations that would like more information on any of these topics can contact the FCNC Neighborhood Assistance Line.  We'll tell you how to get in touch with the speakers and/or neighborhood groups who have worked on issues of interest to you.