A Lexington city council member is proposing the city go to the state asking for authority to create an Arts and Entertainment Authority. Richard Moloney last week said it’s role would be similar to the city’s Parking Authority, which took over maintenance and upkeep of public parking structures. “How much we have to pay every year for these buildings and some of these buildings, we need this, this, and this and we can’t help them. I’m just trying to get them to the level that they need to go,” said Moloney.
More than one Council member expressed concern about how it might affect the current structure of Lexarts, the city’s umbrella arts organization. Among them, Vice Mayor Steve Kay. “It looks like it takes funds, that otherwise would be going directly to arts organizations and sends it to an art authority,” said Kay.
Moloney said the aim was to seek state approval for such an art authority, so it would be available when and if the time came to establish such an entity. No action was taken on the resolution.
