I'll probably just summarize because it's a two-day agents.

That'll be fine.

That's okay if you all know.

Yes, indeed.

Ready to roll at six o'clock.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

Six o'clock in time for us to begin our meeting.

Let me mention to those who are in the chambers for the first time in one of our meetings that uh just behind the city manager, there is a pocket that has copies of the uh agenda for the meeting.

Uh uh Vanna and Van White.

Secure.

Our hearts are sad tonight as uh our former city attorney Tyler is not here to demonstrate where the uh agendas are.

The copies of the agenda are there for you.

And lead us in the invitation.

Good to see you, Mary Lou.

It's a privilege and an honor to be with you this evening.

And I'm Mary Lou, and I'm the Baptist Health Chaplain at the hospital.

So I am glad to be here and give you thanks.

I'm glad to have you also.

The people that you are in loving and caring for our city.

Please pray with me.

Lord, we do give you thanks for the city of Richmond that we called home sweet home.

We give you thanks for the love that is here.

We give you thanks for these who are serving on the commission, all of those who spend their time, their energy, their effort, thinking, planning, knowing what is best for our city.

So for this evening, we simply ask that you would be present with us.

We ask that you would give wisdom and guidance.

We ask that you would give them patience to be good collaborators, faithful friends, good citizens, so that the city of Richmond may grow and develop and be the city that you would have us be loving and caring for one another.

So now, with all of that said, we do give you thanks and praise for this city and all who live in it, and though of those who want to be servants among us.

Now come and guide us.

In your name, Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you, Mary Lou, always we're honored to have a local U.S.

Armed Forces veteran with us to lead the pledge of allegiance tonight.

We're pleased to welcome Mr.

Theodore Ted Lloyd.

Mr.

Lloyd is a native of Northern Wisconsin, but has lived in the Richmond area for the last 39 years.

Ted served in the United States Air Force from 1968 to 1972.

He advanced to the rank of sergeant, serving as a crew chief of a C-130 Hercules cargo plane based at Clark Air Force Base, Philippine Island with temporary duty assignments to Cam Cameron Bay, Vietnam, and leading a night shift ground crew for AC 130 gunships based at Yu Bon Royal AB in Thailand.

Ted currently is serving as the commander of Boonesboro VFW Post 7098, which will be celebrating 80 years of service to Madison County veterans on May 1st, 2026.

Mr.

Lloyd, thank you for your service to our country and for leading our pledge this evening.

Please proceed, sir.

I thank you all.

If you got the opportunity and can rise, that would be very helpful.

You can face the flag, place your hand over your heart.

For those who have military experience, you can do a hand salute.

We will begin.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

One nation number two with liberty and justice for our all.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

We'll call the meeting to order.

Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Commissioner Newby.

Here.

Commissioner Brewer.

Here.

Commissioner Cole.

Here.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Mayor Blythe.

Here, thank you.

We have three presentations on the agenda for tonight.

The first is the new business recognition.

Carrie, if you'll come, please, Carrie Hensley.

And uh new business.

Good evening.

Again, I'm Carrie Leansley, your small business and economic development coordinator.

And we have a new business to introduce this evening.

I want to call Bill Daff to the podium.

Bill is the owner of Leaf and Barrel Cigar and Bourbon Lounge.

And he's going to tell us a little bit about the new business here in Richmond.

Thank you.

Evening, sir.

We're going to open up a new business here.

It's called Leaf and Barrel, uh, Urban and Cigar Lounge.

It's a little bit different than your typical bar.

Um I like listening to Fleetwood Mike, and uh it's gonna be Fleetwood Mike.

I like it.

The address is 103 Big Hill Avenue.

Uh it's right over behind uh Greek embroidery.

You'll probably remember that.

Uh it's just wide, got some uh nice, comfortable seating, pretty good size uh humidor uh in there for your uh cigar smoking pleasure.

So that's about all I've got.

Um it is a very nice place.

We did throw our first event this past weekend, had a band in there, and it went off very nicely.

So you're open Monday through we are open uh right now, Tuesday through Saturday, both Sunday, and Monday.

I'm thinking about expanding that back to uh just to open on Monday, and I know I'm gonna open on Sunday during football season.

Yeah.

We're gonna catch that.

Hey Larry, Rob Meiner.

It's nice to finally meet you.

I suppose I spoke to you on the phone a dozen times.

Oh, okay.

Okay, I was saying Larry, my bad.

I got you.

Welcome and we're happy.

Same as uh we do have another location in Georgetown, Kentucky.

Uh over behind Cracker Barrel if you get over that way.

So I've had the opportunity to visit you all and have a cigar, and it's a wonderful setting.

So you'll do well here.

Thank you very much.

Thank you all.

Thank you.

Thank you, Kerry.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I closed down the shop, so I'm pictures.

Oh, she's scared.

Oh, you know, the other day there was a picture of us on the front page of the paper, and I said, How do you tell that Kelly wasn't there?

Smile.

Okay, you put your badge back.

She walked with went home with it one day.

She got home and start frantically calling.

Sharon Graves, my friend.

Happy to have you tonight.

The update for the Historical Society.

And as you're coming, let me, and I've done it, but let me do it here also.

Let me apologize for missing that wonderful evening in which you took the time, you and the group to do some nice things for me.

I was with the Kentucky League of Cities down in Western Kentucky and could not get back in time.

But thank you.

Thank you for the record.

I'll forgive you this time.

That's what friends are for.

Well, I'm Sharon Gray's president of the Madison County Historical Society, and I'm here to thank you for having us here to thank you for the grants that we have been given from you.

So I wanted to give you an update on what we've done.

Behind me are members of the committee that it's an activity book that we did.

Teresa Lowe, whose daughter did all the illustrations, and Justin Woosley, who gave us a lot of good ideas, and uh Judy Greenbaker.

Um so we're gonna present each of you with a children's activity book and a box of crayons that came out of our $10,000 grant that you gave us to further um Madison County history.

So you know she's given me mine already, and it's due in December, so this is a homework assignment.

Is that what you're saying?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Justin, you got a red pen.

He'll be late.

Well, we've had a few snafuos on it with some page numbers, so you'll get in there and you'll see what I'm talking about.

We only ordered a few to see what problems we had, so we have a big order that's going out.

We did hand them out at the uh Battle Richmond event this past weekend.

We handed out over a hundred of these to children.

Um some of them are very excited to have them pack them around.

So they start at the beginning.

Uh it starts out easy and then it gets a little harder for older children.

Um, and it's all about Madison County history.

So hopefully we're teaching them something.

So that's part of that grant that we did.

Um also gonna update you on um the grant that you gave us to put up the footprint sign that came from the footprints traces of uh African American history in Richmond.

Uh we do have those three signs ready.

They're at the graphic designers right now.

We've made some corrections, so once he corrects those and gets them back to us, and we can send them to a paneer, and we have locations picked out that those were ready to go out.

So that money's almost spent.

Um I would like to invite you on next Tuesday, 6 o'clock, to the North Second Street side of the courthouse.

The Historical Society raised over 12,500.

We have a memorial there.

On one side is the world world war one plaque that we're rededicating.

Uh we added the Green War vets on that side, and on the other side, there's 146 World War II gentlemen who died who uh were deceased in the war.

And that dedication ceremony is again next Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Please come if you can.

Okay, does anyone have any questions?

Yeah.

When is that now?

Tuesday, next.

Next Tuesday.

What time?

6 p.m.

Okay.

Uh that's so you could have parking and it'd be a little cooler.

Sharon Harthing's at the house.

Waiting on a printer.

Lori said she was gonna get it now.

I'm still making trips to tourism, but everything's fine.

Thank you very much.

Wonderful.

Thank you.

You notice I got the stare right there.

I saw that.

Thanks to all of you.

Don't send them one you rebuild.

Okay.

For those of you who uh enjoy the uh empty bowls project.

Uh one of the highlights of the meal is the corn pone.

That's Mr.

Corn Pwn right there.

Thank you, Justin.

Thank you.

Yeah.

And it truly is and then in the presentations, last but not least.

Well, maybe I don't know.

Philip Seifert and the Battle of Richmond presentation.

Kind of like a bad check in that right way.

I'm not gonna glare at you right.

We had a big weekend this past weekend.

And I'm not gonna bore you with a whole bunch of stuff, but I'm gonna turn it over to George Ridings, who is the president of the Battle of Richmond Association, who actually we would not be doing what we're doing without them.

They're the hands and the feet and the legs and the arms.

So, George.

Sir I get to be the boring one up here.

But thank you, City of Richmond, for your support and your partnership as we've transitioned the park from the county to the city over the last couple years.

We appreciate that very much.

And we thank the public and we thank the historical society.

We were all sweating, I guess we were all sweating with the oldies, if you want to call it that, uh, on Saturday and Sunday.

Uh and then where was this weather two days ago?

You know, it it just can't be that way.

August 30th, 1862, it was 98 degrees, and they were walking in uh shoes that were sometimes gone.

Those soldiers, uh the folks from the south had marched here from Knoxville.

We drive to Knoxville in two hours and 15 minutes, and they'd marched here.

So uh when we think it's hot, well it was, but we're kind of recreating what they felt.

They had a drought, we have water bottles.

So you guys have just a brief thing.

I'm just gonna spend about two minutes here and give you a little update of the park.

Anyone who's here who'd like one of these, if you'll catch me when we're done, I'll be glad to email you this report.

But uh, this was our 22nd annual reenactment.

Um, Chuck Keller, who was at Madison Bank in the early days, 2002, 2003, Chuck Keller and I parked all the cars.

And I was out there parking the cars again this weekend, and I told Chuck as he was leaving after the period baseball games.

When do you promote to get out of parking?

I don't know.

I loved it, it's great, a lot of fun.

Um, we want to thank you guys for your support and Richmond Tourism.

Delori, we've let her know as well.

Brea and Brea Tourism also were partners in supporting and promotion, so we appreciate them.

Uh this on Saturday is always the biggest day because there's the most going on.

We had about 150 living historians registered who were on the field either in uniform or civilians there, portraying the civilian aspect of 1862 life.

We had about a hundred volunteers and participants between the settlers, people who came to sell things, Madison Dulcimers performed.

We had a period baseball game.

This was the fourth year, right?

From Georgetown and Cincinnati.

And so it's pretty fun to watch.

They they play bare handed.

They had no gloves in 1862, so they followed those rules.

So we presented them with a uh with a new award instead of a trophy.

We gave them a replica bat, so they enjoyed that.

Jackson County High School ROTC was there, helped us with parking and did a whole lot of labor that made it happen.

Uh we estimated about 525 cars came in during the battlefield time, during the battle time 9.30 to 2.

And park service tourism estimates, talked with Lori, tried to get a head count.

Two 2.5 to 3.5 people per car come to an event like this.

So we estimate 1,300 to 1800 people attended.

Um there was a couple from Barcelona, Spain, who messaged the park a few months ago.

They made their U.S.

travel plans to be here during the reenactment from Barcelona, Spain.

Um there were some another couple from Illinois was here that I talked with, Philip had talked to back in the winter.

They were going north after winter time.

They stopped, they came back here because they knew that there was a reenactment.

So things like that happen every year.

The most interesting and noteworthy historic thing is that a man from Illinois attended and he reenacted one day as each of the two combative sides on each side of the field that was his family's property.

His sixth great grandfather, Joseph Barnett, built Pleasant View, which is the house down there, Battlefield Park.

His great sixth great-grandfather built it and is buried there.

So he was very excited.

He'd been here before, but he'd never reenacted, and he got to spend the night on his family property in period uniform.

So he plans to be back, and I think he will be a very big supporter of what we are doing.

On the back side of your sheet, it shows the count of cars.

We had about 409 Kentucky cars, about 116 out of state cars, and we've got the the county breakdown.

One of those, one of the poor JROTC guys got the task of watching all the licenses.

Sharon Graves has folks did that forever, so honor to you.

That was done in your memory, and it's a it's a great thing.

So thanks for giving us the start of doing that.

177 Madison County cars, 32% of the crowd.

Fayette County, 37, Jackson County 21, Pulaski, 19, Bourbon 17, Jefferson 12.

A whole bunch of other one or two cars from a lot of other places.

Ohio, 33 cars, Tennessee 31, Indiana 12, Illinois, South Carolina, Florida 6.

And then it's mattering to others.

So 24 government cars.

We did have great support from EMS, Richmond Lee, any other services.

Who else?

Is that it?

I thought so.

Um farm and veterans and disabled veterans were there.

In the packet, you guys also have four maps.

Again, if anybody wants these, get with me later or message Bill.

Don't know who I am, and I'll email you these.

There's four maps that just show the battlefield corridor.

This is identified by the Park Service from 2006 report they did.

The Richmond battlefield goes from Big Hill to the Kentucky River.

This is the battlefield corridor.

We think of Battlefield Park out there off 421.

That's where the first part of the battle happened, and that's the lower of the three circles on this map.

And the second part was at Exit 83 Duncan, the Bucky's exit where you get to 25, the Union troops were aligned up there in defensive position there.

The third stage was the cemetery.

And troops ran up the street right here, getting chased and being chased on the evening of August 30th, 1862.

The captured Union troops, about 4,000 spent the night on the Courthouse Square on August 30th, 1862.

And the fence that was around the Courthouse Square has just been taken down, and we're going to be having some preservation of that.

But that same a lot of that same fence was there in 1862 witness to the battle.

The next two maps are uh aerial satellite photos of the portion that's inside the Army depot that's preserved, in addition to the park that the part that the park preserves, which is the blue part on this map of the depot.

Um the yellow part is the portion that 20 acres that was the Jake Ferdinand farm that the grant money going to the county for the transition of the park, that's all that part.

And the last two parts are the battle maps that show where the troop movements happen and the fighting happened at the three stages, including across Big Hill Avenue, across Alan Hatfield's office, across your home turf where you've spent your whole life.

Yes, sir.

And uh in the curve there where the twins motel was.

So all that Big Hill Avenue property was fighting on August 30th, 1862.

The last piece you have there is I'm the editor of the Kentucky Civil War newsletter, so this in May, Philip and I were able to present the story of the Battle of Richmond.

Um, and I did this newsletter, so it's kind of the most recent updated summary of the battle, and our talk is preserved on the website there, and it's a YouTube recording.

So Philip did a great job, and we talked about the preservation and on and thought thank you guys.

So with that, that's a quick report.

Glad to talk more as time goes on.

Thanks for your partnership.

Thanks to everybody.

Thank you, sir.

And you thought I was done.

We have a lot of supporters, both locally, regionally, statewide, nationwide, international.

We want to recognize one supporter that is kind of special to all of us.

And we're going to bestow upon that person a rank.

Now, in the military, now my moody said I was a draft doctor.

In the military, you know, you have generals and colonels and sergeants and privates and all that.

Well, we're starting up a new one.

We're starting up the um chief of encouragement.

And when you look at a soldier or officer, whatever, they always have some type of insignia that shows their rank.

You know, they have a star or a bird or a stripe or something like that.

So we've initiated an insignia for the um encouragement, current encourager in chief.

So at this time, I'm going to call forward our first encourager in chief over to the little backdrop over there for a presentation of their official insignia.

And our first encourager in chief is Mayor Robert Bly.

Yeah.

He's getting all choked up.

I see Kelly.

He comes with a major award.

There you go.

You might have to told me this is your official.

I mean, everybody needs to see it.

That's no money.

There's no money, there's nothing pointy or explosive.

Yeah.

Understand.

I said that I believe last year when I thought history is what it is.

And this is a touchy subject.

Certainly with many.

The outcome.

So I enjoy going to the celebration.

For the reenactment.

Because history is what it is, and sometimes we cannot appreciate where we are.

We don't know where we can.

So I'm grateful for his own passion.

I have a privilege.

I have the privilege of a hearing representation.

And he didn't go to sleep.

He was there and sat through it.

So if you watch it online.

You can like pause it and thank you right.

But he was there and he smiled and said it was quite informed.

So I appreciate that.

All right.

Of course.

It's purple because you are a royal purple.

Madison I see.

Yes, the old Madison Act.

This is a replica of a period batch from the 1860s.

And it says USA.

You can keep it in the case.

Justin, you were there, come on.

This is special folks.

This is why they put the box of tissues up there.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes.

And we're done.

Is that right?

Yeah.

Goodness.

I think somebody's got fresh onion in here.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, thank you.

I you know, I I repeat that sometimes uh such subjects are touchy for some, tender for some.

And uh grateful for this this group and what they're attempting to do.

Uh happy that the city of Richmond also was able to be a partner in uh in the work that's done there, thanks to those uh others from the historical society.

All righty.

Something in my eyes I can't see.

Origins 25-21, an ordinance amending and entertainment entertainment destination center in the downtown of the city of Richmond, directing the city of Richmond to apply for an entertainment destination center license from the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and further establishing the requirements for a license to sell alcoholic beverages within the common areas of the entertainment destination center.

This is an ordinance, therefore this is a first reading.

Uh Mr.

City Manager, please.

Mayor, I'm gonna summarize the ordinance uh because it's two pages long, but uh as you all know, we have a downtown entertainment district, and to activate that district, there's a permit process to allow for adult beverages to be carried out of licensed establishments onto the street.

Uh this request comes from the downtown businesses to permanently activate the entertainment district starting Thursday at 11 a.m.

through Sunday at 1 a.m.

Um other requests outside those hours would have to be approved through the permit process.

The other thing this ordinance does is it removes the city manager as the uh permit uh the person that approves the permits and transfers that to the ABC administrator, which I am right now until our city attorney gets here on on Tuesday.

So uh it moves that responsibility from the city manager to the city attorney as the ABC administrator.

So again, this was a request from uh downtown downtown businesses.

I've talked to other city managers across the state that have these entertainment districts actually activated permanently, and they don't have many problems, so I think we're okay with it.

Thank you, sir.

That being said, this ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its enactment following second reading and publication in accordance with the provisions of applicable law.

Thank you.

This is first reading of ordinance 25-21 or a summary thereof.

Yeah.

And uh we'll have an opportunity.

Maybe we have a motion, please first to bring to the floor for discussion.

I move.

Commissioner Newby.

Second.

And Commissioner Cole.

Is there any discussion?

Are there any questions, comments?

Just a nutshell, just expanding the hours.

Yep.

Permanently expand the hours from Thursday at 11 a.m.

until Sunday morning at one.

And if you think about the special events we have when we activate this, uh homecoming parades, Millstone Festival, Christmas parade.

Actually, they won't need to activate the entertainment district because it'll already be activated.

Thank you, sir.

Order 25-126.

An order of the Board of Commissioners for the City of Richmond hiring a city attorney.

Madam Clerk, please.

Or is the city has advertised for a hiring of an attorney and applications were received and evaluated and interviews were conducted.

And whereas the city manager has made a recommendation regarding the hire, and the board of commissioners concurs with that recommendation.

Now therefore, be it ordered that Mr.

Chris Johnson be and hereby is hired as city attorney slash ABC administrator, and the contract of his employment attached to this order is approved.

And the mayor is hereby authorized to execute same on behalf of the city.

Effective September 2nd, 2025, pay grade 10.

This order shall be in full force and effect upon reading and adoption by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25-126.

May we have a motion, please, bring to the floor for discussion and approval.

So moved.

Commissioner Gobel.

Second.

And Commissioner Newby, is there any discussion?

Mr.

City Manager, anything you want.

I would just say that I think we are very lucky to uh catch this kind of talent with municipal experience, and uh he'll be able to hit the ground running.

Very excited to get Chris on board next Tuesday because when I don't have a city attorney, I feel like I'm flying solo.

So Chris, you want to stand up and say anything?

Yeah, come on.

I don't know any attorneys that are at a loss for words.

I feel like this is the first real test.

I'm gonna be brief, they're liars.

Uh I will be brief.

Uh I you know, all due respect uh Thomas Wolf.

I think he can come home again.

Uh I spent five years of my life here in Richmond uh at EKU, graduated four and a half, had to stick around a little longer until law school started.

Uh and it did, you know, my education here got me into Emory Law School in Atlanta.

So clearly I learned a lot here, or the admissions director was asleep at Emory.

She came across the desk.

Uh I'm super excited.

I mean, I've been lucky enough to work with a lot of y'all for over the past decade.

Um you know KLC has has been a wonderful experience for me, but I believe that you know God puts opportunities in front of us when we need new challenges.

And there's so much going on in this city.

I think it's going to be fantastic.

And I appreciate the trust and the faith you all have given me in trusting me with this position.

And I am at your all's beck and call any time you need me.

And I'm glad I brought my wife with me just in case there was some questions.

So at least you can feel sorry for me and feel like really bright.

So I am just super excited, and this is just gonna be fantastic.

I thank you all for that.

Thank you so much.

There were two things I was going to mention.

One was I wanted you please to introduce your right wife to us, and then the other thing was I've already told Chris that it's now his job to assume robbing my candy bowl.

Uh Tyler robbed my candy bowl all the time.

So it's now up to you.

And as a sweetener to be being the city attorney, because last week I had to go up to Owenton because the mayor was resigning, and uh the clerk was retiring the same week, and they had a city hall cat.

And I'm the mistake of saying, well, what's gonna happen to the cat?

So I now have City Kitty from OS.

So if we want a City Hall cat, that's we're good.

No additional charge.

Mike, he likes cats.

Yeah, Mike.

You see what we're up for.

Have all the pictures if y'all can I can spare you in the right direction.

Yes, indeed.

Thank you, Chris.

Thank you.

And welcome aboard.

Absolutely.

And welcome home.

And you are you are aware that our previous attorney accepted the seat as a judge.

It wasn't a nervous breakdown.

No, I yeah.

Tyler, I feel like I did my due diligence to talking to Tyler about this.

Um he said it was just a fit of the jacket he was wearing.

It wasn't a straight jacket.

We're in good shape.

Yeah, I appreciate it.

Thank you, Chris.

Thank you, Chris.

Any further discussion?

Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebel?

Yes.

Commissioner Newby?

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Thank you.

My ceremonial order.

An order of the City of Richmond.

This is 25-127.

And order of the City of Richmond accepting retirement by employee in the fire department.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas Brooks Elder and the Fire Department.

It's slow, Madam Clerk.

We're going to keep him as long as we can.

Submitted.

His retirement notice.

To the city.

Now therefore be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners accepts the following retirement from the fire department.

Brooks Elder, effective August 31st, 2025.

The city would like to thank Mr.

Elder for his service and dedication to the department since 2002.

The Board of Commissioners wishes him the best in his future endeavors.

This order shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25-127.

May we have a motion, please, to bring to the floor for discussion and approval.

I move.

Commissioner Newby.

Second.

And Commissioner Brewer.

Is there any discussion?

Never really cared for him.

No, I'm kidding.

Brooks has come a long way.

Aren't you so glad you listened to everything I told you back in 2002?

Took you too long.

Yeah.

Brooks, come on up.

You're not getting off that air.

It's your last meeting.

No, he's kind of bittersweet.

And uh appreciate everybody on the on the commission and the city managers all been good for me and for my time as chief.

Right of our department.

I wish it the best moving forward.

What are you gonna do now?

I don't know.

He's gonna go work for Sam at uh Union City Grocery.

I'll see you out there.

Make the biscuits.

So that's where fire chiefs go when they retire.

To the store.

Oh chief, I appreciate you.

You've been a great leader for that department.

It's a pleasure working with you.

Going to miss you.

Been a pleasure.

You know that.

Good leadership during a time when the department and the whole city have been challenged.

And you've led well and with dignity and uh with integrity, and that we greatly appreciate.

Well, I appreciate it.

You're a good man, even better friends.

You're not gonna get that kind of praise back there at that table.

Let's see.

We handled it, didn't we, Madam Clerk?

I thought we voted on it.

No, we didn't vote.

We didn't even vote on it.

Now we're ready.

All right, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-128.

Order of the City of Richmond hiring firefighters.

The City of Richmond is in need of firefighters to meet the needs of the citizens of the community, and whereas testing was completed by all candidates in interviews conducted by the selection panel.

And whereas a recommendation has been made by the city manager.

Now therefore be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the following individuals are hired as firefighter one for the city of Richmond, contingent on satisfactory completion of all requisite background checks and pre-employment process.

Effective September 19th, 2025 at the annual rate based on the fire pay scale 2025 through 26.

Pay grade three.

Christopher Neal Shane Thornton.

These individuals will serve a 12-month probationary period.

This order shall be in full force and effect upon reading and adoption by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25-128.

May we have a motion, please bring to the floor for discussion and approval.

So moved.

Commissioner Cole.

Second.

Commissioner Brewer, is there any discussion?

Just thought maybe I'd see the name Brooks Elder on this one.

No discussion.

Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebel.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-129.

Order of the City of Richmond, Kentucky, accepting a bid for the playground project at the Richmond Regional Sports Complex.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas the City of Richmond has advertised and accepted bids for the installation of playground equipment on the 280-acre site for the sports complex located at the corner of Tate's Creek Road and Goggins Lane.

And whereas four bids were received in two companies which met all specifications and design features as desired as desired has been determined to be the best.

Now therefore it be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the regional sports complex playground project crop contracts are awarded to the following.

Bluegrass recreational sales for playground areas one is 683,000.

Playground two, which will be turf only, will be 160,000.

Playground Area 3, 249,000.

Funding for the project will be allocated from the bonding allocation of obligation three series.

The submitted bid is hereby attached to the order.

This order shall be in full force and effect upon reading and adoption by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25-129.

May we have a motion, please to bring to the floor for discussion and approval.

So moved.

Commissioner Goble.

Commissioner Brewer.

Is there any discussion?

Just a question.

Commissioner Newby.

Does this project does it include anything you know with handicap accessible?

It does.

It has some all inclusive pieces with it.

Absolutely.

It does come in under budget, and this was part of the uh budget or the bonding for the new park.

So it does.

Since it's two different companies, will it look different?

We had a concern about that, and and what they did is they broke it into three different play areas with a budget amount for each play area.

And initially it came in over budget, so to get the project under the 1.5 million.

Uh the bluegrass recreation and sales for play area two is doing the turf only.

Um and then the recreation insights is doing the actual play area, but to answer your questions, it will all match.

Got it.

Yep.

Are we still pretty much on track with the with the park?

I mean, in terms of what we expect it to be.

We are.

We're on, but we're on well, we're a little bit behind schedule.

Uh opening date from progress meetings today is uh late August of next year, so about this time next year.

Uh that's for the first half of the park, with the second half being open in the fall of next year.

Uh we are under budget.

Uh the two remaining items we have to bid out for the park is the sign package and the landscaping package are the two last pieces.

So uh the sign package will go out for bid October 1st, and then the landscaping piece will be the very end of it.

Be when?

Uh I'm not sure we don't have a date for the landscaping yet.

It'll probably be November.

So it'll be planted in the spring.

You'll send it out in November.

Yeah.

Any further discussion?

Question.

There being none, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Gobel.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-130, in order of the City of Richmond appointing a new member to the Richmond Housing Authority Board.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas Harold Richardson had re resigned from the board, and there is a vacancy on the Richmond Housing Authority, and whereas there's a citizen that has and expressed an interest in serving and has made a commitment to attend all meetings.

Now, therefore, be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the following individuals hereby appointed to the City of Richmond Housing Authority Board for the remaining term.

His term will expire January 1st, 2026.

This order shall be in full force and effect upon reading and adoption by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's Order 25-130.

May we have a motion, please, to bring the floor for discussion and approval.

I move.

Commissioner Newby.

Second.

Commissioner Brewer, is there any discussion?

May I make please one comment?

This name perhaps is familiar.

Jamie Jordan serves also on our Section 8 housing board, and this is intentional, and he's willing to do it.

We have one other person.

In fact, Mr.

Richardson was serving both boards, and that kept good communication.

And those who understood certain housing requirements and then other housing requirements can see how these things work together in the City of Richmond.

In fact, HUD may be moving in that direction.

But they may be maybe moving in the direction of getting rid of owning property.

So we'll see what happens in the next months to come.

But Jamie is passionate about making sure that everyone has a place to live.

He's worked with the folks here at Madison Home and then with One Stop and with Enrich.

And that's his passion.

So we are very blessed and very fortunate to have him willing to serve in both of these capacities.

Anyone else?

Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby?

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer?

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-131.

In order of the City of Richmond hiring an employee for the public works department, Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas the Public Works Department is in need of an additional equipment operator one, and whereas the position was advertised and interviews conducted, and whereas the interview committee has made a rec recommendation for hire.

Now therefore be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the following individuals hired contingent upon their successful completion of the city's pre-employment requirements as equipment operator one for the public works department effective September 2nd.

Pay grade two, Christopher Mullins.

He is an at will employee and will serve a one-year probationary period.

This order shall be in full force in effect upon reading and adoption by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's Order 25-131.

Maybe of a motion, please.

Bring the floor for discussion and approval.

So moved.

Commissioner Cole.

Second.

And Commissioner Goebbel.

Is there any discussion?

This is the same Chris Mullins, who was a record driver at one time, one of the local companies.

I don't know.

If so, he's a wonderful young man.

Okay.

His brother was one of my students.

Any further discussion?

He should be wonderful employee for the City of Richmond.

If not, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Goble.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Mayor Belythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-132.

Order of the City of Richmond awarding a bid for street paving.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas the City of Richmond has accepted bids for the pavement of various streets within the city, and whereas one bid was received and determined to be the best proposal.

Now therefore, be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the street paving bid is hereby awarded to Allen Company Inc.

in the total amount of 463,000 wait.

We have 463-146.

Is that it?

I'm sorry.

463 14630.

Okay, thank you.

$463,000.

146 dollars.

A public hearing was held on August 26, 2025 at 5 p.m.

per KRS 171.100, which citizens were able to attend and submit any concerns.

Funding for the paving will be from the city's municipal road aid fund.

The submitted bid is hereby attached to the order.

This order shall take effective upon reading and passage by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's Order 25-132.

May I say regarding that public hearing that considering the attendance, a good time was had by all.

Yeah.

May we have a motion, please bring the floor for discussion and approval.

The move.

Commissioner Brewer.

Second.

And Commissioner Newby.

Is there any discussion?

Mayor, I would just that uh we had about 533,000 in the municipal aid fund.

The initial bids with all the um streets came in about 578, so we eliminated some streets, obviously bringing it down to 463, but that gives us some wiggle room in case something pops up to work on some streets if need be need be between now and end of June of next year.

Thank you, sir.

Any further discussion?

463,000 plus.

Uh let's see, you sent the list also with yeah, yeah, I got that.

Alrighty, thank you.

Uh no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes, Commissioner Brewer.

Yes, Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Uh this is the public comments period.

Anyone who's come tonight that you wish to address the commission, if so, if you please take the podium, give your name for the clerk, please.

I'll follow this gentleman.

All right.

Your foot went to sleep, that's what I thought.

All right.

Uh Mr.

Mayor, thank you.

Yes.

Uh Joe Kokinda.

I live downtown.

Uh I'll start off with uh fleeting moment in 2008.

I moved in here uh into Richmond in 2006, and I was at at an acquaintance house, and he's waiting on the electrical inspector, and the inspector uh came in and we talked for a little bit, and he goes, Well, I'll show you upstairs what I did.

He goes, uh don't worry about it because uh anything's better than what it was.

That kind of hit me.

And that's really been the story uh ever since uh go to 2011.

We demolished a house on 2nd Street, uh, left the accessory structure.

I don't know how we did that, because it was in bad shape, and it was an accessory to something, which was the house.

Of course, the city demolished itself to save money, but I guess you get what you pay for.

It's a humongous garage, and it's uh just out of sorts with the uh neighborhood with the excuse me, just can you give an address?

I'm trying to picture oh, this is all due with 314 or second, is that right?

North second, 314 north second.

So a developer buys the property, uh, builds a house, uh, builds a parking pad, no driveway.

So right there, I don't know how it got improved.

You know, just a gravel driveway, no, you know, no solid drive driveway connected to an adjacent property that it affected, which happens to be owned by me and my wife.

Uh bought another house next to it or a lot, and built a house, did the same thing.

So now I've got two driveways connected to my land using my property to access third street.

Uh I don't understand how that happened, how that got approved by zoning.

What's the address again?

314 and 310.

I know I got a picture of this to myself.

Are you saying that they uh using your driveway in the alley uh an alley to third street, which my wife owned to access third street?

Yeah, and uh he he built two houses across the street, but they may he made driveways for them, but he didn't on the other side of the group.

So uh couple years later, you know.

I thought, hey, I thought, okay, maybe I could work make this work out if it's cool.

A couple years later, Gab moves in at 314 with the sole intent of running a construction business out of his house.

You may have heard this before, but uh immediately, me and three other people, at least four people call to complain.

Code playing, you know.

Say, hey, this guy's not the slightest investigation whatsoever.

Uh didn't even look up if he had a home occupancy uh permit, which he doesn't, or a business license, which he doesn't.

And 14 months later, okay, he's been running this business, not just here in the city, but across the state.

I don't know if there's a database where you can put in companies that are scurrying the laws.

Uh but uh he's still, even today.

I called code enforcement or whatever, and I said, What's the status?

He goes, Oh, I took pictures yesterday.

Uh I was like, Oh, really?

You took pictures of the porta potty.

Why don't you why didn't you get it out of there?

He's had a port of potty for months in the backyard.

Uh still there.

Uh I said, Why don't you come over today?

Because there's a giant semi in my alley delivering eight pallets of construction materials in the backyard.

How does this happen?

This wouldn't happen in an affluent neighborhood whatsoever.

You think a ported potty would last five minutes in an affluent neighborhood.

It's just it seems like the they're not doing anything.

It's not even seems like they're not doing anything.

And if you if you say you don't have to be a contractor, you just say you're a contractor, and they will do anything for you.

He was hooking up the sewer to the accessory structure.

Uh call down there, hey, what's going on?

He could hook up a sewer.

Uh well, he's a contractor.

Oh, really?

But uh this guy's running the business.

He's he's flawing it now, flaunting the law, because he's still operating at this minute.

And it's just it's been 14 months, and I had a posse of 20 people, and they've most of them bailed.

I didn't even bother asking coming out here because it's they're just the hands up.

Just a second.

Is that something you want to take a look at, Mrs.

Yeah?

We we've addressed this and and actually have shut them down once initially.

They even tried to name the street into the business off of Third Street, I think Blue J Way or something, because I think it's Blue Jade Construction.

Um, so we'll we'll we'll readdress this.

We'll certainly readdress it and get something done.

But I will tell you codes enforcement has been working on it.

All right.

Well, that needs to be taken care of, you know, if this has been going on this long.

So you had heavy trucks, Fort Lake, Fort Cliffs, Bob Katz going up and down the alley.

Uh who's liable from an alley to repave it?

And you said it's your property.

Yeah.

Well, if it's an alley, if it's an alley.

Is it an alley?

Is it's an alley, so okay.

I'll have to check in too and get both sides of the story.

Okay.

Thank you.

When's that attorney coming?

Thank you.

Coming soon.

Can you give me your name and number?

Yeah, give me some.

Give it to the clerk there, please.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Mr.

Ford.

Yeah.

Good evening.

My name's Ed Brown.

And I'm here uh tonight representing the Richmond Downtown Neighborhood Association.

So that was a great segue for me.

I know that you all have received an invitation to participate with us in a neighborhood walk on the 16th of September night here, just to remind you of that.

That will begin at five o'clock, starting in the City Hall Park and Ot.

We just heard one example, and I had no idea this was gonna happen.

Heard one example of an issue with downtown.

We've heard a potentially very nice case of the first reading of an ordinance involving downtown.

There are some exciting things going on downtown.

There also are some issues that need uh scrutiny.

We believe through experience through our group that walking the neighborhoods gives a much better indication of what's going on, good, bad or otherwise, than merely just driving through.

So we really would like to see all of you join us.

Um again, that's five o'clock, three weeks from tonight from the parking lot.

We really believe that neighborhoods are crucial to the city as it moves forward.

We're talking about entertainment districts, we're talking about all kinds of things revitalizing downtown, and we believe fervently that folks who live downtown visit downtown are really really important to the vibrancy of the city.

Thank you all.

Have a good evening.

Thank you, sir.

Anyone else?

Mr.

City Manager, please.

Uh the only thing I have denied is I want to propose to you all to take a look at our meeting schedule for September.

Um, our first meeting is September 9th.

Um we have our second meeting was scheduled for the 23rd, but we'll be at the Kentucky League of Cities Conference in Owensboro that week.

Um we have the state of the university on the scheduled work session date at noon.

So I would like to propose the idea of having our regular scheduled September 9th meeting, and then having a second uh meeting on the 16th would be the which would be the following Tuesday.

So we'd basically have two commission meetings in a row Tuesday after Tuesday, so we can get some business pushed through and and not miss a work session and a regular scheduled meeting.

So you'll end up just having two meetings for the we wouldn't have the work session because that's the same date as the State of the University at EKU.

We would have the regular scheduled meeting on Tuesday, September 9th, and then change our meeting from the 23rd to September 16th.

Which would be the second and third Tuesdays.

Yes, that's correct.

Yep.

If that pleases the board.

All right, and we should uh if you've got time to think about that, we should do that probably now so that the clerk can do whatever notifications are necessary.

What's your what's your pleasure?

Works for me.

Do I need to move on that or move?

I'll move second.

Okay.

Somebody move.

Motion, Commissioner Newby and second, Commissioner Gobel.

What he said.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

No.

All opposed, no.

So done.

Thank you, Mr.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr.

That's all I have, Mayor.

Alrighty, thank you, sir.

Commissioner Newby.

I have nothing, sir.

All righty.

Commissioner Brewer.

Nothing.

Commissioner Cole.

I'm good, thank you.

Alrighty.

Commissioner Goebbel.

I'm good.

Thanks.

Okay.

Well, I've got to say something and have just one thing.

Today, I was sitting at the intersection of Water and Lancaster Avenue.

And as the light changed to green for me, something told me to hesitate.

And someone barreled through that red light heading up to Maine.

Not exaggerating.

Had to be 50 miles an hour to try to make it to the line that was going to have the light to change on Maine.

Had I pulled out there, I would have been T-boned.

I only bring that up because I want to encourage all of us, and you hear it all the time, but I encourage all of us to drive defensively.

It's not just the students.

Some of them, however, are away from home first time, got that vehicle, new town.

Nobody knows them.

I look at license plates.

And I notice that a great deal of that kind of light running and traffic, whatever.

And I have to smile here, Jim.

You come to college, surely you know your colors by then, right?

But we folks, please drive defensively.

Be hesitant to pull out too quickly when the light turns in your favor.

That's a second time that's happened to me.

And had I pulled out there, Mindy, I would have been broadsided right in my door.

I waited at least five seconds.

It doesn't work.

Please be careful.

Please be careful.

And please be careful.

And Chief, write more tickets.

Yes, sir.

Thank you.

Now, I'm not saying that uh Richmond citizens don't know how to run red lights.

That's not what I'm saying.

But we can we can tell.

And uh that's uh not to be offensive toward our student population, but it's also to encourage them with that exuberance of youth to keep it under control for the benefit of all, including themselves to be safe.

God knows we don't want to have to contact any parents, anybody at home about their child.

That's it.

Um Tuesday's over.

It was happening tonight.

It's happening tonight.

Tasty Tuesdays is happening tonight, so we've got time to get dinner.

All hearts and minds are clear.

We'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Commissioner Cole.

Second.

And Commissioner Goble.

Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebel.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you so much.