Thank you, Pat.

Good evening again.

We'll uh begin with our invocation.

We'll ask Jamie Jordan to come, please.

Lead us in that invocation.

All right, let us pray.

God, we thank you for this beautiful day that you've given us.

We just pause right now.

Appreciate all the blessings that you've given us this day.

I know many of which I probably just blew by and took for granted, Lord, in this uh week where we're just prompted to be thankful.

Um thank you for the blessings.

Thank you for these leaders that sit before us.

I pray, Lord, your presence and your anointing would be upon them.

I pray for those who uh sit in this room.

I pray for all of our city employees, Lord, that you have called to such positions to lead and look out for this great city that we call Richmond, Lord.

So I pray that your presence would be here.

And I pray that you would just pour out your grace and your mercy and your wisdom.

And Lord, I pray for courage, for uh truths to be spoken that need to be spoken and love to be spoken with.

Lord, we pray for all these things to pray that uh the decisions and uh everything that takes place here uh in the minutes ahead, Lord, uh, would be for the wonderful welfare of the residents that we call Richmond, Kentucky.

And we pray this all in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you, and Jamie, thank you again as always for all the wet wonderful ways that you serve this community and so many of our uh groups and volunteer opportunities.

Thank you.

Tim Vinegar, a native of Lexington, Kentucky, and graduate of Lafayette High School, currently lives in Richmond.

He entered the Army in 1979 and served for eleven years.

Also worked for the Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, and also the RS prior to retirement in 2013.

He was stationed at Fort Gordon, Georgia for basic training and AIT, MOS O5C radio teletype operator for Jackson, South Carolina.

MOS 63B Power Generator Light Vehicle Mechanic.

And at Fort Lee, Virginia, he was a 77F Petroleum Supply Specialist.

The American Legion and the Madison County Honor Guard also.

He works as one of the cooks for the weekly Veterans Friday morning breakfast, which I've been trying to get to at the Veterans Center.

At the Veterans Center.

He spends time working with the AARP as a tax aide at the Madison County Library.

He is active member of the NACP and works sponsored events.

He also spends time working with the Richmond Police Department, Appreciation Day and Veterans Day, obtaining coupons for families to eat for low cost or free.

Thank you, Tim, for leading tonight our pledge of allegiance.

Please proceed.

Update of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

To the Republic before we get to the United States.

Thank you, Tim.

We'll officially call the meeting to order.

Madam Clerk, please call roll.

Commissioner Brewer.

Here.

Commissioner Cole.

Here.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Here.

Commissioner Naby.

Here.

Mayor Blythe.

Here.

Thank you.

We have two presentations tonight.

The first of which is the Battle of Richmond events, and Philip Seifert is here.

And he's going to give us an update on the wonderful things that are happening there at the Battlefield Park.

Welcome again, sir.

Welcome, people.

Before we get started, I want to be the very first one to wish all of you and all of you, wherever the camera is, all of you, a very merry Christmas.

We all deserve this time.

And a lot of people think by the Battle of Richmond, it has to be 95 degrees.

Well, it doesn't.

We're always doing something that just never settles out there.

And so this coming Sunday, November the 30th, Father Christmas will be returning to Richmond Battlefield Park.

They're on the I won't have to necessarily read everything from 2 until 4 p.m.

Bring the kids out, get your picture taken.

Things are look a little different than we do of today's world.

We'd love to have you come out.

Um all we ask is it's a free event, but we do ask a donation of new pre-packaged socks, male, female kids, it doesn't matter.

And that leads us into our oh, I did get that report.

Thank you, Pat.

Um for the past 10 years or so, we have uh collected socks out the battlefield for the disadvantaged.

Well, how will you collect the socks?

Well, during the Civil War era, if you read a lot of the letters, they are always asking for a pair of socks.

And when your feet are cold, you're cold all over.

Everybody knows that.

And so we ask people just to bring out new pre-packaged socks, men's, women's, and children's out to the Battle of Richmond Visitor Center.

They're at the split, and then we will get into the different um organizations in town that will get to the people that really need them the most.

If for some reason I'm not there, although I don't look like it, I sometimes like to take lunch.

Just leave them on one of the benches out front, and we'll take care of it.

This will go through right up through the Friday before um before Christmas.

And we've got a new partner this year.

We're doing something different.

And so we have a lot of times people don't realize that you can have a jewel in your backyard, and you never even realize it.

And one of the things that we have here in Richmond and Madison County is one of the most opulent mansions in the entire state with Whitehall.

So the management of Whitehall and I got together, and they're decorated for Christmas out there, and they've done that for several years, and that's nice.

You can go out there and you see a nice.

But on one evening, on Friday, December the 12th, from 6 until 8, you can come out and have Christmas with the clays.

There'll be seven, several living historians out there, and uh go through the house.

It's really something different, and you don't have to go real far away to see it.

Um, all the S is you need to go online to uh purchase the tickets at etix.com/slash Whitehall, or you can pay that evening if you'd like.

So those are some things that are going on, but it's not just us.

Parks Department is working the rejebers off.

We put on a great uh Halloween event, not just the parade.

I say Halloween.

You get as old as I am, Wayne.

You'll know that out.

We're going to have a great parade here in a week or so.

There's gonna be all sorts of things going on in town.

We need to remember that Richmond doesn't celebrate Christmas.

Richmond is Christmas.

Come out and see us, have a big time.

And I promised Rob and Lisa that they wouldn't have to say uh oh when they saw me come up.

Thank you all very much.

Thank you, Philip, so much.

The uh wonderful things that are happening through the year uh at uh visitor center and at the park itself.

Philip the lifesavers project was successful.

Oh, always it 60,000 life savers.

And yes, we count them.

So that's a March and April event.

We're 3800 Christmas cards to our soldiers and sailors and marines serving overseas that just ended.

Yes.

So we are the dust never settles out there.

Yes, indeed.

And then the pill bottle campaign each year.

Yeah, they're having babies out there.

That'll be another person.

But thank you for all you do.

Second presentation tonight will be from the Hospice Care Plus.

And happy to have you here tonight in the chambers.

Certainly always good to hear from you and participate with you.

Thank you for having us.

Um we are Hospice Care Plus, and I'll get us started today.

Um, my name is Jenny Neese.

I am the director of community engagement with Hospice Care Plus.

I'm just gonna give you a little history about hospice.

Um I guess I need to push the R button.

Uh-huh.

There you go.

So we uh were founded 44 years ago, our nonprofit was uh back in 1981 by a group of health care professionals who've seen the need for hospice in Madison County.

They began their services working out of the trunk of their car.

We have since then grown into the organization we are today servicing six counties that include Madison, Estel, Asley, Jackson, and Rockcastle County.

Um in this row, I have uh found that there's many people that still don't really understand what all hospice does in the services that we provide.

Um but one of our biggest core programs is our home program.

Um we have nurses, CNAs, um, social workers, uh, chaplains, and volunteers every day out in our six communities providing services and care for our patients.

Um we also are very fortunate to have uh one of the very few freestanding uh compassionate care centers in the state here at Richmond at 350 Isaac Langton.

And we currently have six inpatient beds for anyone that is needing those personal management or whatever their need may be.

Um we also provide a grief and loss support group.

This is for all of our caregivers and families that are caring for hospice patients that's also available to anyone in the community, regardless if they've had hospice care or not.

Um we provide weekly services that is free to everyone that is wanting to be involved.

Um that service is 100% donor funded, and so that's why it's very important for us to uh continue our fundraising and get our uh donors and uh provide uh our credentials from all the communities that we serve.

Um we serve approximately 1,700 uh individuals across the six counties annually, um but we cannot do that alone, and that's why we're here tonight, just letting you know um all the services that we have and um the need for awareness of what hospice can provide for our communities.

I'm Stephanie Maynis, I'm the development coordinator at Hospice Care Plus, and like Jenny said, we cannot do our work alone.

So part of my job is to go out and um engage donors, um speak at um meetings like this across our six counties just to talk about uh the services we provide and how the community can support that.

So although we are reimbursed by uh Medicare Medicaid and Private Ins.

We do provide care to anyone in these communities, even those who may be un or underinsured.

Um we are a nonprofit, so there are services that are not billable.

Did you know that a social worker going out to the home?

We can't bill insurance and Medicare for that.

But every patient has access to a social worker.

Chaplains, we we can't bill that.

So we have what we call above and beyond care that we provide.

Medicare says you should visit your patient once every two weeks.

Well, that's okay if you're recovering from surgery, right?

When you were facing advanced or terminal illness, once every two weeks for a nurse to come visit, that is just not enough.

And so we go above and beyond.

Our nurses go out once a week.

Our nurse aids are sometimes out there three times a week, providing that personal care and helping empower and educate those caregivers.

So how you all support when you give to us financially is you help us provide care for those who are underinsured.

Um you help us provide special experiences, um, like throwing a wedding in 24 hours, which we have done.

Um working with EKU.

Anybody from EKU here tonight?

Um working with EKU, aviation, for example, a patient wanted to ride in a single-engine jet plane, and we made that happen.

And so when you give to hospice, you're helping us live out that mission that our ultimate goal, after all, is a good, not just a good death, but a good life right up to the very end.

So I'm gonna pass it over to Mariah, our volunteer coordinator, who will talk about ways that you can get involved if you're wanting to volunteer with us.

Hi, I'm Mariah.

Um, like Stephanie said, I'm the volunteer coordinator with Hospice Care Plus.

Um, anyone over the age of 14 and older can volunteer with us.

So you can be as young as 14.

Um, up to anybody who's retired or still working.

Um, somebody who just enjoys being a part of a community and part of an organization.

Um we could not exist without our volunteer program.

So um for us to be um funded, we have to have a certain amount of hours each year that are um patient care related.

Um so any volunteer that's at our compassionate care center um usually sits at that front desk, and they're that first um first space you see as you walk through the door, and those hours go towards that back person.

Like Ms.

Calling.

Yeah, Mrs.

And then Tammy has also been a volunteer with us.

Um then uh we do pick um special events and fundraising support as well.

So remembrance tree ceremony that's coming up to the derby event that we have each year, we have volunteers that help with that.

And you don't have to go through the training to help with those special events, but anything patient care related, you would complete the interest form, and I could get you through the volunteer training.

We do two to three of those in person each year, and then we also have an online route that we have been able to do the last two to three years.

Um, and so that kind of gets you onboarded a little bit quicker.

So you can go to hospice careplus.org, go to volunteer, and then follow your interest form and you can fill that, fill that information out.

We thank you very much for listening to that.

Can I get your picture?

Yeah, I hope you all mind if I you could stand and I can use should they step in the middle?

Yeah, you go that looks good.

Thank you.

You go first.

All right.

Thank you.

I'm having a bad hair day.

Jimmy and Stephanie and Mariah, thank you very much.

Two quick things.

One, uh, I greatly appreciate from a personal standpoint the work of hospice, even off-site.

Um because 11 years ago in my mother's final days, hospice came to our home to care for her, and I'm forever grateful for that.

Um, yes, indeedy, and and uh thank you, just thank you.

Um see you in a couple of weeks, right?

On the Sunday for the uh Memorial Christmas tree.

Always enjoy that.

We have four sets of minutes from the special call meeting October 24, 9 a.m.

The regular meeting held October 28, 6 p.m.

Special call meeting, November 3 at 9 a.m.

Workshop meeting held on November 20 at 12 noon.

If you're comfortable doing so, I'll ask for a motion, please that we will accept all four of these minutes.

I move, second.

Commissioner Newby, Commissioner Brewer, is there any question, comment, or discussion?

There being none, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Cole, yes, Commissioner Goebel, yes, Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer?

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-175, order of the city of Richmond promoting an employee in the fire department to battalion chief.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas the City of Richmond has an open leadership position within the fire department due to a recent promotion, and whereas employees that have successfully completed the promotional process, which consists of an oral interview conducted before a selection panel, evaluated on their abilities, education, training, and leadership.

And whereas the interview panel has made a recommendation for this promotion.

Now therefore it be it ordered by the City of Richmond that the following fire department employees shall be promoted to the rank of battalion chief, effective payroll date, December 26, 2025, at the rate for the fiscal year 25-26 fire pay scale, pay grade six.

Brian Richmond.

He originally was hired as firefighter one in 2007, promoted to firefighter 2 in 2009, promoted to captain in 2018, appointed interim fire training officer in 2020, promoted to fire training officer later in 2020, and then transferred to captain in 2023.

The Board of Commissioners would like to thank him for his continued dedication and leadership within the department.

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 25-175.

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

Whatever.

Any discussion, conversation?

Yeah, you know me.

I always like to say a little something about stuff.

Um first of all, I want to I want to commend uh firefighter Richmond on the promotion.

You know, I think any man give close to 20 years of service to his community in hazardous duty is well deserving.

And and and I I know from being a firefighter, years of experience working with him.

Um he's well deserving.

But I also want to let the know the public, you know, it said that we had a there was a a panel, and I want to inform the public.

We have a new panel situation now.

In the past, um a commission member was a was a member of that panel and had a vote.

So we wanted to do away with that.

Um so it's a four-person panel.

So now we have a panel of two members, representatives from City Hall.

None of her on the commission from City Hall, and two representatives from the fire department.

So that kind of to me that takes away from the good old boy, you know, come in influence from the from the city hall and a good old boy influenced from the fire department, so it's equal.

And they come to terms, and he was a unanimous decision.

So I think he's well deserving, and um congratulations.

And I will say that I I witnessed the uh the interviews, and I was very impressed with all interviewees.

Um the young gentleman that didn't get promoted.

I was impressed with their their knowledge and their passion and their desire for their job.

So, fellas, your time will come.

But congratulations, Mr.

Richmond.

That's all I've got to say.

Thank you.

Any other comment, discussion, question?

There being none, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Goebel.

Yes, Commissioner Newby.

Yes, Commissioner Brewer.

Yes, Commissioner Cole, yes, Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-184, order of the city of Richmond promoting an employee in the fire department to fire captain.

The city of Richmond has an open leadership in the fire department due to a recent promotion, and whereas employees that has successfully also completed the promotional process, which also consists of an oral interview conducted before a selection panel, evaluated on their abilities, education, training, and leadership.

And the interview panel has made a recommendation for the promotion.

Now, therefore, be it by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that this employee from the fire department shall be promoted to the rank of captain, effective payroll date, December 26th at the rate of the fiscal year 2526, fire pay scale, pay grade five.

Stephen Moyer originally hired as Firefighter 1 in 2010, promoted to Firefighter 2 in 2021, and then promoted to Firefighter 3 in 2023.

Also, the Board of Commissioners would like to thank him for his continued dedication and also leadership in the department.

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 25-184.

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

So moved.

Commissioner Goble.

Second.

Commissioner Newby, is there any discussion?

I don't know this cat.

I'm getting old.

You know, but seriously, we we uh we've talked over the time about that very thing about how they're new.

Uh I think I mentioned it uh Chief and Chief about looking at the departments and thinking, my God, they look like my high school students.

There are those who have been there for a while in both departments, and then there's a whole new bud.

So I understand what the Commissioner means by not knowing uh folks who are new, but uh they're serving us well.

Any further discussion?

There being none, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes, Commissioner Brewer.

Yes, Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goble?

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-176, an order of the City of Richmond promoting three employees in the fire department, Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas it is the intention of the Board of Commissioners to have qualified personnel in all city departments, and we're firefighters one, two, and three classifications provide firefighter personnel the opportunity for personal growth, education while improving the workforce itself.

And whereas a notice of opportunity was given to all eligible and interested personnel within the fire department to test and qualify for firefighter two.

Now therefore be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the following promotions effective November 26, 2025, payroll as a part of the approved fiscal year fire pay scale 2025 through 26 budget.

Clayton Cornet, originally hired in 2024.

Travis Newman, also hired in 2024, and Cordell Markham, also hired in 2024.

This order shall be effective immediately upon passage by the Richmond City Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25-176.

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

Commissioner Brewer.

Second.

Commissioner Goebbel, is there any discussion?

There being none, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebel?

Yes.

Commissioner Newby?

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

We pause here to recognize more formally each of those that's been promoted.

And uh, Chief, if you'll come, please, and whoever else else will assist you.

Thank you all.

Yes.

I would just like to say on behalf of the Richmond Fire Department.

I'd like to congratulate Captain Brian Richman on his promotion to battalion chief.

Bidani Chief Richmond brings 18 years of service to his new position and over 4800 hours of training.

Brian, the Richmond Fire Department looks forward to your continued service and leadership.

At this time, Ryan's wife Anna will do his pinning ceremony.

Congratulations, Brian.

Congratulations.

Thank you, Chief.

Let's take the heat off the fire department and get uh intent.

No punishment.

Don't jam.

Mr.

Attorney, you want to lead us into it?

Yes, Mr.

Mayor.

At this time, I would like to ask a member of the Commission to make a motion that we adjourn into executive session pursuant to 61.8101 C is in Charlie for discussion of possible proposed litigation on behalf of the city.

All right, we've heard the request from the attorney.

Is there someone who will make that motion, please?

So moved.

Commissioner Cole.

Is there a second?

Commissioner Gobel.

Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebbels.

Yes.

Commissioner Noby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

We'll ask the audience to please be patient for just a moment as we adjourn to the conference room.

I look good though, right?

Reader?

Yes.

Now may we have a motion, please that we return from executive session to regular session.

I'm on the second.

Commissioner Cole, Commissioner Newby.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

All right, we're gonna try to expedite here.

Uh out of uh our conversations and we need for the record to note no action having been taken.

Uh Mr.

Attorney, in light of our conversation, sir, would you please give us some direction?

Uh Mayor Blythe, at this time, I would like to ask the Board of Commissioners for a motion directing me as the uh legal counsel for the city to pursue instituting uh litigation concerning 405 Moberly Avenue.

All right, we've heard the request on the part of the city attorney that we would authorize him to proceed with uh legal action litigation regarding 405 Moberley Avenue.

Maybe have that motion, please.

I'll move.

Commissioner Newby.

Second, second, Commissioner Brewer.

Is there any discussion?

There being none, Madam Clerk, please for the record.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goebbel?

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you very much.

Ordinance 25-17.

Let's see here.

Order of the City of Richmond, Kentucky, changing the zoning classification for property located 495, 495 Duncan Lane within the city limits.

Mr.

Attorney, please.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

Whereas Richmond Industrial Development Corporation owner has filed with the Richmond Planning and Zoning Commission an application for a zoning map amendment at 495 Duncan Lane with 190 acres in Richmond, Kentucky.

And whereas the property is currently vacant land with zone classification AG agriculture and requesting change to I2 heavy industry, whereas the Planning and Zoning Commission conducted a public hearing on the requested zone change on November 19th, 2025, in the course of which it received evidence and testimony from persons in favor of and opposed to the requested zone change, and whereas at the conclusion of the public hearings, the planning and zoning commission voted to recommend that the zone change be granted, and whereas the planning and zoning commission at its meeting adopted written findings of fact as to the zone change and the issue is now before the Board of Commissioners for final determination.

And whereas the Board of Commissioners believes it to be the in the public interest that it adopts the recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission in accordance with the findings of fact adopted by that body.

Now therefore be it ordained that Section 1.

The Board of Commissioners does hereby adopt the recommendation of the Richmond Planning and Zoning Commission as to the requested zone change.

As to its findings of fact.

In accordance with those findings, the zoning of said property shall be and hereby are changed.

Property is currently vacant land with zone classification A.G.

Agriculture and requesting change to I2 Heavy Industry.

Section 2, the director of planning and zoning shall make the appropriate changes to the official map of the City of Richmond, Kentucky.

And section three of this ordinance shall be effective immediately upon this enactment following the second reading and publication in accordance with the requires requirements of applicable Kentucky law.

Thank you, sir.

This is the first reading of ordinance 25-17.

So we will not vote tonight.

So moved.

Commissioner Goble.

Second.

And Commissioner Cole.

Is there any discussion?

Mayor, if I may.

Yes, sir, please.

As you all know, this is 189 acres located on Duncan Lane.

Uh we received $2 million from the state cabinet for economic development under the Product Development Initiative Program.

The city matched the difference to purchase this property, which is another $2,744,000 for a total purchase price of $4,744,000, which is to be quite honest with you, in this market is a good deal along that corridor.

The rezoning of this property to industry fits our comprehensive plan.

And Duncan Lane, as you all know, is the golden corridor with all the utilities, the four-lane road and everything else for this kind of development.

This property backs up to our industrial park three in front of Duncan.

And we're very excited about the potential for new industry at this site.

Thank you, sir.

Any other discussion.

All right.

This is again first reading.

And uh this will be on our next regular meeting for a vote.

Thank you.

Order 25-172.

Order of the City of Richmond hiring a re human resource director.

Madam Clerk, please.

Where is the administration department needs to fill a human resources director position due to a recent resignation?

And whereas the position was advertised and interviews conducted, and where is the interview committee has recommended a hiring for this position.

Now therefore, be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the following individuals hire contingent upon her successful completion of the city's pre-employment requirements as the human resources director for the administration department effective December 15, 2025.

Pay grade seven, Janet Townsend.

She is an at will employee and will serve a one-year 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 25-172.

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

So moved.

Commissioner Gobel.

Second.

And Commissioner Newby.

Let me just mention this if I may.

Ms.

Townsend is here.

Is she not?

Yes.

Janet, stand up.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any discussion?

Welcome.

Yes, welcome.

Thank you.

There being none.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, no.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Welcome aboard.

Thank you.

We actually changed the department head meeting, which is normally on the first Monday of the month to Monday the 15th, so Janet can meet everybody.

Thank you, sir.

Order 25-173, in order of the City of Richmond declaring property surplus and providing for its disposition.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas pursuant to ordinance chapter 34.02 disposition of surplus personal property declares a list of property which shall be submitted monthly to the city manager and then submitted to the city commission for classification as surplus property.

Now therefore, be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that the November 2025 property described by the list as submitted by the police department and administration department, which is attached here too, is declared surplus and no longer needed by the city and is not suitable for the purpose of which it was intended.

The attached list per KRS 82.083 contains that description of the property, its intended use of the time of acquisition and the reasons why it has been public interest to dispose of it.

And is now being sold sold by electronic auction at this website, govedeals.com following legal publication as a required to KRS 424.130 subsection 1b.

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 25-173.

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

So moved.

Commissioner Cole.

Second.

And Commissioner Brewer, is there any discussion?

There being none.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, no.

Aye seven so ordered.

Thank you.

Order 25-174 in order of the City of Richmond hiring an employee for the recycled department.

Madam Clerk, please.

The recycle department is in need of a full-time labor due to a recent resignation, and the position was advertised in interviews conducted, and whereas the city manager has recommended to hire for this position.

Now therefore it 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 labor one for the recycled department effective payroll November 26, 2025.

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

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

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25 174.

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

I move.

Commissioner Newby.

Second.

Commissioner Goble.

Is there any discussion?

Where does that put us, Mr.

City Manager, with respect to hiring?

That's fully staffed right now, but I I'm anticipating uh potential retirement here in the next 30, 45 days.

So all right, thank you, sir.

Any further discussion?

There being none, all in favor, aye.

All opposed, no.

I have it and so ordered.

Order 25 177.

Order of the city of Richmond hiring two employees for the parks maintenance department.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas the Parks Grounds Department needs additional full-time labor ones position, and where is the position was advertised and interviews conducted, and whereas the committee has recommended a hire for the positions.

Now therefore, be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that these individuals are higher hired a contingent upon their successful completion of the city's pre-employment requirements as labor one for the parks grounds department effective December 1st, 2025, pay grade two.

Stephen Snowden, Charles Burns.

They are both at will employees and will serve a one-year probationary period.

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

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Just a quick note here.

Yes, sir.

Is anyone looking at this on your pad?

I am.

177.

Does that say the order itself say grounds?

Two employees for the parks grounds department.

And this is maintenance.

Maintenance.

Well, it's kind of parks.

Yeah, it's it's parks, grounds, and maintenance.

It's okay.

It's maintenance.

Okay.

Um have you brought it to the floor yet?

Nope, not yet.

For discussion.

That's I want to be sure about that.

Okay.

Um you have a motion, please bring the floor for discussion and approval.

So moved.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Second.

And Commissioner Cole.

Is there any discussion?

I would say, Mayor, this is two new hires for the new regional sports complex.

It'll be on an hourly shift from two to ten daily, which will give us coverage in the evening.

So we're starting to ramp up for the new regional sports park.

Thank you, sir.

Any other discussion?

Order 25-177.

All in favor, please say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, no.

As have it and so ordered.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Order 25-178.

An order of the City of Richmond, Kentucky awarding a bid for the purchase and installation of wayfinding signs at the Richmond Regional Sports Complex.

Mr.

City Manager, please.

Whereas the City of Richmond is advertised and accepted bids for wayfinding signs on the 280-acre site for a sports complex located at the corner of Tate's Creek Road and Goggins Lane, Richmond, Kentucky.

And whereas two bids were received in one proposal which met all specifications and lead order time has been determined to be the best.

Now therefore it be ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners.

The Richmond Regional Sports Complex Project Contract 604-25-02 signage and wayfinding package is awarded to Sign Magic 2 instant signs of Lexington, Kentucky, for a total of $346,738 and 71 cents, which includes signs and installation.

Funding for the project will be allocated from the Richmond Regional Sports Complex Project Fund.

City's general obligation bond three series approved by ordinance 23-47 and 24-30.

The submitted the submitted bid is hereby attached to the order.

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

So moved.

Is this for two signs?

No, this is for all the signs on the park.

It's it's hundreds of signs.

Yes.

Everything from interest signs to directional signs to restroom signs to mountain.

All of signs, yeah.

Yeah, it's a huge.

It better be more than two signs.

Yes, yeah.

Um it's a huge package.

Question though, is this the same company that did our wayfinding signs?

No.

Okay.

No.

Just asking.

And uh I think the only remaining bid package we have for the new park is the landscaping bid package.

And that'll wrap everything up.

That's good, Tammy.

I get nervous over the money.

Yeah, one hanging basket.

Oh.

That's all we can afford.

Do we do we really know how many signs that it it's gonna be?

It's hundreds.

How many?

It's in the inventory.

Well, no, there's an inventory in there, and it's it's it's a bunch.

Yeah.

It's it's a lot of signs.

And I will say, too, I was worried about the maroon border because I thought it had a note that that was the EKU maroon.

Yeah.

And I was like, that is not the EKU maroon, but I checked with Sarah and she said that the EKU Board of Regents had changed the PMS color of the EKU Maroon, so we are correct.

Oh, okay with that new color.

Because it's a little bit different than it used to be.

It's got more of a like a deeper color.

It's it's crimson or it's different than it was years ago, but it has been approved by the board.

So she says what we have in here is correct.

Oh, they're gonna be uh come out of the further that's order 25-178 no further discussion.

All in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Aye.

All opposed, no.

Ayes have it and so ordered.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I do want to make a note about the we finding signs of something you'd want to be aware of, but I'll do that when I give my remarks.

Order 25-179.

Order of the City of Richmond accepting resignation by an employee in the planning and zoning department.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas Tyler Stone in the planning and zoning department as codes and planning coordinator has submitted a resignation notice to the city.

Now, therefore, it be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners, accepts the resignation from Tyler Stone from the Planning and Zoning Department effective December 1st.

The city would like to thank him for his service since 2016.

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

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25-179.

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

I move.

Commissioner Newby.

Second.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Is there any discussion?

There being none.

Madam Clerk, please, if you'll call the roll this time.

Okay.

Commissioner Goebbel.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-180.

Order of the City of Richmond accepting resignation by an employee in the police records department.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas Jamie Cates in the police department as records clerk has submitted a resignation notice to the city.

Now therefore, be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners.

Accepts the resignation of Jamie Cates from the police department effective December 5th.

This the city would like to thank her for her service since 2024.

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

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's Order 25-180.

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

So moved.

Commissioner Cole.

Second.

Commissioner Goebbel, is there any discussion?

There being none.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, no.

Ayes have it and so ordered, Madam Clerk, if you were so.

I just want to say Tyler Stone will be duly missed, and uh we wish him the best as he ventures to move to Scotland.

So big jump from here, yeah.

We wish him the best.

He's been wonderful.

Yes, thank you, Mr.

City Manager.

Let's see.

That was on the one before.

Yeah.

Have I done 180?

I mean, we voted it.

No, my eighty one.

I backtracked two.

Sorry about that.

Okay.

Busy.

Voted, Madam Clerk, we voted the bigger.

Not that far behind.

Yes.

Order 25-181.

Order of the City of Richmond, Kentucky reappointing two members to the Madison County Airport Board.

Madam Clerk, please.

Whereas the City of Richmond appointments as Wilma Walker and Adrian Millett will be expired on January 1 to the Madison Airport.

And whereas these members would like to continue their service to the board and has made a commitment to attend all meetings.

Now therefore it be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that Wilma Walker and Adrian Millett be reappointed to the Madison County Airport Board for a term of four years expiring January 1st, 2030, contingent upon the final joint board approval by the Madison County Judge Executive and Berea Mayor.

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 25-181.

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

So move to Commissioner Cole.

Second.

And Commissioner Goble.

Let me just make one quick comment here.

Certainly, Dr.

Dr.

Wilma Willie Walker is a pioneer in that area.

She is a pioneer.

Started, I think she's at the airport at Mount Sterling in creating the program that's now just blossoming.

They got a brand new building in the mill.

Yeah.

And then the Dr.

Millett, uh, who um and it just so happens that I ran into her son, one of her sons today, that was one of my students, two of the boys of my students.

And um happy to hear that she is recovering well from the accident she had.

Yes.

Uh the uh with the Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

She was getting ready to go to Italy.

And she uh her son said she stood up and had on a different kind of shoe than she ordinarily would wear.

Made a quick turn and pumped her ankle.

And the rest is history.

And then, of course, while Gary, her husband was in Italy, he passed away.

Uh so appreciate the all that Dr.

Miller too has contributed.

She even donated a plane, but uh all that she's gonna do.

So both of these have served well and represented us well, and certainly through all of this um uh movement, all of this uh uh advancing and progressing uh in it at the airport.

So we appreciate both of these and what they've done, uh certainly for all of us.

Sorry about all, but they that needed to be known.

Any further discussion?

There being none, madam clerk, please, if you will call the role this time.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes, Commissioner Cole, yes, Commissioner Gobel.

Yes, Commissioner Newby, yes, Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-182, order of the city of Richmond adopting a revised personnel police manual for the city.

Mr.

Attorney, please.

I will note that that is a uh that is a scrivener's error, it is a personnel policy manual for the city.

Oh, I'm sorry.

That's all right.

A long couple weeks.

Uh I'm gonna comment on that in a minute.

In order of the city Richmond, uh City of Richmond adopting revised personnel policy manual for the city.

Whereas the city of Richmond has been in the process of revising the personnel policies of the city, and whereas the revised policy has been reviewed by the department heads, the human resource department, the city's insurance legal team, and a legal counsel, and whereas it is in the best interest of the city to adopt an updated and revised personnel policy that applies to all city personnel.

Now, therefore, be it ordained by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners that one, the City of Richmond shall adopt an updated and revised personnel policy that will apply to all city employees.

Two, a copy of the personnel policy is attached to this order and shall remain a permanent part of this order.

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

Thank you, sir.

That's order 25-182.

Maybe of a motion, please, to bring to the floor for discussion and approval.

So moved.

Commissioner Cole.

Second.

And Commissioner Newby, thank you.

Uh personnel policy manual.

And the order is correct.

It's just on the agenda.

You may have seen uh police in its policy.

Any discussion?

I had just a couple things.

Um, and I'd like to thank our city attorney for like the little cheat sheet you did for us because that was so helpful.

In terms of the things that you were able to clean up and get the language correct and everything for our personnel handbook.

There's a couple of things in here that um are so good, and I'm so excited about them that I want to mention it.

Okay.

And the first one, um, you all have heard me talk about this a lot, but the first one is that starting in January, our supervisors are going to meet with their employees individually to set goals for the new year.

I can't say enough good things about that.

I think having that one-on-one conversation with your supervisor is so valuable and setting those expectations for the year, then both the supervisor and the employee employee are very clear on what the expectations are.

And I hope during those conversations we can encourage them to make measurable goals so that you can come back and revisit that at six months and 12 months, and it either worked or it didn't work, and how we can support that employee in that endeavor.

But kudos for getting that included, and that's gonna be a good thing for for us to be very clear on that.

And to I feel like we owe our employees that we all want to know what's expected.

And so I was very pleased to see that in there.

The other one that made me almost as happy was the annual training requirement that we're doing for supervisors, and it's going to include our drug and alcohol information, so everyone has that.

Yes, ma'am.

Our harassment of various forms, so that our supervisors are well trained on that.

And I love that we're including occupational safety.

Yes.

So and I I will just to piggyback on those remarks.

The reason for for the training as far as the drugs and alcohol is for years there was the Kentucky certified drug-free workplace, which with medicinal cannabis, I think they kind of turned to ostrich and just wanted to stick their head in the dirt and not deal with it to where it wasn't even on the website for for quite some time.

But I will tell you taking off my now city attorney hat when I was a KLC attorney.

One thing that KLC as the insurer for the city was looking at is they're not necessarily going by the certified drug-free workplace by adopting this drug policy, which has been vetted and approved by the Kentucky League of Cities, including that wonderful attorney that helped put this together for you all.

Yes.

By adopting that, we'll still get the 5% discount on the premiums.

So that's an added benefit.

Yes, by having that one.

I like it even better.

Yes, ma'am.

I just have one little thing on 58, and I called Rob about it today.

So we just people who have vehicles that are allowed to drive them home.

Yep.

Okay.

I I can claim that.

I can clarify that.

Okay.

One of the one of the first sections of the policy is that we would love to be all in encompassing and covering every semicolon and colon, but there are some areas where it's gonna be up for interpretation.

Got it.

Now that specific policy refers back to the policy immediately before that, okay, which is vehicle use.

And one of the sections in vehicle use uh states that you're only to operate a vehicle on city business.

Now, if it is a take-home vehicle, the interpretation of that through Rob as the city manager through myself as the city attorney is that the personal use referred to is stopping at the grocery store.

So you know, deviating from your from your from your way home.

That's right.

Because if you look at the previous section dealing with the vehicle use policy, it states unequivocally that the only passengers in a city vehicle, be it a take-home vehicle or a city vehicle or a personal vehicle while on city business, is to be somebody that is either a city employee or a passenger as part of that city business.

The only exception that uh Chief Richardson brought up, and it's a valid point, is that a lot of these take-home vehicles that our police have, they have kids.

Sure.

They may need to drop their child off at school.

So even in that situation, the only circumstance they're going to be capable of doing that is if they're on their way to work and drop their child off.

But they're on their way home.

Okay.

Yeah, and because there were situations out KLC, we had a mayor in one of our cities take a city vehicle to Florida on vacation.

We ain't gonna do that here.

So no, it was another city.

So I've never I've been sworn to secrecy on which city it was.

Um, so no, that that's a good question.

I mean, I'm just clarifying.

Yeah, no, absolutely.

And the clarification is good, but no, that is and and frankly, if there's a situation where uh a take-home vehicle is spotted someplace it may not necessarily need to be, right?

Um, that is something that could be brought to Rob's attention, supervisors' attention, and that would be subject to discipline in those situations.

Thank you very much.

Yes, ma'am.

How would it work from a risk just thinking from a risk management perspective?

Um, because there's a lot of language in here about bringing kids as you're coming to work and as you're going back home from work.

But just help me to understand if if if I'm I'm not a good example because we're not we don't drive the cars.

Um but if there were an accident and there were three kids in the car, how do you distinguish what the city is responsible for and what the individual is responsible for?

If they're a passenger in the vehicle, and again, the the policy language is going to control, but it but if it if they are if they are in a city vehicle and there is an accident in those situations, then the city's insurance is going to cover that.

Yeah.

Um, you know, it's it's one of those situations.

And again, I will state that this is something we added in, but the reason and you know, there's there are pages and pages on vehicle use and things like that.

The reason that language is in there is because when there is an audit conducted by the insurance company, KLC, it is the cake is pre-baked to where the benchmarks they're looking at as far as risk and safety management, that that's already gonna be in there.

This is one area to where you're not gonna get that tick mark because KLC's position is we we don't want that, but again, there's a there's a human aspect to this.

Um, so we're not gonna get quite quite the the check mark in our favor by having that, but it's something that KLC insurance is aware of, and it's something there that that is not uncommon.

I handled 28 personnel policies in cities.

I'd say probably half of them had a provision similar to that.

How many just ballpark do we have?

How many vehicles do we have ballpark that fall into that personal business situation?

Not official vehicles, not police cars or fire trucks.

But I mean, we don't have a big number, do we?

That's not very big.

Vehicles that would be for personal and business use.

I not I don't have the exact numbers, Rob may have them all.

I can get you an exact number tomorrow.

I don't want to spit out a number that's not correct, but it's not as many as you think.

It's no more than 20, I wouldn't think.

Now that's excluding police and fire.

Because you have to understand police take their vehicles home.

Yeah.

And I think it does a good job explaining that.

I mean, they could have an emergency call at any time, and I think it's detailed in here good.

I mean, the language was I thought easy to understand on that topic.

Um Yeah, I tried one of the first things I did when I took over the personnel policies at KLC was to get it to stop a reading as much like the King James Bible.

Yes.

So I took out all the shallows and where fors and whatnot.

And so yeah, so um, so I appreciate that.

That's that's a nice compliment.

Um, but uh, but again, with this, uh I'm a I'm a huge proponent of saying this is not locked in amber.

There's nothing permanent about this policy.

A month from now, if there's something that just doesn't work, the beauty of doing this as an order is we don't need to have a second reading, don't have to publish it.

That's right.

So if there's something that we need to fix, we can fix it quickly.

And then you submit that change to the city manager.

It's a living document.

Think of it that way.

It's a living document that makes things change.

We we update it.

And a Leah uh has been great because we the forms in the back are templates, but I did cross-reference to where there may be a form in the back in the appendix, but there is also a cross-reference to it's available through the employee portal.

Right.

Okay.

So we tried to be as all encompassing with that as possible.

So when we hire a new employee, obviously they get a copy and sign that they've received this, and if they had questions they could ask you or the appropriate.

My hope is that once this is adopted.

I would like to schedule trainings for the departments, and I I will do that.

Yeah.

Um, that's kind of the benefit you get from hiring me.

I do not we'd have to charge you for it at KLC, but since I'm here, I can do we can do the departments, we can videotape it however we want to do it, to where I would want to do a training for our existing employees, and they would then, because it's a new policy, they're gonna have to sign the acknowledgement that they've been presented that any time in the future that there's a change made to it, all employees are gonna have to sign that acknowledgement as to the change, give them an opportunity to ask questions about that.

The good news is this is we we didn't touch um time off benefits.

Uh so it's you know the all of that's the same.

I the intention any time we do a personnel policies, we want a lot of carrots, as few sticks as possible.

And I think we've done that here to where the the benefits for our employees are pretty straightforward.

There's a lot of good stuff in there.

Uh, but I I I will uh be scheduling trainings for our departments, give them an opportunity to review this, it'll be on the employee portal.

Uh we'll also have a physical copy in each department as well for review.

Thank you.

Well, you did a good job, and you you know, I understand it has to be somewhat legal terminology, but you did a good job.

I thought of making it, you know, under you know, understandable and I don't think it'll win a pull it, sir, but I appreciate the compliment.

Yes, ma'am.

It's good dead time reading material, nothing else.

So put you to the sleep.

Further discussion.

Motion on its passage, order 25-182.

If there is no further discussion, Madam Group, please.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goble.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-183, an order of the city of Richmond approving change orders for the Richmond Regional Sports Complex.

Mr.

City Manager, please.

Yes, sir.

Whereas the city needs three change orders on the Richmond Regional Sports Complex, and whereas the City Commission has received the agreement and made a recommendation to move forward.

Now, therefore, it be ordered that the Richmond City Board of Commissioners authorize the following change orders for the Richmond Regional Sports Complex.

Number one, bid package two, change order number one, delete office building walls, add snow guards to metal roofs, add grease traps to concession buildings, adjust sidewalk steps, add masonry bases for monument signs and the amount of 79,889 dollars.

Contractor Rising Sun Development Contractor's Project Number 24-29.

Engineers Project Number 604-23-01.

Number two, bid package one, change order number five, bridge abutment wing wall extension and the amount of I need to correct that amount that it currently reads $33,840.

It should be $39,17750.

And we verified that today in a monthly parks progress meeting.

Contractor Allen Company.

So moved.

Commissioner Goblum.

Second.

Commissioner Brewer.

Is there any discussion?

Anything further.

If I may uh the the big change order here is we ran into a gas line that has to be bored underneath.

And so this 312,470 and 50 dollars includes going actually boring under Tate's Creek Road and then boring underneath two separate gas lines, which is very extensive work, and that's why it's so much.

So this kind of happened after the fact.

Yeah.

Okay.

We did the two other gas lines.

What are they?

Are they run into subdivisions or uh it's the gas lines that run across the property?

Uh all across.

Yeah.

What we've got.

Yeah.

And we didn't know that.

We did, but the depth wasn't confirmed.

So that was kind of the issue with running the water line.

It has to go underneath it.

So even though this is a significant chunk of money, we're still within our maximum amount and our contingency.

So we can still fund this.

We're still within our contingency that we have planned on 100%.

Okay.

Thank you.

Rob another question.

Uh that number one regarding bid package two.

Yes, sir.

The use of the word delete.

What's that, please?

So the office building, we made two offices in the back hallway bigger.

And the reason being the offices that were standard size, but we felt like for the uh individual that does payables and receivables needed a bigger office to actually have a copy machine located in her office.

And then also the executive director of parks and recreation basically turned four offices into two offices and made two offices bigger.

Thank you.

Any further discussion, question, comment?

Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Goebb.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

Order 25-185.

Order of the City of Richmond accepting resignation by an employee in the parks maintenance department.

Whereas Matthew Adams in the Parks Department as Laborer One has submitted a resignation notice to the city.

Now therefore it be it ordered by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners, accepts the resignation of Matt Adams from the Parks Department effective November 28th.

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

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

That's order 25-185.

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

A move.

Commissioner Newby.

Second.

Commissioner Brewer.

Is there any discussion?

Those departments, Mr.

City Manager, are they operating at this point?

Uh full staff.

Let me with the exception of I think we we're missing one hire, and that's part of the new park hire.

So I think we're one short, if I'm not mistaken.

All right, thank you, sir.

Any further discussion?

There being none.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

All opposed, no.

Ayes have it sorted.

Thank you.

Order 25-186.

An order authorizing the city of Richmond to enter into two agreements with Bluegrass Area Development District for the participation in the development of a bluegrass recovery initiative.

Mr.

City Manager, please.

Yes, sir.

Whereas the City of Richmond, Kentucky is actively receiving opioid settlement funds from the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Commission and wishes to participate in the initiative of a Central Kentucky office of drug control policy, and whereas the City of Richmond wishes to participate in the regional bluegrass recovery initiative project for prevention, risk reduction, treatment, recovery, re-entry, and interdiction activities.

And whereas the proposed agreements outline the government structure, scope of services, cost sharing, and responsibilities of parties involved in the management of the funds, and whereas the city of Richmond finds it necessary and in the best interest of the community to formally enter into these agreements.

Now therefore be ordered by the City Commission, by the city commission of the City of Richmond, Kentucky.

That's okay.

The City of Richmond hereby adopts and approves the Bluegrass Recovery Initiative Regional Agreement as presented.

The City of Richmond hereby adopts and approves the Bluegrass Area Development District Professional Services Agreement as presented.

The mayor is hereby authorized to execute both agreements on behalf of the City of Richmond.

This order shall be in effect immediately upon its adoption by the City of Richmond Board of Commissioners.

Thank you, sir.

That's Order 25-186.

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

So moved.

Commissioner Goble.

Second.

Commissioner Newby.

Is there any discussion?

Anything, Mr.

City Manager?

I think Gene Dethridge with Bluegrass Area Development District did a very good job of explaining this, and it just helps us be part of a footprint in Central Kentucky to determine the best use of our opioid abatement funds.

Thank you, sir.

Running out of running out of gas.

Commissioner Brewer.

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Commissioner Goble.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

This time I'll ask for a motion to amend the agenda to include Order 25-187.

Commissioner Brewer.

Second.

Commissioner Cole.

This is an order of the City of Richmond accepting a proposal for a new rescue truck for the fire department.

Madam Clerk, please.

And where is the fire department and the Board of Commissioners does believe it to be in a more pertinent expenditure that the city's revenue to purchase a new truck?

And where is it?

The city advertised for bids and two were submitted.

And whereas the city has carefully considered both bids, which one bid was more adequate to the city's needs and has recommended the purchase of that truck, and the Board of Commissioners does wish to authorize the purchase of such truck.

Now therefore be it ordered by the City of Richmond set shall purchase from Victory Fire Equipment of Corbin, Kentucky, a Southeast Apparatus Rescue, and I need to correct the amount is $339,999.

The purchase shall be made by the current budget out of the fire department capital outlay account.

The mayor is hereby authorized to execute on behalf of the city with such documents as required for a completion of the said transaction.

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 25-187.

Maybe a motion to bring the floor for discussion and approval, please.

So moved.

Commissioner Gobel.

Second.

And Commissioner Newby.

Just a quick question.

Is this the truck that we several years ago talked about buying either a new bid or a new that is correct?

Yep.

This will cut down on the larger rescue and tower trucks response to accidents and such, you know, smaller accidents and incidents, I guess you would say.

Yes.

It's a truck that can be retrofitted with a bed, all the tools, and is easier to maneuver and get to certain accidents.

I remember that uh rescue truck over the years is stayed so busy.

It was it was constantly running.

And those not replacing that that rescue vehicle, is it, Chief?

It's just an addition to, right?

Okay.

All right.

Any further discussion.

That being none, Madam Clerk, please.

Commissioner Goble.

Yes.

Commissioner Newby.

Yes.

Commissioner Brewer?

Yes.

Commissioner Cole.

Yes.

Mayor Blythe.

Yes, thank you.

This is the public comments period.

Is there anyone here tonight who's come for the purpose of uh public comments if you come, please to the podium.

Uh give your name for the clerk, please, for the record.

Good evening.

Good evening, Mayor Blythe and Commissioners.

Um I'm Jean Marie Hibbard, and I wish to speak to the first reading of the ordinance 2517, which would change the zoning classification for the property located at 495 Duncan Lane from AG to heavy industrial.

I live in one of the subdivisions located off of Goldenleaf Boulevard and Pavilion Way, which exit onto Duncan Lane.

Our neighborhood group has 640 members, which should give you an idea of the size of the residential development adjacent to Duncan Lane.

There are several apartment buildings and houses that are still under construction.

It's beginning to feel like a small city.

There's currently only one exit from this subdivision or these subdivisions onto Duncan Lane.

And it's a right turn only.

If you want to head east on Duncan, you must do a U-turn or a J turn a bit further west on Duncan.

The subject property, 495 Duncan Lane, is not far past that J-turn location.

If there's a substantial increase in traffic on Duncan due to additional industrial development or due to an accident on the interstate or 25, it will back up traffic at that J turn.

I understand that there are discussions about a second exit from our subdivisions, but I'm not clear on the details of those.

So I just want to make you aware that that's an issue that could be coming.

Also, on the interface between industry and residential areas, there are several nice homes located on Duncan Lane, in addition to one or more cattle farms in that area.

Changing a property location in between these homes to I2 raises the question of whether folks will wish to be surrounded by property that is heavy industrial.

It does not seem appropriate to locate heavy industry too close to homes or large residential developments.

Since the city has invested significantly in this property, I don't have expectation expectations of changing your minds on the zone change.

I would, however, urge you to think about how heavy industry and residential areas interface within the city.

I urge you to use setbacks to preserve the viewshed from Duncan Lane looking south.

I also know there's already industrial development further back from Duncan.

I hope that if you construct a new industrial park entrance, as is proposed, that you will avoid development of the land immediately adjacent to the current homes on Duncan.

No one wants to live in the middle of a heavy industry in the middle of heavy industry, and this will affect home values.

There are also early and late Fort Ancient Period archaeological sites located in the existing industrial park and on the 495 property.

The Duncan Mound is a middle foreign ancient village site, and along with other associated sites, is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

The city manager and industrial development corporation director have assured me that these sites have been and will be fenced off and protected from further development, which is another reason to adhere to the significant setback from the road.

They also shared that a 10-foot wide walking path and possibly a fire station are part of the proposed development, which I applaud.

I'm almost done, I promise.

Since we citizens don't know what uses are planned or will be proposed for the proposed newly zoned industrial property, we can only go on what is allowable under an I-2 zone, which includes chemicals and petroleum, rubber and plastics, primary metals, distilleries, among many other uses.

Interested citizens can check out the development ordinance online.

We were told at the zoning hearing that the city intends to cite clean manufacturing.

I don't know the city city's definition of clean manufacturing, but with the proximity to several homes in large neighborhoods.

I am particularly concerned about the potential of a data center, which would use huge amounts of electricity and water.

I urge city commissioners as you move forward with this rezoning and recruitment and or siting of prospects that you reject any industry that would be detrimental to the residents, neighborhoods, and cattle farms that are located within the vicinity of this site.

Thank you.

Thank you, Jim.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Public uh comment this evening.

Thanks for bringing those things, that perspective of those things to our attention.

Mr.

City Manager, please.

Um I've got several items, but I'll get to them quick.

I I want to remind everybody that this Saturday, November 29th is uh small business Saturday.

So everybody get out and shop locally, a lot of cool stuff in our local shops.

Christmas parade is a week from Friday, that's December 5th, so we'll be ready for that.

And I want to recognize um uh Lori Murphy Tatum as she was awarded the distinguished a service award from the Kentucky Tourism uh Industry Association, which is a very high award.

So she does a wonderful job with tourism.

We've got a lot to look forward to in our community uh with not only our regional park but historical sites.

So uh it's all coming together.

I also want to recognize um some awards in our parks and rec department.

Uh Lauren Kilburn was awarded the young professional of the year at the state conference, which is uh a very nice award.

And then uh we also received the uh uh facility award for the outdoor fitness court we installed out at Lake Reba.

And and when they installed that thing, I I gotta be honest, I didn't think many people would use it, probably because I knew I wouldn't use it.

Um but every time I drive out there, it people are using it, so that's wonderful.

And then we also received uh Aaron Moore received the presidential citation award at the conference as well.

So good recognition for the City of Richmond in those departments, and that's all I have, Mr.

Mayor.

Thank you, sir.

Commissioner Newby.

I am tapped down, sir.

I said you better hurry before he goes to sleep over there.

He's just a little bit beyond the cold.

I'm good, thank you.

Commissioner Brewer.

I did, and I'll be talking to the owner that did the asphalting out there.

I think it was uh uh not as good as it could have been done.

Right.

I totally agree with it.

Okay, thank you.

Yep, absolutely.

Mr.

Global.

All right.

Just a couple of quick things.

When you mentioned uh when we discussed wayfind wayfinding signs, one of the new Richmond signs is damaged.

And I can't remember where it was, but it's on can.

They're working on it as we speak, actually.

And so uh tourism's on that.

The company's come in from North Carolina and is making repairs.

Super, thank you.

Thank you.

Um I've been sitting here standing.

Let me commend the decorations already here in City Hall.

It's always such a beautiful thing.

And uh just appreciate those.

Racer struggle a little bit hanging off the appreciate so much.

Up here.

And uh last but not least.

Uh yeah.

Let me let one in all of us, but let me uh thank Lisa for uh, you know, if if some of you knew, some of you there knew what it took to prep for a meeting of the city.

And um, and I'm I'm still old school, I'm sorry, but so she prepares the uh uh the agenda and its supporting items for me and uh even for others, and uh so Lisa, thank you.

Lisa, you are the oil to the engine.

Yes.

Mayor, I I want to I want to bringboard and and and Lisa, thank you.

The past two and a half weeks have been a whirlwind.

I mean, to give you an example, this packet had 335 pages.

Yes, sir.

Without minutes.

Yeah.

And then the work session we had, was it last week?

It was a big one.

It was a big one as well, so it's a lot.

It really is.

So grateful.

And she gets it done with a smile.

Yes, indeed.

But let's tell Janet, they don't normally last this long.

They don't unusually long.

Yeah, this is this one's uh all right.

Uh fallen hearts and minds are clear, I believe that's all.

Chief and chief, anything else you want to uh Josh, anything you want to name?

Thank you all for what you do again, Scott.

Thank you and David and and you know, you you want to be careful always about calling names, right?

Because you miss them.

But thanks to all of you all too who have not been on uh perhaps on the program tonight, and thanks to the members of the commission board.

Um sometimes you ask, why would anybody want to do this?

But there are reasons why.

Well, we could ask that.

There are there are valid reasons why world.

And uh you know, and being in places where you can help, and uh certainly so I appreciate the opportunity to serve with you, Mr.

City Manager.

Certainly uh appreciate you.

And uh uh we won't go into numbers, but for those in the community who are not aware, he celebrated a birthday just a few days ago.

Relatively I will share numbers.

Forty, he's I wish it makes me 38.

It's good to have birthdays.

That's right.

It's good to have birthday.

Better than the alternative.

Ryson, thank you for the way that you present us to the world.

And well, but thank you.

Thank you, yes indeed, for uh the wonderful job you're doing at the register.

All hearts and minds are clear.

Kelly, thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

We'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

I move.

Second.

Aye.

Brewery.

All in favor.

All in favor.

Thank you all so much.

Aliyah, thanks for all that you did to prep all that we had to do tonight.

Thank you so much.

Yes, indeed.