OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Winchester City Commission Meeting: Energy Audit & Recovery Certification – September 18, 2025

Board of Commissioners Meetings — Thursday, September 18, 2025
BodyWinchester, Kentucky
SessionBoard of Commissioners Meetings
DateThursday, September 18, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:20:53

Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Okay, folks, it's exactly 4 30 according to my phone here.

0:10

So if we could please stand.

0:13

I don't know if Jeannie Wynn is here you see your test.

0:17

She 5 30.

0:19

Oh, she got the wrong account now.

0:21

Is she gonna wait and come at 5 30?

0:23

She's not on the 4 30.

0:24

Okay.

0:25

Oh, yeah, we're gonna have her.

0:27

Okay.

0:27

How about Jennifer Golden?

0:29

Would you leave the pledge for us?

0:32

I pledge it to apply the United States of America.

0:37

And to the Republic for which it stands.

0:43

And liberty.

0:46

And Justice.

0:48

Please remain standing and Diana, would you leave us in our invitation?

0:53

Father God, I want to thank you, dear Lord, for your presence here with us.

0:57

I want to thank you that we live in free country where we can worship you, where we can walk with you, where we can make decisions.

1:04

And Lord, I pray that you would give us wisdom.

1:07

You would give us strength, you'll give us understanding of situations, and you would give us unified hearts and minds.

1:14

Thank you, Father, for your watch care upon this city and upon its residents, and for all of our staff, dear Lord, we thank you for each and every one of them and for the gifts and the talents that you've given them.

1:26

Now, Lord, we pray that this every decision that is made in this meeting would be honoring to you, and we thank you for all you do in Christ's name.

1:34

Amen.

1:35

Please be seated.

1:41

Just checking to be sure my cell phone's off.

1:43

Yeah.

1:44

Okay, everybody's sales off.

1:46

I hope.

1:47

Uh Commissioner Strode is out of stake this evening, and uh she will be excused from this meeting, but at 5 30, she will join us in the ceiling as we say when when bills in Philadelphia.

2:00

So okay.

2:02

We officially call this meeting to order.

2:05

And the minutes are the first thing, September 2nd, 2025, special 4 p.m.

2:10

and regular 5 30 p.m.

2:12

meetings.

2:13

Is there a motion?

2:14

Public.

2:15

Motion by Commissioner Cox.

2:16

Is there a second?

2:17

Second, second by Commissioner Tool.

2:20

Any discussion?

2:21

Any additions or any corrections?

2:23

If not, all in favor, aye.

2:26

Motion carries.

2:27

Item three, departmental and agency reports three A through F.

2:32

Is there anything anyone would like to highlight?

2:36

If not, I'll take a motion to approve departmental agency reports.

2:40

So moved.

2:41

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

2:43

Is there a second?

2:44

Second.

2:45

Second by Commissioner Cox in discussion.

2:47

All in favor, aye.

2:49

Aye.

2:49

Any opposed by like sign?

2:51

Motion carries.

2:52

Item four, informational items.

2:54

As we always say, informational items are for information only.

2:58

I do want to highlight uh number four A.

3:02

Uh I went out to RDC the other morning for suicide prevention um event at 8 a.m.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Economic Development███████████████████19%
Procedural█████████████████17%
Substance Use Recovery████████████████16%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████14%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Community Engagement█████████9%
Budget Equity Analysis████4%
Environmental Protection███3%
Workforce Development███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Winchester City Commission Meeting: Energy Audit & Recovery Certification – September 18, 2025

The Winchester City Commission met on September 18, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. with a second session at 5:30 p.m. under Mayor Reed. The agenda included an energy audit presentation for municipal buildings, an update on the Recovery Ready Community certification process, a regional competitiveness presentation from Commerce Lexington, and routine approvals. Public comment focused on TIF fund transparency.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved minutes of September 2, 2025 (special and regular meetings).
  • Approved departmental and agency reports (Items 3A–F).
  • Approved Informational Items (Item 4), including a mayoral highlight of a suicide prevention event at RDC and the city manager’s receipt of a Kentucky SAFE occupational safety and health certificate.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Chad Walker (downtown business owners): Argued that the city's response to his open records request regarding TIF deposits was incomplete. He noted that the report provided listed a base year of 2017 with a baseline amount of $149,000, while the city manager had earlier stated the base is 2019 with a different amount, and a prior document showed a $132,000 baseline. He requested corrected documentation and clarity on the baseline year and calculation method. The city manager apologized and committed to providing the full requested information.

Discussion Items

  • Energy Audit Results (The Perfection Group): Carter Alpha and Ben Apro presented findings for six city buildings (City Hall, Stations 1–3, Public Works, and the Police Station). Key points:
    • Buildings are operating efficiently; City Hall (built 1912) costs $1.19/sq. ft. annually.
    • Total proposed upgrades: approximately $1.1 million (LED lighting, Wi-Fi thermostats, HVAC replacements).
    • Annual energy savings are only ~$10,000, making a payback period of over 100 years.
    • Street lighting review: 2,130 city lights, only 286 LED. Conversion not recommended now; direct negotiation with KU was advised.
    • Commissioners noted the audit shows the city is already energy efficient and decided to prioritize street lighting discussions in the future.
  • Recovery Ready Community Certification Update (Jennifer Goli, Clark County Health Department):
    • The city/county applied in February 2025, scoring 70+ points in three categories (210+ overall) after a self-assessment.
    • A site visit on July 23, 2025, included 40+ participants, described as the second-highest turnout among 25 site visits statewide (after a four-county regional application).
    • Feedback: No red flags; the youth drop-in center (Roland Art Center) was called a “crown jewel”; homelessness services were praised; the naloxone box program (>60 boxes) was highlighted.
    • The advisory council will decide on certification at a November 2025 meeting. If approved, certification lasts three years.
    • Commissioners discussed the self-assessment scoring (lowest category was “government” due to incomplete anti-stigma training).
  • Commerce Lexington Regional Competitiveness Plan (Bob Quick and Sandy Johnson):
    • Presented a five-year plan to improve the nine-county region’s economic momentum, which is currently below the national average.
    • Seven action items include talent attraction, economic development, and policy advocacy.
    • Talent attraction website (lookatlexington.com) has reached 4.4 million unique individuals and driven 50,000 new visitors; 500+ job clicks.
    • Funding is two-to-one private-to-public; city government contributions follow a $1 per capita formula based on 2020 Census.
    • The next regional summit is November 12, 2025; invited commissioners to attend.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Resolution: Approval of resolution to submit five road repaving projects for KYTC County Priority Projects Program grants, totaling $269,000 in requested grant funds (due October 1, 2025).
  • Passed Second Reading: Ordinance 5A (non-exclusive electric franchise with KU, 10-year term, 3% franchise fee, up to 5% possible) passed 3–1 (Commissioner Cox opposed).
  • Passed Second Reading: Ordinance 5B (ad valorem tax on motor vehicles and watercraft for 2026) passed unanimously.
  • Approved Orders:
    • 6A: Declared certain city property obsolete and surplus.
    • 6B: Approved purchase of property at 1496 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
    • 6C: Accepted substantial completion of the Eugene Gay splash pad parking lot at $1,675,275.
    • 7A: Terminated the employment of part-time EMT Nick Newman.
    • 7B: Granted educational and certification incentive salary increases.
    • 7C: Reclassified seven firefighters from Firefighter 1 to Firefighter 2.
    • 7D: Granted longevity salary increases.
  • Adjournment: Meeting adjourned after closed session (topic: property acquisition and industrial prospect).

Awards

  • Jeannie Wynn, retired public safety telecommunicator, was recognized as the 2025 Kentucky NENA/NASEO President’s Award winner for her statewide service to 911 communications.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, folks, it's exactly 4 30 according to my phone here. So if we could please stand. I don't know if Jeannie Wynn is here you see your test. She 5 30. Oh, she got the wrong account now. Is she gonna wait and come at 5 30? She's not on the 4 30. Okay. Oh, yeah, we're gonna have her. Okay. How about Jennifer Golden? Would you leave the pledge for us? I pledge it to apply the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands. And liberty. And Justice. Please remain standing and Diana, would you leave us in our invitation? Father God, I want to thank you, dear Lord, for your presence here with us. I want to thank you that we live in free country where we can worship you, where we can walk with you, where we can make decisions. And Lord, I pray that you would give us wisdom. You would give us strength, you'll give us understanding of situations, and you would give us unified hearts and minds. Thank you, Father, for your watch care upon this city and upon its residents, and for all of our staff, dear Lord, we thank you for each and every one of them and for the gifts and the talents that you've given them. Now, Lord, we pray that this every decision that is made in this meeting would be honoring to you, and we thank you for all you do in Christ's name. Amen. Please be seated. Just checking to be sure my cell phone's off. Yeah. Okay, everybody's sales off. I hope. Uh Commissioner Strode is out of stake this evening, and uh she will be excused from this meeting, but at 5 30, she will join us in the ceiling as we say when when bills in Philadelphia. So okay. We officially call this meeting to order. And the minutes are the first thing, September 2nd, 2025, special 4 p.m. and regular 5 30 p.m. meetings. Is there a motion? Public. Motion by Commissioner Cox. Is there a second? Second, second by Commissioner Tool. Any discussion? Any additions or any corrections? If not, all in favor, aye. Motion carries. Item three, departmental and agency reports three A through F. Is there anything anyone would like to highlight? If not, I'll take a motion to approve departmental agency reports. So moved. Motion by Commissioner Toole. Is there a second?

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