Don't you think it's not the same?

Okay, if everyone would please stand, I'd like to invite Carson Adams to come here and stand with me for just a moment.

This young man is the future mayor of Winchester.

So don't forget to vote for him and how many years?

12, 14, but Carson's with us tonight.

He is a 60-year-old first grader at Calvary Christian School.

And uh he's interested in government.

And so this is where we start, folks.

This is where we start with this age and teach them about government and citizenship right here.

And this is a fine young man who's gonna lead us in the pledge this evening, and then he's gonna tell you something at the end.

Pledge of the United States of America or not liberty and justice.

So please remain seeing we're gonna have our invocation, but I found out something about Carson.

You tell me if this is true.

I found out that he acts like our city manager and that he loves bad jokes.

Is that right?

How about telling us more?

What's a pilot's favorite weather?

What does a what is a pilot's favorite weather?

A pirate's favorite weather.

A pirate or sea.

Let's pray.

Early gracious assembly father, we thank you for this evening where we can come together and serve the city of Winchester.

We just lift up all of our first responders that keep our city safe, dear father.

We lift up all of our staff that help keep the roads clean and have our city run day to day.

We just uh ask for wisdom and discernment with our board of commissioners tonight, dear father, and bless us as we um depart here and in Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.

So what is a pirate's favorite letter, right?

See I thought we that was like the carols are today.

Oh, and thank you to his parents for sharing him with us this evening.

We we appreciate that.

Bruce, you haven't even covered that one yet.

No, I haven't.

We've got another pirate joke.

Oh, that's okay.

Hey Carlos Carson, you want to come back and I'll let Chief give this to you.

Here's a pen with the city of Winchester link so you can wear this.

I'll let Chief Thompson give it to you, okay.

All right, let's go ahead and call this meeting officially to order.

And the first thing on the agenda is we have a presentation uh for Mr.

Brad Southern, and I'd like to ask him to come down front and the commission to join me as well.

That's okay.

It's a front button.

I'm not prepared.

I'm gonna go put you on the we are we're very excited and we're very proud of this young guy.

He has um been our industrial development director for three years now.

Three and a half in August, right?

And uh we appreciate everything he's done, but not only do we as a community appreciate what Brad is done, the state is recognized what Brad has done in the area of economic development.

So I'm gonna take the privilege to put my glasses on for just one sec, and I want to read you part of the pressure lease from the Kentucky Association of Economic Development.

This award recognizes excellence and leadership achievement and innovation and community economic development across the Commonwealth of the Natason though.

But under his leadership, Winchester Clark County has experienced measurable economic growth and transformation.

He has been the driving force behind multiple successful industrial recruitment and extended expansion projects in Winchester Clark County that have brought hundreds of jobs and millions in capital investment to the region.

And a quote from the Kentucky uh association e-company on the president, Mr.

Redshaw says Brad is highly respected alone Peter for his integrity work in his dedication to protection and economic development.

So Brad, we just had a little certificate recommendation to you like to say to you on behalf of the city of Winchester.

We're so grateful that we have these in our midst.

Keep on going.

Yeah, so uh thank of the city because what the IDA was able to accomplish is only of the support from the city commission as well as the fiscal court.

Um we represent the city and the town at the IDA and try our best to create opportunities for the people who live here, and that's what it's all about.

I appreciate the recognition that we're just in our uh keep it up and both.

And we'd like to welcome her always to this chambers.

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for that.

It's partnership.

There, okay.

Now we'll get back to the agenda, and it's not real long tonight, which makes everyone happy.

Okay, let's go to the second presentation, which will be our TAP grant discussion, uh presented by Mike on behalf of Palmer Engineering, and I believe he has laid something or Joyce has laid something on the table for us to take a look at while Mike makes his presentation.

Mike.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, thank you, Commissioner for letting me come down and uh make the presentation this evening in regards to our main street improvements uh funding considerations and um tonight uh coming along with me is Josh Colburn.

Josh uh represented Palmer as the project manager on the main street high side project, and uh Josh did a good job on that, so he's here to answer any technical questions if there might be any technical, because you all know that I'm not a technical guy uh by any stretch of the imagination.

But uh as we uh uh look at considerations, uh we're finishing up phase one.

We'll go ahead and go to the first slide uh in this and um phase one is what you see uh behind you up here tonight, and what we got to enjoy on Saturday night with the parade.

Um, and it uh was definitely uh uh a good time with that.

But uh the the way that we paid for that was through a transportation alternatives program grant, which is a federal grant, it's an 80-20 grant.

And as we said here this evening, phase one is at the punctual stage.

Uh, there's been a punch list that's been performed on the project with about 29 items that need to be need to be complete.

Alan Company is going to be working on that as weather permits and uh as some of the things that uh um that they get in to do that, and Jesse and some of the other folks are overseeing that till its completion.

The project was completed on time and within the engineer's estimate.

Um, anticipated final cost of the project are 3.8 million dollars.

If you remember uh when we accepted the project, it's been a little over, well, yeah, a little over a year ago, close to a year ago now, um, when we were in these commission chambers.

If they needed that.

So in doing that, I think the city along with the project team did a good job of managing the project and taking it to a point to was 3.8 and 4.4.

So ultimately $600,000 was left there for that.

So I think the state looks at that very favorably from our perspective, from the city's perspective, and saying that, hey, uh these folks have taken the money, they've used it, they can see the product.

They were actually part of the punch list that we did.

The Kentucky Department of Transportation was.

Next slide.

Phase three would be Boone Avenue to Lexington Avenue.

And uh with this funding request, what uh is what will be before you a little bit later to consider uh would only be for the design of phase three, not the construction of phase three, the design of phase three.

We felt like it would uh be more beneficial to have the design totally complete, um, construct uh phase two, and then when we uh when the city got their funding in place for phase three, they would already have it uh ready to go.

They just turn in their paperwork, get the funding, and do what needed to be done.

Phase three would add angle parking as well to match the high side, the bowl bouts, the aesthetics, the continuity, uh a couple things that are a little bit different on phase three than phase two, and and the reason uh that we split it up is there'd be another ADA compliant ramp in front of Loma's, what is currently Loma's today.

Um, the high side, you have to build that wall up and uh be able to um the changes in elevation from sidewalk to roadway.

Um they they require certain design uh requirements that are part of that, and this would include that proposed uh retaining walls to match the high side project.

So as you go up uh towards Boone Avenue, uh there would be that continuity of the wall going with the roadway to match that.

So that's what we want from an aesthetic uh look on our main street.

And then this would include the rapid flashing beacons as well at St.

Agatha School Crossing to improve the safety there for the children and all those that are uh crossing in that area.

So the cost breakdown for funding for this funding request that's before you tonight, you can see the construction's been estimated at one approximately 1.7 million dollars, 1.75 million dollars.

The utility uh relocation part of that would be about $643,000.

There's no right-of-way to acquire since we're in the right of way that's uh uh down through there.

The design for phase two, two thirty-nine, the design for phase three, two seventy-six, and then construction inspection of 250,000 for a total project cost of 3.157 million dollars.

So that's the cost breakdown for that.

And then as we plan for funding of that, um, you're gonna notice that the project cost here is different.

This this project go back, go back.

The project cost is different than the previous one.

And the reason for that is is in the application that Alicia is putting together uh for the city, uh, they have a requirement there on the contingency that it has to be what they say it is, not what we say it is.

They uh have a higher estimate of what that contingency will be in regards to that.

I think it's 15%.

So our estimate or Palmer's estimate was 3.17, and theirs is 3.3, and that's just due to the contingency that's there, and it's a number that we have to use based upon the application, which actually that gives you a little bit of buffer there, which is a good thing.

The TAP grant would cover 80% of that project cost that we're that you uh will be looking to apply for, which would be 2.6 million dollars of that, with a grant to grant um uh application that would cover the remaining 20%.

Now that grant to grant is a state.

The TAP grant is a federal grant.

The grant grant is a state grant.

And which in getting the grant grant, the city has to match 4% of the uh of that 20%, which would mean $25,000 uh approximately for the city of Winchester for a $3.1 million project.

In the end, if you've got both of those funding uh mechanisms put in place, which I think is a pretty good deal uh from my perspective, uh looking at that.

So those are the numbers uh that are there to uh to to fund it.

Um I want to say that Alicia, uh I want to give her some kudos here.

Uh she's done a very good job at uh putting all this together uh for you guys and going out there and getting the money and finding uh the um you know ways to make this work um that's uh uh least impactful to the city from a financial perspective as possible.

Next one.

So the time frame in this design of phases two and three, probably looking in calendar year 2026.

So when I say calendar year 2026, the design, you know, you're not gonna be able to start design until you get the funding in place.

So you would have a ward of these most likely March, April time frame uh would be, and that that gives plenty of time to design the project.

And when you're doing this, you're gonna be doing what you did in phase one as well.

You're gonna be having public meetings, you're gonna bring the public in here at probably different percentages, the 30% phase, the 60% phase, and then the final phase to, and you know, when you get to the 90% mark, it's basically to say this is what we're doing and where we're going.

The 30 and the 60 uh would be opportunities for public input and to provide uh uh information that you could incorporate into the plans.

Um, with the utilities relocation beginning in the spring of 2027, construction phase falling in there at that same time, spring fall of 2027.

And then when you're finishing up the construction of phase two, you'll be going back and trying to initiate funding requests for phase three.

I can tell you that uh based on our conversations and based on the conversations I've had with folks at the Kentucky Department of Transportation and inside this building and other places that they look they they've looked really favorable on this project.

They've seen that the month their money is being put to good use.

That's what they want to see.

They they don't want to see a project set around uh design of a project and plan set for two or three, four years and that funding not be used.

And you know, I think the city has done a good job over the last three or four years of taking the money and showing them that they're we're gonna use the money uh for the benefit of those that we're getting it for.

So um you would be initiating that funding request for phase three in the fall of 2027.

Next one.

So what's the next steps?

The reason we're here tonight uh is you you'll have two resolutions, I think that are on your agenda and the commission approval uh authorizing submittal of the tap grant application.

Now, this is a pre uh application.

If I'm this is the this is the real deal.

So you're you'd be submitting for this uh application, and uh you would probably like I said, probably by April time frame would be the notification of whether you got it or not.

Um, and then the grant grant, you will submit for that by the end of the month, December 31st, January 1st, you'll submit for that, and you'll probably know in the month of January toward the end of the month of January whether you got the grant grant or not.

So it's very feasible.

You could get the match, know that you got the match before you know that you get the tap grant.

So, you know, what do you do in those scenarios?

I think you got to wait to find out what happens before you can, you know, there's no sense in saying what if, what if, what if what you do is you wait to see if if you get the monies and you know, we're hopeful that we'll get both.

I think we've got great applications.

Uh, we're going to review the tap grant application um before the 19th before the end of this month.

I'm going to review it with Alicia to make sure we've got everything in there that we need and order that we submit that and have the best application possible to get that.

So that's where we're at with that.

And then the last thing I think I just wanted to show you a rapid rectangular flashing beacon.

Now, this is similar you can see, and those would be flashing lights.

It's I mean, that's one um uh one that you can look at and see there.

It may not be exactly like that.

It would be very similar to that, and it would be in probably the bull belt that's down there going across leads.

So it would light it up well.

You could see it at night.

There's a lot of traffic down there at night with people eating leads, a lot of things going on uh with uh different activities, especially this time of year.

There's tons of things going on down there.

So with that, I'll take any questions from the commission, and I appreciate uh the opportunity for us to work on it.

And I can tell you that um I'm very proud of what we did uh across the street behind me uh over here over the past year, and it took it took a lot of folks to make it happen.

It took a lot of patience from people that uh have businesses up there.

And uh I think if we continue to um take what we've what we learned from here and use it in the next two phases, I think we can have some very nice uh a very nice downtown that we'll all be proud of in the days ahead.

Uh any comments or questions for Mike from the commission?

I'm excited because we are moving on, Mike.

That's great.

Yep.

Yeah.

Well, you know, well, one of the things I was against up there is the butt out and the diagonal parking because I can't park in diagonal parking because I can't see two back out.

Most people my age can't do that.

Well now, speak for yourself, be careful.

Well, well, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna offer anything on that in the butthouse.

You know, every town that I've been to that had those, Moorhead, Whitesburg, Hazard, Pipeville, uh Catlitsburg, Alexandria, Glasgow.

After three or four five years, they have to take them out because it inhibits the traffic flow in their downtown.

And if you don't have traffic flow, you don't have pedestrians.

I'll respectfully disagree with you on that.

Solely because I've worked in Ashland and I believe Ashland was a project prior to Winchester, very similar.

And and I I was on, I think that's Lexington Avenue or Winchester Avenue or Winchester Avenue.

And they're talking about five lanes.

Well, they have I I don't want to say that I don't, I'm not filled with the downtime we have.

They have a very large spread out downtown.

And really, if you just think about the foot traffic, and it's hard to explain this to someone short of just standing out there.

I mean, you're talking about crossing five lanes versus two and a half, one and a half.

So, you know, I was at the Christmas parade, I stood right at a bum out where people were close to the parade, and we tried to bring them back before they were getting ran over, getting candy.

But I think that that's it's kind of like which comes first, you know, horse of the carriage.

Like, do we make it more pedestrian friendly and more people come downtown?

Or are we just hoping that more people show up and therefore we'll have more pedestrians?

But if they can't drive downtown, they don't get get out of their cars and walk.

Well, hopefully we can maybe we can encourage some type of drivers testing if someone feels the need.

And take taking out the left turn lane on this on this block was a ludicrous idea.

So that's hindsight.

Um, my one question was if we were to get the grant grant and not get the tap grant, can we reallocate the grant grant to something else?

I mean, clearly this is a project that's probably I think it's filled out specifically.

And I mean, we have to understand there is going to be a governorial election in November 2027, too.

And all those folks at the transportation department in the uh uh uh upper election upper echelons know matter what party the person is there it's elected are going to change.

Right.

Well, you'll know before that you you're you're gonna you'll be either notified of award or not award uh in early 2026.

Yeah, so it won't affect it'll be the same folks that are in office today that will be making those decisions.

And um I think it's based upon I think the awards of them are based upon the people that administer the grants, and I can tell you that our relationship, I know Alicia's relationship, uh both Alicias, I should say, uh, with them have been very good.

Um, and um, you know, I've I know some folks over in the Department of Transportation that I work with, and they they look on us very favorably.

And um, they they like what we do with the money that that they they've given us over the last four to five years.

They they see uh the the work that's being done, and that's what they wanna see.

They wanna see you using the money and it not sitting somewhere for three or four years waiting on the design.

And that's why it's so important.

You've heard Brad say it before.

Um it's so important for this commission and having projects that are shovel ready and shovel ready means that you've got the design done, you've got a set of plans.

So when you fill out that application, when Alicia goes to submit those applications, she's got a set of plans that she can upload to that website and they say they're ready to go.

We can spend our money here, and you know, a legislator is gonna say, you know, I'm gonna get I'm gonna get some credence out of this.

I'm gonna get some kudos for this because we're able to do this.

And uh I think like I said, it's uh it and it's because of you guys, it's not any you you're you're the ones that approve it.

And if you all uh approve these things, then we're able to move forward and do the things that we want for our community in the way that we want to see our community, and the idea that it would only cost 25,000 if the only thing I would consider a plus about it because you know you're you're going to change a 200 year year old town.

You are sir.

And there's a lot of people that don't like change.

Well, I and and just FYI on your on the uh city when I when you when you come in, the picture that's on the the for the city of Winchester there, it's the old city of Winchester, just FY.

What do you mean when we come in?

When you come the picture that's on the screen when you walk in here that it's got the main street, it's the old one.

Yeah, just I noticed that when I walked in.

That's the town with character though that doesn't look like it's a cookie cutter tape.

I've got to I've got to just combat this one time because we do still have the high side, and the high side is what is historical, it's not the steps, it's the high side.

Yeah, I'm just saying that's what's wrong with the steps.

The good thing about this project, Mike, you came in on time and under budget.

Yes, yeah, I mean the state.

We were 600,000.

State's really dedicated.

Yes, they are.

So well, we got Amanda here tonight, God love her.

She lived.

We're not going to be able to do that.

And just survive, you know, you both and Jesse.

And move through it, but I I do think one thing.

It's gonna slow down traffic.

Traffic, it's I mean, I'd be planting flowers someday, and I think somebody's gonna run over me before they'd be going 60 miles an hour down May.

So I think that's a good thing for sure.

I also feel like that the people that have bought buildings downtown have bought them knowing about this project.

I also feel like that the people that have bought buildings downtown have bought them knowing about this project, and we have a lot of new businesses that have opened in the last year, and I'm thrilled about that.

So I think onward and upward is what I think thank you, Mike, very much for the presentation.

Josh, thank you for being here tonight.

Thanks for hand holding us during this process.

So thank you.

Okay, back to the agenda item three.

We have the minutes of the November 4th, 2025 special 430 meeting and the regular 530 p.m.

and the November 18 2025 special 430 and regular 530 meetings.

Is there a motion?

We need to do those separate because I was not at the November 4th meeting.

Okay, don't you?

Let's go back then and just do the minutes of the November 4th, 2025 special 430 and regular 530.

Is there a motion?

I move motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second, second by Commissioner Chenals.

Any discussion?

Any additions or corrections?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries November 18, 2025 special 430 and regular 530 p.m.

meeting.

Is there a motion?

So move.

Motion by Commissioner Cox.

Is there a second?

Second, second by Commissioner Toole.

Any discussion or additions or corrections?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by a life sign?

Motion carries item four, departmental agency reports.

Um I think you probably had time to review this, then we do need a motion on these.

Is there a motion?

So move that would be four A through M.

Um motion by Commissioner Toole, I believe, and second by Commissioner Cox.

Any uh discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like signed?

Motion carries item five, informational items.

Uh as I say at every meeting, this is for information only.

No action needs to be taken on that.

Item six resolutions.

Uh madam clerk.

Resolution of the city of Winchester, Kentucky authorizing the completion and filing of a transportation alternatives program.

Application for up to 2,674,400 in grant program funds with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Toole.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by a like sign?

Motion carries 6B.

Resolution of the City of Winchester, Kentucky, authorizing the completion and filing of a government resources accelerating needed transformation grant program of 2024 project application for up to 642,096 in grant program funds with a cabinet for economic development.

Is there a motion?

So motion by commissioner tool.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

And this is the grant grant part, right?

That's the grant grant.

Correct, Alicia.

Okay.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries item seven.

This is a summary, an ordinance amending ordinance number 19-2001, an ordinance number two-2024, an ordinance relating to the establishment of an historic district overlay, designation and protection of historic district individual landmarks and prescribing penalty and for violations.

Copy of this ordinance can be viewed at the office of the city clerk, city of Winchester 32 Wall Street.

I hereby certify that the foregoing is an accurate summary of the contents of the above above entitled ordinance.

Well you made documents, city attorney.

Okay, is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Chennault.

Any discussion?

I would still like to see this where at least two of these members are either business or property owners in the historic district.

They are they believe they are.

I think it needs to be that's why it was tabled.

I think it needs to be in the ordinance that it has to be not just we say okay, that's what we're going to do because we won't be here forever.

Well that and planning and zoning, whether it's um ex officio or or what, but clarifying that planning and zoning is a part of that as well.

I think it needs to be in the ordinance that two at two of the members have to be either business or property owners in the district.

And and maybe an ex officio member from P and V.

Mr.

Dyken, you need to comment on that uh I think it makes sense if you'll do it.

Um three years and so it is then you put it in there that if they fail their business, if they sell their family, they have to they are automatically removed.

Then you put it in there that if they sell their business, if they sell their family, they have to they are automatically removed.

Well, yeah, obviously, but else.

Yeah.

That's all they I mean, there's nothing.

That's the only thing that opposed me.

Well, I I mean it's just like if a person is on the historic preservation board, they move out of town, they've got to be removed.

The odds of that as opposed to selling a business or less.

Yes, that's all.

I think there'd be more turnover if that were a requirement rather than a policy.

But it's recall.

There's no legal prohibition for us putting that in the what do you want to do, Commissioner?

Well, this is first reading, right?

Yes, um, Commissioner Shrugged.

How can we reword it so that that can be on there?

I guess for his um while we pay bill the big box it up now.

If we vote on this, can you put it in for the second reading and it's still okay?

Probably not.

No, we have to do that.

You're making too much of a change.

That's not as much.

Yeah, that's a leak.

Okay.

Well, that's what we did last time though.

So what happened?

Well, we know what we want to.

I couldn't see.

We know what we want to do now, so there was no change in this one.

Right.

No, it's just what the what was changed was instead of six members, it would be seven.

Uh-huh.

That was the first step we needed to take to know exactly how many were a point to it and then go from there.

So if we could get the six to seven changed, then we would know what the makeup of the committee would look like.

The commission would look like okay.

Now, this is just one fat guy's opinion.

Okay.

I say two members would possess expertise in the area of our architecture, engineering, land loose, land use, planning, archaeology, all like that, and two members be business or property owners in the historic district.

Sometimes they're the same change.

That's the only reason I say that.

And the ordinance itself, the the HEO ordinance requires only not business or building.

Okay, no, yeah.

Okay.

Yes.

You're right.

Well, I agree with you.

Um, part of the reason I motioned to table it last time was that there was just the requirement of the three members possessing ex expertise, and I would like to see the majority of the committee have some type of requirement that's relevant.

So if we do two with the expertise and two property owners, something like that.

I mean, I'm I'm certainly not, you know, I think it's important to have the discussion, but I do think the majority of, and I'm fine with the seven, um, but I think the majority of it needs to be relative.

And I think it will be.

I mean, I think that's what everybody wants.

I think you want somebody on there that's got experience.

Um that we're getting it up and going again, and particularly it's important right now because we have a lot of new businesses and ownership.

So Mr.

Dynamics correct me.

The only thing we're doing since tonight is changing again, like we talked about last time from six to seven.

It's the only change in the end.

This is but the right, but this is the only thing we're voting on right now.

It's six to seven.

It just talks about the you want it in this.

Yes, I want it codified because I said we won't be here forever, and in five years, there could be entirely new people up here that have no idea that that some of the members are supposed to be property owners.

I don't have a problem.

I think that's a good point.

Bill, do we need to bring that back in January then?

Yeah, and just table it again.

It would be a major change.

I don't think it's it's not a scriver's change, so it would have to be redelegated.

Another first reading, don't you agree with no?

I mean, yeah, I definitely I think again that's why I voted to table it.

I don't really know where the disconnect was in the few weeks between then and now.

Um, I think we all agree on some level of HPC, but like uh Commissioner Cox said, I mean, we aren't all here, and I think we need to stop having like being reactive and doing things after the point.

We're working on this now.

We should write it appropriately.

Okay, let's uh send it back to you.

Yeah, okay.

If that's okay, we're just is everybody okay just tabling it tonight, bring it back in January first meeting.

We need to withdraw of can we not vote on the seven members?

He should be okay.

That's whatever Bill says too much of a change.

Yeah, I we just have to change it again next time.

We can leave the seven the sevens.

I think everybody appreciates it.

Sure, yeah.

Right seven to five, but I I think it makes more sense to table it and have a one by two by everybody okay with that.

Okay, we had the second job.

Can you withdraw that?

I withdraw that.

All right, we'll just turn this back over to Mr.

Dycon for clarification and tweaking and bring it back to January.

Right.

Okay, all right.

Item eight, orders general, madam clerk.

In order reappointing Krista joint to a four-year term on the Clark County Winchester Heritage Commission.

Is there a motion?

So move.

Motion by Commissioner Cox, second by commissioner strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries eight B.

In order approving funding from the beer cheese relief funds for a business located at 66 South Main Street in the amount of 4,778 dollars.

Is there a motion?

So move.

Motion by Commissioner Cox.

Is there a second?

Second, second by Commissioner Toole.

Any discussion?

With hoping John Powell would be here tonight because it's his birthday.

That's probably why he's in here.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries item 8C.

In order of approving funding from the downtown development investment fund for a retail kickstart grant for a certain business located at 128 North Highland in the amount of 1,000.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Toole.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries item 8D.

In order approving funding from the beer cheese relief funds for a business located at 68 South Main Street in the amount of 1631 dollars.

Is there a motion?

So motion by Commissioner Cox, second by Commissioner Toole.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye, aye.

Any opposed by a like sign?

Motion carries item 8E.

An order approving funding from the downtown development investment fund for Main Street High Side Business Support Grant for a business located at five South Main Street in the amount of $2750, not $7,000.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries.

Item nine.

Personnel orders A through C.

Madam Clerk.

An order amending the police department rules and regulations.

Is there a motion?

So move.

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by sign?

Motion carries.

Um item C.

B.

B.

I'm sorry, I took my glasses off now.

I can't see it.

B in order rescinding order number 2022-37.

An order adopting the position description of human resources benefits coordinator and adopting a new position description of HR benefits coordinator.

City manager department personnel and pay classification plan.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Chenault.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries item nine C.

An order amending the position description of stormwater coordinator code enforcement support personnel pay classification plan.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Chennault.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries.

We're down now to item number 10 comments from the general public concerning items not on the agenda.

Thank you.

Okay, Mr.

Jarman, come on down.

If you will, even though we know who you are, if you'll state your name and your address, we appreciate it.

Jesse Darman, 165 Wynn Avenue, Winchester, Kentucky.

Thank you, sir.

I've been here for 67 years in this Winchester.

I love it.

I love Winchester.

And I want to tell y'all that I'm really displeased with what's going on on Hill Street.

It is really running the north end of Winchester.

We are getting fertilized embalmed every week.

Our families cannot go outside.

Fertilized falling from the sky.

Last month of what we're smelling every day.

How would you like that in your house every day?

We don't.

We're trying our best to get rid of it.

They keep on saying, oh, it's all natural.

I worked over at propane facility in Scott Rose.

Black manager for years.

The smell that you've got is all natural.

Kale pack tan.

Some of the smell is stuff on earth.

They put it in propane for you can smell it.

Hey.

That ain't no worse than what we smelled the other last month.

And I know that uh fire department was called.

Police was called.

They had conviver dogs walking around the neighborhood.

It smelled dead.

The whole neighborhood.

The whole you could smell it all over Winchester.

It was bad.

People, it don't do no good to clean up downtown if people can't come down here without smelling that stuff all the time.

It don't do no good.

Winchester, right downtown is getting it.

Fertilized falling out of the air right downtown Winchester.

Bruce, when you reported this to air quality, what did they say?

You did report this to France.

I I sent an email.

Well, actually, I called them to report uh a violation on that day, which was um November the 24th.

Uh they did do an inspection, and uh I got an email back from the um environmental scientist for the division of air quality.

Um it was reported that they went out to the Kentucky fertilizer plant on December the 4th in response to odor.

Overall, we did not find any noticeable issues or violations at the facility.

During the odor survey, we used three locations and did not detect any odor at a seven to one ratio.

We did detect odor in the ambient air at a downtown location, but it was very brief.

We did not detect any odor to warrant a violation.

We did a walkthrough of the facility with Mr.

Connor Bruce.

Um the facility had switched to providers and had to change their supply for the type of uh lignin that they used.

The change in the lignin is what caused the intense odors on that day around the city of Winchester.

Mr.

Bruce stated that the facility has since gone back to the old process, canceled any orders that required the new leaved in to be used, ensuring that the odor would not be caused again.

On site, we did not observe or detect any violations regarding the emissions and odor complaints.

We thanked Mr.

Bruce for his time, concluded the investigation, and promptly left the facility.

So we were on top of it, like you said, with the police, the fire.

Um we reported this to air quality, and I would encourage any citizen, any homeowner around there, to actually contact Frankfurt because the more complaints that they can get from residents, you know, the better.

So Jesse, why don't we give you the direct number to air?

I got the direct.

Yes, and just bombard them.

I I live three blocks away on Ashton Avenue, and if the air is still late afternoon, early evening, I could smell it at my house.

Now I don't I've never had had the ash or fertilizer or anything on my car, anything that I could tell.

I get pollen all the time from trees, but I can smell it over there if the air is still.

I brought my truck down here and let them take pictures of it.

It covered with the fertilizer.

Sometimes it looks like a young snow up there.

Yeah.

Do you get that every day, Mr.

Jarman?

It's about two or three times a month that it does that.

But that is lime.

You know what lime does to your grass and stuff?

I raised a garden out back.

Can't no more.

Tomatoes get up about that big around and they die.

Beans get about that long, they die.

If you've noticed you had a lot of big trees that was on the north end was a died.

And that's because of the lime that's in the air.

Trees that was been there since we was young, since we were boys, brother, but running around here.

By the way, yes, I know Brother Joe.

Me and him played ball many times together.

I wouldn't admit that.

Oh, they used they used to call me on the pearls.

Some of you might have known nominated around town.

I am the pearl.

But you know, I would ask you as badly.

Neighbor of yours.

Get that phone number, make sure all your neighbors have it.

Give it to Jay up there at the store and have him give it out there everybody too.

And every every time, every time they can spell that stuff, they need to call that number.

It gets bad.

It gets real bad.

Yeah.

Oh, especially if if the air is still.

Yeah.

Now if the wind blows it, right?

Blows it off to where and he's in a residential area.

And this might be a something to use.

Yeah, what five, six.

At least in the last end.

If y'all start a new business, okay.

Don't y'all see ask them.

Hey, have y'all got enough parking?

You got enough places to put your trucks, unload your trucks.

Do you got enough places to load your trucks?

They don't have no places to loan unload their trucks.

They're using city streets.

And one of my concerns has always been up there because I used to teach it concrete school, even before and and it's not there anymore, but the lumber yard up there was worse.

They would take those trucks right down right down Magnot.

No yeah, at four four forty mile miles an hour with kids walking to and from school.

Now I don't I haven't seen these people do that.

I've seen 15 to 20 tractor and trailers on Hill Street.

Is there a way in feel free to tell me that we can do a letter to the state saying that we had a resident uh come in tonight to address the city commission?

Still lots of concerns, and I think it might be holding once you get along with a petition.

I know she can guess right.

Can you do that, Jesse?

Yes, I can get a petition.

I I put one online, but a lot of the older people over on that end of town.

Yeah, don't get on.

Right.

But if you could do a petition at the store and bring that and send that to Frankfurt, and then we'll put a letter with it from the from the commission.

Is that okay with the commission?

We need it.

Can I ask y'all something have one of you ever went around up there and seen how many people that is got lung disease?

Oh yeah.

And cancer that this stuff is falling on.

My wife has got uh real bad lung disease.

And she said, and that stuff starts falling.

Gotta put her on oxygen because she sucked it in and it just they say it won't hurt you.

It's just lime dust.

Yeah.

But let me tell you something.

The dust bowl would just no dust too.

And it killed millions of people.

That's a lot of people getting heard up by right now.

If you will, let's do a petition, bring it, you know, you get it and bring it to the next meeting or whatever you have it ready.

Okay.

And present it to the commission.

And then we will send it with an official letter if we need Japanese.

And let's see what we can do.

And take it to Jay up there at the store and have people to store it.

Okay.

I sure will.

Let's try that.

Okay.

Does that work?

I sure will.

We'll see what if we results.

People, I don't want to be that, you know.

No, I understand.

But I've got to, we I can't let my little kids, my little grandkids out back.

That's terrible.

Because that stuff has followed on them all the time.

Terrible.

I can't cook with my hamburger because stuff falling on the hamburger.

I wouldn't give them one that back here to me.

Okay, we'll take that approach for now and see what we can do.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate you, Jesse.

Okay, was there anyone else?

There was no one else signed up to speak.

No.

Okay.

Let's uh do comments from the mayor, commissioner, city manager, and city attorney.

I know we do have to go to closed session this evening.

Um so uh let's start with Mr.

Commissioner Chenal.

Uh I guess like everybody else, I didn't have a Christmas parade, which was everyone is still talking about how well it went off, how good it was and breakfast this morning at public works.

Yeah, whitney I let Whitney a message, it was wonderful.

More compliments I think we've ever had.

Weather was cold, but it wasn't windy, and excellent job.

Excellent job.

Just to remind everybody that um Christmas coming up, the good giving was a huge success in our community, and so many of our nonprofits.

Shannon's work group being one.

We basically made 75% budget for the year.

Just to prove that this community turns out and gifts back.

They truly do.

Don't forget Operation Happiness is this Saturday.

I think they probably they're still asking for codes.

They're way short on codes.

So need them by Thursday.

Okay, I know they were doing our last church pickup yesterday.

And um, thanks to everybody for your interest for coming to meetings.

I think it's great when you're concerned about what's going on in this community.

I'm so sorry, Mr.

Jarman, that you have so much many problems up there.

I hate that because I wouldn't want that in my neighborhood either.

So I understand it.

Um everybody have a happy and safe holiday.

And uh I'm thrilled about our project and I'm thrilled about upcoming too.

Thank you, Alicia.

You're doing a great job at finding us grants.

Commissioner Fox.

Just everybody, please uh have have a safe and merry Christmas.

Weather's gonna get bad here again starting tomorrow night.

So everybody please watch and be careful and stay at home if you can, despite the fact, even if it's gonna be 10 or 12 degrees Sunday uh morning.

Uh appreciate all the thoughts and prayers when I had the eye problem last week that locked me in.

Well, when you can't drive for three days, you're you're you're you're in bad shape.

But uh yeah, but uh everybody have a merry merry Christmas commissioner.

Um I would still like to see Facebook comments turned on the city page, and I would just like to wish everyone a happy healthy holiday season.

Is that all?

Yes, ma'am.

Uh Mr.

Dykman.

So happy holidays and Merry Christmas.

Mr.

Mandel.

I just want to say we've got a great uh employee Christmas brunch uh this morning, and I appreciate um L8.

I want to specifically say L8 donated, Winchester Farms donated, uh, Jersey Mike's donated, and creative coffee.

So appreciate the donations that we have that support uh what we do here at the city that was uh very nice and generous.

Uh how did bingo go?

That's what Bill was saying.

First time public works cleared it out.

Public works kind of yeah, that was cleaned up the whole board of notice twice.

But I thank you all for donating the prizes for everything too.

So thank you.

That made it possible.

Um, my thoughts and prayers uh are going out to uh the Cecil family.

Um we just want to comfort them and wrap them in because I said at the uh brunch this morning that when one of our employees is hurting them, I think we all heard together.

So we just need parts of prayers.

Um that's all okay, and I had two or three quick things.

One I want to, it's gonna take me about three minutes to read something to you, but I think it's important for me to share something that I just received on December 2nd.

Says, dear Mayor Reed, this is a family writing from Ohio.

Whether it's an accurate account of the actual nature of our nation's criminal justice culture, we too often hear the poor outcomes that occur when untrained personnel encounter people with mental illness.

That said, when my daughter, Liza Barrett, wandered into your city on October 1st off her bipolar medication, delusional and critically vulnerable.

The public servants of Winchester quickly identified that what initially looked like public intoxication was actually a mental breakdown, at which point they wrapped their arms around her until we were located and able to intervene.

There's a lot of names I didn't get, but everyone we encountered treated us us, treated us with respect and compassion.

They said there are a few I can recognize by name.

First, Christine with adult protective services reached out to us to let us know our daughter's circumstance and continue to act as liaison between us and various services.

Major Chris Van Hoos from the detention center met us up on arrival and stayed past his shift to help us navigate this situation.

Tony Kirk, the clerk of courts, more help with organizing, liaising and even jumping our car after we let the battery run down from sheer mental overload.

Nurse Kelsey, who works at the detention center also, super helpful in liaisoning with our daughter's psychiatrist, and even responded to a text from me on her day off.

In short, they and everyone we encountered went over and above to help us during this very difficult time.

So while we still have a big task ahead, none of that could have happened without your community circling the wagons around our family.

It's entirely possible they save Liza's life.

So please honor and recognize them on our behalf as Kate and I can't thank them enough.

Best regards, Jay Wilford.

I emailed him back to be sure it was okay if we shared and he said yes, please.

This is the definition of community and needs to be honored.

Also, thank you for your prayers.

Liza is in a safe place now, and we are working towards wellness.

This is Kate Liza's mother and Jay's wife.

I want to add one more name to Jay's list of all stars, and that's Deputy Sarah Fish.

She also kept us informed and in the loop, even on her day off, and she continues to stay in touch.

She is just another member of your outstanding community.

We're so lucky that Liza landed with you all.

Thank you again.

So I wanted to share that.

Um, we all know that lots of times public intoxication or people are perceived as being publicly intoxicated when actually it is a mental illness.

And this family from Ohio order they're gonna get their child back, and she happened to wander into our community.

And Mayor Gordon um said one time I heard her give a speech, and she said a good city must be a safe city, and I think that's very important.

And then when I got this uh memo from her parents that said a lot, we do have a good community, we do have a lot to be thankful for, and and we need to thank God that we landed also here in this community.

And we need to thank God that we landed also here in this community.

So I want us to remember that at Christmas and be thankful.

And let's not assume things are one way when they're not, like here in the case of Liza.

You know, she wasn't publicly intoxicated.

She was having a mental crisis.

And that was recognized by our community.

So I want to share that with you.

Um also want to thank Whitney for her diligence and her committee working on the parade.

It was outstanding.

Uh Chief, I've had a concern brought to me today about speeding on Kobe Road.

Uh, if we can do a little enforcement, a little additional, so they're popping over the hill by Lana Lane, and then they're putting the pedal down and going.

Um also want to extend sympathies to the Cecil family and the loss of their son.

And uh she's one of ours, and we need to remember each other during this Christmas season.

And I personally, from the bottom of my heart, thank each of my commissioners up here uh for what you do and the diligence and the time you put into what you do for this community.

I want to thank all of you that come to the meetings and listen and participate when you want to participate.

Uh, and thank you for being here.

And from the bottom of my heart, Merry Christmas.

So at this time we will go into uh post-session.

Commissioner Cox, would you like to make a little statement?

For what?

And we're going into it.

Okay, uh at this current this time, we'd like to make a motion to adjourn to closed session for uh KRS chapter 51810B property acquisition, and at the conclusion of closed session that uh that the that it would uh adjourn both both the closed and the regular sessions of this meeting.

Okay, second.

All right, all in favor to go to the commission to uh the manager's office.

Joanne will leave my stuff, you can leave your stuff here.

Yeah, it doesn't take a minute.

So yeah, I just can't imagine.

Happy holidays and merry Christmas, Mr.

Captain.

I'll call them the day before and let you know what to do.

Okay, perfect.

I could figure around.

It would be after two afternoon.

Uh okay.