Okay, if everyone please rise, we will have our pledge for leaders led by Jeff Lewis, our director of the Winchester Park County Parks and Recreation, followed by the invocation by Commissioner Cops.

Please remain staying.

Dear Lord, we thank you for this day.

Thank you for this chance to meet.

Lord, we thank you for where we live.

Lord, we praise you for what you can do, what you will do.

Lord, we know that you can do all that we ask more than we ask.

That we have done what we ought to do.

Lord, we we we play, we pray blessings upon our first rebonders and Lord.

We pray that the weather that comes in here this week that Lord, we know that we can handle it.

But Lord, we just pray we can handle it easier than we even imagine.

We pray these things in the name of Jesus, our Lord at safe.

Amen.

Please be seated.

Item number two, minutes from January 6th, 2026, our regular 530 p.m.

meeting.

Is there a motion?

I'll move.

Is there a second?

Second by commissioners true.

Any additions or corrections?

All those in favor, aye.

Any opposed by a like sign?

Motion carries.

Item three, departmental agency reports.

Again, uh, we do need a motion on this.

So is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Tool.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Chenau.

Anything anyone would like to highlight, lift out?

If not, all in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by a light sign, motion carries.

Item four, informational items.

Um you hear me say every meeting that uh these are for information only, so there's no vote taken on that.

Item five, we're going right into our work session.

And this evening we will be uh guess with the nice Mr.

Jeff Lewis, uh, who again is the director of Lark County Parks and Rick, or Winchester Clark County Carson Rick, and he's gonna give us an update about what's going on in our parks.

Thank you so much, Mary.

Thank you, sir.

I need to take my path favorite.

Thanks.

So I will obviously go down the list of every one of these things here because there's there's a ton of really good things we did last year.

Our building turned 100 last week.

And she's on live support.

We tell everybody she could use the transfusion probably, maybe a couple rooms.

But you know, we everybody we make it work.

And if you read some of those comments on there, a lot of people will tell you that they would rather come to the old building with people that care versus a new building with people that don't.

We do care about our people, we make extended relationships with our people.

It's very important to us to be out in the community.

It's very important to us to see that you know we're trying to take the monies that are given to us by city and county government and double or triple us.

And we've been able to do that over the last 10 years are revenues that now, of course, we have to get money to make money, but the revenues that we have received from city and county, we have turned into where now we are actually making more almost equivalent to what the city has given us with pass fees and membership fees.

So we're we're we're not proud of that in regard that we do have to charge more to make more, but we are proud of that, but we are trying to uh make it easier on the city and county government by helping cover like programming and things like that.

Those come out of the majority of the programs comes out, and we're lucky that we're Greg Wiseman.

He's uh uh board chair of our uh 501c3.

Anytime we're out in the community, if we're feeding kids or we're doing things like that, we always let people know that does not come out of budget because a lot of people like why are they buying pizza for kids or why are we doing these things?

Not that comes out with budget, all that comes from Friends of Parks and Recreation, or it comes from sponsors.

Uh we've had uh various sponsors that come out and sponsor often supernovae pop-ups, we'll beat the kids a little bit, a small meal, and also uh try to engage them in a play and things like that.

It's really helped us uh grow parks as far as outside of just the building.

So we're we're pretty proud of that.

Um we couldn't do what we do without city and county government.

We're very blessed that we uh have you guys help us out because obviously we cannot be autonomous.

Um we are uh a program, we provide programs for the city and the county, and we feel like we do a very good job at it.

We have a very dedicated staff uh who does the job for the job, they don't do it for money.

Um had offers in other places all the way down to our maintenance staff, and they stay because we do care.

We care about what they do, we care about them as humans, uh about our community as humans.

As far as some of the things that we've done, we feel like are instrumental for the community.

Obviously, withdrawal's help is the splash park opened the end of summer last year.

Um obviously this year uh they're working on the punch list, but I'm over there each week checking on things as some of our other staff and I know Jesse does as well, uh checking on uh the punch list to make sure when spring gets here that that thing's running for blast.

We are excited about that, but it does it is worth taking money.

Uh last year where it was the end of the year, there was no money in the budget for that.

We'll obviously try to put some money in the budget for that, but rest assured we are also speaking to uh people that could costly donate.

Uh we are uh have meetings with other people in town.

I don't want to necessarily put them by name, but uh we have had meetings with some uh influential uh donors in town.

So we are doing everything we can to try to make that cost as low as possible for for the kids to come to the splash park.

Uh but knowing that it is going to cost money to uh we don't want to think the idea that we could run this in perpetuity with uh donations.

Um so there could be a cost involved with it, but Joe's on our board, those discussions will be fluent as we move toward the spring, uh seeing where we're at with donations and things like that, and that we'll make those calls as we get closer to summer.

We were blessed to have the Brown family, and I call them Brown family because they've been with us, uh daughter, you know, uh son that's been with us forever, and they've helped us with uh our summer camp.

They've helped us with various other uh leaks, uh our especially our Halloween event.

Uh they actually helped us.

We had a lady that was going to help us with splash park, and she went on to EMT school, or excuse me, to paramedic school, so she couldn't do it.

So the Browns stepped in the last minute and ran the ran it for the end of the summer, and they liked it and they want to do it again this year.

So they will do a great job.

Uh we have no question about how they're gonna run it.

Um so if you haven't been over in a while, they have finished the almost finished the shelter uh that was that they couldn't complete the end of the year, and they're doing the punch list, all the rolled down doors are complete now.

So the concession stand will be able to work next year.

Uh so we're pretty excited about that.

Other things we we've been working on, the uh guys are helping us with the drainage out back.

It's been cold, it's been rainy, it's been wet.

Uh it's happened, they are in the process of helping us with the drainage, and it's really plagued us for uh many years.

We thought we'd fix it before it happened again.

Um, but we feel like this will be a really good fix for it, and that will also allow us to open up another space downstairs that we can put more programming in, not a big space, but it's still a space we can put programming in.

Uh we've expanded our programming.

I mean, we have other we have line dancing now, we have again a more school.

I'm sorry.

No, I don't drink, probably not have to probably uh you know.

I know Christy Bush is working on the pre on the preschool building, and we have had a couple meetings up there with uh uh where they've allowed us to use it.

Uh we are interested in programming that could possibly you know bridge the gap between the two buildings if possible.

I know they have their own ideas that they want to do as well, so we want to see that building be successful.

Um we're very excited about our summer camp coming up, and even though it's winter, we're already thinking about summer when we're always a season ahead.

So you know, like I said, I say it a million times that we have extremely dedicated staff, and I'm blessed to have them.

Um we've made a lot of good strides this year.

The biggest concerns we're gonna have probably between the next one to three years will be the units on top of the roof.

I think Shannon will tell you uh those are uh native to the first uh reconstruction or the first renovation of the building.

So they're 20, 22, 2020, I think, for the upstairs units.

So you know, they're they're probably be our lifespan, but but we've managed to keep them going.

Uh but those would probably be as far as capital goes, those would probably be the next big thing.

The Serenico has been tremendous.

Thank you guys for that.

Uh it we've never honestly we haven't been able to breathe there like we are now ever.

I mean, it's the best it's ever been.

So and we get a lot of feedback from our patrons to come in and tell big difference.

Uh we've been blessed with people that help us pro bono on things.

Uh I'll say Jerry Hess of the test construction helped us with the from the construction of the playground to lights in our building.

We've had a lot of very good community people that come in and do stuff, and we're like I, you know, I got it.

You know, we've been very blessed with that with Ryan or as well.

Uh course, I'm glad that Brian works for you guys and not for us because we couldn't afford it.

We're not yet we can't afford any more, but but uh we appreciate everything again that the city and the county book does for us that we couldn't do it without you guys, and uh we we screamed that from the you know from the rooftop every time we get chance to appreciate what they do for us.

Other than that, I mean our main thing is uh the fortunate thing is we are up to almost 10,000 followers now on our Facebook page.

Uh Tiffany Fletcher Horn does a great job with that, keeps us engaged with the community uh with Instagram.

We have over 12,000 followers on our Instagram page, uh, and we have a lot of interaction.

So she does a lot of really good job uh keeping us up to date on the metrics of what paper books are doing for us.

And if you go through these, you'll look through some of these.

There's some really positive comments we get from uh we have a very good uh community-based following uh and you know, we try to do everything and listen to what's going on in the community and try to make the choice of what are best for the community that we can do that we can uh accommodate.

Uh unfortunately, just like everybody else, the budgets are tight.

Uh, you know, everything's tight with us, no difference with anyone else.

So we do the best we can with what we got, and I feel like we've been working on it.

I have heard that the usage of Wiseman Park is really up.

The neighborhoods thoroughly enjoying that part.

Absolutely.

I think one of the things we did really well was with Lewis Willen then, our disc talk director, uh, expanding disc golf in all those smaller communities really gets people out there.

And then I didn't bring with me today, but I believe I sent to the city commission and the fiscal court the potential uh trail system that we're looking at trying to add uh with the the potentiality of the travel trail on a lake.

Uh we most of these trails are already active, meaning if they're there to be used, that they could probably be advertised uh if it comes to that.

We have to have those things.

I think that Likens Park prevents that or you know, it it presents good opportunities for walking uh as wise, but uh obviously college parks have to there's a lot of good opportunities.

People might not know they're there.

Uh but it's with whatever happens with the traveling trail and just definitely try you know, ease that you know for the community.

So with the all that for the would you care to introduce your board chair and uh oh staff?

you know it it presents good opportunities for walking uh as wise but um obviously college parks have to there's a lot of good opportunities people might not know they're there uh but it's with whatever happens with the traveling trail and we just definitely try you know ease that you know for the two that were you going further would you introduce your board chair and the oh staff yeah we do well we have jan smith in the back and i'll I'm I'm gonna brag on her because uh she did everything uh very wise on our board also or probably one C free board chair they're at everything like I said uh there's you know there's a lot of folks on that they're not a part of they're involved in the community they're very well respected and we're very we're blessed to have you uh very supportive uh not pick on him he's not here Charles here used to be my board chair but I'd say he and I probably a little bit more than J because she's she she's very understanding of what we're done with and has a very good uh community based leadership uh and she's very involved in community educator so we request happening well and your friends um did great and a good giving really you all did really well yeah well right again and we don't want to take anything anyway in the city county or parks yeah proper but friends if we spend anything in the building it comes to grant I mean like if we're if our strategy break and things like that or things for the kids' programs all those all those requests are made to the friends and we have a very good uh following uh with the uh the breakfast no breakfast too yeah bg gifts yeah gives and if they're one day everybody community really stepped up not just for us but all the community is unbelievable supporting to do what we did in one day was was really really impressive that really that goes a long way to getting our kids those free swim lessons because if I said one thing anything that we could ever do and I'll I'll rest my head on this when I'm long gone is that swim program is the best thing we've ever done uh it's giving kids we are the only one in the state of Kentucky that we could find that offers swim lessons like that to be placed in the state of Kentucky they bust them over to they do they bust them over to our old library and they stage there and they bring them down so they don't have to be called and that first group of kids that I was on the board then when we initiated that I guess those first group of kids that had the free swim lessons are probably in seventh or eighth grade now right for probably first well now I've been off over there for six years.

Well we did swim lessons but not the free ones I think the three file kicked off three weeks okay so probably three years okay you guys were in about a year before we were able to get everything kicked off so three full years uh that it's being gone for free and it's uh right around 500 students yeah yeah and for free i mean that's right that's outstanding so yeah Jeff when you're speaking of your 501c3 you're talking about friends of the park right and how does someone donate to that if they'd like to do this we have a our Facebook page has a little that Facebook page and there's also a QR code we send those around as much as we can I believe the QR code on the Facebook page there as well but they have their own website as well and Facebook page or the Facebook page it's been uh extremely supportive of two we're blessed to have them everything because it's a 501c3 everything is taxed tax adoption absolutely and most people feel comfortable even though you can write things off that you give them to city county I think people want to see the 500 they know it's going to the kids and we do get people that donate specifically to staff or donate specifically to uh the 501c3 I want to make sure this goes to these specific programs like such we've had people say I want to I want to pay for two scholarships and that's really important to us because that's over 50 percent of our kids that come to summer campus scholarship.

What does it cost for scholarship a child in the summer it's about 450 it's it's about 400 things per kid uh now I would brag and say that we swim three two to three times a week and that for a kid would be you know that's $15 a week just in swim yeah 50% is the partial the the summer program is tricky long isn't it eight times it's eight weeks um and we're it it always depends on the school that's out versus 4 H camp our our director also goes to 4 H camp so we usually start it in the week after 4 H camp but we're looking at that now because we think 4 H camp starts the week after school gets out so those pushes about two weeks we might have to start before that and have a version of summer camp might not be a full version just to have those people somewhere to draw for kids on well it all depends on scholars and so well if we get what we're supposed to get this weekend it might be a couple of weeks yeah mayor read it asked about sponsorships for the summer program if someone was interested in sponsoring the splash pad for a weekend I mean I know prices change but what what's the ballpark on that?

If someone was interested in sponsoring the splash pad for a weekend, I mean I know prices change, but what's the ballpark on that?

Usually most people get between 250 and 500.

We'll cover a whole weekend.

Yeah, we'll cover a weekend.

Really?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Yeah, okay.

5,000.

Oh, 500 per day.

Okay, okay.

Well, I mean, that's that is something that's attainable.

Yeah, 250 to 500 percent.

Sorry, well, thank you, April.

I was and you had some people that supported you right off the bat when you have to be out there.

We did, and I think we will we will get that moving forward.

Yeah, um, you know how things are like that once it goes off, it takes off pretty well, and then it starts to paper off.

We we will try our best to keep on the front runner and partner with other people.

Uh, we do have partners that we're lining up.

I just want to put them on blast right now and say, but we we have we have started that conversation and we'll continue that conversation.

Right.

Well, uh commissioner tool now would like to start off and say we will combine it into a weekend flashback.

Well we'll April.

I got it right now.

Um right now the thousand.

Yes, like down the thousand.

Uh if I may, will you kind of indulge upon the bike radio a little more too?

Absolutely.

The bike rodeo is one of our longest running programs with the with the help of the elks.

Up until this year, we've been very fortunate.

We expect it to, but it hasn't been guaranteed.

We usually get about a $3,500 grant.

Then from there, we do everything we can to purchase the bicycles, and we do get other sponsors as well.

Uh, you know, individuals that we sponsor and put on there as well.

And then we also get uh bicycles from patrons who want to refurbish them and give those out as well.

And then we also have kids if the kid wins a bike, sometimes they'll donate their bike on the spot.

So it's it's amazing.

We gave away probably 62 branding bicycles.

Uh and luckily the thing is we moved it up earlier in the summer.

In the past, we do it in August, so the kids really didn't have much time to write it.

So we moved it up earlier in the summer, so we get to ride a little bit, but still a lot of them come back the next year and we'll get lucky, and then again, they're donating classic that was gently used, you know.

So we're able to keep those bicycles in the system.

The archives will make this month a little bit.

We also have help from boxes and clothes.

Uh the course year old bicycle, uh cycling cycling, you know, they were actually going to color.

Thank you.

So all the all that goes to that.

Would this be the third year for wind sprint?

No, I'm thinking of I'm thinking of the bike race from Paris.

Oh, yeah, I think it's not a different wind sprint we've done for well.

The first I was gonna say eight.

Yeah, eight or a half years, and it's been again.

We get people from we have Minnesota, and we have people that's coming up from Florida once it does it.

They wanted to do there's one guy and one every day, and we were the last one that they were done in the state, and so we have so there's some really good stories.

We've had people out there that's got something that are now lifeguards, and I mean it's for these kids guards and coaches now, which makes it feel even allowed to be.

Well, and Jeff, I just want to highlight your the swimming program there is just phenomenal.

I think you've got a great director with Kevin Ryan, uh the kids loving.

I don't think people realize how important that college park pool is to not only Winchester, but there's teams coming in from Mount Sterling and you know surrounding areas because they don't have an indoor pool, and that's something that we have that nobody has, and I think it's a phenomenal program.

You're doing a good job.

Um, I want to even highlight that when they have swim meets there, yeah.

Um Kevin is live streaming the live the meet, and that's something that nobody else does.

Yeah, college is going to be Kevin's amazing.

Uh he really does a great job, and that that funds down through them, helps us with Austin, Austin turns Bellamies are actually the directors of the actual swim team, and she's really rebranded it just recently because we were seeing people paying 1,400 a month for private swimming.

$1,400.

I mean, we don't ours is a fraction of that.

And we have the exact same matter of fact, we have power training instructors.

They do their own crit.

We actually go through American Great Project.

So when you do your own curriculum, you can make those ours is certified for the American.

Uh so we do that, and all of our instructions don't work shape constructors.

And now they're teaching classes and things.

So we we do a really good job because the swim team is there before we grew, so they're used to them being there, but some places really struggle with that.

That was takes things away from the members.

But we've been very blessed that our members are really understanding that.

And like you said, when these uh swims is we host very goodness at our pool, which is interesting coming from life here.

Of course, Moco is one of those.

Uh you know, and then of course GRC, you know, it is we are we are the one percent across the country that the parks recreation has pool, less than one percent has so Chester has one of the only pools and parks and recreation, and we have the only preschool free swim less than most special.

Well, the amazing thing is Douglas comes over here, buses their kids over here.

And it's better for them to come over here than go to the white pool four miles from their business.

Uh cheaper and and and also we're nice.

I mean, we treat them that we treat them when they're there, we treat them like this at all.

We treat everybody that way.

Yeah, so we're extremely blessed.

I appreciate that.

Kevin will appreciate it.

Kevin has a very small ego.

Kevin wears speed on your budget.

No, he would.

He would.

The guy lives in this video.

So uh, but uh he he does a great job to have someone in who he's has a degree in he's a chemical engineer.

He can make 200,000 a year doing something.

I don't know uh and take that and want to be a coach and deal with our pump room.

I will tell you that I love Lily Cottle like a daughter.

I helped I taught her how to swim.

But the difference between having someone who's a chemical engineer deal with your chemicals and someone who is 16 years old.

My life is I look like breaking bad and I'd be wearing costumes, throwing chemicals and being my wife again or on the weekends with liquid acid and chlorine.

Now I I walk through the everything he does when we're doing okay.

Any comments or questions from the commission?

Oh, we know we got a lot of criticism when we did that pool.

Remember, it's still paying for it, but it paid it's paid off because is it not?

Yes, yes, yeah.

The pool that part is good.

Yeah, we're good there.

Um just trying to again try to keep it running.

We we hope that our brothers across the street were able to help us out a little bit this year because that would be helpful.

Uh, I think that anyone would be honest and say that you know, receiving the same amount of money for four years in a row with inflation is really really hurt us, even if we would receive five thousand.

I mean, that's that's equivalent to a lot when we're not getting anything.

So and I know that the I know that their coffers are dry, but it's really very, very tough when you're when you're actually not receiving anything from backwards and the last four years keep up with that.

And I give a little credit, I don't like getting a sort of credit, but we we brokered the deal with the school system and with us in the board of education about getting our teachers in there.

We've been working on that for quite a long time.

Uh the museum brokered that deal, and uh but uh so we do we did work out doing where you're paying for your teachers, and that's that's helped us uh that's really helped us offset the difference between not getting you know getting public funding.

That's such a good de-stresser for classroom teams.

Yeah, and one of our Tiffany Horns, Tiffany Fletcher Horn's husband is a teacher, and he's actually teaching a class right after school for those teachers, and they wanted to see a familiar face, so he started a class on Thursday evening.

Uh so the teachers come straight over that way.

They don't because I'll tell you I teach classes you know, four times a week.

If you go home before class, there's a good chance you can come back.

Right, yeah.

So to take it straight out of school and do it, it's it's 32 years of it here.

Why don't why don't they take out the house in after me?

Couches have little magnets on that, they stick to a seat pretty good.

But we're blessed.

We we have a lot of people in the building today walking with this temperature being called people that we primarily will walk maybe on the travel trail and walk at the cemetery.

We've had a lot of those people come in and it's going to build off for that opportunity for those people at Silver Speakers.

A lot of places stop covering silver sneakers or several entrances stop covering it.

So that's a concern for us those people that were silver sneakers and silver sneakers.

Of course, if you do pick it up, some was it any of them?

United health care.

Well, and Ethan did stop really.

Um but United Healthcare.

Um never had it out when you act.

Yes, but all of our hands no longer cover public.

So all those people that were seniors that were born, we're trying to work deals with them.

We're trying to keep them because of that.

I've gotten your manner now, so I could do silver speakers.

I'm sure there's a million.

Well, I know there's a million things.

I'm I'm forgetting a whole lot about that.

I will give them a brag to our maintenance guys again.

Uh but you know, Travis and Shane and Jerry, they they they they do the best they can to really be trying hard.

Uh even with our again, our fleet is 98 models.

You know, we got a couple 9899 model trucks, you know, which uh those were barely on the road at all.

We get one of those uh what do they call one uh the tag says you're uh uh antique.

We need to get one of those.

So our fleet is is really really in bad shape, but yeah, we'll keep running and all hand me down from here across the street.

Yeah, so between between the HVCs and uh the fleet, that's probably what we're biggest requirement moving forward if we need uh other than the people we have uh uh support we have, we appreciate it.

Okay, sir.

Thanks a bunch.

Okay, um Joy's okay with you if we go ahead and do item six, take our comments.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, let's go to item six comments from the mayor, commissioner, city major and city attorney.

Uh Mr.

Sh Commissioner Shanaff.

I'm good.

Nothing, okay.

Commissioner Straight.

Um I went to the Martin Luther King celebration yesterday and building the mayor Justin's proclamation and he did an excellent job.

He was the keynote speaker yesterday, and he also received the humanitarian award.

And you know, he had his speech was right on and it was packed.

They talked about next year having to get a large place because there were so many people there.

So it was it was very nice and very well attended in spite of the cold, in spite of the cold weather, and um the students did great job with their art.

They get art featured on the other side of the wall that you could see, and then they had the singers and the band.

And those kids come on their day off from school.

I know it didn't it was wonderful.

They did a great job.

That's the main thing.

And then I'll Brian, I'll be thinking about you all with this forecast.

I hope it's not gonna be as bad.

We have plenty of salt, right?

Okay, they're talking about the other thing, and we're thinking about downtown and beautification.

The uh trash cans came in.

How many trash cans did we get from a lot?

Uh yeah.

But we got 25 planters, and right now I went looked at them another day.

Oh, there are a lot of them and they're big, so we're gonna have to work.

This year I will not be able to get up my beautification budget.

There's no way because you gotta plant them, so it should be a while.

They look like trash cans.

They're that's the design they are.

They're not solid, so they're different looking, and they're round.

Where are those going to go out?

Uh may probably in the spring.

Can't you put them out?

Can't get them too early.

Well, you gotta buy dirt to put in.

I know.

I know what we were saying, it's gonna take a lot.

Weren't they about three feet deep, maybe?

So we'll work it out.

That'll be nice once we get them out, but we can't put all of them.

We're just blocked and spread them out.

Yeah.

Probably 10 or 12.

10 or 12 cubic yards of dirt.

I think it's like back full or something.

Or a contract for the ice that yeah, we'll spread them out.

We can put some down maybe Broadway when I have to.

We can't get off when you find them.

Yes, you know, we're talking about that.

Mason wanted a couple and I said, Would you like more than two?

Like a few of them.

So anyway, it'll be a nice addition when the springtime comes.

Anything else?

Um just move on to Commissioner Tool.

I will continue to ask the city of Winchester to turn Facebook comments back on their Facebook.

Please.

Okay, Mr.

Dycon.

Nothing there.

Okay.

City Manager.

Yeah, I'd like to uh command Chief Whitley uh for the training today.

We went out to the Chip Terry for uh PTSD training and it was well attended and uh that's very good and everything and you know just to the Facebook comments and everything, you know, just making sure that our employees are supported and you know there's not any uh negative comment on employees.

I think it's all of our jobs, including the commission, uh, that we protect our employees.

And if it was criticism, you know, from elected officials or me, um, that's one thing, but there's just a lot of negativity on Facebook, and I just don't think that we need that, and our employees don't do that.

That's all I forgot we must have oh you forgot to see.

I might command um chief and chief for the fire and the up there on on um north main oh god that was unbelievable.

Thank you all so much with so quick respond.

What could have been so much worse?

I'm very proud of both of your departments.

Good job.

Okay, if there's uh and I have nothing for this right now.

Uh if I hear a motion, we will adjourn the 430 meeting and no uh it's closed session.

Uh yeah, let's go ahead and mark that one.

I had marked it on the 430, had marked on 530.

Yes, we're not gonna have it until 530, but um let's just wait until 530.

Okay, but we will have a closed session tonight.

And the reason I'm not doing it if for the last 20 minutes is we're gonna be here for a while.

Okay, so okay.

All right, is there a motion to adjourn by Commissioner Cox?

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Chanel, any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye any opposed by light sign, motion carry.

So we're dismissed until 5:30.

Okay, if everyone would please stand, pledge allegiance and led this meeting by James Bowman, followed by the invitation from Chief Please Chief Travis Thompson.

Uh heavenly father, we thank you for the opportunity to get out of here tonight and but business at the city before you're praying your blessing upon this meeting, praying meet with these commissioners as they make difficult decisions for our city.

We pray for our citizens, our first responders, and most of all the orderly pray for those that are out in this way that people dive in the seats in your side.

Please be seated.

That's only papers up here on one of the two.

I know.

Okay, we will officially call the meeting to order.

Uh we will be tabling item five B this evening.

So uh Mark that if you would off of your agenda, take that up probably at the next meeting, not sure exactly, but it's not on the okay.

Item two ordinances, these are for second reading.

I'm gonna ask the clerk to read items 2A and ordinance amending ordinance number 19-2001 and 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 for violations, and this is a summary.

Is there a votion?

Motion by Commissioner Fox and second by commissioner strode any discussion.

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by light sign?

Motion carries am clerk, item two B.

An ordinance banning the planting or installation of invasive bamboo, and that's a summary.

Uh remember these are second readings.

So let's take a let's take a roll call on that.

Oh, okay.

Should we should take a roll call on A.

Let's do A also.

Okay.

Okay, look.

Go back to the road.

I think I'd feel better.

Yes, let's go back to A and do a roll call.

Uh Commissioner Schnauze.

Yes, sir.

I want a roll call.

That's a roll call.

Are going back to A that we just for the overlap.

Historic district.

A second reading.

And I forgot to do the uh roll call.

So do you approve or disapprove of the ordinance?

Approved.

Commissioner Strode.

Mayor Reed.

Yes.

Commissioner Cox.

Yes.

Commissioner Toole.

Yes.

Yeah, let's do the same thing on B.

Okay.

I need a motion in favor.

Wait a minute.

I need a motion.

We know we don't have a motion, do we?

No.

Okay, Joe, you're good.

Okay.

Is there a motion?

I'll make a motion.

Motion by Commissioner Cox.

Is there a second?

By Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Pro call.

No, I'm just a little shook tonight.

So I'm sorry.

It was my fault.

It's no problem.

Okay.

Uh Commissioner Chenault on item B.

Commissioner Strobe.

Yes.

Mayor Reed.

Yes.

Commissioner Cox.

Yes.

Commissioner Foot.

Yes.

Thank you.

Motion carries.

And all in favor of yes.

So here we go.

All right.

Item three ordinance.

This is the first reading.

And I think we're going to read that by title only.

An ordinance approving the change of zoning classification of the tracts of land containing 29.67 acres, more or less, located at 722 Kobe Road 2020 bypass Road, Winchester, Kentucky, from professional office P1 zoning to general business B4 zoning.

Thank you.

And I will start out with this.

And I wanted to point out just two or three things so everybody kind of is on the same page.

One, you know, the first meeting, really second meeting actually, because the first one's uh move for not enough room.

The next meeting was uh December the 9th.

After December 9th, the planning commission had 60 days to get their their recommendation and the minutes to the city commission.

They got those to us last Wednesday, but they had until February 7th to do that, but they went on and sent those.

So we have all uh hopefully reviewed all the minutes and the materials, and then if the commission decides to do nothing, take no vote, then automatically on March the 10th, that zoning amendment becomes law.

So we are going to take it up tonight.

And but I want to be sure everybody knew that.

Don't know if you did or you didn't.

I haven't seen that on uh Facebook anywhere.

Of course, I'm not a very good Facebooker.

I lose everything on my phone all the time.

So uh I'm wanted to clarify just two or three things uh before we vote.

Um several people had mentioned that there had not been a traffic impact study that is incorrect.

There has been an 80-page traffic impact study done by the department or for the department of transportation.

Uh so I just wanted to clarify that and the conclusion, and I'm gonna read the conclusion out of the traffic study, and this is the traffic study right here, 80 pages.

The conclusion on the traffic study said based upon the volume of traffic generated by the development and the amount of traffic forecasted for the year 2027 and 2037.

There will be an impact to the existing highway network with levels of service remaining within acceptable range.

Right turn lanes will be required at the entrances on the bypass and the entrance on Kobe Road.

The volume warrant is satisfied for a left turn lane at the entrance on Kobe.

No other roadway improvements are required, but that's what we had to base that on this study right here.

So I want to be sure everybody I'm trying to be as transparent as we can be.

Uh someone else suggested that we needed to locate the uh grocery at Boone's crossing on 627.

Well, we as a commission can't go to that developer and say you need to put this developer's business on your property.

You know, we can't do that, but that was a suggestion that came.

Another suggestion was that we locate the uh police there as a precinct, or we locate a fire department there.

And I don't know how many of you are aware.

I think it was three years ago, and if anybody knows for sure the date, correct me.

But we had a joint city county uh meeting, and that meeting was held at the Board of Education in their uh room that's their board, the bigger boardroom, and it was city and county, and at that point the Greater Clark Foundation had offered the city and the county 10 acres of land to build a police and fire responder campus.

And our uh came up and the discussion came up, and the county asked a question, and the question was quote who is going to be in charge?

In charge, so that shut down all comments, all chance.

So we went back as the city and we asked the Greater Clark Foundation could the city still be using that 10 acres of land because we wanted to move forward with a police and fire campus.

Because as you all know, any of you that live in the southwest portion of this community, you know that you don't have good fire service, then the you just don't, it takes a while.

Had a man on Jones Nursery Road tell me if I have a heart attack, don't send the ambulance because I'm gonna be dead when they get here.

And so we have several issues like that.

And so uh we were going to go forward, but the greater clerk told us no, that we could not have that extra that 10 unless the county went along with us, and again, the county's response was who's going to be in charge.

So I wanted to clarify that because someone did send that to me as a as a suggestion.

Um it looks to me like the um find my old newspaper here.

Another thing that I wanted to point out is uh the impact on revenues that would happen along with if this is passed tonight.

Um the property tax revenue will benefit the city, the county, and the Clark County schools.

The city that now these are guesstimates because we have no final actual numbers yet, so can please consider this as a guesstimate.

Matt, please consider this as a guesstimate.

Um the city annually should receive 61,500 in property tax off the development.

The county should receive 40,000 annually off that development, and the school system should receive 340, 334,000 a year off of the development in property tax.

Also, the city would receive in payroll taxes on an annual basis, 193,500.

So, you know, right now, one of the desires since I've been mayor is to have an indoor, I mean outdoor pool for this community.

People have begged for that for years, but a community study, a feasibility study costs 27,000, and we don't have that money in our budget to do that with because we're taking care of other things.

So that's where I'm looking at the revenue.

So I want you to know everybody else can speak for themselves, but but that is um, I just wanted you to have those numbers.

Um the other thing that I think mostly has been said, and and some of my fellow commissioners will pick up several things probably that I forgot to mention.

But seems to me, and I may be wrong, but most of the things I receive, most people are concerned with green space, and I've heard that over and over and over green space.

Well, first of all, I want to be sure everybody understands that that property is not ever going to be green space again.

So if this does not go through tonight, that's still not going to be green space.

Whomever Greater Clark sells that to, they're gonna put what they want there, but it's just not gonna be that anymore.

Um I was I have been talking in to a property owner, uh, I guess over the last three or four weeks, and that property owner is considering donating nearly 16 acres of land uh close to where the current walking trail is.

Uh he called me today.

We had another conversation about the land.

He is working with his accountant to see how that will affect him and the and can he you know use it as a write-off or is he does he need to become a 501c3 or what?

But I want you to know that the city of Winchester, and I speak for all of us sitting here, are committed to green space and finding more green space in this community.

If any of you all sitting here tonight have property that you would like to donate to the city, we will put the walking trail in.

So, you know, think about that.

Maybe somebody does, maybe somebody in this room does have that.

Don't know.

Um, but we but we are committed.

The other thing that I wanted to mention, and I'll have to put my glasses on because the right is too little for me.

In our package, we also had an article.

I don't know if you all have seen that or not, uh, on the walking trail.

And in this article, it said advice from the Winchester Partners.

Start small, even if you can just borrow a quarter of a mile for six months, it's worth it.

Once people see and use the trail, they get it, and it paves the way for bigger projects.

And since I've been on the city commission, um me that I've always been told, and maybe I've been told in directly that it was a traveling trail.

So that's what I've tried to look at.

But again, I want you to know that we sitting here, there's five of us sitting here.

Any of you don't agree with me, tell me uh that we are committed to helping find green space.

I love to walk.

My dog loves to walk.

Uh and and it's important that we have green space in our communities.

Um I've also talked with Timothy Johnson, who is the executive director of the Greater Clark Foundation, and he has assured me that Greater Clark, if this goes through, we'll be reinvesting those dollars back into the community, and I can guarantee you this commission will hold them to that.

Um it has the potential to be a game changer for our community, yeah, in a positive way.

And I know so many of you um don't um don't think this is a good project.

I understand that.

I have wrestled with this, I have tossed and turned, as I'm sure my fellow commissioners have night after night.

And I've read emails and I've read text and I've read traffic studies and I've read and done everything to try to make what I feel is best for this community, not what's best for me, not what's best for my family.

I get nothing out of this, no one sitting up here gets anything out of this.

But we want to do what's best for this community.

We want to grow our community, and I think the um the thing that I read one time that actually hits home with me is a community that doesn't grow, does, and that very much bothers me.

And I'm a retired school teacher, and I've got kids growing up in this community, and I want them to stay here.

I want them to go to school and come back and live here, work here, play here, and I want them to have good things, and but you know, there's only so much money to do things with.

So I hope I've been transparent and shared with you my exact feelings.

Um, that's from the bottom of my heart.

Um and and like I said, I literally have tossed and turned over this.

One day I feel one way, and one day I feel the next way.

So I've tried to really educate myself with the information given and just reading in general.

So I appreciate you listening and appreciate your uh the way you're behaving, and and uh that you know, you guys, this is our community, this is our community, and we're all in this together.

I don't want to be Lexington, I don't want to be Mount Sterling, I don't want to be Paris, I just want to be Winchester in Waller County, and that's what my goal is.

So I'm gonna pass this on to whomever would like to make some comments commissioner fool.

Um, sure.

Let me gather myself here.

Um so I think it's important we review the history that I will say that I remember.

Um, I remember when this piece of property came up for the hospital to be there, and I live off Colby Road on Millwood, and remember thinking how horrible of a location that was, and um it was the right choice, I think, to move it to where it is now because it's closer to the interstate and just makes a lot more sense.

Um but prior to the hospital being built out on 60.

This property was zoned for commercial use correct, and in 1997, it was rezoned to the public semi-public P1 with the anticipation of the hospital having doctor's offices, and that did not happen, and a few years and someone can fill in the year time frame.

Um from when the zoning changed and when the trail opened.

Um, but it was a really great grassroots um operation.

You know, Gina Lang and Ken Mazinga are some people I know personally, and they worked really hard to get the trail out there, and I remember people being against the trail because they were worried about crime and vagrants and who would be out in this open space.

And I remember at one point in time, uh unusual suspect being on the trail one day and the community discussing oh, is it safe?

Should we go out there?

Is it okay to walk out there?

There's no lighting out there, there's no landline.

There's so there is nothing that you could call for backup where you would be safe in the evening um position being out in that area.

So I feel like from the get go, you know, there's always going to be a conflict of interest, and people are always going to disagree and see different sides of things.

So I do want to point out that how the property started was already kind of contentious.

Well, it was zoned um years ago appropriately, in my opinion, for the location, but when it was going to become a trail, there were some people upset.

Um again on the article, the emphasis being that the trail would travel.

Um, I hope and look forward to hearing more about the potential for a donated piece of property that could offer up the same type of possibilities.

Um we all have our opinions, but but this is not about the Greater Park Foundation.

This is about zoning, and this is about the commission heeding the advice of the planning and zoning commission that we have entrusted to make decisions upon.

And in turn, if we do not agree with those, finding conditions and finding ways to compromise.

Someone had said to me, um, the best way for I guess a contentious or fight situation to end is with both parties disappointed because that means everyone had to compromise a little bit, right?

That's the best mediation I think anyone can go through.

Um so I won't just keep rambling because I know there's a lot of people who have a lot of thoughts up here, and we're all very passionate about our community.

It's really hard to not read through Facebook and all of the hate and the people who say that you know we don't care about the community.

I I certainly didn't choose to run and continue to run because I don't care for this community.

Um what I would like to see is how the conversation is changed to doing this the correct way.

Um, is someone from STNL here?

Okay, great.

Thank you for being here.

I appreciate that.

Um, you know, I think it's important that we show that we are ready and willing to connect the community with different opportunities to grow, and that someone wants to invest their time and money into our community.

I would imagine this developer has spent hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars, I would think, and making sure that this would make sense for them.

They're not going to invest in a community to lose money to end up with an empty building.

So, how do we do it the right way?

So, you know, I've sat and I've looked at the map.

Again, I live on Colby, I've been to the traveling trail with Bogey and Bandit, and you know, took them off the leash because nobody was out there, and it was wonderful, and it is beautiful, but it is a hay field.

Um, in all due respect.

So I have a few thoughts and questions.

Um, if I may, just kind of make sure I'm hitting all my notes here and kind of might bounce around and I apologize.

Um so we we heard in the public forum, two and a half hour long public forum.

Again, the main concerns seem great, green space and traffic.

So hopefully we can work through the green space dynamic um with an additional property.

But I guess I also wonder what potential could be for the planned development um parcels one and two that probably um from at least from this map don't have anything currently um planned for it, but is planned to be developed.

Those proper that portion of the property goes along the back where the barn is, where the large historic tree is.

Um I would be interested in having a conversation to see, you know, how the developer could incorporate maybe a trail through the shopping center.

Maybe it connects to Windridge, maybe it therefore connects Windridge to shopping on foot.

Um the SDL website, I like they said there was a unique mix of industry knowledge and outside the box thinking.

And so I kind of encourage you all to hear what we're saying that you know, we do want to open arms to you and have you here, but I would love to see how we meet in the middle to still provide something that the community can use to encourage even more use of the development, you know, foot accessibility and and things like that.

Um again, I understand you know, liability and who's responsible for paths and things are complicated.

Um, I would imagine our parks and rec would be happy to help with the trail.

Uh, I won't quote Jeff Lewis on that, but that could be a discussion.

Um, as for the traffic, the intersection at Colby and the bypass is the second heaviest traveled intersection in the county, second to the bypass and Lexington Avenue.

Um so while, yes, that park is accessible to and I say park, excuse me, that parcel, that piece of land is accessible to about 1500 people.

There's not one person, maybe other than the 30 people who live across the street that are going to be walking there.

Okay.

So we're in a major thoroughfare, right?

We've got a four-lane road right next to us.

How do we continue to make this safe?

And I wonder about the feasibility of the accessibility to Colby only being perhaps a right turn in or a right turn out.

No left turn, only going the one way on Colby.

Um, and then of course the bypass entrance being a wide open entrance.

And in turn, with it being only a right hand turn, some of that landscaping, which I know that the plan development um didn't have all the landscaping on it.

Some of that landscaping should be easily able to be left, but also I would like to see that Colby not be used for construction entrance.

I would like to see the construction entrance solely be off of the bypass.

Um, I think that would be imperative.

Um I did have a question about how large, and I I know might not be something known, but can you tell me more about this um detention track and how large it is?

I mean, I can kind of try to use the scale, but whomever.

So yeah, please I'm telling wrong here on behalf of the developer.

Um, I don't believe it's appropriate that we can consult with your council, but if you receive recommendations from the public commission, I don't think you can offer this information, not part of that recognition expected.

Yeah, I don't think this is a public hearing.

I've got answering all advice and council not to be agreeing.

Understood, Mr.

Dyke, do you concur with that?

I agree.

This is not a public hearing.

Understood.

Okay.

Well, I ask that my words are heard.

Um, as I I think it would be a good way to partner to have this rezoning approved.

Um, so the main thoughts on that were Colby Road turning right onto a right ingress and a right egress on Colby.

Um, construction entrance only off of the bypass.

A general conversation about a walkway through the entire development, um, which would be a great way to start a conversation about how we can maybe start to incorporate that type of concept into our comp plan and large developments because that really could be a catalyst for it spreading throughout the community.

Um but those are those are the two main things that I asked for the developer to consider and whatever can be said.

But I I will say Brader Park Foundation gave us a beautiful park with Legacy Grove.

They have continued to give grant money to so many nonprofits in our community, and I do truly believe that Mr.

Johnson will continue to invest in the community and even more so with the potential of this sale.

Um and I encourage everyone to go to Legacy Grove because it is a lit ADA compliant 30-acre park, and it is something that we are fortunate to have, and I will look forward to seeing what other opportunities of green space can come our way through donations, and that's it.

Okay, who wants to go next?

I'll I'll I'll go next.

Okay, I've I've I tried to go in this with an open mind, but I can't.

I mean, um first of all, look at the traffic study, and I don't know what third grade class they had do this, but it wasn't one here in one chest room because they're third graders can add.

Uh, when you have a thing here that has 37 cars going into the walking trail and 57 coming out, they use the transporter, I guess, to move the other 20 cars in there, and another one here where they've got 70 cars going in and 173 cars coming out, or the transporter was busy that day.

What major yeah?

Uh this is page eight and page 11, and also a lot of the stuff on pages eight and 10 and 9 and 11, the numbers are exactly the same.

And I cannot imagine that they picked two days when the numbers of cars on the bypass were exactly the same.

Yes, you know, that's just that guy should have bought a lottery ticket that day, and then he wouldn't have had to completed the ticket.

Uh uh.

And anyone, and I'm sure some of you in this room have tried to come down the bypass from Lakeson Avenue on out at four in the afternoon, and it takes 10 minutes to go two miles.

And anyone, and I'm sure some of you in this room have tried to come down the bypass from Lakes and Avenue on out at four in the afternoon, and it takes 10 minutes to go two miles, and you add this additional traffic on there, we just may as well abandon the abandon the bypass.

It will be untravelable.

Yeah, you know, we can tell the state they don't have to pay pay it anymore because the only things that are going down are their ox carts.

That's not my major opposition.

My major opposition is the fact that I was told by the city manager that they're going to do a stormwater survey after it's revived.

Lady on Woodmine told me the other day that she has been flooded out three times in the last two years, and that's with grass up there.

You put another 16 and a half acres in an imperviable impermanable surface like Blacktop or a roof, those people on Woodbine and Web Willowbrook are going to be flooded out, and they're not going, and what I know they're going to use the same engineer to do the flood study that they did to do the development plan.

And he's going to say, Oh, it's good to go.

It's going to be like Buffalo Trace, if you know where Buffalo Trace is.

They did a floodplain study up there.

The same engineer that did the development plan did the floodplain study.

And as I told the mayor last week, I think we've spent 400,000 dollars up there.

The same city has fixing their mess.

And she corrected me over in South Maine and said, No, it's over a million.

And I just cannot imagine going to those people on Woodbine and Willowbrook over there and saying we're gonna flood you out because they said that it wasn't going to flood as we're waiting in water, like I have waited in water on Washington Street, and as I have waited in water up to my thighs on Buffalo Trace, and I'm not gonna be here in this desk when this is done.

Still I live in the in the same community, those people, and it is my responsibility setting up here to try to support those people, and that creek that goes down through there is gonna back up.

And as I told some of these people other the other day, it's gonna back up in your houses in Millwood, it's gonna back up in your houses in Stratford Glen.

You don't know what it was built on a pond.

Yes, yeah, yes, I do.

That's why it's called yes, interesting facts.

Yes, but these people it's my responsibility to watch out for them.

I took an oath, I swore that and I won't had never fought in a duel, and that's why I'm going to vote the way I do.

Thank you, Commissioner Thomas.

Commissioner Stroke.

Oh, wait, Robert, even if you're in here, would you come up and address that?

Please find you, so in the back there.

So I want to address stormwater concerns.

Yes.

So I don't think there's there's not a chance in Hades that a development can be um built without a stormwater study within a city jurisdiction like ours.

And I don't think it's appropriate this to make a lot of assumptions about a development that could, you know, you know, what could happen downstream because 100% of development cannot be developed and increased the stormwater on adjoining property owners.

That's not allowed by the law, and we have systems in place so that any development that's proposed in Clark County or sorry, in Winchester, the city of Winchester, within the NS4 boundary, which is properties in, they're required to do a stormwater study, they're required to plan what uh what extra flow would be flowing on a neighboring properties and to capture that flow and then leak it out and then to send that flow out in the same level it's sending send out today, if not a better level.

And so, you know, if for sure the engineers are very capable of putting this plan together, and also to ask an engineer to put together a stormwater plan before they even purchase a property, uh, before they even know if they can do what they want with that property, is asking a lot, a lot of dollars spent before they know they can build this development.

And so it's not common to have that stormwater study done prior to the the rezoning of a property.

So it's okay for them to say, okay, we want you to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a traffic study, but not tens of thousands of dollars on a thing that's going to affect people's home.

A traffic study is not required for its rezoning either.

They did the traffic study on their own accord.

The planning commission can request a traffic study be done, but they went ahead and did it before the planning commission requested.

How many times since you've been here have we seen that the stormwater study was inaccurate and suddenly people get flood flooded out after the warranty period?

So Buffalo Tracy mentioned and uh Palmer Engineering worked on that, and they did a great job on that uh to fix what uh uh and another engineer.

The current situation of Buffalo Trace is improved versus what it was before.

But but what did the city have to spend to get that to the shape where palm palmers knew what to do?

I don't have that calculation in front of me.

Uh the mayor says over a million dollars.

That very well could be the case.

But uh so stormwater studies are done by the the um either of a stormwater coordinator, we also have an engineering tech, and so they were the ones that would review that.

Um, Darren Stevens would have been the engineering tech at the time to review that.

I know he worked with Palmer quite a bit to make sure that that study was done and that was done, meeting our requirements and not just fixing the problem, but making it better.

But Palmer's was hired to fix what the other engineer had done wrong.

Okay.

I don't know who the other engineers are.

But I just want to make it clear that that there's not a chance that a development can be proposed without a stormwater study being performed um to meet the minimum requirements within our MS4 boundary.

And so any property within a city limits is in our MS4 boundary.

And so I don't want to scare anybody about what could happen.

I just want them to know that there's reassurance that it will be required to do a stormwater study.

There's no way around that, that they're gonna be required to do that and make sure that they're not going to increase the flow on neighboring properties and could very well improve the situation.

Well, what happens if their stormwater study says, oh, there's no way there's no detention pond we can build big enough to not flood out the people on wood bank.

Their stormwater study, they wouldn't be able to develop until that stormwater study says they're not increasing the flow greater than what's being what the flow is today.

What if the study says once again repeat the same way?

What if the stormwater study says you can't build a detention pond big enough that these folks are getting water on them now off of grass?

What if the stormwater study says we've got 17 and a half acres under blacktop now?

We can't build a detention pond big enough to keep them from flooding out here.

Well, what happens in the you know is the development abandoned at that point?

I mean, you know, it all comes down to the cost of the project and how much it's gonna cost for them to put in the detention basins that they need in order to not increase the flow on their neighbors.

Um, you know, there's a lot of what ifs it could be abandoned.

Um, but uh I think it'd be early enough in the stage before any.

So before you can even move dirt, you need to have their stormwater study, you need to have your sweat and your swim, you know, these different forms and the grading permits essentially is what that is.

So before they can even move dirt, they can't disturb more than an acre unless they have these these systems in place.

The the grading permit, the stormwater study, and so it'll be early enough in the development stage where if they had to back away, they're not going to disturb much or any of the property.

So thank you.

No problem.

Well, I've got one more question for Rob.

You've been at city planning for a long time.

Yes.

Here and in Murray before.

You ever seen a stormwater study that came back that said, Oh, we got to do some major stuff here, or does it all just fall in line?

I I haven't seen a stormwater study come back and seen a developer back away from a property because it's going to be too expensive, if that's what you're asking.

I've never seen that happen in my tenure.

Have you have you ever seen one that said, Oh, you've got to do a million dollars worth of stuff before you could ever move dirt.

Can't say that I have.

Because they use the same engineer that designs everything to do.

There's a stormbox.

I hope I didn't answer the questions too bluntly.

But I just want to make it clear.

Explain it.

So thank you.

Yeah, no problem.

Thank you.

Okay.

Commissioner Strode.

I totally agree with Hannah about having construction come off of the bypass and not off of um Kobe Road.

And the right terms, I think, are essential.

Um, we've all wrestled with this, you all and not only am I a city commissioner, I sit on tourism and the chamber of commerce board, and and very good friend of our economic development person that I respect and like so much.

And I talked to him this morning, and you look at your community, a lot of places are growing a lot more than we are, and there's reasons for that.

You've got three choices here.

You drop services because it costs more all the time to have services for our citizens.

You don't want to do that.

You raise taxes, or you encourage growth, and I really feel so strongly about the planning commission voting unanimously to go ahead with this project.

And I think we trust them, we trust Rob, we trust the people on the commission that were appointed by city and county, and I feel like that it's our responsibility to back them up.

I want growth in this community.

We need growth, and a lot of people say, Well, we don't have this, and we don't have that.

Well, it's because we don't have enough people and up heads and beds so far to do that.

You know, we have we've been trying to get a Chick-fil-A for how long we've been trying to get a steakhouse.

It's just I could go on and on and on.

Um, this is a real opportunity of growth.

It also will employ people.

Think how many people will be employed.

I mean, a lot a lot of kids from high school could have jobs there in the afternoon, or I just think it's a win-win for our community.

And I felt better that Rob has said this about about the stormwater.

Listen, I live down in Windridge.

It's not that I'm trying to punish anybody, but I do think there have been some times that you've had plans that have come out that have made the situation better because of it.

So um, I understand your lost feeling, I understand about the walking trail.

I live right there by the walking trail, but as Joel and said, it will not be a walking trail again.

That's a moot point.

So you could have something else could come along, and you could have housing, you could have HUD housing, you could have a lot of different things in that area, and I just think this is a real plus for our community.

Um, it might make my progress get on the stick here out there up a little bit.

Um, I love Winchester.

I'm not from here, but I've been here 51 years, so I feel like that I've invested my time and and effort and dedication in this community, and I want us to grow and to prosper and to keep our young people here, and I think this is one way to say yes, we are open for growth, we want growth, and we are gonna try to look try to control.

I think you want everywhere, but look what's going out on 627.

You're talking about traffic.

It's gonna be a lot of traffic out.

I think a lot more traffic than we're gonna have here.

That's my opinion.

So um, I appreciate people's phone calls and their texts and their emails, and it's not like I didn't ignore you.

I've just said thank you for your concerns, but I've had many a sleepless night about this same issue because I want what's best for everybody.

Oh, that's my feeling, Mayor.

Thank you.

Commissioner Chanel.

Well, I would like to start on what Commissioner Cock Cox has said.

He brought out some valuable points, but I think Rob by him coming up clarifying what he said made it a whole lot better to be on a positive side about this.

So I upset with Rob.

He has brought out good points about it.

We all talk about growth.

So why do we want to knock growth down?

So let's grow the community like we should grow it.

I mean, we knocked down Main Street, but now Main Street is here, and I think everybody's okay with it.

Some people shake the head no, some people shake the head yes, and everything.

So I think this is a good idea.

I have studied it.

I still see people shaking their head no.

We're gonna get no, we're gonna get yes.

See, I still see no's but consulting with Rob.

I'm making my decision.

Okay.

And um, and again, I know we'll get some booze and we'll get some.

We're nuts, and I wanted to promise you from the bottom of my heart that I have spent hours, hours reading this and highlighting and um and praying over it, literally.

And it it's um the decisions that we have to make up here, they're not fun.

They're not funny at all.

And all we're trying to do is do what we think will move this community forward, and I go back again and I say I don't want to be lexing.

You know, some of our entities have given money to Greater Lex in the last two months, last month.

Um entity gave 27,000 dollars because they were kind of pushed to do that.

The county, I think, judge just gave 10,000 dollars, right?

To Greater Lex.

And um, you know, I want to go Winchester.

I want us to grow.

I want us to have opportunities.

I want these kids, you know, a retired school teacher.

I want I want the kids here.

I want them here, and and none of us sitting up here gained anything from this, you know.

Nothing.

I mean, nothing.

My salary is $14,200 a year, and I've had $14,200 sleepless nights since I've had this job, but but I love my community.

And often when I speak, I say these words.

I was born here, I was reared here, and God willing, I'll die here.

And that's how much I love this community.

And I would never ever make a decision that I personally felt would harm this community.

I love my community.

So those that you know, if you doubt me, I'm sorry, but that's speaking from my heart.

So on that point, I'm gonna make a motion to approve the change of zoning classification of the tracts of land containing 29.67 acres, more or less, located at 722 Kobe Road and 2020 bypass road, Winchester, Kentucky, from professional office P1 zoning to general business B1 zoning.

Is there a second?

Second, second by Commissioner Strode.

Is there any discussion?

I request a roll call vote.

Okay, I'm gonna do that anyway.

And I would just like to reiterate the concept that we have if if we can take it to the planning and zoning commission and the developer about poly road accessibility, yes, yeah.

Well, that has to come from the state.

No, any of those three.

Well, if they suggest it and they approve it, that's how that would happen.

Right on that we've got a motion and a second real quote, please.

Commissioner Schnau.

Yes, Commissioner Strode, yes, Mayor Reed, yes, commissioner cox.

Proud no yes, thank you.

Okay, motion carries.

You we ask a question.

No, sir.

We've already finished with this item.

I'm sorry.

That's pretty cold, sir.

Real cold.

Thank you.

Okay, item number four, sir.

You're probably not being pulled.

You do hear response to that.

Okay, I'm not sure.

And you got four people up there, and unless I say it's wrong.

You're not doing this at all.

You're less it and done.

Okay, I'm I'm sorry you fill that for the cloud.

I okay.

So is it a done yield?

Or is there a second reading?

There's a second reading at our next meeting, February 3rd, 3rd, 3rd.

No, sir.

There's already been a public hearing.

No, sir, it's not.

How can I not be we all saying that we don't push and you got four out here?

I don't understand the math is in your head.

I don't know what I don't understand.

What is in your head?

Sir, four or five people just saying push it.

Sir, she told you no comment.

If you keep it up, I'm gonna ask for you.

Okay, so okay.

Item four orders general, madam clerk.

A in order reappointing Barbara Disney to a three-year term on the Winchester Historic Preservation Commission.

Is there a motion?

So motion by Commissioner Chenant, second by Commissioner Toole.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

I any opposed by like sign, motion carries item four B.

In order appointing Brandy Peter to a three-year term on the Winchester Historic Preservation Commission.

Is there a motion?

So motion by Commissioner Tool, second by Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any questions by like sign?

Motion carries for C.

And order appointing Lisa Rice to a three-year term on the Winchester Historic Preservation Commission.

Is there a motion?

So motion by Commissioner Tools, second by Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Four D.

And order appointing Gary Hess to a three-year term on the Winchester Historic Preservation Commission.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Chennault.

The discussion.

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries.

Item 4E.

In order approving funding from the beer cheese relief fund for a business located at 21A South Main Street in the amount of $3,000.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Shenault.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Aye opposed by light sign.

Motion carries for F.

In order approving funding from the beer cheese relief fund for a business located at 10 South Main Street in the amount of 10,000 dollars.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strowe, second by Commissioner Toole.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries.

Personnel orders five A.

In order adopting the position description of accounting specialist personnel and pay classification plan.

Is there a motion?

Some remote measure by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Chenault.

Any further discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by life sign?

Motion carries.

We tabled item five B, five C.

In order employing Christina.

Cooter Cowder?

Yes.

Okay.

To fill the position of patient transfer specialists.

Either one, I think.

Either one.

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 light sign?

Motion carries.

Item five D.

And order employing Jacob Allen to fill the position of single roll paramedic.

Is there a motion?

So we have motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Chenault.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by light sign?

Motion carries.

Item five E.

In order reclassifying Joanna Brady from accounting clerk to accounting specialist.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Tool, second by Commissioner Shanauth.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by light sign?

Motion carries.

Madam Clerk, item six.

Comments from the general public concerning items not on the agenda.

I think there is one person that signed up.

Okay.

Thank you.

Uh Harry Williams.

Come on, Dad.

Time to play price back.

That's it.

Okay, I couldn't hear you.

Excuse me.

Can I say something?

Yes, ma'am.

Uh there's four minute time for comments.

Okay, four minutes.

Unless Mayor Reid says different.

That's okay.

I'll wait.

She just stepped out for a second.

Well, she left her code.

So well, I'll just wait.

Is that okay?

I'm just waiting.

I got a timer right here.

I'm used to actually move again.

Okay.

We're through with our agenda, so we have the well we don't want to wait.

I mean, I don't know.

Well, we'll wait.

I mean, sure.

Sure.

She wants to remote.

Everybody.

Let's be sure and put the maximum level of embarrassment in.

I ordered how she has passed.

Sorry, Commissioner Stroh.

We've had to wait for you.

Yeah.

Let's try this.

Mayor gives you commissioners, Brick C Chiefs.

I'll say hello to everyone.

I got my four minutes.

I just wanted to give you kind of an update of where we're at on properties.

My name is Perry Williams.

I represent um GSR real estate.

Uh we have several properties in Winchester.

Yeah, four between Broadway and Lexington Avenue.

What some would call, I guess, phase one.

So I'm learning a new recount.

Uh which is five South Main, which is string fixed, which is 62 South Main, which is Barry Wheel's Law Office.

66 South Main on Man D and then Mason.

77.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I just want to make people aware.

Um, as late as 10 days ago, 14 days ago, JP, you have the active date.

Okay, so December, the date that he has.

We had approximately 30,000 gallons of water got flooded into the basement of John Paul's uh 66 South Maine.

It was confirmed by uh WMU, uh stated there were some issues with construction previously.

I have contacted all those uh construction that I could get in touch with, and I'm waiting to hear back from some.

I've already met with some people.

I just wanted to let you guys know uh that we're looking between 40 and 60,000 dollars of damages times four buildings.

So that's where I'm at.

We got a wall and we got some other things that we've had some issues with that have worsened since that flooding and then the previous floodings as well.

We had approximately how many different facilities are flooding three, okay.

Three three, how many fix yeah?

Well, now how many?

I'm gonna run out of time.

Okay, so one minute, so twice.

So we're at six, five.

Okay, my point is those the construction underneath there, as we know in those buildings, it's very intricate.

And so the point is it's those limestone, there's a special way that you have to repair that, and not just anybody does that.

So I have to call in structural people to come in and look at that.

And structural people won't even come for less than I don't even thousands of dollars, which I do not have.

And so 10 years ago, 12 years ago, I talked to then Mayor Bergner, and I said, if you give me teeny tiny bit of help cooperation, I'm gonna take five of your buildings in 10 years, and I'm gonna flip them around, they're gonna look awesome.

And that is 1199 West Lexington, which was the former Burger King.

And if you remember that was the biggest eyesore you ever saw.

And then we took the flea market by South Main, or five South Main, turned it in a strength face, home.

We got Olympia training, two of them.

I also was offered uh position as a parrot coach to help pair a power list.

Uh it's nice, and I applaud anyone's efforts to improve our community 100%.

But when we talk about 259 301, okay.

But when we talk about children coming home, my son came home here.

He graduated from BCT or went to BCTC, then he went to Palmer College of Chiropractic, and he came back to Winchester.

He's got a strength based tattooed on his arm.

He's pretty serious about that place.

So just I'm coming to you mainly as a landowner to make sure that we're aware the damages were occurred on these facilities on these buildings, and that I'm going to need some help getting them repaired.

And I'm getting estimates, but my point was in closed meeting the other day is that we're still incurring damages and still assessing damage.

So I got a little nervous when they talk about moving to phase two and phase three.

In my opinion, we don't even have phase one solid, and that's just how I feel about it.

There's also studies that show that concrete gravel, okay, concrete that gets cut, you go to PubMed.com, you can search.

So when when what happens when concrete dust is formed and it splashes on the side of the building, no big deal, right?

Whatever.

Well, after 24 hours, what a lot of people don't know is it degradates the exterior of that paint, in which case all of the buildings that have paint should be painted.

If you really want to get technical about it, so that's 10,000 per building.

Now you see what I'm saying?

I'm already at 35,000 in personal money.

So I've already spent we also lost, and this is irrelevant to the land.

I don't want to switch to, but we also lost approximately 30,000 between 20 and 30,000 in revenues when all of this happens.

Mike may be a pizza, he's down about 60 grand, and I could go on and home.

And so we are looking for creative solutions to help solve these problems because I'm concerned if we bring structure in doing this big rigger room, some cooperation would be great.

We can fix it.

And I really feel like we can make it better, but I'm gonna help.

And we got it serious, and we're really serious about saving these downtown buildings.

That's what's gonna take.

I can do it.

I've already done it, I need some help.

And the other thing, or I'm serious about this.

This is not a grandstand.

This is not you're gonna lose three or four of these.

If we bring structure and we start looking around, these buff walls, we're gonna lose.

We can fix it.

I really feel like we haven't gone past that, right?

It just depends.

It's an intricate, I've got specialists that are coming in from the state of Kentucky.

I got one guy talking, he's working on a downtown historic building in Wool.

These guys are top notch.

When they mix that stuff that goes in the foundation, it has to be a certain part line, a certain part.

I don't know.

And I can take anyone that wants to see the damage for themselves, flashlight, you don't mind being a little dusty basement.

I can show you exactly what's up.

I just want to make everybody buy.

I'm a little nervous moving towards the next zone phase and all that.

If we don't have these folks, there's some other issues, but that's relative to the point.

I'm being here as a landowner.

Speaking of the damages between Lex and Broadway.

I think that's it.

Anyone has any questions?

I'll be more than glad to speak to my okay.

Questions?

Appreciate your comments.

I've taken quite a few notes.

Thank you.

And thank you for the extra two minutes.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, we'll move to um item six to adjourn to closed session.

Um I have two items, one potential litigation, KRS chapter 61810C.

Also personnel matters, KRS chapter 61810 F.

Does anyone else have anything for closed session other that does not fall under those two cases?

Mr.

Dightman, anything?

No, ma'am.

Okay, I motion to go to closed session, and you can go ahead and make your little usual speech.

Um make a motion to go to closed session for KRS chapter 61810C potential litigation and 61810F personnel matters and at the end of that closed session that we would also adjourn this regular call meeting of the Winchester City Commission.

And before um Gabble is uh adjourned to closed session.

I want to thank all of you all for coming tonight and expressing your feelings and and what and please remember again, you may or may not believe me, it's okay, but I truly love this community.

Everyone up here does, and we just want what's best, and put yourself in the seat and try to make some of those decisions, and they're not easy, and we really labor over them.

And I just appreciate you being here.

I want you here, I want to hear from you.

All of us do, and uh just thank you and and God bless you the rest of the season.

I think I get the motion.

Thank you.