Winchester City Commission Meeting Summary, March 3, 2026
Winchester City Commission Meeting Summary - March 3, 2026
The Winchester City Commission met on March 3, 2026, beginning with an invocation and call to order. The commission unanimously approved departmental agency reports and received updates on grant funding, downtown development, and upcoming projects. A major presentation highlighted the first year of the city's coordinated grant operation, resulting in over $3.5 million in awarded funds.
Consent Calendar
- Motion to approve departmental agency reports (items A through E) passed unanimously, with no discussion.
Informational Items
- The Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services approved a $9,920 ambulance block grant for EMS medical supply lockers for Winchester Fire EMS.
- Mayor Reed attended a Community Project Funding Event where WMU received $1 million in federal funding for the Hancock Creek watershed sanitary sewer project.
Discussion Items
- Grant Operations Year-One Update: Alicia Martin, Grant Coordinator, reported that the city submitted 36 grant applications in the past year. Seventeen were awarded, 11 not awarded, and 8 are pending. Total requested funds: $10.6 million; total awarded: $3.5 million; pending: $5.2 million. She highlighted the successful completion of the Jackson Street Bridge project, which positioned the city to secure $750,000 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge project. She also announced that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) approved a $527,000 grant for the MLK corridor infrastructure project, which includes pedestrian improvements and a roundabout. She requested commission support for dedicated matching funds and upfront engineering/design funding to improve competitiveness. She asked for approval to submit the final grant application for matching funds for the ARC grant (no formal vote recorded).
- Downtown Development Incentive Fund (DGIF): Commissioner Toole proposed a pause on the DGIF program to review and revise its guidelines, citing declining funding and the need for sustainability. City Manager Land agreed to form a work group to evaluate the program and bring recommendations to the commission.
- City Manager's Report: Mike Land noted the upcoming audit presentation by Tom Sparks, the start of budget discussions, and progress on the Main Street project punch list. He announced a ribbon-cutting for the splash park once finalized, and exploration of satellite splash pads at three locations. He also mentioned the Boone Avenue sidewalk project and the Fifth Street stream restoration project ($350,000 grant).
- Commissioner Comments: Commissioner Strode provided Rock the Block dates (May through August) and bands. Commissioner Cox extended Word Camp applications to March 15. Commissioners discussed the need for sidewalk infrastructure to ensure safe access to parks, especially for children.
- Other: Mayor Reed reminded everyone of a statewide tornado drill at 10:07 a.m. on March 4, and congratulated the Lady Cardinals basketball team for their 13th straight district championship.
Key Outcomes
- Departmental agency reports approved unanimously.
- Motion to adjourn for 25 minutes (to reconvene at 5:30 p.m.) passed.
- City Manager to form a work group to review the DGIF program and propose revisions.
- Grant operation update received; no formal vote on the matching funds request.
Meeting Transcript
Please remain standing. We'll have our invitation by our city manager Mike Land. Let us pray. Father, we come to you this evening thanking you for the day and Lord for what you've given us. And Lord, uh, our thoughts go to those that have lost uh service members in our military due to the conflict that's going on. I pray that you'd be with those families tonight. And uh Lord give them the uh comfort and the care that they need watch over. And Lord, uh we just pray for our country that you would uh help us and uh help those that are making decisions to make the right ones. And Lord, uh we just pray for our country that you would uh help us and uh Lord help those that are making decisions to make the right ones and then Lord, even at this level. We pray tonight as we look at the business of the city and the things that are going on that the Lord uh guide and direct us, uh Lord, uh give us some wisdom and the uh decisions that are made. May you be honored glorified through all that we do. We love you this evening. We thank you for your mercy and your goodness in Jesus' name. I pray. Amen. Please be excited. Call the meeting to order. Um item number two, departmental agency reports A through E. Is there anything anyone would like to highlight? If not, I'll accept the motion for departmental agency report. Motion by Commissioner Cox. Is there a second? Second by Commissioner Chenault. All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed by like sign? Motion carries item three, A, and B. What I have asked Alicia to do is the work session is Alicia's gonna be doing that. So she's gonna include item 3A and 3B since they're informational items only in her presentation. So, Ms. Martin, it's all yours. So, informational item A, Winchester Fire EMS received official notifications from the Kentucky Board of Emergency Emergency Medical Services that the fiscal year 2026-2027 ambulance block grant application was reviewed and approved, and this was $9,920 for EMS medical supply lockers. So, congratulations to Whitey. Um, and then informational item B, Mayor Reed attended a um and along with some representatives from WMU attended the uh Congressman Barr's Community Project Funding Event where it was announced that WMU will receive one million dollars in federal funding for their Hancock Creek watershed sanitary sewer project. So Mayor Reed was able to make some remarks, and it was a wonderful event for her to interface with Congressman Barr as we are now preparing our new community project funding request. So it was a great event to attend. Okay. Okay. Well, thank you guys so much for the opportunity to give you a year one up. Your investment in a coordinated grant operation has produced both in numbers and the capacity that we've been able to build this year. When I stepped into this role about a year ago, I feel like my objective was pretty clear. I needed to find the money for your projects. And I'm really excited to let you guys know about the progress we've made in just one year. So straight to the numbers. We submitted a total of 36 grant applications this year. 17 of those were awarded. 11 were not awarded, eight were still awaiting decision. The total dollars requested was 10 million, a little over 10.6 million dollars in total funds requested. Total dollars awarded, just over 3.5 million. And we're still waiting to hear back on another 5.2 million.
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