And uh city manager, if you wouldn't mind leading us in our invocation.

Yes, ma'am.

Father, we come to you this evening thanking you for the good day that you've given us and uh Lord for the blessings of the day.

Now I pray that you bless us as we look at the uh business of the city and uh the folks that we serve tonight and give us wisdom as we make decisions.

I pray for our uh folks as they uh work and uh protect our community and Lord provide those services.

I pray that you be with the commission as they uh Lord look at this business as well, guide and direct us.

We thank you for your watch care over and uh we love you this evening in Jesus' name.

I make my prayer.

Amen.

Amen.

Please be seated.

Cool.

Call the meeting to order.

And uh before we had the presentation of the audit, I'm going to take uh an item out of order, which will be item six g and this is an item that I'm excited about uh doing.

Joy, if you would read item six G.

In order employing Dana Robbins to fill the position of police officer three, is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode, second by Commissioner Cox.

Any discussion?

Uh I have another discussion.

Uh just want to say welcome to what we're about to approve you in just a moment.

We're thrilled to have another female on the staff as you and I have talked.

Uh there's domestic violence issues, there's rape cases, there are child abuse cases, there are things that need a female on that job.

Not that our guys aren't awesome and wonderful, but we really appreciate your diligence, the training you've already had.

We appreciate the way you're coming to us, and we'd look for you to be one of our finest officers.

So all in favor, aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

All right, let's welcome Dana.

Well, I think it's all that guy's smile.

Big smiles.

Come on, Jason, pick smiles.

Andrew, I apologize for him.

See that one.

Okay, item number two.

We have a presentation from Tom Sparks of Summers McCreary and Sparks, who will go over our fiscal year 2025 audit.

Mr.

Sparks.

As the mayor said, I am Sparks, Summers for Sparks, and I'm glad to represent uh my crew tonight.

Hopefully, before you have a good copy of the audit, I think the minor received earlier.

They did, yes, sir.

So this is just the final prettier.

It's the same before.

I'd like to thank uh uh Alicia and Mike and their staff uh and assisting our team when we're on the site doing the audit and it's very efficient and cooperative and helping us get the short period of time this year.

Um I'm gonna start off by letting you know uh you all didn't have to have a single on it because you have federal funds that flow through the city this year, some more of the ARP money and a C D BG grant that flowed through the city to the industrial party uh about a million dollars and you are aware of that.

So the I'm just gonna hit the highlights of the audit, but please stop me if I uh if there's something you want to discuss or something that I mentioned to discuss.

Uh the audit is 107 pages.

I'm not going to read y'all 107 pages.

Thank you.

Yeah.

I also let you know.

I think you all been on the commission before, but you also have WU is your component unit, and you'll see them listed in your audit.

I am not going to go through any of their information.

Uh that audit's been presented to their commission, and they've accepted and approved it.

Okay, so uh your audit is composed.

Pages one to nine is a letter of transmittable.

This is prepared by your management team.

So any information in there we've just included in the audit, but we have not repaired any of that.

Uh pages 10 and 12.

This is at independent offer 4.

This is really only part of the audit that is ours.

And if you'll turn to uh page uh uh in that letter, the second paragraph, you'll see uh the second paragraph says in our opinion, the financial standards proposed above percent fair.

That's a cleanest report that an auditor can put on the set of financial standards, and uh that's how we that's what we presented this year uh's office.

Um there was a new auditing standard.

You look down to the third paragraph, uh GasBe 101 dealt with compensated excisions, and all it did was reflect a what gas we thought a more thorough amount of liability of compensation that may be realized in the future of the people that accumulated their compensated leave.

So we did have any went back during the year.

Um so the next part of the audit is on page 13 to 25, and this is the MDA management discussion and analysis.

This also was prepared by the city using some audited information uh, and that's what I want to draw your attention to.

Uh, if you're turning to page 19, uh and I think I've said it in the past, there's two different financial statements that are in your audit.

One is like a full approval, which is governmental, which you all do not budget, but it is required to be in your audit, and then there's what we call a fund-wide, which you all do budget, and that's what I'm gonna go through on page nine, uh page 19.

So this is the analysis of your uh your uh balance sheet, basically on page 19.

Uh what I'd like to draw to your attention, you'll see that cash did increase about 6.6 million dollars, but this was primarily from a 12.3 million dollar loan that you got during the year that was parked in your capital funds uh budget.

And then the bad news is if you go down under fund balances and you look under the line that says unassigned in 2024, it was 5.1 million.

This year is 3.6.

This is continually going down, and it's gonna create a situation where you're all gonna have to really monitor your budget uh going forward.

Um if you'll turn to page 20, page 20.

This is your uh at the bottom of the page, your retin expenses.

Uh just hit some highlights there, your revenues.

Uh, they were up about 4.7 million dollars.

Now, this was primarily from federal grants that came in.

Your uh ARB money and uh your C D B G money, and then under expenses, uh they increased about 5.3 million dollars.

Primarily, this was in the uh wages and employee benefits that have been employed with the cop study from the prior year to really kick in for a full year of the year, and then on capital expenditures.

You all had a tremendous amount you can see under capital, it went from 3.7 to 9.6.

Um, and I'll make mention that in a few minutes.

But those were the biggest items that affected your expenditures during the year.

If you'll turn to page 22, down under major at the bottom of the page, major capital projects for the year, you can see where the increases came during the year.

Construction progress, you had several things ongoing.

And then you had under the vehicles, you had like nine police cruisers, I think were purchased last year, and then there was a uh fire truck and a ladder truck both purchased, and those are uh pretty good increases to your uh your vehicle uh line item.

Then on uh page uh well, so on page 22, that uh construction progress, and you turn to page not right now, but on page 57, there's a detail of all the construction and progress projects that were going on, and uh they hopefully will be completed in this year.

Uh the next part of the audit is on page 26 to 38 to use the financial statements, then again, there's two bases of county percentage.

I'm only gonna hit the fund light on what you all budget, the other you don't budget, uh, because it's got all kinds of crazy numbers with the liabilities for pension and OPEB and things like that that you all really have no control over.

So on page 28 of the audit, you'll see your major funds are listed, general fund, capital equipment, state and federal grants, and then your non-major uh funds.

This could change each and every year.

There's a schedule in the back that has a detail of all the non-major funds, and it depends on the amount of money they have coming in and the amount of revenue they have going out, which determines if they're major or non-major.

But as you can see, uh up into the first line item on that page under the cash, 2.2 million is sitting in capital equipment, and that's primarily from the loan.

Um then on page 30 is the statement revenues and expenditures.

Uh, just want to point out a few line items here.

Uh same items you have capital equipment, general capital equipment and the federal state grant.

You can see under the capital, the full point bank 4.4 million dollars, that's what went out.

Um, and then over in the uh federal and state grants, 2.3 million, that's your uh uh ARPA monies, and the one million on the C D D G to pass through.

Uh then under capital equipment.

If you uh go down under other financing, you'll see 12.3 million was that new loan that came in.

And then if you look at the at the very bottom of that worksheet says net change and fund balance.

This is where the commission and the management's really got to look at uh the net change and fund balance under general fund was a negative 1.7, and of course, what's under federal grants, we expect it to be negative because that money comes in and you want to spend all of it, so that's natural.

Um then the next part of the audit um okay on page 32 and 33 is the uh the actual to budget uh line items, and so if you turn to those pages, 32 and 33, you can see your original budget, your final budget, your actual how everything really shook out, and then that lack is column is most important because it has the favorable or unfavorable amount between the budget and the actual.

So you have several uh unfavorable uh line items that you know in this year's budget, which I think you're it's the budget members said it already?

No, no.

Okay, okay.

You just really have to hone in to get a little more accurate on your uh actual merchant original budget, and the second page is the special revenues, and then this will have uh mainly uh the spending of the uh loan that you borrow and all the various, I think there was six or seven different categories that that loan was going to be used for.

Yeah, and so that will be uh reflected in that budget.

Next, um questions so far.

Okay.

Pages 39 to 86.

These are the notes in the financial statement, and they keep going as government standards continue to grow, and we have to keep on increasing to be in compliance.

But all I want to uh reference to if you turn to page 55, note number four.

Um 55 note number four.

This is a detail of we talked about this several times, but this is a detail of your fixed assets.

You can see the addition columns uh of what really is taking place under the construction and progress.

When something gets completed, it's shown as a negative number because we move it out of there to a line item that's probably either infrastructure, which most of the projects are, uh talking about construction and progress.

If you'll turn to page uh 57, so these are all the projects that are at the bottom of the page, number number seven, construction progress.

These are all of the projects that you had going on as of June 3025.

So you can see kind of where they started, what the uh the addition, when they completed, and what's the ending balance of those?

Um the next thing I want to draw to your attention is on page 58 because this will be a factor in your budgeting for 26.

Um page 58.

Oh, okay, is your uh at the top of page number eight, no foot note eight, is your uh long-term debt.

As you can see, you have your beginning balance and a big condition is of course that new bond.

Uh, then you have been paying down on your other finance purchases.

Uh, but then when you look at your schedule, next year it's not going to be too bad for the principal, but your interest, I think, on that new bond uh is pretty significant.

Um, I think it was like 500,000.

Does that sound right, Alicia?

Um I think I I looked at the administration schedule, but then I think that's about right.

Um, if you look over on uh the page 59, you can kind of see the uh principal map and the interest map.

I'm sorry, 619,000, but that's a combination of all of debt.

So it is gonna be a factor in your budgeting for next year.

Um the next thing I want to uh just bring to your attention is on page 79.

Uh the city always gets uh use uh bombarded, but you get a lot of uh entities within the city county that wants money, and so last year, note number 19 under related organizations, 445,000 was granted by the city to these organizations, so that'll be another factor into your budgeting.

Um page 86.

I want to draw your attention to note number 24.

Change in accounting pressure.

I mentioned this at the start, there wasn't new accounting standard that uh was implemented, had to be implemented the cities, and basically what he did was just change the way you all reflected the amount that you were going to have to pay on or recognize for people who had earned vacation time and buildup, so it has to be uh reflected in financial statements a little more than it had been in the past, and so you're gonna see the effects is basically uh $652,000 had to be increased to your liability to get you in compliance, and there again, that was more of a governmental which you are not technically budget for, but it is something that could come into play down the road when people start retiring.

Um the rest of the audit, there's a section here called the uh required supplemental uh information that all has to do with the OPIP and pension plans.

And then I mentioned uh if you turn to page uh 96.

We talked about non-major funds.

As you can see, all of the non-major funds as of January 2025 are listed here, and they're only non-magic because either of their assets did not reach the threshold or their revenues didn't reach the threshold of them called a major program.

Um and these are they stayed about the same every year, but uh those are the non-major programs.

Um then on page uh 98.

We mentioned uh over in subtitles of financial impact on the uh of the uh federal uh grants, as you can see.

Um you have the on page 98.

You have the uh I call it short for ARPA, which is that federal pass through money, and then you have the CDBG that was passed through to uh industrial authority.

Uh then we have our letters in the back.

Again, issue an opinion in accordance to the government auditing standards, which when we do your audit your financial audit, there's some provisions that we must also check for the government auditing standards, and we did, and we did not have any issues with uh any non-compliance.

Likewise, there's a report over on page uh 102 of you had to audit your single under a single audit standard, your grant, and so we had to audit the grant to make sure you were in compliance with all the red tape associated with any federal money that you get, and you are in complete compliance with that, so we did not have any findings for your federal grant programs.

Um then we did not uh we do not know any major issues this year.

I mean, we always got a little this and that, mainly with uh purchase orders, either you know, not being dated in a sequence, but the good news is those purchase orders that we did find, they were for allowable type expenses, so it wasn't any unallowable expenditures that we found in our testing.

Um also laid out before you a two-page letter, which is called the governor's letter.

This is a board of click letter that we are required to issue to the board.

Basically, the nuts of it is this.

If we had found or had any disagreement with management, if they refuse to post any of our proposed audit adjustments, or they didn't cooperate in any form or fashion, we would be required to issue that in the letter.

I'm happy to say that we have no issues with management.

They posted their audit adjustments, we reviewed the uh audit justice posted to U.S.

Financials, match those up to the audit and financial numbers, and they were in agreement, so we're good.

Um, as I was speaking to Alicia, we have a couple more things that we've got to get done.

We got to get the UFER, uh, which is something the state requires, and then we got to get a data collection report done.

And the data collection report is just on these federal programs, and it's just all electronic uh communication between what's in the audit that we send up to the federal government, they look at it, send us email back to Alicia, and then it goes to us, and then we forward it on.

It's a brief standard uh back and forth, but that's enough of all the audit for this year.

Uh, like I say that we did not have any major issues with anything of uh compliance nature of the um government auditory standards or under the federal programs.

Um is there any questions?

So basically, what you're saying is the city of Winchester has a clean audit.

They have a clean audit.

Yes, any questions for anyone we got an A, so that's an A.

We got an A.

Okay, thank you, Tom.

If you all do have a questions, uh as always, you can email me or call me in the office, and I'd be glad to get right back to you with any questions that you have.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate you.

Mayor, I you need to adopt the audit.

We will okay.

All right, is there a motion to adopt the audit as presented?

Motion by Commissioner Cox.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Chenult.

Any more discussion?

All in favor.

Aye.

Any opposed by white sign?

Motion carries.

Mayor.

Sir.

Um I think Alicia.

Alicia, did you want to say something?

I do.

If you don't mind.

Come on up.

I've been through a few of these.

So I just wanted to speak over just a minute, and I appreciate I do all learning.

I mean to speak.

Usually audits are pretty unstandard, and most other people are just I'm glad that they're over.

Um and I'm not saying I'm not a person, but this audit is um has some significance for me.

I started as a finance director in July, in July July 2023.

So the fiscal 2024 budget I was already completed.

That's why I worked, um I worked and I will learn from that budget because of the timing of the audits.

I was a part of the fiscal 2023 audit as well as the fiscal 2024.

But for the fiscal 2025 year, um, it was the first a year that I was in the integral part of the entire process for budget, but a creation to audit completion.

Um this really allowed me to see the whole picture and see how see it like that.

This is how it comes um how it all comes together.

It was amazing to hear that we have a clean audit, especially with all the moving parts that I've had within the city uh during a fiscal year.

Um all of this could not be possible without the hard work of the city employees that were tirelessly to ensure proper procedures are followed.

I want to take a second to especially thank my team, the finance I'm a department.

I have an amazing group of five hard working old ladies.

They were they they were all in place before I began working on for the city, but we have a seamlessly uncreated a great team.

They have placed their trust in me, and in turn, I have tried to show them that I'm always in their corner and I'll have their backs.

They deal with them so much, but I am disguised it all because we still show up ready to work and I'm do the best of job for um for everyone involved.

Every department has a sub interaction of with my office, and these ladies genuinely care about doing what's best for each each department um whatever they are involved in.

They're all the drama, the chaos, the public comments, and just the general bad attitudes.

They responded with a smile and they have a great day and still ask me how they can help make my job easier.

I tend to I I tend to take on too many tasks, and they recognize that, and they are always willing to unless and I please my burden.

I can never repay them for how they have embraced me in my own leadership, but I will always try to do what's in their best interest.

Along with my amazing team, this commission has placed the best people in the leadership and positions for departments from public works, police, fire and MS, I'm planning and zoning in every department in between.

You have created a group of dedicated public servants that I have a a heart for their departments, but I mean but also this on the city as well.

We ask each other's opinions and develop and respect for each other above and beyond what is expected in our positions.

The cooperation between at least departments with my office, even when they may not understand why a procedure, why a procedure has to be a certain way.

I mean is amazing.

They never fail to answer all my questions, pull documents for me, and never miss a deadline because they know the importance um to the city as a whole.

They are the embodiment of good stewards of the taxpayer funds and only one to provide the best of service to those in this community.

They should not only be committed for the work that they do that every one of them sees, but they should, but I'm gonna get also the late nights in the mornings doing the budget, writing purchase orders, reviewing expense reports and dealing with endless emails and questions while also I'm keeping a department of or two running officially.

This is difficult to juggle on a bad day, or it's a difficult unjuggle on a good day, much less while dealing with some of the other issues that they encounter all the time.

Um overall, I just want to get to honestly give credit where all the credit is due and make sure that everyone that I've had a hand in ensuring audit compliance and that we are standing up here today with a clean audit report, got the recognition of that they deserve.

Public service will sometimes go unnoticed and um unappreciated.

I want them to know that I appreciate the work done by the employees of this city and what they do matters.

Um to the commission, I hope that you um I you remember that you keep that in mind as you continue to lead and guide us into another fiscal year.

Thank you, Alicia.

So I guess I could say on behalf of the city commission, job well done.

Okay, let's move back to our agenda to O business.

I will point out before we take up any business here.

Item 3B.

Um you want to read that and so we can go ahead and mark that off of our agenda 3B.

Appeal of a denied beer cheese relief fund grant application.

Catherine Pate and Cynthia Markham, Harlow's Lux Living, and withdrawal of appeal.

Okay, so they have withdrawn their appeal.

Is that correct?

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, 3A.

Appeal of a denied beer cheese relief fund grant application on behalf of Charlena Harman, the hall.

Uh yes, ma'am.

I'll I'll give you the based upon the direction of the commission at the last meeting, you all had asked Whitney and myself to investigate uh explore uh the issue as it relates to these appeals.

Um one of the first things that we did was we uh um the most important part of the process was the CPA and being able to certify the monies um that were being being reimbursed through the beer cheese relief fund um and working the the previous applicants um and those that receive funds from that um the CPA was acquired via um it was in gratis um as I understand and that uh CPA um is no longer available to do these um type of um reviews and certify those numbers um as such um I inquired of our CPA the city of Winchester who we use for our certified public accountant and um in our discussions that we had um with them um we were informed that they would not certify any numbers that weren't actual numbers they had to be actual numbers that's important to note it couldn't be a projected number and he wouldn't provide a certification for that so as such um I think that if they will not certify the numbers and I'm just giving you the facts for your decision making process that there's the potential exists that it would invalidate or negate the process that took place in the originals um with those that that got that these are per these would be projected numbers and we did ask I think the Mr.

Hall and I think Whitney did uh had asked them to hold their information because if they supply us with their information then it becomes a matter of public record and we have to we would be subject to open records request the way the process was run before it was not a matter of open records they didn't have to and then after the CPA looked at that they shred the information and that that information no longer exists so um you know that's the commission's decision um to to uh uh uh uphold the decision it was made or to move off uh that and um um you know look at something as it re relates to the appeal but I can tell you that we we would not we can't find or we won't be able to find the CPA to certify those numbers which will be in direct contradiction to everything that was done before so that's where we stand today um and um whitney had done her due diligence and look into that and and I'm sure that they went back based upon your old direction or based on the commission's direction last time and pull information together but that information if we review that I I don't know that they're actual maybe uh if if there is actual information there then that is but I would think that that would be projected information so that's where we stand today and that's what we were asked to do and that's where where we are at as a staff this evening.

Okay anyone have any comments is there any way that we can help anything that we can do to help this issue in a positive way they can go forward that's that's totally up to the commission I mean I as far as the the the funds are concerned and the methodology by which they were dispersed through that process I think that um like I said I think you wouldn't validate the process the one that was approved before the one that you the appeal that was approved before the there was a loophole found and uh in the uh the way it was done or or in the requirements that were there and um you know I can't I I can't answer that question.

You're all the commission you all direct you all direct staff to do these things my job is to provide you the information and that's the information that that we found um Commissioner Chanal I I don't know if you say do something I'm gonna do what you tell me to do.

Basically because the previous owner will not provide them with the information that they need we have only what we our CPA I'm sorry go ahead I was gonna ask if Whitney could be put on the spot and not in direct reference to the hall necessarily um I don't know if that would even be public information but a discussion of what general grants occur downtown and again not necessarily what the hall is receiving but what we have given to various businesses whether it's I mean I can answer my own question but I'm doing this you know for everyone here the uh DDIF narrative or I'm sorry beard like the high side narrative for that one amount um and then what other DDIF programs some of our businesses are capturing and are still able to capture until this next which this will be completed but you know what I mean just kind of what's happening the DTF offers a variety of different grants some of them are focused on renovations of two buildings so we're not getting as many of those applications or we weren't because a lot of those renovations took place when the program first started so the majority of the program uh focuses on our new business grants and so those are specifically our Kickstarter grant which helps with purchase of um like it states kick starting your business um that could be something like signage or equipment or marketing your your cash register your point sales and stuff something like that um it's very flexible the other is the um rental reimbursement and your business staking which is uh five hundred dollars a month um provided to a new business uh within their first two years they can apply for it in the second year it's paid out quarterly based on receipts of their um rent payment so they get that about $1500 every three months um throughout the year and then they can reapply in their second year and then there was the uh the narrative then there was the yes this year we we implemented the highest high side support grant which was three thousand dollars up to three thousand dollars based on a narrative of construction impact um and we gave out a significant amount of and your letter for the next agenda item apologies for interrupting you um 75 thousand dollars more than yes to 28 businesses okay yeah um so then the renovation grants cover things like um roof replacements or facade upgrades uh those sorts of things that's kind of crap is that is your question yes ma'am thank you okay any other comments well i i really want to do something to uh fifth if there you don't can it can we get i'm not the legal i know there's your there's your legal yeah i give you the facts i know i know is there anything that we can do mr dynamic it's up to you i mean the issue is protected loss that's i think that's what the cpa that we tried to uh engage in order to keep that the value between public and you can potentially public information if we were to get the the number uh ourselves and look at them try to get a cpa involved and they wouldn't they wouldn't certify any projected numbers uh i don't know if i'm uh legally to stop you from doing that it's not illegal but projected is projected is there a way we could do a you know like after the construction was complete there were if this increased by diff percentage and use some of those numbers to

I don't know if I'm uh legally to stop you from doing that's not legal, but projected is projected.

Is there a way we could do a you know, like after the construction was complete, there were business increased by this percentage and use some of those numbers to uh project something uh where would the numbers come from well what they what their what their income was before the while the construction was in its you know uh a month's worth of business while the while the construction was taking place and then compare it to the uh their revenue after after uh a construction was almost completed and compare the no numbers and say you know their business was hurt by 25 percent again you you all are decision makers, yeah.

You can decide to do that.

I uh the problem that I think was presented to Mr.

Flynn was that um the CPA as you said I don't know repeat it again, but if we have the numbers it's subject to become public, so we can't touch the number that has to be an injured intermediary.

Um that would be a CPA and our CPA would not do it, so anyone able to take a step, you know what some kind of percentage loss it's it's rejected, but you can do it.

Oh sorry, is there anything else that we can do?

Anything that we as a board that we can do.

No, I'm thinking about I'm not sure how to answer that.

I guess my only question would be did that application, and of course we didn't see any of the applications, but did that application comply with the rest of the applications?

Is there anything does that make sense what I'm asking Whitney?

Or were all the applications reviewed the same under the same criteria?

I guess is what I'm well yeah, and the things are actual losses, so that that's what they're mentioning um here is that this would be a projected loss, and so that's where the issue comes in and that I did ask the the halls when you guys after the last meeting to pull those numbers, but then the CPA said that they could not certify projected losses, and then you know um I also draw into question projected losses for other businesses as well.

Um so we're looking at projected versus out and then question so with all due respect.

Um based on the application requirements, I will make a motion to uphold the initial decision as made by the grant committee.

Okay, is there a second taken by Commissioner Strode?

Any further discussion I just think before we vote, I would I would like to give them another opportunity to find some way working with Whitney before she goes that you you could say you know our revenue before was and have have a have it how have your accountant say your revenue before the construction was complete, was was what or we had construction was completed, your revenue increase by this percentage.

I think it has to be worded, right?

They are committed business downtown, but the application requirements weren't met.

But they did why did the other people withdraw their appeal?

Do you know they have a let is the letter in there?

Okay.

I'm sorry.

Okay.

They didn't give an individual.

Okay.

Okay.

Okay.

I didn't know if you knew okay.

You knew a reason.

Okay.

Okay, we have a motion on the floor.

To deny the appeal.

Is that what your motion was?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

I know what Joe's saying.

I know what changed.

I think you I think the other thing that Hannah's talking about, and we talked about this before, is opening up to other people to come back and say the same thing.

You know, we were denied, and why were we denied?

So you've got you've got that issue as well, which I'm concerned about.

We spent through this process pretty quickly, and I think the initial intention of the narrative to receive it for $3,000 was our attempt at a and I'm using these words by my own use, but a cover all because we do want to support exactly, but I I still got to stand by application requirements, and I'm sorry.

Okay, go come on up.

What are the applications?

Come on up to the podium.

I would you said that twice.

So there was like the checklist that the CPA went through and marked off.

I would have to go back and look at what that is, but I know that it's the financials, and I think one blip in my opinion.

I understand, and that's what's unfortunate about this particular grant, but what is beneficial to the grants for the narratives or the kick start or the rental assistance?

I understand what you're saying.

I just if we're if we're going to create guidelines and rules and then just not abide by them, what's the point?

Well, that's like they said they found wood vote for somebody else.

Sure.

Well, and she that business was in existence in the city of Winchester.

I'm not just in existence.

Yes, in July.

In July?

Yes, sir.

But I can't make them give me the financials from July back to January.

I understand that.

And then the city took all the parking on that side.

So I I understand I hear your frustration, other than repeating that I would have to go back to see what the application said to see what the CPA approved because that was the first hurdle for every business.

And that you know, we have made an honest attempt at trying to help everyone.

This 78,000 dollars to 28 businesses.

I I am not a business owner on Main Street in Winchester, so I can't stand in your shoes.

But what I can say is that if we are here to create guidelines, we are supposed to uphold them.

Okay.

Okay.

All in favor of denying the appeal.

Say aye.

I need opposed by like some.

Oh opposed.

I'm opposed.

Okay.

Motion carries three to two.

Sorry, it ended like that, but we've got to be fair across the board.

And um these are the tough decisions we have to make.

So we had denied other people for the same reason.

I think it was gonna open up.

You want to say that a little bit louder?

I said, I think it was gonna open a can of worms because we had denied others that did not do that.

I understand their frustration and she's delivered.

I will say that some of it was which they met these requirements 20 hours a week, and you have to remain open six months, correct?

After receiving it.

Um, so there are a lot of parameters, and there were a few people that were denied because they didn't meet those.

That's right, including financials.

And they are not the only ones that were denied, correct?

Yeah.

Well the other one that withdrew the heal was denied for the same crank here.

Okay, item four new business.

Uh a recommendation from Michael H.

Flynn, city manager.

And we oh, I'm sorry.

And Whitney Lickett strategic communications and downtown development director to pause the DDIF program until further notice.

Is there a motion?

So moved.

Is there a second motion by commissioner tool, second by commissioner strode?

Any further discussion?

All in favor, aye, aye.

Any opposed by like sign, motion carries item.

A few of these things that are in here and the anticipation is that the program be paused for minimum of 18 to 24 months, which means that there will be we will not receive any applications from this point forward as of this date and talking to Whitney.

We have six applications that have been received.

Those will be held by staff.

And then at such time the program reopens back up, then we will uh take those in the order that they were received.

They might have to update some of the information and provide some additional things, but since they did submit applications, we'll show them uh the courtesy of looking at their applications uh in the order they were uh received.

And I think um Commissioner Tools already already mentioned it, but um, you know, we you know, since the establishment of all this, um, we have uh invested over well over half a million dollars, 580,000 in downtown Winchester and the things that we've done with the grants and all the other things that are there.

So I mean, we do, I think this commission's took a very conscientious effort to um invest in downtown and um and uh while it it's very important, and we've done a lot of we've done a lot of projects in downtown.

I've been part of a lot of projects in downtown that includes the um uh depot street, um, the main street uh project and a lot of things that Brian and his staff have done downtown to help improve things.

So um you know uh again it's unfortunate the decision that had to be made there before, and um hopefully that uh we can continue to grow what we've done.

And Mr.

Flynn, and maybe Whitney can clarify, but we'll rear it reiterate that anyone who is receiving like rental assistance right now will finish that program.

Yeah, yes, there no one's being cut short.

No, if they got a if they've got a grant in progress, um as we sit here tonight, we'll we'll finish that grant out, and then once it closes, actually, we just um submitted for uh uh reimbursement of a rental assistance that was the final payment today.

I signed the PO for that.

So we'll finish those that we've got out, and then once they finish, then we'll then the program shut down until until we find a sustainable uh revenue source to uh maintain that program moving forward.

Okay, thank you for bringing that those points up.

Thank you very much.

Reasons okay, Joey.

We have a motion and a second on the floor.

You all have already voted.

Yes, there we go.

All right, item four B, uh resignation letter of Whitney Leggett, Strategic Communications and Downtown Development Director.

Is there a motion to accept her resignation?

I think I think Joey have to read this first.

The order okay go ahead.

Or I don't have to read it at all, and she has to stay.

That's the point.

No, go ahead.

An order accepting the resignation of Whitney Leggett, Winchester First Director, which it should be uh strategic communications and downtown development director.

Okay, I will make that motion with regret.

Okay, all in favor, aye.

I have a little pattern or comment.

Any opposed by what you say?

I'm gonna have a okay.

Motion carries, and now we're gonna take a little breather.

Go ahead, well, and I just want to say when Whitney came on it, probably it's not a personal thing, but she and I've had this discussion a few times.

I leaned in there a good amount, and I think she carried the torch well.

I think this position is painful, and I think we need a serious revision or pause on this position.

Uh to the commission clearly.

Um, but there's been a lot of turnaround and I wish you luck going further back into your journalism roots.

Okay, fair enough.

Well, and I felt I can speak to this pretty well because uh Whitney and I sit on beer cheese together, and she has been a wonderful leader for beer cheese and for downtown businesses.

And it's the toughest job to please all the businesses downtown.

It just is, and she's taken a lot of hits, um, which are not fair because they haven't been her fault.

But she's an excellent job, and we're gonna miss you, Whitney, so much.

I thank you for all you've done, and you have really gotten the marketing off for downtown, and I want that to continue somehow.

We we've got to do that.

Find a way to do it, but I think Hannah's right.

It's gotta be reworked and revised, maybe, because I do think that this position, the hardest part is dealing with almost bullying that happens in that position.

And it's true.

So I hate that.

I'm embarrassed about it, but it's kind of what happens.

Well, Witty, all I can say is our loss is Berea College's game.

God speed and the best of luck in that new position, and you will be missed.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Okay, item five ordinance for second reading.

Joey will read the ordinance and then we will have a roll call vote since it is a second reading.

Uh this is a summary, an ordinance establishing the duties of city safety officers.

A complete copy of the ordinance is available at city hall.

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

William A Dyke attorney for the city of Winchester.

Okay, is there a motion?

So moved.

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Cox.

Any further discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by a like sign?

Motion carries.

Oh, roll call.

Commissioner Chenal.

I'm still reading from that last decision.

So do you agree?

Yes.

Commissioner Strode.

Yes.

Mayor Reed.

Yes.

Commissioner Cox.

Yes.

Commissioner Toole.

Yes.

I just said roll call and turn right around.

Did something different?

Okay.

Item six.

Personnel orders are actually A through G.

We've already taken care of G, so A through F.

Madam Clerk.

An order employing Darrell Daly to fill the position of crossing guard.

Is there a motion?

So move.

Motion Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Cox.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by the like sign?

Motion carries item six B.

In order employing Anthony Epperson to fill the position of operator one.

Is there anything?

I did skip one, but where is he at?

In order and playing Monty Stamper to fill the position of crossing guard.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Cox.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries item six C.

And order employing Anthony Epperson to fill the position of operator one.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Strode.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

All right.

Any opposed by sign?

Motion carries item six D.

In order amending the position description of administrative assistant, historic preservation commission assistant to administrative planning assistant.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Cox.

Any discussion?

Yes, ma'am.

Um I think this person already does this, but maybe it should fall under examples of work is attending the board of adjustment meetings.

And it kind of goes without being said that they would be doing that.

But I she does attend.

You would like to have it inserted into the examples of work.

Requirements.

Yes, please.

Okay.

That's there should be no problem.

You see that soon.

I didn't notice it on there.

I noticed that they did like the memos and the minutes.

And I know that she currently attends those meetings.

Um, I just think for examples of work consistency.

Make sure that it says that she attends the board of adjustments meeting.

Yes, please.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Thank you, Commissioner Strode.

Commissioner Tool.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Item uh we need a vote.

Okay.

Sorry.

That's okay.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries item six e in order adopting a vehicle maintenance mechanics shop form and position description classification and pay plan.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode, second by Commissioner Cox.

Any further discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by a like sign?

Motion carries item six F.

In order adopting a police officer three position description classification and pay plan.

Is there a motion?

So move.

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Cox.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries item seven.

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

There's nobody signed up.

No one signed up.

Okay.

Leisha, you're gonna speak again.

Oh okay, just checking.

Thank you.

Okay, and we do need to go into closed session.

And I'm gonna let Mr.

Dykman tell us for what item.

It would be uh property acquisition uh 61 feet and be okay to see potentially and potential litigation.

Okay, Commissioner Cox, would you like to make your motion?

Make a motion we adjourn to closed session at this point for uh items related to KRF chapter 61810B property acquisition and KRS chapter 618 and C potential litigation at the end of the closed session.

We adjourn the closed session and this regular session meeting simultaneously.

Is there a second?

Okay.

Second by Commissioner Strode.

Any further discussion?

All in favor, aye.

We will now adjourn to the city manager's office.

Thank you.