The Winchester City Commission met on April 21, 2026, to consider a first-reading ordinance on recovery residences, approve multiple personnel actions including the hiring of two police officers, and discuss budget and community updates. All votes were unanimous.
Mr. John Cheney will be leading us this evening. John. Please remain standing. Chief Thompson will lead us in our invitation. Heavily father, we thank you for the opportunity to get out here tonight and build the business of the city. We thank you for these commissioners. We thank you for our employees, and we thank you for these citizens that are engaged in this community. And then please be seated. Okay, let's go to item number five ordinance for first reading. And Diana taught me today that we no longer are, I guess it's always been that way. So no vote. Okay, Diane. Sorry. Okay. An ordinance promoting public health and the requirement of certification of recovery residences providing housing for individuals in recovery from substance use. Okay, is there a motion? I'm a motion by Commissioner Strode. Is there a second? Second. Second by Commissioner Chenau. Any discussion among the commissioners first? Yeah, I've got some questions about this. Okay. Is there a non-profit? You know, I think it's different from a profit run business. Uh because I I don't like them to well, up the street from me, we had a uh a for-profit entity up there that that was a mess. But is there a for-profit business? Shouldn't they have to adhere to the same rules as a person running a garage out of their out of their building or a person having a beauty shop in their house? Since it's a for profit thing, and have to go before the board of adjustments and adhere to the same rules and guidelines that those those folks do. Yeah, well this is to be considered by the board of adjustments. Yeah, so they consider that as part of the recovery residence as well, right? And things like that. Yes, and and no, it's a little bit different because of fair housing. That impacts housing federal fair health laws impact recovery residents to some degree might be different than a Harrison law. So but it but in general, I think you're right that this is gonna be this is gonna be reviewed by and passed or rejected by the board of adjustments. Yeah, and I mean a a non-profit shouldn't be able to operate differently, I think, than for that a for-profit. Well, if they're gonna be recovery residents, they still have to at least comport with the recovery residence that you 22500, yeah, or they cannot, yes. That's state law, yes. That is adopted not just by reference, but set out a lot. Yeah, I mean, it doesn't matter whether or not it's for a profit or not for a profit. Well, what if the board of adjustment says no, you you can't come here? You can't have like four up around the block from me that had a a two bedroom house with 12 people in it, you know. Well then that would have an enforcement action if they're operating illegally, then I mean that they can be shut out according to the order. This gives it work the you know this order to do that, the ability to do that, which we currently do not have lawfully the ability to do that, yeah. Well, this shut itself down when they basically destroyed the house and and uh broke it down every car on the street to at least one anything else you want to highlight I did I just you know what it just and the business license being a thousand dollars uh for these is that the general business license price? No, with the business license if you look on it in section four under the requirements for the recovery residents under uh to a maintenance of they have to have a business license, which is the what which would be the general business license, but there's a yearly fee of a thousand dollars that's paid at home uh in addition, in addition in business okay, there's a fee licensure fee that's associated with this type of activity. Okay, well, would that be waived if it's a nonprofit or not as it's currently laid out, no? Business like it would be the business business. Okay, I'm charge a ones.