Please remain standing.

What's this meeting and the commissioners make a difficult decision?

And then please be seated.

And we'll officially call the meeting to order.

I will excuse Commissioner Cox from the four thirty meeting.

Apparently he has a work commitment and will not be with us.

Um he said maybe later.

Don't know.

So let's go to the item number two presentation.

Caico Opioid Solutions Network and Miss Jennifer Miles is with us this evening to make a presentation.

And do you want us to interrupt you with questions or do you want us to wait till the end?

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Um I was honored to be selected by the Clark County Judge Executive to represent Clark County in the Cato Open Solutions Network.

And as part of that, we were asked as a to uh develop or to determine which project we wanted to take part in.

They gave us the choice of three projects.

One was become a recovery ready community.

The second one was to uh develop uh abate a good funding review committee.

And the third was to develop a strategic plan for the opioid abatement funding.

So since Clark County is already a recovery ready community, and since we already have both Clark County and Winchester have set up their own opioid funding committees, we chose to develop a strategic plan for the use of those that funding in the future.

And this is a free uh initiative.

It's it's supported by CACO.

There is um a rapid implementation technical assistance hub at the University of Kentucky that will assist us in the strategic planning process.

And uh just to tell you a little bit about me.

Um I'm a lifelong resident of Clark County.

I have worked at the University of Kentucky for 32 years.

I'm a CPA by training, and uh I was assistant controller at the University of Kentucky for a while, so I have some fiscal background, and for the last seven years, I was the project director for the healing community study, of which Clark County was one of the 16 communities that we worked in.

So that's my background and why I think I'm uniquely qualified to help Winchester Clark County with developing a strategic plan for the opiate abatement funding in the future uh we hope that this would benefit all of Clark County's.

It will take the infrastructure we already have in place, provide support for that.

We would use the recovery ready community application as a stepping starting point since they identified some gaps in our community.

We would use that as a starting point, and then see what other wraparound services that we need in Clark County and use that as a guidepost for future funding.

So I'm asking if you all would like to be part of this process, and but Jennifer, that does not dictate where the dollars go.

It does not.

The only thing that dictates where the dollars go would be the settlement agreements themselves and the KRS statute.

Okay, um Commissioner Strode and Commissioner Tool represent us on the opioid, so I'll know if either one of them have any comments, and then I would like to ask the city manager his opinion on what we think we should do.

So Mr.

Joel, anything or commissioner strode could hurt to you, Hannah?

No, especially um if it's a free initiative.

Um I do not mean to sign this any second way, but free is usually hard to come by.

So with CACO, are you related to any of the other organizations that like work with opioid abatements or qualifying organizations or like can you give me a little insight as to why because you're saying you're with CACO, right?

No, no, oh forgive me, I'm sorry.

Okay, no, citizen of Clark County in this respect.

Okay, and just as an individual, okay, individual.

Have you worked in recovery or the healing community study was focused on testing implementation strategies, the ones in 16 counties in Kentucky and across four states?

Okay, just so yeah, I've worked in not really in recovery myself, sure, but I have helped support a very large project.

You're passionate about it.

Yes, I'm very passionate about it because it's it's affected by family.

Understood.

And maybe for sharing that detail.

Um, and there isn't matching or anything like you you had just said that there isn't any anything that we would be required to do with the county.

No, no matching, it would just be collaboration, correct?

Do you and this is just because we're on the um committee?

Do you know like I know this is all three settlements moving forward?

Do you have any projection or idea like whatsoever how ongoing this will be and will it like continue to increase?

You think do you think it will like do you have any insight to share that you could just share it right now?

Um, what I learned at the CACO um opioid solutions network just a few weeks ago was that there are um a couple more funding, uh couple more settlements that are just being finalized.

So there will be additional funding coming, and I have requested from CACO with the funding um outline, and as from what I understand, it's like a 10 to 14 years of funding overall that we will be receiving, and that I wanted to see the funds flow to see what's coming and when how long those funds continue to trickle in, don't they?

I get a little we just text every once in a while, yeah.

They're sporadic, not you never know when they're coming or what the amount just because we were kind of discussing last week too.

So we're know of what our funding is, but we don't know when we're getting it in that year and in what amount and what amount at each time till it adds up, right?

If we need a motion, do we need to maybe just one sec.

And and Jennifer, if I read this correctly, it's one of the 20 counties who were selected to participate.

Clark County was one of those 20 as statewide.

Yes.

That's pretty good.

It's the entire group.

So yes.

And besides that, we have a Clark County leader.

We do.

So Mr.

City Manager, you have any comment?

Do you like to?

I'm with the uh commissioners uh in regards to it.

I mean, I think if it uh can augment what we're already doing.

I just want to make sure that uh you know that uh it has no direct impact on the um our opioid abatement committee.

And I got some thoughts on that too, as I as I've thought about this for the last few days, and we had our initial meeting um about some things that we can do next year to improve the process, hopefully streamline it a lot more.

Long as it not doesn't impact those things.

I mean, there's no doubt that they'll provide insight and we'll be able to see what others are doing too that will probably help assist with that.

And we've got somebody that's representing our local needs and the things that are there.

So I mean, I have no problem.

And it's just gonna be kind of like a guide, right?

Correct, pretty much.

Yes.

Uh my only question would be what do you need from this body in order to move that to process?

Probably a motion.

Motion.

I think a motion that you all approved me working on this project collaboratively with members that you all identify.

I'll I will work with the ASAC committee um to identify lots of people will open meetings to the public so that they can kind of give their thoughts on what they think the gaps are.

But it's gonna be um it's a quick turnaround.

I think there we have a another meeting, the resolutions network has another meeting in September.

And so I think it'll be a year-long process.

And I don't know if it would be.

I mean, we're meeting this week, but I don't know if that's more of a I don't know if that would be an opening.

I don't know if that'd be appropriate, but probably probably.

Uh I wouldn't think so.

I mean, because we're we're our ours, our focus is on uh dispersing the fund requested through the application process at this point, and then and like I said, as they finish their work, I'm gonna call it a study for lack of better terms, as they finish their study, then hopefully you know it'll set us up good for next year because at this time you're gonna be doing this process again, and you'll have some more information that you can utilize to help you make better decisions next year as well.

And you'll stay in touch as we go along and periodic updates and that kind of thing.

However, often you want.

Okay, mayor did you want to make that motion?

You can make that motion.

I'll make a motion that we uh the city commission supports the strategic plan.

And sure, I'll second it.

Okay, all in favor, aye.

Aye, any opposed by like sign?

Motion carries.

Thanks, Jennifer.

Thank you.

Appreciate you.

Okay, we'll move down now to item three minutes of the May 5th, 2026 special 430, regular 530, May 7, 2026 special meeting 9 a.m.

and May 8, 2026 special meeting 9 a.m.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Toole.

Is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Shanauth.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by a like sign?

Motion carries item four, A through K.

Is there anything anyone would like to highlight?

A through K.

If not, I'll take a motion to approve departmental agency reports.

Is there a motion?

Motion by Commissioner Strode.

Is there a second?

Second.

Second by Commissioner Chenald.

Any discussion?

All in favor, aye.

Any opposed by like sign, motion carries.

Item five, informational items.

As you know, we take no vote on that.

Um I had just a couple things that I wanted to point out and see if I can find it here.

If you would look at H.

We did do a letter uh requesting that the governor continue the freeze on the state gas tax, which is 10 cents a gallon.

Uh at four or something this afternoon.

I got a text from KLC that said lawmakers warn gas tax reduction could cost cities millions in road funding.

Um I do want to read one paragraph and so everybody understands this.

Um the interim joint committee on transportation met on June 2nd, which was today.

And one of the topics included the impact of Governor Bashir's executive order reducing Kentucky motor fuels tax by 10 cents per gallon.

Testimony focused on the effect of the reduction on state transportation revenues and local road funding.

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Deputy Secretary Mike Hancock and Office of Budget and Fiscal Management Executive Director Sean McKierran testified that the reduction will decrease road fund revenues by approximately 26.8 million for every 30 days.

The executive order remains in effect.

Approximately $8 million of which would otherwise be paid out state motors purchasing fuel in Kentucky.

Because a portion of motor fuels tax revenue is shared with local governments through municipal road aid and county road aid programs.

Cities are expected to lose approximately 1.9 million dollars in municipal road aid funding for every 30-day period of the order remains in place.

So as I said, I just received that at four something.

It already does.

And it already is it already impacting us?

I will see when Diana reads the budget.

I mean, if you see the maximum fund, we we budget the mass of the negative because we are uh paving of the program is on more than we receive the gas tax.

So we're uh supplementing that for our own general fund, some of the lesson that we received from the state on gas tax the more that we're supplementing out of our general fund.

So it's either you do a less a paving or you supplement all more out of your own general fund, which is already a tight budget.

I know it kind of puts us in a it's a dilemma.

I as a citizen want my um my gas flow tax own to be unless I assume I don't love where it goes also.

May I ask a question?

Yeah, so has the governor approach it for the state on the 30-day basis, and then each city or county can dictate if they do it, or is it determined by the governor?

Now that I don't know.

I don't know what's uh saying it's a statewide.

It's a state.

It's a statewide.

No, I think we're either support or not.

The letter is either yes, we want our citizens to have a 10% per gallon gas cut right for another 30 days, or not.

But I've already sent the letter.

So sorry.

But you know, it's either way is a catchy.

Either way it just it's a double-edged sword.

Our gas we just got our gas or fuel bill for our fleet and $33,000.

So that was last.

Yeah.

Back to horses.

Good idea.

So I I wanted to point that.

I just got that at 402 or something like that.

So they just met today.

So that's the status at this moment.

I also wanted to point out item J should have been in your packet.

Uh received a uh letter thanking our firefighters from Larry Long.

And he said, I love what he said.

He said the firemen came to the house, they did their job, they were respectful, they were gentlemen, they are very much appreciated.

So I'd like to ask our HR director to put that in the folders, uh, personnel files for Tyler Tay's, Dallas Gross, and Michael Whiley.

So thank you.

Now let's see if there's anything else I wanted to point out.

Um L M and N.

I attended Bluegrass Ad meeting on Wednesday, and we had a training on Alzheimer's and dementia, and I asked them to please include that information in the packets for you.

It's very sobering.

Um of us know when it's gonna hit us or our families.

And um, I just want everybody to have a copy.

It's uh I tear up when I talk about it.

So my dad passed with Louis body dementia, and uh it's a hard topic for me.

So if you'll uh we'll just move on to item six, and that looks like comments from the mayor, commissioner, city manager, and city attorney.

And how about we start with you, Commissioner Channel?

Uh you good.

All right, commissioner strode.

Uh, a couple of things.

We have beer cheese is right upon us next week.

So a lot lots going on there, and um I hope we're gonna have some good weather.

And I hope we're gonna have some good weather.

It's a lot easier if we do.

And thanks to police and fire and public work because we could not put this festival on without them.

Also, um, I said to Brian, I'm gonna go back around with some more plants in the planters because with the hard hard rain, some of them did not survive.

So I'll be going back to Lothe and putting some stuff in my car and go around, going around the next couple of days to get that done.

Um might be all.

I think it is.

Okay, Commissioner Tool.

I'm also all right.

Okay, you're all right.

Man, everybody's all right tonight.

Yeah, okay, city attorney.

Nothing, city manager.

Two things.

Um talk until the next meeting.

Um at Carroll Road, we had a uh a sinkhole for lack of a better terms, uh, develop in that parking lot Thursday of last week.

I think it was the 29th.

Um, after we determined uh Brian and his staff, actually, Brian and Jesse and myself all went to uh the site um made the determination that the uh sinkhole that had developed in that area was due to the fact that we had a problem with the storm system that runs in that area through the Pizza Hutton parking lot and um uh catches water from Lexington Avenue as uh made the determination that it was a an emergency repair uh due to the fact the liability uh for the city and then as well as safety uh for those uh in that area.

Uh we worked with some local contractors, got uh some uh bids to excavate the area to open it up to determine the extents of the repair that would be needed to uh um uh be conducted.

Uh we we got that back that evening.

They were very good to two local contractors that were Johnny on the spot, and we really appreciate it.

They got some quotes.

Um, they were out on site uh Friday, opened the hole up, they finished uh Monday uh exposing for exposing it for us, and we were able to uh uh collectively come together as a group with the contractor and stab to uh determine the kind of repairs that we needed made.

The repairs been made.

Um the uh took several yards of concrete in the bottom of the hole, dealing with about approximately seven to eight foot wide culvert, concrete culvert that has a um about 72-inch pipe tying into other pipes tying into it, but it was scouring around the hole, and actually what it was doing there was a void there, and that void was allowing the soil material to get into the storm system, which was creating the sinkhole that was there, so we were able to uh get that repaired, they'll make the full repair uh after the settles out.

We've got it up now where there's not a safety issue or anything like that.

So that was the main thing, and uh we're gonna be using some money from special projects to uh uh be able to uh pay for that, but it was something that we had to get done, and we made the determination it had to be done at that point in time.

So I wanted you to be aware of that, and then the uh second thing is uh you'll notice tonight on your on your 530 agenda there's not a budget amendment on there.

And the reason um that there's not is that we took a lot of time getting the budget together and get ready for you for this meeting for the first reading.

Uh, we did talk to our financial advisors, our auditors, and those uh and several others in other counties, and um the budget amendment first reading will be on your agenda for June the 16th, so long as we have first reading of that budget amendment on June 16th, we'll be fine.

You can have that second reading uh in the month of July.

So I wanted you to know if the you know if you've been thinking about that, that uh she's got the budget amendment.

We just don't have it all together yet.

We want to make sure what we put in front of you is correct, and she'll have that first uh ready for first reading on the 16th.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Uh before we go to closed session, I just had a couple things I wanted to mention.

Um, June 20th on Saturday.

Um, Habitat for Humanity is having a fun zone run, and that will impact us in a way that we're probably not thinking about it.

They are getting ready to build new homes in Winchester.

Uh, you know, we have Lincoln Street going on, plus they've also purchased property to build additional homes.

So if any of you want to participate, we have a flyer up here.

Um Diane, I think has put it out on the mayor's E-line.

So if anyone would like to participate, I wanted to mention that.

And then Saturday night, um, I think Diana, you and your family were there also.

I attended Hope on the Hill Dinner at uh Grace Bible talking about um our kids in foster care.

It was a very heart-wrenching um a video that they showed of a child with siblings breaking up and having to walk away from each other.

And we have over 8,800 children in foster care in uh what in Kentucky right now, 8,800 kids starting at birth and uh going to teenagers, which are the hardest to place.

And that's made it very, very difficult.

But the state is facing uh a crisis right now, looking for foster parents.

Uh so if you all know anyone that's interested in foster care or that, um it's greatly greatly needed right now.

We usually as a county, as Clark County, we usually average about a hundred kids in the system at any time.

So that's a hundred too many.

So I will take a motion to go into closed session.

Come on.

I don't know.

I motion to adjourn to closed session for chapter it's for litigation litigation.

61810C.

Good girl.

And after we adjourn our closed and we sorry all trying to do it, you're doing there, but once we have adjourned that closed session, that will then adjourn this session.

Yes, that's good.

Anyone want to keep that on Q?

No, anyone uh want to second that, please.

Okay.

Second by Commissioner Chenant.

All in favor, aye.

Aye.

Any opposed by like sign?

You have to go anyway.

Uh we'll readjourn, uh adjourn and reassemble in the city manager's office.

We go with that.

All the time.

All the time.

All the time.