Winchester City Commission Special Called Meeting - July 7, 2026

Like well, I'm ready to stand for the pledge of allusions.

I would want you to call Miss Ashley Willie if I'm standing up here with us.

Ashland's gonna lead us in the pledge today.

Turn around and tell us on your rooms.

Under God and the school with liberty.

Good job, Ashley.

And Ashlyn is a third grader at Strode Station Elementary School.

Her grandmother is Christy Bush back there.

She was gonna do the pledge tonight, but Ashley said, No, I want to do this.

Thank you, babe.

Okay.

Um is Mike here?

No.

Okay, how about you leaving Frankfurt?

Okay.

Pray with me, please.

Dear Lord, we thank you for this day.

We thank you for this opportunity to meet Lord.

We thank you for all the blessings you have.

Give it up and give it our community.

Lord, if we go about business tonight, we play we pray that everything we do would be pleasing in your site, that you would guide us and direct us and all we do everything we do, Lord.

Would be pleasing.

Yeah, near five.

Yes, it's your blessings would be upon air.

Community, all the employees here.

You keep everyone here faith.

And you especially take care of our employees in ways that we can pray these things in the name of Jesus, our Lord and faith.

Please be seated.

We'll officially call the meeting to order.

Ashlyn, thank you so much.

I appreciate you.

Bye bye.

Okay, and um we got we have two presentations, and I'm going to take them out of order here for a minute because Chris has to stay for the second meeting anyway.

So Christie is on the planning and zoning committee, and they have a meeting in a little while.

So how about you coming on and going first?

And Christy's gonna discuss the Cardinal Community Center, the old Hannah McClure Elementary School, which uh has a new face and uh new life about it, so it's all yours.

Very excited.

Um I'm not for sure if you've gotten a chance to be there or not, but please have this as an open invitation and come anytime that you would like.

The center has been um officially opened for this year, and we have had all types of meetings, trainings.

Um we've had camps, we've had STEM camp for girls, we've had a theater camp this week.

We have art camp.

We have had meetings.

I don't really know where all these people had met before, but we are fortunate to have them there.

And I know Miss McClure is just excited as can be, and the louder the building is the better.

Um we also have community entities that are not necessarily with certain groups that for trainings, but they just need to meet.

So we've had Republicans, Democrats, we have had the Winchester Parks and Rec Board, we've had soccer boards, we have even had Mayor Reed and a board that she um is over there, and we would love to open the invitation for you all maybe to meet there at one point.

And we would love to open an invitation for you all maybe to meet there at one point.

This weekend there is a play.

There is a community play that is being put on, and we are their rain date because they wanted it at the college park in the open amphitheater.

But we are just around the corner, so it's easily accessible if it does rain.

Um I can have any questions that you all might have.

I'm here to answer.

Um, there are all types of rooms and availability for parties or uh art.

There's music.

There are a lot of people who have had sponsors and donated a lot of items, donated Lowe's has been very gracious and making sure that we have what we need.

So here I'm just really here to answer any questions that you all might have or and Christie don't I mean the health department there also?

The Clark County Health Department has two of their educational staff there because it fits beautifully with the vision of a community and education.

So they have two of the two of their staff members.

Kayla is there and Jessica is there.

You've worked miracles.

I don't know.

It takes a village.

Thank goodness for the Board of Education and their vision as well to allow this to happen.

You've got the gym there, the stage, the stage.

I mean, all that then did parking at it, but not enough parking, I'm sure, but adequate parking.

We are working on the left side of the building.

There used to be three of our trailers when it was a preschool.

Right.

So they have been removed, and we're working on making that whole side a parking lot as well.

When we have multiple um committees or meetings going on of any type, it can get a little sticky with parking.

And that parking lot would also be good for Hollywood.

If they have their events when the center isn't open, so they'll always call and say, hey, we have an event.

Sure.

Just park around the but you you've done the yeoman's job and it's much appreciated by what you've done and just spearheaded it.

I know you haven't done it in a long, you tell me that all the time.

Take some and let you spearheaded this, or it would not have been off the ground yet.

But it looks great.

It's also more like that.

And I have another idea.

Shannon always has ideas.

Well, we thought we had a gym floor before, but it didn't work out.

They figured out they could fundraise their little mascots around the gym, which I don't blame them.

It takes a lot to run a building.

So I can understand how that fell through.

But the kids right now, the artisans that are there, they are kindergarten through fourth grade, and the gym floor works just fine.

Anyone have questions or comments?

Is there a fee or something?

Um there is a $30 an hour fee for rental parties, anything that's not a community, like a personal event.

All right.

If it's something that is based on a community type of event that they're giving something back, or it's a meeting group that is giving something back to the community, then there's not a charge because that's the definition of what the building is supposed to be.

Okay.

Anyone else?

Okay.

Thank you for coming in tonight and for sharing that with us.

And just keep on doing what you're doing.

Well, thank you.

And if you all have any ideas, please pass them on down.

We would love to try and okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, the next presentation is Lincoln Street and Habitat for Humanity, which would be Miss Chris Lowry and Miss Mary Joe Hatchett.

So whoever wants to come first or do it or whatever your plans are.

We need to have Commissioner Cox recuse himself.

Okay.

I can't even listen.

And that's not involved Commissioner Chenult.

No, he's just that property only Commissioner Fox.

Okay, sorry.

You need to say why you're recruiting yourself, excusing yourself.

You need to state why?

Uh I am a member of the Habitat for Humanity Board.

Don't eat to me that I got off of that.

Okay, we're just here to give an update.

And um, the one reason you should recuse myself is because you know, part of this is what the order you're gonna have at your regular meeting.

Um, but just to give you a status on the Lincoln Street project that we've acquired all the properties we're gonna acquire, which is 10.

Um, the last one we acquired 15 Lincoln Street.

If you remember that wasn't until May 26, so we couldn't get in there to do the asbestos inspection until May 27th.

Unfortunately, when they did the initial inspection, um, some of the drywall flooring did was positive for uh asbestos, so we had to go back on the drywall and do a second test.

Um so that's kind of what caused some of the delay.

But that after we did the composite test, it came out below the required levels to abate it.

So only thing we have to do is the flooring, which is not a big deal.

We don't have to do the drywall.

But we had it then once we had to get that report on all that and send that to the state.

Um, then we do a 10-day notice to start demolition.

It's 10 working days with the state.

We had two holidays in there.

Um so uh that that date actually is today.

So today is the day they can officially start demolition.

So my understanding I went by there is that they moved in equipment yesterday and they've already started on the trees and brushes, and then they have 45 working days to be completed with the demolition, which should be it's it's uh mid-August.

I'm gonna say like around August 19th.

But hopefully they'll get in there and get it done quick.

Um, when we did the walkthrough with the contractor, we did ask them to do um habitat wants to get started.

Have you all seen the plant at all?

No, all right.

I've got my personal copy.

Um solidation.

Um just got this part of our thing, it was fine.

Thank you.

Um creation of the new laws.

So we'll just do two.

The city actually owns three parcels.

I think it's a pretty four.

So what we're gonna be doing is the city's gonna uh deed those properties and consolidate them with the property that habitat already owns.

So that's the first house that they want to build.

So they're ready to get started, but they're waiting on us to complete all the demolition work, which includes 44 Seaboard Street, so that has to be demolished and uh those lots cleaned up.

So we asked the contractor to start on that side of the street for the demolition work, and once they get demolition done on those three parcels, we can go ahead and just do a D just on those without waiting for them to finish all the demolition work if that's that's okay.

Chris, where is that on C board?

I drove through there the other night trying to figure out this is a little white.

Then where?

Um it's just go around that corner, right?

That little white house on the corner.

Okay, it's just a real little house there.

Back it's back behind 49.

Um that's where Mr.

Mason used to live.

Okay, that's exactly right.

That's the Mason property that we purchased the little white house there.

Um, so yeah, that house has to be torn down, and some you know, most of these property owners gave us permission to clear the pro you know the property lines, which will make it a lot better.

Um, you know, so they're doing that also.

Uh you know, we just the joint property lines because we can't really take down trees if they're right on the property line without the the adjacent properties owner.

So we got those permission from all except for the one down on the other side of the street on Hickman.

Um everybody else gave us permission to do clean up those lot lines and get rid of bottom head just overgrown brush and debris and trees and broken down trees, and so all that's gonna get cleaned up.

So that so we asked the contractor start there, and as soon as you know we can approve him being done with those three parcels, we'll create that one.

Then there's um five more lots, uh 13, 21, 25, 29, and 35.

So um if you were the the in the original application, habitat committed to doing five houses on five lots, and because we um Mr.

Mason was no longer occupying his house, he's been in a nursing home since before the project started.

Um, so he wasn't eligible to have a house rebuilt.

He used to walk and buy here every day.

Yeah, so um, so we ended up with an extra lot.

So we this happened on the other project also.

The same the for phase one project.

So we're going to uh ask uh to do a program amendment to deed six lots of habitat, and they've told me that they're willing to accept those lots, the extra lot and then we'll have a little some money left over, and it was set up.

We were you know, we right now we have ten thousand dollars to go to habitat to help build houses back.

But since that's an already approved activity, any dollars that we have left over, we would also uh give that to habitat because they're gonna need that money to build that extra house.

That wasn't in their budget, you know.

So we're gonna try to do that.

So as soon as you know, after tonight, we'll go ahead and uh so we can't do that sixth lot to them really until uh department of local government approves the budget amendment, but we have a month, you know, that won't happen until August till all the demolition work is done.

So we'll should have approval of that before then.

But demolition is officially started, so it has finally.

Yay because after that, it's just really up, you know, all the people have been relocated, uh, you know, the properties acquired, the consolidation plants done.

The you know, the properties acquired, the consolidation plants done, so all we need now is it all cleaned up, the demolition work done, deed the lots of habitat, and then we have to wait for habitat to build the houses.

So I don't know if you want to sort of we're ready, yes.

We have our family already chosen, uh ready to go, and um basically we're just waiting for it to be ready, and we'll break around as soon as it's happening when you get that all worked out.

Will you bring the family and let them come to a meeting and absolutely yes?

We can meet them.

Yes, absolutely.

Chris, phase one, how many was that six houses?

Yes, when it's six, I think so.

I think it was the same amount of and then how many do you think you'll get done this year?

I don't know if we well, um well, we're gonna try to get two in.

So we want to keep this thing rolling, but um, with that being said, we also need lots of volunteers too.

So we're really gonna need for Clark County to step it up.

Yeah, donations and oh yeah, definitely need those donations.

So, and as you'll remember with CDBG that we cannot close this project out until all six houses are built and occupied by their new owners.

So, you know, I know but they went pretty fast.

Habitat did a great job on the phase one and got got them built promptly once we could give them to go.

We went through the same situation, it took forever, especially with COVID, you know, that delayed everything.

Um we get everything done and got all everything cleared and then deeded them the lots, and then they went to work building new houses.

So that'd be 16 homes have a tax done at the end, 10 and the I mean six of the first phase and 10 no six on this six on this one to be twelve, yeah.

But you acquired 10.

You said somebody lots, but models lots and those little teeny lots and oh yeah.

So six buildable, yeah.

Yes, okay.

Buildable lots.

If you're gonna look through the dash lines below this, it shows the old lot lines, but we redid those to make them all meet current code, right?

So they all meet your current zoning code and uh or exceed it, like some of these lots are a little bit bigger.

And if anybody wonders about this weird thing on on lot 41, is um there's also you can you can see that it's it's a line that runs through here.

That's the based on the noise analysis.

Anything on this side towards the railroad, the noise levels are too high to build houses.

So we can only build houses on this side, so that's why like back up 44 C Ball.

We can't put a house, it's too close to the railroad, it's too long.

So they're gonna build their house on you know, pretty much the lot that they have over here up front, so that they don't do anything on the back end, but you know, so but they're gonna get that rest of that lot so that they'll have a nice big lot right now.

Okay, any questions, comments?

Rob Rob worked very good with uh Chris and staff to the planning side of this in order to get the plots approved and then you know, to consolidate the lots and do the things that need to be doing.

We we have a lot of collaboration on that, so it takes that to make something like this happen.

We can't just the the final thing will be once the lots are all cleared, then we'll actually have the surveyors come in and actually pin the new lots.

I keep telling them you can't, they're like, we want to get finished on like well, you can't because you go out there and put pins now.

The don't you know they're gonna be tearing stuff and moving dirt and the it'll just all get torn up.

So they really have to wait until the demolition work is done, the lots are like you know, seated the straw and not going to be disturbed anymore, and then they can come back and actually uh put the pins in for the new lots, and then we can make final payment to them.

That's the last thing they need to do.

Joe Habitat just waiting, right?

We are, but I will add that currently we are taking bids.

We really want to keep the we're doing it a little bit different.

Um, we're gonna do a a dry uh contractor will do a dry-in model, meaning the foundation, the walls, the roof, and the insulation, everything else will be done by volunteers, electrical plumbing, everything else.

Um, with that being said, we are um taking bids from if we want to keep it in Clark County, Clark County um construction.

So if uh if you know of anybody that would be interested, have you give you a call and we'd be glad to take a bit on that?

Okay, any commissioners comment?

No questions, um just excited again over there.

We're so excited.

And when you look at what was there, I remember it's the most depressing place.

keep it in Clark County Clark County um construction so if uh if you know of anybody that would be interested how can give you a call and we'd be glad to take a bit on that okay any commissioners comment no questions I'm just excited and again over there we're so excited and when you look at what was there I remember here it's the most depressing place right now if you want to see before drive down the street now because it's oh I'm but I mean oh it was where people moved out people broken windows and you know it's I'm sure it's been this is you know but there's no baby living in those houses you can have people breaking in and stuff and getting them down we'll put an end to that Lincoln Street's gonna be a new place it will be absolutely and a lot of families that don't have places to leave their head at night yeah we need low income housing for the low income people very badly in this whole state and for you well go get them we're here just at thank you so thank you thank you thank you thank you and Chris is gonna hang around with us I think so okay uh somebody's good shannon lessie lit oh yeah I bet that he's on the thing surprises that thank you chief I didn't meet any other okay item three no have the minutes of the June 16 2026 special 4 30 the regular 5 30 june 23rd 2006 special at 5 p.m meetings is there a motion to approve motion by commissioner strode is there a second second by commissioner chenault any discussion corrections additions all in favor aye any opposed by like sign motion carries uh item four departmental agency reports uh need a motion to approve those i move motion by commissioner toole is there second second second by commissioner item five informational items a b c and d uh and they're exactly what they say they're just for information only unless someone would like to highlight something everybody good just want to know july 13th next Monday's is the start date for the uh fifth street uh restoration project so that's part of the OSG uh grant so it starts on the 13th okay start fifth street project okay um comments from the general public I don't see any general public joe would you like to get back up and do that okay comments uh mayor commissioner city manager and city attorney commissioner chenault anything mayor you need to make a motion on your informational items that you don't no there's no vote on it's all right okay commissioner um commissioner stroke are we gonna have one of these at 5 30 of this yeah i'd like to go ahead and do them because we're gonna be working I just like to give a thanks to public works again for um what they do but putting up the banners have you all seen the boys and girls basketball sound town and they start at like six o'clock in the morning I think Estel was drenched by seven but they look so good Brian thank you so much I really appreciate it and we didn't have any in this block because the 250 anniversary banners are up so we might move those around a little bit but thanks again and thanks to them for watering Brian on Friday to water so we don't lose everything we've got downtown yeah Mike and I were down here what 645 Friday morning and the guys were out with the truck watering I know what I was saying.

Alicia you did a great job of lining up everything for 56.

I watched most of it everybody did a great job you were here at four I think 4 a.m yeah so okay commissioner cox well obviously work camps here got two 297 kids and bunch of adults and we're as of the rain starting effective we were a little ahead of schedule I don't know where we'll we'll be with that but uh Chief Thompson's been there and Mary Joe was there yesterday and Mike and uh and uh it's it's it's wearing me out this old man but that's all right I can I I I sleep very well and I am and uh John went out yesterday had fried chicken with him last night at at camp and uh it's taco Tuesday night so but it things are really going well and the people that have come in here are are they cannot stop talking about how welcoming one Jeffre is and how how everybody is treating them well and uh one of the ladies said she went to Walmart last night to get snacks for the kids and she still had on her camp t-shirt and said 12 different people walked over uh uh tour and and all our offered them offered her appreciation and she

I can I I I sleep very well and I am and uh John went out yeah yesterday had fried chicken with him last night at at camp and uh it's taco Tuesday night, so but it's things are really going well, and the people that have come in here are m are they cannot stop talking about how welcoming Winchester is and how how error everybody is treating them well and uh one of the ladies said she went to Walmart last night to get snacks for the kids and she still had on her canned t-shirt and said 12 different people walked over uh uh to her and all offered them offered her appreciation and she goes up to the register up there with all her cool bars and gator aid and stuff now.

The man walked up to her and said, let me pay for that.

Where are you gonna be tomorrow?

Me?

No, where are you all working?

No, not you.

We working tomorrow.

We've got 54 different well.

We had 54 different sites.

We finished two of them today.

So tonight we will decide on on our next three, and we'll start on those three tomorrow.

So yeah, we're we're all over.

Okay.

Anything else?

Commissioner Toole.

Hi Mayor, thank you.

Okay, Mr.

City Manager.

No, ma'am.

Okay, is Mr.

Dykman with us?

Bill, anything.

Here I and do you have anything?

No.

Anything for okay, you have anything for closed session?

We do, but do you have anything else other than what we talked about earlier?

No, he doesn't.

No, he doesn't.

Okay.

All right.

We will adjourn to closed session for property acquisition KRS chapter 61810B and potential industrial prospect KRS chapter 61810 G.

Is there a motion?

Okay Mayor, I uh I motion would just we go to close session for KRS chapter 61810B and chapter 51810 C and at the end of that closed session that that we adjourn both that closed session and and this special call meeting.

Okay, is there a second?

Second by Commissioner Stroke.

Any discussion?

Uh sir.

We need uh potential litigation.

Yes, yeah, and the potential litigation.

We are gonna add okay.

I will I will you amend that please I did say potential litigation.

No, it's not property acquisition.

And that's right.

That's right.

But just add that and potential litigation.

Oh okay.

I personal things.

Uh potential litigation, I'm gonna add that to my motion and and and at the end of that we adjourn both the special both the special cult meeting and the closed session.

So who can that with me out of the house?

Oh yeah.

Okay.

Uh we will now adjourn to the city manager's office.

That's me.

Be back at uh 5 30.