OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Winchester City Council Meeting - July 21, 2026: Personnel, L8 100th Anniversary, Recovery Housing Ordinance

Board of Commissioners Meetings — Tuesday, July 21, 2026
BodyWinchester, Kentucky
SessionBoard of Commissioners Meetings
DateTuesday, July 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 53:59

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Followed by the invocation with our police chief Travis Thompson.

0:04

Sheila.

0:05

This all right.

0:07

I plan to five states.

0:21

Justice.

0:22

Please remain standing.

0:24

Thank you for the opportunity to go here tonight.

0:28

We thank you for protecting us from the storm.

0:30

We pray for those that are out there in it that you walk over them as it passes through.

0:34

We thank you for the retirees that are on the agenda tonight.

0:36

Thank you for their service to this community.

0:38

And we pray your blessing upon our next adventure.

0:41

We also thank you for the new hires that are on the agenda tonight, Lord, and the journey that they start tonight with the city of Winchester.

0:47

Senior Sunday, we pray.

0:49

Please be seated.

0:51

There are a few extra seats, guys, up here on the front.

0:54

If anybody wants to sit down.

0:56

So I will officially call the meeting to order.

1:01

And we are gonna do this a little bit differently tonight.

1:04

Um we are gonna go to personnel.

1:08

If you'll turn to those on item six, and we're gonna do those first.

1:15

We have uh 20 personnel ice items, and so we're gonna take those up and first, and then we'll go back on the schedule uh as soon as that's concluded.

1:26

So let's look.

1:28

Um item six.

1:31

Hang on, guys.

1:33

Okay clerk, an order granting longevity salary increases to certain personnel.

1:41

Is there a motion?

1:42

Motion by Commissioner Strode, second by commissioner cox.

1:45

Any discussion?

1:46

All in favor, aye.

1:47

Aye.

1:47

Any opposed by a like sign?

1:49

Motion carries item six B.

1:51

An order employing Jeff Stivers to fill the position of part-time building inspector.

1:56

Is there a motion?

1:57

So motion by Commissioner Toole is there a second second by Commissioner Shenault.

2:02

Any discussion?

2:02

All in favor, aye.

2:04

Any opposed by a like sign?

2:06

Motion carries item six C an order employing Wesley Conway to fill the position of police officer three.

2:13

Is there a motion?

2:14

So much motion by Commissioner Toole.

2:16

Is there a second?

2:16

Second.

2:17

Second by Commissioner Strode.

2:18

Any discussion?

2:19

All in favor, aye.

2:21

Aye.

2:22

Any opposed by like sign?

2:23

Uh Chief, I think you want me to stop here a second that you make the introduction.

2:28

I'll be super quick.

2:29

I know we got a long agenda, but I want to introduce you to the commission.

2:31

This is Wes Conway.

2:33

Hey, West.

2:34

Retired from City Alexand.

2:35

Highly decorated.

2:36

Brings along to our department.

2:41

Super excited.

2:42

So Joey's good.

2:43

You said you were going to vote motion.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety█████████████████████████████████████37%
Personnel Matters████████████████16%
Affordable Housing█████████████13%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Procedural███████7%
Transportation Safety███████7%
Historic Preservation████4%
Miscellaneous████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Winchester City Council Meeting - July 21, 2026

The Winchester City Council met on July 21, 2026, after a brief tornado warning delay. The meeting began with an invocation by Police Chief Travis Thompson and was called to order by the Mayor. The agenda was reordered to address personnel items first, followed by a presentation on L8's 100th anniversary, resolutions for homeland security grants, a first reading of an ordinance on recovery residences, routine orders, and public comment.

Consent Calendar

  • Personnel Actions (Items 6A–6T): The council approved 20 personnel items en bloc without dissent, including: longevity salary increases; hiring Jeff Stivers (part-time building inspector), Wesley Conway (police officer three), Braden Southwood, Maddox Olds, Lucas Daniels, Jack Gross, Jarrett Witt, Joseph Willing Jr., Tyler Arthur, Devontae Poindexter (firefighters), and Connor Lorette (communications officer); reclassifications for Mechannah Downs and Travis Sturgel; acceptance of resignation of firefighter Robert Dulaney; acceptance of retirements of Fire Battalion Chiefs Gregory Bell and Jason Keller, Firefighter Christopher Crockett, and Fire Chief Christophely. The vote for Chief Christophely's retirement was noted with regret and appreciation.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Joanne Anderson Berg (124 Arlington Ave): Requested consideration of a three-way stop sign at the corner of Fulton and Arlington Road to address speeding and blind spots caused by parked cars. She noted traffic has increased since the Fulton Road extension opened. Police Chief Thompson supported the request and noted a separate issue with a junk vehicle on Gary Board that will incur daily fines if not cleaned up. The council agreed to have staff evaluate the stop sign installation.

Discussion Items

  • L8 100th Anniversary Celebration (Presentation by Sheila Fry, L8 Market Development Specialist): L8 will celebrate 100 years on August 1, 2026, with events at the post office (original factory site) from 5:00 p.m. (historic marker unveiling) and at the courthouse from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m., featuring food trucks, live music, children's activities, and an L8 pop-up store. Sheila Fry thanked the city for support.
  • Recovery Residence Ordinance (First Reading, Item 4): City Attorney William Dykman and Planning Commissioner Rob explained the ordinance, which requires certification for recovery residences and amends zoning to allow operation in residential areas under certain conditions. The ordinance was revised based on prior input. Public speakers:
    • Mike Palmer (owner of residential property in recovery) expressed support, thanking the city for working on the ordinance.
    • Gene Bethurge (President, Kentucky Recovery Housing Network advisory board; Advocacy Chair, National Alliance of Recovery Residences) advised against passing the ordinance as currently written, citing federal fair housing law (City of Edinburg v. Oxford House) and potential liability. City Attorney Dykman stated he believed the ordinance was legally sound. The council voted 4-1 (Commissioner Chenault opposed) to approve the first reading.
  • Resolutions (Item 3): Approved three state homeland security grant applications: up to $210,000 (Item 3A), up to $16,488 (Item 3B), and up to $14,500 (Item 3C). All passed unanimously.
  • Orders (Item 5): Approved agreement with Bluegrass Area Development District (5A); change order for Fifth Street Stream Restoration Project fully funded by grants (5B); appointed Chad Abner to the Tourist and Convention Commission for a three-year term (5C). All passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

  • Recovery Residence Ordinance first reading passed 4-1. The second reading will occur at a future meeting. Commissioner suggested having the Kentucky Fair Housing Council review the ordinance; the council indicated willingness to make future amendments.
  • Three homeland security grant applications authorized for a total of $240,988.
  • Stop sign study directed for Fulton and Arlington Road intersection per public request.
  • Adjourned at approximately 9:27 p.m. ET.

Meeting Transcript

Followed by the invocation with our police chief Travis Thompson. Sheila. This all right. I plan to five states. Justice. Please remain standing. Thank you for the opportunity to go here tonight. We thank you for protecting us from the storm. We pray for those that are out there in it that you walk over them as it passes through. We thank you for the retirees that are on the agenda tonight. Thank you for their service to this community. And we pray your blessing upon our next adventure. We also thank you for the new hires that are on the agenda tonight, Lord, and the journey that they start tonight with the city of Winchester. Senior Sunday, we pray. Please be seated. There are a few extra seats, guys, up here on the front. If anybody wants to sit down. So I will officially call the meeting to order. And we are gonna do this a little bit differently tonight. Um we are gonna go to personnel. If you'll turn to those on item six, and we're gonna do those first. We have uh 20 personnel ice items, and so we're gonna take those up and first, and then we'll go back on the schedule uh as soon as that's concluded. So let's look. Um item six. Hang on, guys. Okay clerk, an order granting longevity salary increases to certain personnel. Is there a motion? Motion by Commissioner Strode, second by commissioner cox. Any discussion? All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed by a like sign? Motion carries item six B. An order employing Jeff Stivers to fill the position of part-time building inspector. Is there a motion? So motion by Commissioner Toole is there a second second by Commissioner Shenault. Any discussion? All in favor, aye. Any opposed by a like sign? Motion carries item six C an order employing Wesley Conway to fill the position of police officer three. Is there a motion? So much motion by Commissioner Toole. Is there a second? Second. Second by Commissioner Strode. Any discussion? All in favor, aye. Aye. Any opposed by like sign? Uh Chief, I think you want me to stop here a second that you make the introduction.

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