Woodford County Fiscal Court - Regular Meeting

discuss the process and progress with the road supervisor position and their interviews. So, I want to thank uh Magistrate Jackie Brown for participating in the first round of interviews along with uh Gail Smith at the road department and Terresa Typton, the HR manager. Uh the interviews were conducted last week and we've got some notes from those interviews that the HR manager is working on um getting it for everybody to be disseminated to. So in that process uh it was a very thorough and um successful screening of the candidates interviews and it actually I think probably included a lot of the um personnel committee type interviews in that round. So if you all remember last um personnel committee meeting we discussed having three rounds screening round, personnel committee round, committee of the whole. Um I am going to recommend that we move directly to the committee of the whole for the final interviews. Um that could be as many as five and as few as three interviews I think. Um but that's that's a decision of the court on who you all want to finally interview. So, I'm going to recommend um that on Monday, March 16th, starting at 100 p.m. we hold a committee of the whole for the purposes of personnel to do interviewing of candidates for the road supervisor position. And let me ask for um Squire Gentry as a personnel committee member and Squire Carl. Do does that date and time work for you all? Yes, it worked for me.

And so if we had three, it'd probably be roughly 3 hours between two and a half to three hours total. Yes. Squire Brown be in the hospital a while. Put me to sleep. So I wouldn't be able to come. Okay. Are you good with us proceeding? Yes. Since you were had the opportunity to interview all the candidates. Yeah, you got some good candidates. So excellent. about as good as I reckon we've ever had. That's great. That is great. Um if if you're okay with that, Squire Brown,

then we'll we'll conduct the interviews with as many members of the fiscal court that would like to attend. And then that that does away with that interim stage that I proposed last time, which was a secondary screening. So, uh, Monday, March 16th, 1 p.m. will be the beginning of, uh, committee of the whole for the personnel actions. So, we will go into close session clearly. Um, one thing that we may also do is there may be a personnel order just to reflect the interim nature of the current road supervisor's position. um as a department director. We'll we'll discuss that more if we need to do that on Monday. But um other than that, I would not anticipate that we would make a decision on Monday, but that we would meet, convene, conduct the interviews um and then move forward with that process to have an appointment by the Tuesday, March 24th meeting of the fiscal court. So, that being the process, I'd like to open up the floor for any questions or comments on the process. Anybody have any questions? Anybody have any issues with the timing or the meeting? Um, I would also note that the um you we will get give you the information from you should have all of the applications. You should have all of the um questionnaires that we did and in the supplementing the information given to us by each candidate. You should have those questionnaires. Then we will provide notes from the interview. So that'll be the process for the road supervisor position.

Judge, yes. U how will we determine if we're going to do three or five uh candidates?

That's a good question. Um what I would say is everybody receive the notes and information from the um screening committee that did the interviews and then I would request that uh you submit names of folks you believe need to get a final interview and if there is a consensus on more than three then we will extend that opportunity. If it's less than three or up to five, then we'll make that determination. I think we can, not on the basis of the candidates because I haven't fully reviewed the notes from the screening, but just on process, I think we'd be better to have three if we could get it down to that many. Anybody have any questions on that?

Yeah, one more question. Uh, when do we need to submit our candidates that we believe need to interview? Could we um I I think maybe because they're going to need notice to come in here as well. Yes, that's exactly right. Would Thursday be too soon? I think Thursday be fine. We've all as long as we get, you know, the the questionnaires that was asked during the uh interview process pretty soon. I think that'd be fine.

Okay, that's what um that's what I'll recommend that if you have any preferences, please submit those to myself or the HR manager by Thursday and we will notify candidates of interview on or be well on Thursday. So Teresa, if you would please make a note of that, we'll make sure to inform everybody as of Thursday. And um again, that's Monday, March 16th, 1:00 p.m. in the committee of the whole. Other questions or comments regarding the the road supervisor position?

Judge.

Yes, Mr. County Attorney, sir. Judge, given the time frame within which this is going to hit for the um successor fiscal court statute says that the supervisor road engineer shall serve a peri a two or fouryear term in the discretion of the court beginning with the second Tuesday in January of an oddnumbered year. Well, obviously we can't wait until January of 27, but if the hire is to be made uh say in the next month, then the initial term it looks like would only be 20 a year and about 8 months. um with unless since the court can do four years, I think you all need to be thinking about the hire, you still have to give the successor fiscal court an opportunity, which you would be doing. I think you could say either um one year and 8 months or three years and eight months because that way the successor fiscal court will get their shot. But I think the person that you are going to hire needs to know what the initial term will be. So since the statute does say for whatever reason uh it's uh second Tuesday in January of an odd number year and it can only be for two or four years. Um you could do either one year and 8 months or three years and eight months. So y'all need to be thinking about that and and communicate that to the candidates. questions on that. We do have a personnel order I believe for the court.

So everybody had the opportunity on the uh personnel committee to review the personnel order. Is there a motion to recommend that to the full fiscal court for approval? Motion by Square Carl. Second by Square Gentry. All those in favor, please vote. Tingf saying I I.

All those opposed, nay. And the personnel order is recommended. Um, I would like to just briefly um give an update that the uh animal control officer position is still open. We haven't had the opportunity to um finalize that quite yet. Um we are still seeking applicants. Uh but I just wanted to update the court on that. Also, the road department reorganization is also something that will be considered as part of that. um road supervisor hire so that we can make sure to uh reorganize the department in a way that sets it up so that the new road supervisor has the ability to come in and keep and hire people. So that'd be something to look forward coming down the road. So any questions on any other personnel committee items? Seeing none, I will deem this meeting of the Woodford County Fiscal Courts Personnel Committee adjourned and we will reconvene in the budget and finance committee. Madame clerk, would you please call the role?

Square Taylor here. Square burner here. Square Carl here.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you. All right. Um before we get to the uh the budget discussion, I want to discuss some things that are on this year's expenditure items. So, I think what I want to do, I know we have some of our friends here from the United Way and um out of respect for their time and coming to our budget and finance committee, I would like to um if you all would like to come first and present on um the Waypoint and United Way and the work that you are doing in Woodford County.

Sure. You want to stand right here? you can come to the podium and turn on your mic please.

Hello everyone. Uh thank you all so much for uh inviting us especially Judge K for um having us here. We have had conversations United Way the bluegrass has had conversations for many years about how to expand our work um here in Woodford County. I am Patrice Muhamd, vice president of community impact. So that is all the uh front-facing work that we do ourselves. So some of the work we're already doing in Woodford County would be our 211 service. It's a 247 uh referral line where you could call for any matter of problems. We also have our volunteer income tax assistance program uh where we are able to provide uh free tax return preparation for individuals who make under um an amount that the IRS uh deems low to moderate income every year. But we also have something in a few other counties called the Waypoint Center Initiative. And what we do there is we meet people where they are. Um, and we, our goal is to take people from crisis to thriving. So, everyone's individual crisis may vary. It may be someone who is has been experiencing homelessness. It may be someone who works all the time. However, they've had a bill, an unexpected bill that now has created um a situation where they may not be able to fully pay their rent or fully pay a utility bill, right? So, we meet people wherever they are. we can help them fix that immediate crisis and hopefully they'll want to stay with us and work all the way toward some goals, something thriving, right? But if they don't, we're here to help them right there in the moment. So, I really appreciate what you all are doing here in Woodford County, really looking at basic needs and safety nets because very often people are just one emergency

away from experiencing homelessness. And that's what we're here to catch. and our goal is to help people um escape uh actually falling into homelessness. So when we talk about the Waypoint Center initiative here in Wilfford County, we have a great opportunity that we've been invited to join the health department and Miss Cassie Prather has offered a space there where we can send a staff person who can come at least one day a week as we pilot this product project here. And what we're looking to do in the first few months is really see what the need is. Here we have a resource database for 211 that if anybody from Woodford County called, we could tell them more than 150 different resources. We have based on where they're calling from. I don't know if that number sounds about right to you or if you all knew that you had 150 nonprofit partners and resources here in Woodford County. So, we'd be looking to actually make contact with those uh groups, see how they can help because our team, they're going to really hold someone's hand if they have a problem. So, if you can't pay a rent, very few people can actually pay the whole thing. Very few orgs. So, they may have to call a few different places. That's what they want to be able to do. So that's what we hope to do here is to really coordinate the resources and give people that personal touch of assistance so that we can help people uh really leave that particular crisis and move on to thriving.

Thank you, Miss Muhammad. Um can you also talk about and and I've discussed this with you. We've talked about um the request that you sent in for $5,000 to the United Way. And so our uh resolution is um which relates to our budget budgeted funds for emergency needs assistance. Um can you share what you anticipate that the request is going to go for to serve needs in the community? So, initially this $5,000 is a pretty um you know, it's a smaller request for us. And what that would allow us to do is pay for about a 100 hours of work for a staff person to be here a few times. Um like I said, at least once a week, maybe more. There will be some mileage expenses back and forth. Also, we will need to convene some meetings, do some promotion. So, it's really about our staff time with doing this coordination. Um, in this particular request, uh, we are also putting some skin in the game. We also want to pilot our Ride United program here. Ride United has been thriving in FedEd and Jessimine counties where we're able to provide free lift rides to individuals who call. We don't screen for income. We don't screen for anything. If they call us for a ride based on the funds that are available, they're able to receive assistance. Currently, we have funds available in Fyet County to help people reach employment and uh medical appointments, but depending on, you know, the needs of the county will determine what that will be. That won't be part of the 5,000. This initial investment really would be getting, you know, our staff's time, the mileage, and the actual coordination of all the nonprofits in the community to see who can best assist with safety nets. Then it also helps us guide our investments here in the county that we

invested uh $15,000 in nonprofits here last year. And based on these needs, it will allow us to see where the most need is and which nonprofits to invest in. And the um the work that this staff person will do be doing is working directly with citizens of Woodford County in need. Correct.

Absolutely. In those eight 7.5 hours a day each week that they're here. They will be meeting directly with clients at the health department that we would have found however we normally would find them. Also, the health department staff will be directing clients to us. I don't know how familiar you are with the social determinants of health that often when they're meeting with people and they say, "Okay, we've always met with you, but now your blood pressure is really, really high." And then when you talk to them, you find out, I can't pay my bill this month. I'm doing this. Then they say, "Oh, we've got this help for you here." That's what we hope to do there. And work with uh I believe there's a case badger with the police department, other ones that will refer. they will be doing that directly and then we expect some additional time where they would also come and coordinate among the nonprofits. Great question. Thanks for asking that.

Thank you. I I knew from our meeting but I wanted to make sure that everybody understands um because we do have a resolution related to emergency needs assistance and I wanted to talk about how you all fit into that. So, let me open up the floor to members of the budget and finance committee for any questions of the United Way, Miss Muhammad, or any questions in general about what their role would be in the waypoint. I see familiar faces here from the ASAP meetings that we've been attending and just people around town. So, we're very glad to be here.

Well, thank you. Thank you for being here. I want to also um I want to also share that the waypoint is um it's an identified need in Woodford County as far as a structural need and serving needs. Um Woodford County has a to your point 150 nonprofit resources. Those are very diverse. Those serve many different areas and agencies and needs. And we have always wanted I know Mayor Troget prior to the current mayor, Mayor Dake looked at having some we we we initially wanted to call it a one-stop a one-stop resource to try to help people uh get help and then United Way came along and you all have this waypoint idea which I really think fits into a gap in service needs in the community. And so we're excited that you're going to be at the health department. We we're really, you know, we we originally wanted to have like a a a night a big place somewhere that people could generally convene, but I think the health department as a pilot project and starting this out, it's going to be an excellent location for that. We agree we have uh the Waypoint Center initiative is about 6 years old and initially we did design it to be a one-stop shop. What we found that during COVID one-stop shop worked because everybody primarily needed the same thing. However, now the social services research shows that one-stop shops are effective with people um leaving incarceration that there are several different things that they would all need in common and a one-stop shop makes sense. And it's also helpful for individuals experiencing substance use disorder. It would make sense for onetop. However, if you think about yourself, your cousin, your sister, and your neighbor, your needs

are all different. Someone can show up to us and say, "I just can't figure out how to get a real ID now with all these new rules and everything." Our people can sit down, figure out what that need is, help them find the resources. Someone needing electric bill assistance, someone needing who helps with car repairs if I'm low income. So that's why we have this one case manager here who's very familiar with the organizations in town so they can make those warm calls so that they can make that warm pass off to get that thing done. So the one-stop shop it we sort of outgrew it because the community's needs outgrew it.

Thank you for explaining that. So I'd like to open up the floor. Squire Taylor. I'm sorry this personal privilege I just want to say thinking about you all and the loss of Mr. for Shelton. And uh I know it was very unexpected and

I appreciate that. We had a uh if you hadn't heard, we had a brand new uh CEO who just started with us. He I believe he was just formally appointed in December and then he passed away very suddenly in February. So we're definitely dealing with that. We have a great interim president in place. my counterpart uh Caleb Robinson who's the vice president of resource development and fundraising. So, we're all working together to hold the ship together, but it is definitely um a transition because we had had our previous president move on to a new position. Tom came and plus he's just a bit of a unicorn. He was just such a phenomenal person. So, tremendous loss. I appreciate that acknowledgement and I'll express that to the staff.

Yeah. Thank you, Miss Muhammad. Thank you, Squire Taylor. Tom Shelton was a great man, and it was a sad and shocking thing to learn that he passed. Um, and so our thoughts and prayers are with the Shelton family and the United Way family. Uh, but I do think that this is a a really, really important initiative, one that we were going to Tom and I were going to meet with about. So, I'm glad that we're continuing the good work. Um, let me ask if other folks have questions about um what the $5,000 United Way allocation would be in our resolution. Anybody have any questions on that? Good to see you. Well, thank you for being here. Thank you all so much.

Michelle, thank you for being here as well. Now introduce Michelle Jimenez who is a Woodford County resident born and well not born and raised but raised here and uh she is our director of community impact. So she does oversee the Waypoint Center team. Well, thank you. Thank you Michelle for being here. Um so we we will uh take up this resolution um ultimately in the full fiscal court. You all don't need to wait around for that. But um thank you for coming and thank you for your time. Absolutely. Thank you for having us. Always a great ride in Luke. Yes, for sure.

So, let me um continue the discussion on the uh emergency needs assistance resolution. I would I would draw your attention to a couple things. First of all, the um allocation for the Bluegrass Community Action Partnership is listed at $20,000. The Woodford Foundation, Inc., which is serving needs in the community, is $25,000. The United Way of the Luggrass is $5,000. The food pantry is $2,000. The Salvation Army is also $2,000. And the station is at $2,000. And let me explain a little bit about how uh those amounts were uh determined. You all have the um the account numbers and appropriations in the budget. And our goal in addition to the senior center funding for Bluegrass Community Action Partnership was to uh continue basic needs support. Uh Bluegrass Community Action does a variety of basic needs support every day. Um, and when they are unable to do that due to funding, then they they're not able to assist. And this would allow them to assist with programs that are currently not funded in Woodford County. And so, if I could let me go back and this piggybacks on exactly what Miss Muhammad was from the United Way was saying. Um, we are seeing a growing amount of emerging need in the community. Um, the very first organization that brought that need to our attention was the Woodford County Food Pantry who was increasing in their clients. But if you talk to Bluegrass Community Action, if you talk to the Verscel's Police Department's Victims Advocate, Ellie

Castle, if you talk to um other nonprofits in the community, um folks that are in the gap or on the verge is growing in our community. I think that that's based on a number of factors. Uh the basic economic indicators, inflation is still problematic. Folks are still dealing with um the rising cost of everything. And you know, often people think of these sort of programs as dealing with people who can't work or don't work, but that's not the truth on the ground. The reality on the ground is we have what United Way deter they they use the acronym Alice. Um lowincome people who are working that can't make ends meet. Um I think the the term working poor or those that are working and low income, those are the people that we are looking to assist. Also, retirees and folks on disability that have fixed incomes that have not been able to keep up the cost of everything with their monthly check. Those folks are falling into our categories of basic needs. And basic needs as you all know are food, water and shelter. Um also housing affordability is directly connected to this issue of basic needs because when you can't make your utility payment, when you can't pay your bills, when you can't afford groceries and rents continue to increase, you're not able to to save your rent. you're not able to pay your rent, and you're making decisions based on what bills to pay, what rents to pay. And the same goes for Woodford County

with mortgages. Uh again, these are folks that have equity and have the ability um to meet a lot of their basic needs, but if you fail to meet that mortgage payment once, that can send you into foreclosure and it can be a cascading effect. And so as it relates to housing affordability, we need to make sure people can afford to stay in the current homes that they have. A lot of people talk about housing affordability and we need to build these new houses and build new um apartments and things like that. The reality in Woodford County is we need to keep people in their stable current living arrangement now and make sure they're able to afford that. And that is a first priority and that is where we are aiming with these budgeted funds for emergency needs to make sure people aren't falling through the cracks as our economy continues to be uncertain. Um so again, Bluegrass Community Action Partnership, they are uh professionals in dealing with uh these sort of basic needs and we would send them these funds with the administrative abilities to do that. I've talked to Troy Roberts. He understands the basic tenants and framework of what we're doing. We've dealt with and funded Bluegrass Community Partnership for years. The Woodford Foundation, uh the Woodford Foundation does the same thing, although they are much more flexible and versatile and they have the ability to um serve needs in a more quick and direct manner. And so when we're talking about the Woodford Foundation, we're we're talking about folks that have like the Macy Avenue fire survivors, uh the flood survivors, those that are having major disasters or crisis crises or issues pop up and they are able to work

with the Woodford Foundation to fulfill emergency needs. We put the Woodford Foundation has done a tremendous job in putting people in temporary housing uh serving temporary needs like food, water, and shelter and then helping direct people to more long-term needs. So, uh again, that's what the Woodford Foundation's allocation would be directed at. The food pantry, they have their general mission of serving food insecurity in our community. You all are well aware of that. We fund the executive director position. This would be for emergency food funding. Um we would ask that they try to prioritize that $2,000 allocation in our budget for that. We're seeing that need. They're serving that need and we're going to come behind and help them with a small allocation to bolster that in case it's needed. Um the Salvation Army I know um served a great need in temporary emergency housing in the floods. Uh they did as well with the Mason Macy Avenue fire. Uh this would basically help them to um if another need pops up in the now between now and the fiscal year that they could serve that need quickly. Uh I don't know if you all know this, but Salvation Army's um donations and receipts are down. They had a lot of big expenditures with with the flood which we really appreciate. the Woodford County Salvation Army. Any monies collected stay in Woodford County that do not go to the National Service Organization or the regional service organization and they served um helping people get hotels during the Macy Avenue fire. So again, that this would prepare them to serve that need going forward. And finally, you all are very well aware of the station and what they do. they had a increase in in the needs related to what they do and so this would help them with

funding and they are basically an emer emergency temporary housing provider um in the extreme temperatures anyway. So the one thing that has changed in this resolution since you all received it is section two and I'm just going to read this. These funds shall be specifically allocated to essential service organizations herein to provide emergency assistance for food, utilities, housing, and other basic necessities. These funds may be distributed consistent with established policies, applications, criteria, and protocols related to verifiable emergency basic needs. These funds may also be designated to support Woodford County's flood survivors with basic emergency needs. Um, eligible households affected. Actually, Jordan, this is the So, I I I took out that eligible households. Basically, if if folks had a request for needs, they would come to the fiscal court um for flood related to the flood survivors. Now, they can clearly go with to any of the Bluegrass Community Action or Woodford Foundation, but we'd also have the ability to um help with funds and provide assistance for flood survivors directly. But the the change in se section two just clarifies that we can do both the essential service organizations bluegrass community action which foundation united way food pantry Salvation Army and the station or they can apply through the fiscal court. And so again that's what we um amended that. And so I'm going to get you all that updated language, but I'd like to open up the floor now for questions or comments regarding the resolution.

If I recognize the folks that apply to the physical court, would we direct them to the to the entities we're talking about on the sheet or would we direct directly deal with their needs here? So essentially what I'm proposing is that the fiscal court could come up with a program dedicated to serving needs of which they would apply for the program and receive funding for the program. So it doesn't exist as of the date today, but this would make sure we can allocate to do that. Thank you. Good question. Thank you. Other questions? Seeing none, um I'll have the updated resolution for additional review before we rec vote to recommend it to the full fiscal court. So I want to move on to the discussion of items in our current budget. So, I want to move on to I guess we'll we will look at the director Chandler, you want to talk about the emergency um EWP buyout program, grant grant agreement and Microsoft licensing just move that forward for us.

Yes, sir. Do you have a preference on which one we speak to? No. To be general, just to give the update.

Okay. The uh the Microsoft agreement is uh somewhat of a routine renewal. Uh Microsoft does their licensing on on three-year cycles. Um so this we're concluding the third year of the old agreement that was uh approved previously. There is a modest price increase. We also uh went up a few quantity of licenses due to more employees using uh.gov email addresses and um this is one of those where we can't tell Microsoft that we're not willing to pay the increase. Uh our only other option would be to switch email platforms and that may be more of a uh burden than the cost increase actually is. So, it'd be my recommendation that we renew with Microsoft for the three-year term. Uh, this is a state price contract amount. It goes through a company called Insight, which holds a master agreement with the finance cabinet.

Questions for Director Chandler there on? Seeing none, please proceed. Uh, judge, we received last week a an award notice and a grant agreement for the cabinet for economic development. At the the court's last meeting, I would recall a revised uh resolution of related to the match and the application that we submitted. Um, so I'm I'm pleased to report we did receive that grant award that we were very optimistic about. And this is Hang on, there's a lot of pages here. Uh 2 million761,744. Um, so that is representative of a little less than 25% of the overall project costs. The USDA is contributing 75% toward the buyout program, which will will net the county's responsibility to just 5%. Um, these funds come from the general assembly appropriation of uh two $200 million in 2024 uh to provide funds in this manner that help offset the cost of local match requirements of federal grants uh of which the USDA is one of the federal entities that qualifies for that. So, uh, it'd be my recommendation, uh, after proper review that we enter into this agreement, uh, thus lowering our net cost of the buyout program to just 5%.

I make a motion to recommend that to the full fiscal court. Motion by Squire uh, Varner, second by Squire Taylor. Any questions? Is anyone as excited as I was going to say um, it's pretty big deal. U all those in favor please vote and signify by saying I. I. All those opposed? Nay. That motion carries.

Judge I would like to add um this is a reimbursement basis. So as we incur the costs uh we would periodically file for the reimbursement um just as we will with the USDA. So there will be some outlaying uh for the acquisition of properties. But uh they're indicating in this document that it's a relatively quick as far as the state's concerned 30-day turnaround. Excellent. So, um, for the other items for director Chandler, I would entertain a motion to recommend their approval to the fiscal court as well. Motion. Motion with Squire Taylor. Second.

Second with Squire Varner. All those in favor, please vote. Signify by saying I. I. All those opposed, nay. That motion carries. Thank you, Director Chanley. Thank you, Judge.

All right. Um, we have the EMS uh ambulance bid request and we have Director Bailey with us. Um, come on up. We I'm going to circulate to you all the draft EMS budget um that Director Bailey has worked on. It is a draft. I want to emphasize that it is a working document. It is not complete, but uh for the purposes to start out, we're going to discuss a new ambulance. So, Director Bailey, I'll turn over the floor for you, and you want to discuss what we're looking at?

Yes. Um spoke with all of you yesterday in regards to the truck, uh working with Scott at the road department. We have three trucks that are 2009 12 and two 2012 models. the mileage and the hours combined on them equal them up to about a million miles per truck. So, you know, we're getting our money's worth out of our vehicles. We're going to keep all the vehicles that we have. Um, multiple times this year, we've dropped down to where we had no backup trucks at all due to the trucks breaking down. Uh, the new trucks when they break down, it's time consuming waiting for parts to come in because some of them are new enough they're not stocking parts on the shelf yet. So, it's taken longer to get it and we have longer down times. So, what we're trying to do is by asking you all to kind of pre-approve the approval of a truck is get us to where we can go ahead and get in the bid process now where we can advertise for bidding for a new truck. And that way when we go into it, we'll be about five months ahead of it to where we can get it because they're looking at anywhere from 16 to 20 months to get us a truck back to to build a truck. So it would be coming out of the 26, you 27 budget cycle to pay for the truck. Um, but there's just, you know, there's no truck setting. uh spent all day today looking to see if there's anything out there that we could get that we could do a demo on or if we could try to refurbish the trucks that we have, but it's just, you know, there's not a lot to it. And if we keep the extra truck, we can put it in the high school for that program. It'll be stored inside the building to where it's out of the weather, but it's accessible to us whenever we need it. If we drop two trucks, three trucks that go down, and it just benefits us that way.

There's not a lot of extra cost upkeep to maintain that truck to keep it up. It's paid for and the maintenance would be very minimum on that at that time. So, our big ask tonight is is to help us speed that process up. Uh to determine if you all I'm not sure, you know, I've kind of mentioned it multiple times to everybody about needing vehicles just because they're wearing out. Our run volume has increased. So, it's just a lot more miles. So, we're just trying to speed that process up and be able to lock it down and possibly at the end of the budget cycle it this year with the manufacturers. There's a potential that we could get lucky and get a chassis that hasn't been purchased and built on that we could speed it up to where we could potentially get a truck by, you know, February, March, April of the following year.

All right. I'd like to open up the floor for discussion of uh the new ambulance that we need to purchase for the EMS service. Thank you, Judge. Yes, sir. Freeman, I know that we we refurbished one of our boxes and put on that last chassis. Yes, sir. Would would would the need be for that truck to be at the high school or could you look at that side of it, too? I can look at that side of it, but where the manufacturers have pushed the volume of those out there like that, they have raised the cost of that to where it's almost

an better to buy the new truck because you get the full warranty of everything as opposed to the refurb of it, the box. Our big thing is is, you know, we've again where we the trucks are older. they're breaking down more frequently as we get to that point where we don't have a backup truck and we have to wait for other counties to come back us up and make runs. They're all busy as well. So, they're not able to cover us as often. So, we may be waiting for, you know, a while before we get a truck. And I just want to be able to have an avenue to back that up. Not so much that we need it for the school because I can always take one of the other trucks over. just keeping that truck in the fleet. As Scott says, you know, we're better to have that one extra

because we're at the point now where our volume is increased. We're keeping four trucks steady all the time, not the three that we have on duty. We're constantly sending out a fourth truck on on calls because we're keeping four trucks busy. Um, and when they go down, then I just, you know, like right now, I've got one of the newest truck that we purchased. It caught on fire, as y'all remember. I still don't have that truck back. The other one that I had remounted had some wiring issues that uh that was they were they had a problem with and it also had a a paint uh defect from the manufacturer that that we had to send it back to Texas and so they had it for months and redoing that. So it just kind of pushes us backwards. So, we're at the point where we need the extra truck, but it might be better to save this truck for now and potentially at the next turnaround phase, then do that. Take that same box and have it refabricated and put on another chassis if that cost comes down. But if you look at the price of them now, you know, to redo the chassis and do that, we bought the last one at I think it was 252,000 somewhere in that range, you know, at Mhm.

That was minus. We already had the stretcher and stuff. The reason this one's up a little higher is because we're going to add that extra stretcher system in to where they all match each other to where we can not have to try to if truck goes down, you can't put that stretcher in there. So, we're that's the reason that the stretcher system and loading system is $71,000. It's amazing what the cost stuff is anymore. It's just you can't they're not worth it, but that's what they cost. Thank you, Director Bailey. Yes, sir. And Director Bailey, you want to um just kind of go over a little bit of what what you think the estimated cost is going to be, what the estimated timeline is going to be. I know you've touched on this, but just just for the record,

the the timeline right now that they're telling us is anywhere from 16 to 20 months is where they're looking after we lock in the bid and we sign the contract with them. That's what it'll start. The cost of the truck and with the loading system, the stretchers and everything is around $293,000 or wait a minute. May I give you the wrong number? 392,000 roughly in that range, you know, 39234. And on my budget, I went ahead and stuck in the number 400 just to where we had a little bit of fluxing one way or the other. If we don't need it, we don't we wouldn't get it. It's hard for me to give you an exact number just because we have to do the bid process and we never know what each contractor come in. But me calling around and looking what other agencies have paid for the truck theirel uh what the stretcher system I got that total from her because they're the only people that can put that type in for us. So I was able to get a solid number for that. Um the truck I can get a good ballpark figures which was what what I've done. I think that would be pretty close to that figure, but that's that's basically what they're running. Uh some of the other agencies that are buying them all new and that um they're paying a little bit more than that. They're in that 450 425 range. So, you know, I think we hopefully we'll be able to stay around that 293 range is what I'm shooting for.

Thank you, Director Bailey. I appreciate that. Let me open up the floor for questions or comments regarding um the recommendation that we advertise and begin the bid process for a new ambulance. Squire Carl. Yeah, Freeman. I just want to thank you because you're always thinking ahead, you know, always. And I'm just glad that we have you to do that because we just don't ever end up where we're like this needing this and it takes 16 months to get it. I mean, it's nice to have that forward thinking and uh just appreciate and I know that you're that everyone that works with you appreciates that, too.

We we try to look looking forward as far as we can and also be as cost-saving as we can because we realize our equipment that we have is expensive. I mean, when you put EMS on it, they just raise the price to the roof. Thank you. Thank you. Square Carl Square. Taylor, you I just want to clarify so nobody has any sticker shock when you look at the the request. I think maybe there's a typo cuz it actually has uh 4 million instead of 400,000 under that vehicle. Well, I was hopeful. You know, I was going to go ahead and replace them all. We're going to go ahead and get a air medevac. That's it. We're getting a helicopter.

You know, we can't get around anymore. But that Yes, that's probably a typo on my half. Uh that's okay. Typing is not my strong suit. Well, let me say this, Director Bailey. I said at the beginning, this is a draft. Yes, it is not for dissemination. It's a working doc. It's to show you guys the process. You all have we we all have done this for several years now. And I think it's easier for you all to look at the iterations rather than just see the the close to the end product and say what how do we get here? Uh again, we have not gone through our internal process except for meeting with Director Bailey and talking to him about it. So I just didn't want anybody else to look at the email and then

think that it was very expensive truck. That'd be very nice. But no, that's just a typo. All right. Um, so I do need a motion to advertise and begin the bid process for a new ambulance as recommended by EMS Director Bailey. Motion. Motion by Squire Taylor. Second by Squire Carl. Are there any other questions or comments from any members of the committee or the court? Seeing none, all those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. I. All those opposed, nay. That motion carries unanimously. Thank you all. Um, I just want to um and Director Bailey, you're good. Unless you have anything additional.

Uh, not unless you want me to talk about the billing approvement. Actually, since we have you. Yes, let's go ahead and do that. Thank you.

Okay. Uh, I sent out to you all this morning and got all the the data back from where we're trying to change our um, we've switched over our billing company. We all approved that. and the building companies, the the prior building company, we had met with them multiple times to find out if we needed to raise the cost of our rates or change our costs anyway. And they always came back to us. We was fine. We was right in the middle of the road. We was good. Once we figured out that they wasn't doing the job that we required of them to do, we had several other companies come in to talk to us about what they could provide, what they could do. And each one of them when they would look at our pay scale told us it was extremely low. We needed to adjust that rate. So what we did was once we made that choice of who we wanted for our billing company, I had them send me their recommendations what our rate should be because that's what they do every day. They work out there in the public. They're billing with the insurance companies, the providers, the Medicare, Medicaid. They're up to date on all the stuff. and they sent back a recommendation and it was the first sheet that I sent you on our letterhead that said current rate scale. That's what we currently charge. If you look at the advised rate scale that they're advising us to switch to, it's almost 50% of an increase. uh if you read the sheet of paper that I had included to that done the comparisons with them um you know they explained that it's really not going to affect our Medicare Medicaid patients the ones with the HOS and stuff like that it's only the commercial billers that they're sending these rates to you know the people out there that the different insurance companies this is what they're used to custom paying this is what they're going after to help absorb for the losses that we get from the other ones. Cuz with Medicare, Medicaid, if I bill $1,000, I'm doing

great if I get 300 of it. The commercial billers, if I'm billing that same $1,000 at $1,800 or $1,900 and then I'm getting from them, you know, threequarters of that that I'm that's helping absorb the cost of the ones that I'm not getting paid for. Uh they had also included some other items in there. The company had advised us once we made our selection that they every company they've ever picked up as a new client. Their revenue has always went up. I can't predict to you if it's going to go up $10,000 or 500,000. We know that it's going to go up substantial from what they're telling me. And that's without even these rate increases. It's going to because they can build quicker. This is all they do. They they have a better system. Uh so they they assure us that we're going to see an increase in our revenue going into this. It's just depending on how much other agencies that our size with about the same run volume have seen anywhere from $150 to $300,000 increase in their first year with them. So that's what we're hoping to see as well. Um and again it's not affecting our our our customer bay, our patients, our citizens of the community. It's just this is what the commercial billers are paying as you all can see in her uh comparisons that she sent to us. So that's a good thing that you know it's going to go up as they as you all seen on the budget line item. I did not I'm working with Melody uh on that line item for our billing. I did not change that number. we're going to get with Melody because she's been working with me on these to increase that number up because what I had no clue how to adjust it because the what in our billing line item it it's how much you know we're actually collecting is what's that's based off of. So it was like you know how do we guess at this

you know I didn't want to so we're going to push that number a little bit up and elevate it. We'd rather be high than low, but you know, like I said, we're hoping to see a substantial increase in what our revenue coming back in to us is. So, what we're asking for tonight is for you all to approve the uh new rate chart to where the new billing company can start building the software for our billing processes. When our calls come in in May and they start doing that, they can start billing this out at the new rate and not have to go back in and redo everything right before they start. They want to get all the kinks worked out, everything straight and organized ahead of time.

I'd open up the floor for any questions on the um recommendations for the increase in billing amounts. Squire Taylor, you're recognized. Uh, I was just going to say, um, I was for the new, uh, ambulance, uh, before hearing all this, but, uh, obviously that opportunity to, to offset that additional cost, uh, is pretty spectacular, and I really appreciate your diligence on this cuz it it, uh, um, we're not in the business of um, you know, making money for for the county, but uh, being being fair and competitive on our compensation is only appropriate. and uh looking at those other counties, I really appreciate that due diligence you did as well for us to know that that we're uh we were way behind and uh we were leaving money on the table from these insurance companies and u I'm appreciate that that work.

Thank you. Thank you. We're hoping that you know this will be a good partnership. We went to a meeting with them last week, Monday and Tuesday. Uh very promising on what they've provided us the things that we could have been doing in the past that we never was aware of. So, we've we've learned a lot already and we hope to see this the help because I told them the exact same thing you did. We're not looking to be profitable. We're not looking to have more money than what it costs us to run the service, but we don't want to be in the hole either. You know, if there's that the money's out there and the insurance providers are paying this, then this is what we should be billing. And like I said, as you all notice, it's almost a 50% difference in what we had been billing. And Larry, thank you for suggesting getting the comparison uh for you all to look at. I talked to Larry and he's like, can we get a comparison what other counties doing so we make sure that we're coming up with that number not out of the air but legitimate. So they were very quick to be able to provide that.

Square Bar uh uh Director Bailey, this new billing company, will they help you collect too? I mean after they bill or they do it all. We touch no money. Nothing comes to us. It all goes to the building and Melanie will be working hand in hand with them. They are driving her crazy right now. But they are um they're very attentive of what they do.

Um I had the conversation with them. I said, "If you see something that we're not doing properly, don't wait 6 months to call me. Call me the day that day. Um 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Let us know now so we can address it and fix it." They've been very professional about that on how they do things. Um, we will still be using our thirdparty collection agency that we currently use. They have a contract with that same company. So, that will be a smooth transition there. We've tried to get way ahead of this after signing to where we dealt with them daily to make sure that we can get everything to where when we start in May, it's smooth and clean. Yeah. And I I know some some get slow. I just want to know if that they help you continue.

Absolutely. They're on top of them. They call on a regular basis. They work with them. We'll still be able to work with our citizens. We have some of them that are, you know, that struggle to pay because their finances are low, right? We, the court has already given us permission in the past to be able to work with them to make payments. They're willing to do the same with us with those patients to continue the same quality of service that we've been giving and be very attentive to, you know, our patients needs. Thank you, Director Bailey. Thank you. Thank you, Director Bailey. So, we'll take that up in full fiscal court. Um is there a motion to recommend the uh billing changes as presented? So motion by Square Ver second by Squire Carl. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I.

All those opposed, nay. That motion carries unanimously. Um Madame Clerk, you want to give a brief overview of the Civic Plus proposal for the agenda agenda and meeting solutions? If you would.

I will. I sent out a quote from Civic Plus for some upgrades to our website that Drew and I have currently been working on. It's a agenda and minutes management uh solution and this is mainly to streamline our workflow right now. This would bring our agendas, our minutes, all the supporting documentations onto the same um platform pretty much. Um, everything that currently is being sent out is used in a one drive folder, a word folder. It's you have printed copies in front of you. You don't always have the most up-to-date versions. We've seen that tonight with the resolution.

Um, this would help with accuracy and efficiency and definitely transparency. Um everything would be in one spot located on the website for the public to view, for the court to view, for the press to view. Um we last year for calendar year, just some numbers, we did 40 agendas or notices. And with that, there's at least 30 sets of minutes with those. And um that's just a way that I think that we could justify the cost of our reoccurring expense annually for this upgrade. I know Drew has some points that he may be able to touch on as well. And um we could also use this for safety committee internal committees as well.

U that was what I was going to mention. There are some other groups that are attached to the fiscal court. the Human Rights Commission comes to mind. Uh the local emergency planning committee. Um there's just some different groups that could also benefit from this longer term, creating a the one-stop transparency portal. Uh there's one other element that Jordan put out um that was uh the videos that we do, the live streamings. Uh so those are on Facebook, but they're also on YouTube. And so these uh meeting minutes and agendas when you go to an agenda item there will be a a timestamp so it can click ahead and advance you to that point in the meeting where that item came up. And that's currently not a capability that we have with the current setup. It's uh you have to fast forward and move around the meeting with the the scrubbing bar uh to figure out where they are and and adjust. Um so the There is a pretty significant cost to this, but we believe that the efficiencies are are well worth the investment. Um, this is also uh aligned with the existing Civic Plus renewal. So, there's a prrated portion to get us started and then the anniversary of this is with the other Civic Plus service that we already have. So, it simplifies the billing as well. Moving ahead,

open up the floor for questions for Director Chandler or our clerk. Is there a motion to recommend the approval of Sane to the fiscal court? Motion. Second. There's a motion by Squire Carl. Second by Squire Taylor. Any questions? I I just want to say I had some individual questions that I'd followed up with uh both the uh clerk and the uh emergency management director and they helped me. So, just want to appreciate their their time.

Thank you. And um you know I think this will also help with um workflow and work management. Um it's we're doing a lot. We're about to talk about young and new farmer grants which puts a lot on the clerk and our administrative abilities. Uh we've received several open records requests as of late and those are timeconuming upon the staff. So this will help us be able to uh get to our website needs and put things out quicker. So with that recommendation to the full fiscal court, the motion on on the table. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I.

All those opposed, nay. That motion carries unanimously. Um I just want to uh make you all aware of the steel cemetery request. Um it says Steel Road Cemetery, but it's actually the Steel Cemetery on Tyrone Pike. Um, so there was a discussion with the cemetery committee about um the removal of trees. You all seen the receipt from what they've gotten that to us. I need to check in with the cemetery committee and their request and expectation. I just want to make you all aware of this request in the budget finance committee. That's why it's on the docket and I'll provide you more information uh as we go forward. But I would like to move on to the affformentioned young and new farmer grant program as budgeted as we've had in the past. We have the young and new farmer grant program application criteria and guidelines before you. We'd like to open up this program. Uh when we open it up, we have been um we we have had the request of the screening committee to add a little bit more information and the specifics of that information. and I think are really insightful. Squire Varner um providing detailed funding of their request uh their location of farming all that sort of stuff there. There were some questions about that we had to get to the bottom of of exactly what people were doing and how they would be using the funds and we were able to do that but this will uh provide that information on the front end. I think this also will narrow the scope of the program just slightly. Um so that there may be a little bit more strict uh more strict criteria in who is eligible

and and will be able to be served by this program. So Scar Varnner, let me recognize you for questions and comments. Yes. Uh I I wanted to add one thing to that. I Yes, sir. uh as we do the cape program out at extension uh I'd like to see us open this up and then uh for new applicants the applicants that that that applied and was received the award last time I'd like to see us start off that we the criteria would say you know we'd fund the new applicants first okay

before we got to the you know to to the reoccurring uh the folks that drew before that way we we'd let everybody body know that come and apply.

Thank you. Um I think that's a worthy uh recommendation for consideration. As far as the budget and finance committee is concerned, you all have any preference comments on the recommendation by Squire Varnner for a uh new applicant priority? Seeing as the previous applicants have received funding, is there any objection from the committee for including that in the application? Seeing no objection, we will uh include that Squire Varnner as part of the grant program and criteria.

Thank you, Judge. So with that um with that addition without objection from the committee is there a motion to recommend to the committee um the approval of the resolution application and criteria. The resolution does not include the deadline to apply. So the resolution does not have the deadline open. I don't know what you all wanted to make the deadline.

That would be fine. That's that's suitable. Is there a recommendation that upon the um determination of a due date for applications that the uh remainder of the resolution will be recommended to the fiscal court for approval? So move. Motion by Square of Barner. Second. Second by Squire Taylor. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. All those opposed, nay. That motion carries unanimously. Thank you, Squire Varner.

So, I'd like to move quickly to the fiscal year 2627 budget discussion. You all receive the uh the budget from the emergency medical services EMS presented by Director Bailey. Again, that's draft. Uh we'll also be sending you the recycling and solid waste draft budget as well for y'all to go through. Um, we're working through a few other budget items for the new fiscal year, but I would ask if there are any questions or comments regarding any of the um budget items that have been presented or any other general budget questions from the committee. Seeing none, uh, Madame Clerk, excuse me, madam treasure, did you want to I think we do have Gail Smith from the road department here as well. Did you want to um go over the road department uh truck orders and status?

Could you do that for us, please? Something I wanted to make the committee aware of.

So, I think you all received this spreadsheet. Um, so it looks like we have trucks that are we're still waiting on the parts to kind of be put together. So we ordered a dump truck, a single axle dump truck in the 2324 budget that is now in the process of getting the other parts put on. We did the same thing for 2425. We ordered a truck. We're still waiting on the other parts to be put on. So the the part that's highlighted in orange is what we have actually paid for for the the chassis, but we're still waiting on the other and we're not exactly sure when we're going to be invoiced for the remainder because we don't know when they're going to be completed. So, we just wanted you to be aware because at this point, you know, we've carried it from the 2324 budget to the 2425 budget and it's possible we may have to carry it forward to the uh 2627 budget. So, we just wanted you to be aware of what was going on with that as we move into the new budget cycle, especially if we end up needing to order more trucks. And as Madame Treasurer mentioned, u we also are in need of these trucks. Um with the the current uh ice storm that we just went through, it would been very helpful to have some newer equipment. Um specifically some of these larger tandemss and some of the other trucks to to replace some of our older uh trucks, which is another testament to the job that the road department did working with um the older equipment and getting the job done. But um these have been on order. It's not something that the fiscal court or the road department is behind on. In fact, again, as you mentioned, we're going all the way back to 2023 in these orders. And um you know, that's that's one of the issues

that you deal with with both bidding out and using a state contract to get trucks. Um in the private market, we could have got something fairly easily, but um we want a good deal. you know, they're they're still although they're very costly, it's still a a really competitive rate for all of these trucks.

Well, we ran into the same thing with the ambulance. It's just a long build out. So, um and I I do feel like they planned they they tried to plan ahead because they knew that the tariffs and um parts were going to go up. So, you know, we did have an increase in price in the 2425 because of those things. So, it was it's not for lack of planning ahead to try to save us some money. It's just it's a timing issue at this point. So,

yeah, we'll just use use that $4 million from the ambulance line item today. Uh, let let me ask questions for the treasurer or anybody at the road department regarding our trucks. I would encourage you if you have questions to discuss with them. Thank you, Madam Treasur. Do you want to go ahead and do your uh report?

Yes. I'm gonna um my little boy has his first middle school game tonight, so I'm gonna scoot out a little early. Um our balance tonight is 14 million 96216657. We are starting to slowly see some reimbursements come in. So that's a good thing as we wrap up start to wrap up this fiscal year.

Questions for the treasur on the treasures report. Anybody have anything? Seeing none. Thank you, Madam Treasur. You're more than welcome to be excused for the meeting for Brady's lacrosse game. Um I want to return back to the resolution of the fiscal court regarding emergency needs and assistance. Um the amended version is before you. Section two is the main change. These funds shall be specifically allocated to the essential service organizations here and above. That's Bluegrass Community Act a Action Partnership, Woodford Foundation, Inc. United Way of the Bluegrass, Woodford County Food Pantry, the Salvation Army, and the station. uh to provide emergency assistance for food, utility, housing, and other basic necessities. These funds may may be distributed consistent with established policies, applications, criteria, and programs related to verifiable emergency basic needs. These funds may also be designated to support the Woodford County flood survivors with basic emergency needs, including emergency temporary housing needs or other basic needs. So that is the main change in section two on the resolution for emergency needs and flood relief. And in returning to that discussion, uh we are seeing more PE people in need and we want to make sure that as part of our allocated budget aotments that we are making sure folks don't fall through the cracks that we are filling the gaps and we are providing support um for Woodford County families in need. So I would request a recommendation of the resolution's approval to the full fiscal court.

So motion by Squire Varner second, second by Squire Taylor. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I.

All those opposed, nay. And that motion carries unanimously. All right, we've got a few minutes before court. I just want to say that uh as far as our budget u timeline continues to move on. Um you're going to see more agencies and departments submitting their draft budgets to us. We're going to have more presentations coming. Um but at the moment and this particular financial snapshot of the 2526 budget, Woodford County fiscal court is in great financial sa shape. You all saw that our um bank balance remained steady uh with the reimbursements that we received and the good conservative fiscal management. Uh we are in good shape as far as our financial picture and our cash balance. We also have historically low debt amount. We have um we we are seeing the results of good financial management and budget in that we are under spending our current budget and we are on track to uh finish out this year without going over budget even despite some of our larger expenditures including parks projects and those sort of things. And so overall the financial picture in this budget is good. It's strong and we continue to be bolstered by good job growth and wage growth in the community. Um, all things considered with certain things that we're going to discuss in the next uh fiscal court meeting about Yokohama. So, are there any questions or comments about anything that came before the budget finance committee this afternoon? Seeing none, we are adjourned. We will reconvene in full fiscal court momentarily. Thank you.