Board of Commissioners - Special Meeting

call to order the January 7th special called meeting of the board of commissioners. This is a special called meeting. So, it's a little bit different, different day, four o'clock. Uh, and because it's a special called meeting, we can only consider what's specifically listed on the agenda. So, as a result, there will be no public comments at this meeting and actually no commissioner comments as well. So, uh, with that introduction, Beth, if you would call the role. Commissioner Sharon Nmith here, Commissioner Jeff Sanford here, and Commissioner Curtis Paginger here. Mayor Watson and uh Mayor Pro Tim Glenn are both unavailable tonight.

Uh that's that's right. And as the clerk just read, because the mayor is absent, of course, he would typically chair the meeting and the mayor is absent. The mayor proim would chair the meeting. The mayor pro Tim was out of town and cannot attend. As a result, commissioners, you need to designate one of the remaining three of you to be the presiding officer for this meeting only. Mr. Okay. Make a motion to ex see if Commissioner Jeff Samper could be the head of tonight's evening. Okay. So, we have a motion and I will. Okay. All those in favor signify with I. I.

Any opposed? All right. Then, Commissioner Sanford, you become the presiding officer for the remainder of this meeting.

Thank you, Nate. Um, now we're going to move on to uh number four, which would be the invocation and pledge, which I'll do myself if you could stand. Bow your heads with me and let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we ask for wisdom, clarity, and humility as we carry out the work before us today. Guide us. guide our dis uh discussions so that we that our decisions serve the common good, protect the vulnerable and strengthen our community. May we lead with integrity, respect and a spirit of cooperation. In these things we pray. Amen. Now the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.

Okay. Next on the agenda is recognize Owensboro High School football team, the state champions of 2025. And I'm going to come down front and read something for you guys. All right. This season, the Owensboro High School Red Devils delivered a truly historic performance. With determination, discipline, and teamwork, they captured the class 5A state championship, making the program's first title at that level and his third state championship overall. Their dominant postseason run and decisive championship victory are a testament to the hard work of these student athletes, their coaches, and the entire school community. Tonight we proudly recognize their achievement and the pride they have brought to Owensboro. Um that was prepared for me. But I just want to say to you uh coaches and I know some of you and I know a lot of you guys all the hard work that it takes to do what you've done and the the discipline and and truly everybody is very proud of you guys. And I know it was hard to get everybody here tonight because we had to change the meeting date and everything, but you know, I just want to tell you if you're a student athlete, guys, use this as a springboard. You're you're state champions and this is something where you can keep chasing greatness and do things with life. this is going to be something you'll be able to talk about for a long time with your family and friends because I can tell you your parents and your coaches and the community are so

proud of you. Um I was very lucky to be a part of a of a group from Owensboro High School in 2015 in basketball that won the state championship and I know the dedication that those kids had and coaches and I and coaches I want to really thank you for everything you've done and the and the thing because you mean so much to these kids. I still have kids today from the time I was coaching at Owensboro High School come up to me and talk to me about what we meant to them. and and and I think you know that that a lot of these kids really look up to you and I I want to thank you as a uh from the the mayor and the rest of the commission on everything you've done because you mean a lot to the community and these kids will probably one day most of them are really going to be successful people and great uh uh great people in in in this community or wherever they end up. So thank you guys very much. If you guys want to come up, I'm gonna present you. All of you can come up here and we're gonna get a picture with you. And the commissioners, come on down. Commissioners,

what's up, buddy? Congratulations. Appreciate. No, that's hard work. Congratulations, buddy. Congratulations. We never won anything anyway. Congratulations. Good job, y'all. Yeah, absolutely. Great. Good job, buddy. Congratulations, Mr. Hog. I know all the hard work goes in, guys. A lot of hours.

We got everybody of you guys.

Thank you. I'm not sure. Okay. All right. Let's see. Number 6A. Uh, consider the approval of the minutes dated December 16th, 2025. Do I have a motion?

Second. Second. Any other discussion? Um, call for a vote. All in favor say I. I. I.

Okay. 6B. Consider board appointments. We'll give this to Beth. Okay. Owensboro Metropolitan Board of Adjustment reappoint Bill Wel to a four-year term expiring December 31, 2029. Property Maintenance Code Enforcement Board reappoint Glenn Morrison to a three-year term expiring January 5, 2029. Civil Service Commission reappoint Keith Ellis to a three-year term effective January 9, 2026. Owensboroough Davis County Regional Airport Board appoint Shan Higgins to a four-year term effective January 10, 2026. Owensboro Area Shelter and Information Services Board reappoint Claude Porter to a three-year term effective January 17, 2026 and Owensboro Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Appoint Mindy Greenwood to a two-year term effective January 19, 2026.

Thank you. Uh, can I have a motion to approve? Make a motion. A second. Second. Any further discussion? All in favor? I Okay. Yeah, it does. It does. It moves faster, doesn't it? Uh um number seven, municipal order. Uh

okay. Municipal Order 1-2026, a municipal order declaring property containing 0.15 acres more or less located at the corner of J.R. Miller Boulevard and East 17th Street as surplus property and authorizing the mayor to execute a deed conveying the property read for approval on one reading the 7th day of January 2026. Thank you. Uh city manager, can you uh expound upon that?

Yes, happy to. Commissioner. So this murderer involves the transfer of a small parcel approximately one 0.15 acres that is owned by the city that was intended to be transferred back uh in in the 1980s I believe. So back in the 80s the city rerouted East 17th Street which you can see there above the parcel in brown and so it used to not go straight across J.R. Miller is a little bit of an offset. So in the 80s the city acquired some property to reroute East 17th Street so it would go straight across and make for easier passage for traffic there crossing J.R. Miller Boulevard. The intent at the time was to actually essentially swap property and transfer where the road had been which is there in Brown to the adjoining property owner. For whatever reason that resulting transaction was never consummated. So, uh, fast forward 30 or so years and the owner of that track to the south of selling that property realized that the city had never transferred that 0.15 acres to him and requested that we do. So, that was the intent as far as we can tell in the 80s. Uh, basically, we swap property with him. He gave us a little bit. We were supposed to give him a little bit back and it was just done to straighten out that intersection. So, a pretty simple transaction, but something a little bit unusual, but it was uh intended to be done in the 80s. Councelor, anything that I left out of that explanation?

No, the other thing I would say is that a lot of that track is consumed by building setback lines. So, it doesn't really have any value as an independent track, right? It's not buildable or developable. Uh, thank you, city manager. Um, do I have a motion? Uh, can I get a motion to approve? And a second. Second. Um, any further discussion up here? No. Okay. All in favor? I. Motion approves. Number eight, city manager items.

Yes. Tonight, just personnel appointments. We have quite a few. So, probationary full-time non-ivil service appointments of David Hernandez, road worker with the street department effective January 19th. Aaron Mccardi, maintenance equipment operator with the street department effective January 19th. contingent upon successful completion of all post offer pre-employment requirements. James Staples, road worker with the street department effective January 19th. Stella Cunningham, Landon Dardy, Cameron Morris, and Pierre Mosley as police officers with the police department effective March 1st. For probationary full-time non-Ivil service promotional appointments, we have three this evening. Michelle Drawy as payroll administrator with the human resources department effective January 11th. Chelsea Stagner, administrative aid with the police department effective January 11th. Robert Robinson, maintenance equipment operator with the street department effective January 19th. And then for uh full-time appointments for those who have completed their probationary status, we have Paul Bodenheimer, crew leader with parks and recreation department effective January 6th. Aaron Brown, crew leader with the street department effective January 12th. and Christopher Garlic, bus driver with the transit department effective January 13th. Now, I'll just comment really the only thing specifically as you saw four new police officers that were hiring. That's great to see. That will comprise most or po portion of what will be the next cohort at the OPD law enforcement academy.

That's great. Thank you, city manager. Uh, do I have a motion to approve? Make a motion. Uh, can I have a second, please? Okay. Okay. Any further discussion? Okay. All in favor uh say I. I. Motion carries. Okay. Number nine. This would be the easiest one would be adjournment. I need a motion to adjurnn. Make a motion, please. I need a second. Second. Okay. All in favor? Uh raise your hand. Say I. I. Thank you very much. We appreciate it.