Council - Regular Meeting

you

We ready. Are we ready? I'd like to call the Radcliffe City Council regular meeting to order. It is 530. Mayor Duvall had a conflicting schedule. If you would please rise for the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Let us pray. Father, we thank you for this day and we thank you for your abundant blessings. We thank you for our mayor, our city council members, our city attorney and department heads. Father, we ask that you give them the guidance and the wisdom as they make decisions here tonight. Father, we ask that you bless our service members who are serving both here and abroad. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen.

Roll call, please. Miss Ashley.

Yes. Can I ask you all to pull your mics down if you would, please? Thank you very much.

Bill. Present.

Brown.

Here.

DeRoche. Here. Merle.

Here.

Owens. Present. Thompson.

If I can get approval of the minutes for July 21st, 26th, the regular meeting and August 10th, 26th work session, please. So moved. Seconded. Are there any discussion? Motion's passed. At this time, we have some informational discussion items. We'll start with a mayor's recognition award that Mr. Pike is going to read. Please, sir.

Good evening, folks. This is the Mayor's Recognition Award, awarded to Youth Theater of Hardin County, Shrek the Musical. The City of Radcliffe would like to recognize you for your creativity, teamwork, and passion for the performing arts. You exemplify what hard work and determination can achieve. We commend you for bringing joy to our community through your performances and your commitment to excellence. And it was signed this 21st day of July, 2026, J.J. Duvall, Mayor, City of Radcliffe. Congratulations.

Congratulations. And thank you, Councilwoman Maria Bell, for inviting them. And if you would, we're going to take a quick photo. Yes.

Come on down.

Yeah. Do you want to stand behind the table? Yeah.

Hold on one second. Alright. Everybody stay sharp.

All of these things go to the middle.

Oh, okay. This is Rayson Chickway, and he played Shrek. This is Jamie.

That's important.

a mic, a dancer, a tacking rack, all kinds of things. I don't remember all of yours. So dance and everything. I was one of those people who was an awesome member. And I was a tacking rack artist, a drag dancer, a regular dancer, and all the dancing. And I was a fan of the general family. And it was a good time with them. I was snow white for sort of my life. I was negative. I was jacking dancing, tapping jacks, all kinds of things. And the next person that we interviewed was Junkie. I'm the music director of the New York Art Academy, and all the people who are part of the theater.

And this is Greg Thompson. And this is Greg Thompson. Thank you and congratulations.

Thanks, Marie.

At this time, we have our parks and recs director, Ms. Becky. She's going to come forward and give us an update.

I have this box off.

Hello, I know it's been a while since I've been up here. So I just wanted to give a quick update. So in honor of senior citizen month, I just wanted to give a brief commentary on our senior citizen program that we do host at Colvin Community Center. We hosted, it's an annual and just happens all the time, two days a week currently. So on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1230, anyone over the age of 60 can come in and participate. They can come in, socialize, play card games, various other games. Some people play like Connect Four. There's a card game called Hand and Foot, not to be confused with the sickness. That one kind of got me when I first came on. Bingo is also another really big one. We're also about ready to take a field trip this coming Thursday as well, too. So we just do various different things with our seniors. And we're really happy to have them in our community center and in our community as well, too. So I just kind of wanted to share that. And it's a free program for anyone that participates. put on by Central Community Action, Lincoln Trails. If you want more information, feel free to contact the community center. And then CAT transportation does provide free transportation on those days as well for the seniors. And then also just a quick little update for Saunders Springs. We are currently working on our first ADA trail. that can host strollers as well as people with accessible devices. But we do need the help from the community. It is called a storybook trail. So if anyone would like to help participate, leave your legacy behind, any sort of donation would be helpable. We are trying to help raise money for that as well too. So once again, if you are interested in that, you can help contact the community center as well. And then other than that, hopefully I'll be back here soon to announce some other more exciting, fun things that we have coming up.

Thank you. Then before you take off, I got a couple questions. I want to just add to that if you don't mind. Yes. Because I know Barbara and your team have been working really hard on this storybook trail, which the sponsorship application is on the Parks and Rec's Facebook page.

So we actually, yes, it's on the Parks and Rec page. And then you can also come into Colvin Community Center as well, too. And any little bit amount helps. But if you want to buy a full panel, it's $750. And that will have your sponsorship name, your community name, whatever you guys want to put in there. if you just want to buy your regular name on there that's totally fine as well so personally or an organization can sponsor 501c3 you can sponsor your page and your name will be on that and that information you can get at colvin as well and then i've got a couple of extras up here as well too um and i'll just because i'll be leaving a little bit early i'll just leave them um right when you pick up the agendas they'll be right next to that thank you

And I know that you said that this senior program is through the Central Kentucky Foundation, and I know that they also have deliver meals as well. Yes. So how do they apply to deliver meals if they want a meal delivered and they can't come to call them?

So there is no meal delivery program.

They stopped the meal delivery program? Yes.

Yeah, they stopped the meal delivery program. So that ended during COVID.

So it's only pickups?

It's dine-in only. So you can only eat at Colburn Community Center. There is a couple of other facilities. There's the E-Town facility, for example, and that's five days a week. But it is dine-in only for the seniors.

So to Councilwoman Merle's point, do they have to sign up for that as well?

Yes, there is a sign-up program. We typically recommend, because it does require some paperwork, just stop into the community center maybe once or twice to see if you do like the program before you do make the commitment to sign up all the paperwork. But there is some paperwork because it is a grant funded action.

I do want to comment. My mother attends, as you well know, twice a week. And it's an opportunity. And I know Ms. Jackson also is aware. It's an opportunity for our senior people to be able to get out of the house And somebody can pick the CATS program, can pick them up at home and drop them off and then pick them up from the program and take them back home. It's a great opportunity, a free service that anybody who gets cabin fever and needs to get out of the house, it's a great opportunity to be able to mingle with other people.

And there is no income base. So you can, it does not require, there's no minimum income, no maximum income. come either. Just if you want to come play cards, that's totally fine. We have people, a regular group that just comes and plays cards too.

So it depends on the individual, what they want to do. I think because I know my mom likes to play bingo.

Yes. And we have people that just come in to talk. That's all they like. And some people just come in just to sit too. Socialize.

I mean, it gets them out of the house. I mean, especially in the later time when you feel cooped up, it's a great opportunity to get out of the house.

One more question. So I know the Radcliffe Women's Club in particular and others have donated some trinkets and some little prizes. Are you accepting those at Colvin? So if you have little trinkets, little gifts, little prizes that you can bring to Colvin, they use those to pass out for bingo prizes or game prizes and they will accept those at Colvin.

Also something else we do. So like we just recently had an FFA group come in over the summer to volunteer with the seniors as well too. So if your organization or if anyone does want to come in, volunteer, pass out food, or just come in and hang out, that's another volunteer opportunity as well too.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you, Becky.

At this time, we will go into public comments. If you are going to approach the table, if you could please say your name into the microphone and discuss your comments. Is there anyone? Mr. Pete Countryman.

Good evening, everyone. I'm here to announce that this year's cultural festival, the Radcliffe Cultural Festival, will be Saturday, September the 19th from 4 to 10 p.m. We have an extraordinary festival planned this year. Excuse me. We'll start with the Quality Vendors Market, which features handcrafted quality artisan crafts by our local residents and specialty services. When you walk through the vendor section, you'll see people that you actually know. They're your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers. They attend city council meetings. And we have a great variety. We have people who are making hats. We have a young man who's a Kentucky Proud sponsor, Kentucky Proud vendor who makes those dog treats. Do you remember his company's name? Mayor Protown. Matthew and Christy Bow Wow.

Something. I can't think of those treats.

Well, he's an exceptional young man and he makes those treats. We have a lady who's going to be on site making t-shirts right there and then. I have the German church, the Korean church, and a Hispanic church coming to be part of the cultural festival community as well as several others. We have community service organizations like the Optimist Club and others. We have some of the vendors from the farmer's market. What does the farmer's market have to do with the cultural festival? As Ashley and the rest of you know, and especially Ms. Owens, that's part of our tradition here on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I had two setups from them last year, and they sold out and did exceptionally well. Due to the quality of our vendors, all of them did exceptionally well. I also have three local writers coming. One to detail his military life's history, another one on finances, how to handle your finances, and another one that illustrates and writes children's books.

We have a 10-year-old who's going to be selling those bracelets that the Taylor Swift following likes so well.

They're reasonably priced from $3 to $5. We have a German bakery coming as well. And then there's so much. There's a great variety of quality vendors, Mark. I limit it to 30. That way everybody makes good money. And then for the International Food Court, this year the flavors are Germany, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, and the Mediterranean. And as I rotate the food trucks, the Mediterranean is the newest following the Cuban food truck. And before that, we had a French food truck who sold out early. which surprised the crap out of me. And then we also have our favorite resident charity, the North Hardened Lions Club, selling their flavorful shaved ice. And then we have the ever-popular lemonade stand from a family over in Vine Grove. And that's a perfect combination of ice, water, lemon juice. They do an outstanding job every year. And then, of course, we need that All-American food truck feature and favorite, classics and favorites. So that's my portion, is the vendors and the food trucks. Right now, Toshi and I, sorry, Mayor Pro Tem Merle and I are in the midst of a massive campaign. Publicity, we'll be featuring our flyers on 17 Facebook pages, on cable TV, commercials on radio, and newspaper. And the good news is it's all sponsored. So we're thankful for our sponsors. And this year, we have an exciting new program. And I'm going to ask for Mayor Pro Tem Morrow to describe it. This is going to be exceptional. We're taking a break from the international performances. And this year, we're focusing on the 250th anniversary of our Declaration of Independence. And it's going to be huge. There's going to be a tent. There's going to be plenty of seating. And if you will, Mayor Pro Tem, will you please go ahead and give us a brief description of what you got planned?

Thank you, Pete. And we are part of the International Festival Committee that has been in existence since 2019. As Pete said, we are adding a new program, I guess. It's called Celebrating Our Heroes. It is the Veteran Heroes this year. And we are working on our agenda and our lineup. The application will be for the banners. We will be hanging two by four banners down Lincoln Trail. Dixie, down Dixie, depends on how many we have. The post went out this morning, and I already have 10 people that are already putting in their orders. You have to pay first. The banners are $100. But the application and the process is going to be on our website, Radcliffe.org. It's also on, will be on the city page as well. If you have your veteran photo, you will email that directly to sign makers. That way we don't have to be a middleman in between that and the application as well. The payment will be made through the city, but all of those instructions are on the application that Ms. Ashley made for us. So I appreciate you bringing that up. We are excited about having that, celebrating our heroes and also celebrating It's part of celebrating our Hardin County veteran organizations. So along with our committee, which Ms. DeRoche is on also, there is all the different veteran organizations, VFW, American Legion, Patriot Guard, AUSA, the Disabled Vets, Ms. Andra, and several other. If you are a veteran organization, you can reach out to me as well. 270-801-5224. You can text me your email and I can forward you the application that way as well.

Mayor Pro Tem, the banners that you're talking about will be on like those streetlights, right? Yes. So $100 a piece. I mean, surely to goodness, can we not fill up every pole that we have in Radcliffe with our current veterans and our prior veterans would be awesome if we had something on every streetlight.

And the banners will hang through Veterans Day and the banners will belong to the person that either sponsored it or paid for it. So if you're paying for your veteran, for your hero, then that banner will be yours for pickup after Veterans Day.

Okay. In addition, I'd just like to say that we have a long history of festivals here in Radcliffe. First festival was held in 1956. It was the fall festival. was held on the grounds of the Radcliffe Elementary School, which was brand new. And it was a fundraiser. All community churches, organizations, schools came together to raise funds because at that time we had the Radcliffe Fire Department was the Radcliffe Volunteer Fire Department. And the first engine was funded by Water District Number One. So the purpose of the fall festival was to raise money to keep making payments until the city became established and took over the fire department. Then our next major festival would have been back in 1965, Jubilation Days, a three-day festival out here where the area where Stitham Baptist Church is, and an unprecedented 20,000 people visited over three days back in 1964. 1965, one of the parade entries won the best city's float in the Pegasus parade. In 1967, we finally became the Golden Armour Festival. There was a contest. Ms. Lois Stiles won the contest, Golden Armour Festival Parade. That ran for 38 consecutive years. Then the city took it over, and I think as Ashley recalls, during Mayor Duhal's first term in 2011, we had over 121 entries in the parade with more people lining up asking to join. So the parade, the festivals have long been apart. The later festivals were the German American Edelweiss Club at Fort Knox. We had 200 members. That was our first international display at Keys Park. That was followed by the International Summer Festival that was held by Summer Rain and Dechelle Tucker. And then for the last six years, as Mayor Pro Tem said, we've had the Radcliffe Culture Festival. So before I relinquish the chairs, anybody have any questions or comments?

You mentioned the food trucks and the crafts. Sounds like you've got a tremendous lineup coming. Are you having to turn people away? And these are all local, correct?

Yes, they're all local. The emphasis is on local, and I do have a waiting list. But like I say, I'd rather have it measured and have quality local vendors rather than bringing people from the outside. And so we may be small, but we're mighty. And at a chance, should we continue to build on this as previous festivals, we can always move on to the adjoining parking lot. Okay, so Radcliffe Culture Festival, Saturday, September 19th, 4 to 10 p.m. And at the end of the... Yeah, 4 to 9, I'm sorry. And at the conclusion, Ms. Ashley, if you give information about how to join the parade, it'd be appreciated. All right. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Pete.

So it's your wealth of knowledge.

Thank you.

The people come, they don't pay. No, it's free.

It's all free.

It is free.

Any other public comments? Miss Jackson.

My name is Andrea Jackson. I live at 148 Indiana Trail and I am the first vice president of the Hardin County branch NAACP. I have sent each of you all a picture of our speaker. This year, our 35th annual Freedom Fund Banquet will be held at Sabin Quill at Fort Knox on October 17th, 6.30 p.m. And our speaker is Dr. Kevin Cosby, which is the president of Simmons College and the senior pastor at St. Stephen that is located here in Hardin County, in Louisville, and Indiana. And our emcee will be Gibbert Corsi. All of y'all, if y'all look at your phones, Y'all will see that information on there. Our tickets are $75 each. Or if you want to come as a couple, it would be $140. Each of the council members have received a letter, sponsorship, ads of anything that they want to. And the POC is myself, Andre Jackson. at 270-317-3827. If you have any questions, you can give me a call and I would be happy to receive your ticket money or your sponsorship.

Thank you. And Ms. Jackson, I know you're addressing this council, but this invitation is to the public. Absolutely. Okay. I just want to make sure because make sure it's not just limited to us that you are inviting the public. If there are no further, yes, sir.

My name is Anthony Dewey. I'm Radcliffe City resident. And my concern is still with road striping. I brought it up a few months back. Hill Street got striped, but I'm still concerned about Elm, especially right in front of Aldi's where there's no lines. or turning traffic. And it's scary for me even to come and turn there because a lot of cars have no lane to stay in. I'm getting cars that are doubling up in the right, supposed to be a right lane, supposed to be a center lane, and a left turn lane. And a lot of them don't know where to line up at because there's no lines on the road. And the mayor, when I talked about Hill Street, said there was probably a probably a works in because they were trying to do at the same time as Hill, but I don't see it happening. And the year's about over. But my major one is right in front of all these at one block. Like I said, there's no official lane designated for all three. It's confusing drivers where to go. And like I said, I heard there's no money in the budget, but I hate to see somebody get hit and the city is, that's part of their street because it is a residential street.

That's all I have. Okay. Thank you so much. And that will be forwarded to the mayor and public works. At this time, if there are no further public comments, we move on to new business. If I can have an introduction, please, for the first reading of an ordinance amending the City of Radcliffe annual budget.

I'll make the introduction. I'll second.

Thank you. This is the ordinance amending the City of Radcliffe Kentucky annual budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 by estimating revenues and resources and appropriating funds for the operation of the city government. Whereas the annual budget proposal message has been prepared and delivered to the city council, and whereas the city council has reviewed such budget proposal and made necessary modifications, Now, therefore, be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Radcliffe, Kentucky, Section 1, that the annual budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026 is hereby amended as follows. Under anticipated revenues, fund balance carryover is amended under stormwater utility fund to read $237,600. Insurance premium taxes is amended under general fund to read $4,404,300. Total resources available amended under general fund to read $18,455,300 and under stormwater utility fund to read $1,958,500. On the appropriation side, public works department is amended under general fund to read $1,763,900. Economic development, planning, and building department is amended under general fund to read $607,900. Stormwater utility is amended under stormwater utility fund column to read $1,335,900. Total appropriations are amended under general fund to read $18,455,300 and under stormwater utility fund to read $1,958,500. And that is the first reading. Thank you. Can I have a motion for item number two?

The consideration and approval of the Rack of City Policies and Procedures handbook. Motion to approve. Second. Is there any discussion?

This is section 4.1 for the retirement section that's being amended.

There's no discussion. I'll need a roll call vote, please.

Bell? Yes. Brown? Yes. Roche? Yes. Merle? Yes. Owens? Yes.

Thank you. Item number three, if I can have a motion, please, for consideration and approval of the City of Radcliffe Policies and Procedures Handbook, Section 4.8.

I'll make the motion.

I second. Is there any discussion? Hearing none, if we can have a roll call vote, please.

Brown? Yes. DeRose? Yes. Merle? Yes. Owens? Yes. Steph? Yes.

Thank you. Item number four, if I can have a motion, please, for consideration and approval of the bid of the Radcliffe Police Fire Department policies and procedures. And at this time, we're going to call Chief Cross to discuss that before we go further with the actual motion, correct? Well, we'll have the motion and then the discussion. Okay. Motion? Motion to approve.

Second.

Now we're open for discussion with Chief Cross.

There you go.

Hello, Chief.

Hello.

All right. We have two policies here. One is the automated license plate readers and the other one is facial recognition. Any questions?

Are there any questions at this time for the chief?

These were recommended by the chief's association, correct, chief?

And KLC? Right.

Like we talked about the work session, I recommend you adopt the policy. It tightens things up in terms of privacy restrictions and appropriate uses of the system and data retention, et cetera. So it's a good policy.

If there is no discussion, can we have roll call vote, please?

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Chief. At this time, we will go to Mayor Council comments. Would you like to start, Ms. Owens?

Nothing for the group.

Thank you. We already discussed the festival and the new Celebrating Our Heroes. This has been brought up, but I'll say it again. Bourbon and Blades is Saturday, September 12th. Martina McBride is the featured artist, and it is free, and it is at the Boundary Oaks facility. And that is all I have at this time.

I just wanted to remind everybody, and I think Pete brought it up during his conversation, the Farmer's Market is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays here at City Hall. So if you're looking for fresh vegetables grown by local vendors, make sure you come out and visit those folks. from eight to five again Wednesdays and Saturdays. And then there's a walkabout at Saunders Springs every first and third. I think I think our Saunders group, our Parks and Recreation folks are doing a great job trying to promote Saunders Springs. I mean, I know Barbara has done a really good job of doing the moonwalks. Now we've got this Walkabout, which is, there's one at 9 a.m. and one at 6 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month. I've talked to different folks that are not from Radcliffe. They're like, oh yeah, I love Saunders Springs. That's where I take my kids to go play. So just making sure that we promote Saunders Springs at every term. So make sure that you are visiting our parks and enjoying that feature. I think that's all I have. Thank you, ma'am. Mr. Bryan.

There's a terrific article in the News Enterprise today regarding Saunders Springs and the fact that Vince Carman, the chairman of the Forestry Board, brought back an idea from another state. And we're in the process of putting in what's what's called a storybook trail and looking for sponsors for that. But I guess what I really want to talk about is the the great citizens we have here who take the time and make the effort to discover things like that and bring back the great ideas. I could mention several, not to mention Pete Countryman, who tonight took all that time. Gosh only knows how much effort really went into what this man has done. Unbelievable. And we'll have a great festival because of his work. And the rest who are with him. The same thing with Mrs. Bell tonight, Councilwoman Bell. Just a wonderful citizen who takes time to care about the citizen and tries to bring things that we'll appreciate, that will make the community a better place to live. We've got great citizens in Radcliffe. Let's keep building ourselves up.

Thank you, Mr. Brown. Ms. Bell?

I want to thank Cassie Lucas, the music director, for coming. I know I had invited them last month, but it was a storm, and she didn't want all those kids to drive. So we were all excited today. And like Councilman Brown said, we got to support the community, the arts, and the children that they have a passion for art. encourage them, raise money, be there when the play starts. Be there every night if you can. The ticket is not to worry about. It's not a lot because it caught my breath. It caught my breath when I watched Shrek. My daughter did Little Women back in North Hardin High School. She's grown woman now with three children on her own. And she did theater in Western Kentucky University, but somehow she did not finish because she got married and had the children. And I have a soft touch about arts and theater. That's my soft touch. They say touch. Soft part. The theater. Many soft parts. But this is the softest. And have a wonderful day. And just don't stay out too long. Go in an air-conditioned place.

Thank you, Miss Maria. The next scheduled meeting is a city county work session. That is Tuesday, September 8th. Due to the holiday, it will be a Tuesday at 5 o'clock. And the city council regular meeting is Tuesday, September 15th at 530. And if I could have a motion to adjourn. Oh, Miss Ashley, I'm sorry.

That's okay. I'm all for you just closing. So yes, the city is having their annual Raccoon Face Parade this year. It's a birthday celebration is our theme, Stars, Stripes, and 72. So we are excited. The parade will again come down South Deepwood onto Lincoln Trail and here at Freedom's Way and the Cultural Festival. And so we are really looking forward to it. Online on the front page, rackliff.org, you can find in the very top a little, I guess, header that says Rackliff Days Parade. And just click on that. It'll give you all the instructions, all of the rules and regulations. You are allowed to throw candy in the parade. we would love your organization to be in it there is a date on there um to have your application back in by but if you miss that deadline just give me a call we're always happy to have you in our parade so we're really looking forward to it and i know councilwoman burl mentioned on bourbon and plates this year it is going to be the 12th of september We are looking forward to having Mickie James. Many of you know her. She used to be a wrestler, and now she is doing country music, so we are happy to have her. She will take the stage at 5 o'clock. At 7 o'clock, Kafei Anderson, who sings Mr. Red, White, and Blue, will be taking the stage at 7 p.m., and then at 9 p.m., Martina will take the stage. So we are looking forward to a great show. It is free to attend, or if you would like preferred seating tickets, they are very, very limited now, but they are $65 a piece. You can go on TicketLeap.com to purchase those tickets, but we are looking forward to some wonderful events coming up pretty quickly.

Thank you so much. At this time, can we have a motion to adjourn? Motion. Second. Motion. Meeting is adjourned. Thank you.