Woodford County Fiscal Court - Special Meeting

We'll get going. The claims, the bills to be paid are before you. Are there any questions or comments on any of the bills to be paid? Oh, well, no, no. So, this this meeting we don't do the prayer or the pledge. We just get to business. Thanks, Drew, for giving me a a you know, Jordan keeps me in line up here. Okay. Um the claims, the bills to be paid. Are there any questions or comments on any of the bills to be paid? Seeing none, are there any objections to approving any of the bills? Seeing no objections, I'll approve the bills to be paid without objection. We have the transfers. Um, is there a motion to approve the transfers and quarterin transfers as presented?

Motion by Squire Taylor, second by Squire Carl. Are there any questions thereon? Seeing none. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. I. All those opposed? Nay. That motion carries unanimously. Um, we did have the opportunity to have a somewhat routine personnel order for your approval. Is there a motion to approve? Motion by Squire Gentry, second by Squire Gil. Seeing no questions, all those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. All those opposed, nay.

And that personnel order is presented and approved. Um, we wanted to also approve the 2026 holiday list. It does include January 2nd, which is not on our current holiday list. and we were able to get the holiday list together uh pretty seamlessly along with the state holidays. As you all know, our ordinance uh follows the state holidays with a few exceptions. We have the birthday holiday uh this year just right on time. The county clerk arrived. We will have the general election holiday as approved and we'll go ahead upon the recommendation of Squire Gentry and include a half day on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving which would amount to a total of an additional 1 and a half days of holiday leave pay for employees next year. So I need a motion to approve that holiday list.

Motion Square Carl second Gentry. Are there any questions? Seeing none. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. I.

All those opposed? Nay. And that motion carries. Um, we did receive our audit. I'm not going to take that up for acceptance into the record, but I want you all to review it. I will say it's another clean audit. It's a great audit. Thank you to the treasurer and our internal audit audit committee, finance officer, the clerk, human resources manager, everybody who works on those audits. Those are stressful times for our employees and uh they rise to the challenge and we get a lot of good marks on our internal financial management. So, we'll take that up at our January 13th meeting. Madame Clerk, we do have as um approved in our last meeting the ability to move forward with the Millville waterline project. And I want to recognize Squire Gentry to uh make a motion. Yeah, I make a motion to accept the bid from GMW Construction uh in the amount of $297,000 uh $297,100 as presented and recommended by Kentucky Engineering Group and authorize the judge to sign any and all documents related there too. Second. There's a motion and a second there on. Are there any questions on that? The one thing that I will say about that project is um that's a good bid entry. That's

absolutely in in comparison. Um Scarill, did you have a question? No. Oh, your microphone. I'm sorry. No, no, no. That's okay. Um seeing no other questions, all those in favor of the motion on the table, please vote and signify by saying I. I. All those opposed, nay. And that motion carries unanimously. Thank you, Squire Gentry. Thank you, Madam Clerk, for your work on that as well. Uh, we do have the Jack Jwitt House and again, we have Linda D. Roset and her daughter with us. Welcome. Thank you.

Merry Christmas to you all. Um, we have the motion to accept the proposal and scope of work for the integrated protection services in the amount of $1,947 for fire protection, alarm, and burglary services and alert systems at the Jack Dwitt House. Motion. Motion by Squire Gil. Second, Miss Squire Varnner. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. All those opposed? Nay. That motion carries unanimously. We also need to approve the alarm monitoring agreement between the fiscal court and IPS for a 5-year term effective January 5th, 2026 for alarm monitoring at the Jack Dw House. Motion. Motion Taylor. Second. Second by Squire Gil. Are there any questions? Seeing none, all those in favor, please vote.

I'm sorry. That's should that include that you have authorized to sign on the behalf of the court? Well, yes. Um, let's see. Squire Gill, is that in your motion? Yes. All right. Let the record reflect that the motion does include the authorization for the J executive to sign any and all documents related there too. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. I. All those opposed, nay. And that motion carries unanimously. I do have a board reappoint for you. Mr. JD Woods is on the architectural review board for a two-year term set to expire December 1st, 2027. Is there a motion to approve the recommendation of his reappoint?

Motion Square Gentry, second by Squire Varner. All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. All those opposed, nay. That motion carries. And uh madame clerk, we had Wendle ships reappoint I think as well to the human rights commission. I believe that's a four-year term. So I would recommend to the fiscal court to reappoint Wendlehip to the Human Rights Commission for a 4-year term. Um set to expire four years from the date of his appointment. Motion motion. Motion Bquire Gill, second by Squire Taylor.

All those in favor, please vote and signify by saying I. I. I. All those opposed? Nay. And that motion carries as well. Madame clerk, is there anything else to come before the court? I would um take a opportunity to allow each of you to have any uh comments before we go into the 2025 highlights. Um let's see. Spire Downey, do you have anything? Uh nothing, judge. Thank you. Gil, nothing. Thank you. Brown Taylor just want to wish everybody happy uh and safe uh Christmas and holiday season. Thank you. Nothing judge. Thank you. Thank you. Judge, thank you.

Thank you. Same judge. Just everybody happy holidays and enjoy and happy new year and let's look forward to 2026. You're here. Yeah. Thanks Carl. Madam assistant county attorney. Uh nothing a judge of any business, but just to say that uh I know Alan want to wish each of you a merry Christmas. He would like to be here, but he's at his grandson's preschool Christmas program and I want to wish you a merry Christmas as well.

Thanks, Phyllis. We really appreciate it. So, I'd like to just take a opportunity to go through um the highlights of our 2025. It has been a long year it seems like, but I I'm always impressed when we go back and look at the work of this fiscal court. You all do so much work throughout the year. Um you maintain a rigorous schedule as far as public bodies go. We've overseen significant projects, infrastructure upgrades, um the parks project, public safety measures, and we're always working on transparency and having frequent public meetings and workshops. And so we had a total of 53 meetings this year, 22 regular meetings, um seven uh special meetings and six committees of the whole along with multiple committees with having at least eight ordinance committee meetings and multiple public hearings. So we have some major achievements and milestones that we went through this year. We're working on some major infrastructure expansion, including the Millville projects. There was significant progress made on both the Milville sewer project and the Millville waterline project, approving the engineering agreements and the interlocal agreement, the first of its kind with the city of Frankfurt, the Paynees Depot brid bridge project, which we were able to get grant funding for in the amount of over a million dollars. And we had a huge p paving season in addition to our normal paving that we were planning to do. We had a bunch of additional flood rebuilded rebuilds that we did uh in the areas that were flooded. As Squire Varnner knows, the big sink sidewalk has has moved forward and um it the pace is improving, but we look like that construction will begin next year. Uh same for the broadband expansion project, which has a finalized

date of December of next year. And we've secured a grant for the Clifton boat ramp from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and they will start that boat ramp improve it project next year as well as as we will also incorporate Larland Square Brown into the county road system shortly. We had many parks and recreation enhancements of course Huntertown Community Interpretive Park a big uh passion project for both Squire Gill and Squire Blackford and really the entire fiscal court. And we've moved forward with a new parks pavilion, grant agreements, and a lot of other uh improvements at the Huntertown Community Interpretive Park. Community Stadium has seen some of the uh major upgrades and investments in its history and we're working on a new sound system and lighting update and new turf at the stadium. uh the fairgrounds. We put a lot of money into the fairgrounds Barner as you know and we renamed the pooling tract after Kentucky Motorsports Hall of Famer Danny White uh and managed ongoing improvements and worked on the fair lease which should be something we take up the beginning of the year. Uh the big item that we were a big partner in was the revitalization of Big Spring Park and the grand opening down there. Uh each time I go down there, it is being utilized by our community and it is a great asset. As far as public safety and emergency management, we partnered with Woodford County Public Schools for our EMS program. It's a one-of-a-kind. It's a workforce pipeline. Uh it's ensuring that we are bringing the best and brightest into Woodford County EMS. And it's been a big deal. But if you all remember this, we started the year January 5th with our first state of the emergency. It was known as the ice sandwich. It was ice, snow, ice, and it was a serious winter weather event followed by an arctic freeze. Interestingly enough, the federal government did not declare that emergency, but it was a state emergency

and a local emergency. And it was a really, really big deal uh for Director Chandler and his team and all of our first response agencies to start out the year January 5th with a state of emergency. Then our second state of emergency came in February 15th with a top 10 Kentucky river flood and we had over 40 residences flooded in that and displaced and it was a big deal. We had FEMA come in with a um with a center at the senior center and we thought that was really bad. Nothing like that could probably happen for a while and then in April we had the largest disaster in Woodford County history. of course, the Kentucky River floods. And we as the fiscal court and all of our partnering agencies with the the head of emergency management led the largest mobilized collective response to any disaster in Kentucky history. From Oregon Road to Clifton to Sherox Ferry and Fentville to the epicenter in my opinion of the flood was shore acres Woodford firecell's fire rescue teams from Morhead and Campbellville pulled citizens out of flood waters in the dark of night. our road department, recycling, the Woodford Foundation, Salvation Army, churches, citizens, sheriff's office, animal control, city of Versailles, Midway, Verscel's police, our electrical inspector, our planning office, uh the emergency management office along with multiple other agencies were part of just the response alone. And then the recovery is continues throughout this year. and we've managed the active flood response and recovery effort throughout the year, coordinating USDA grants and emergency funding to assisted areas. We also uh undertook one of the largest debris cleanup efforts that the county has ever seen or any county has ever undertaken uh of our size. But we uh also implemented emergency funding to

affected areas and citizens and had a robust response. In addition to not only those three states of emergencies, we also had other weather events throughout the year, but we were able to provide safety equipment to EMS like a new ambulance. We purchased new vehicles for the sheriff, for EMS, for the maintenance department. We purchased new stretchers for EMS and ensured our first responders have reliable equipment. We supported the funding and installation of dry hydrants with Woodford Fire. We worked on the storm shelters project Director Chandler and the parks safe room project to provide severe weather shelters in the county parks. We renamed animal care and control and we honored Susan Jones with a memorial bench and provided key support to that agency including personnel, vehicles and equipment. We also supported our farmers squire Barner this year with a young and new farmer grant program which was very timely considering all that's going on in the farming community. We had updates and oversight throughout the year on that and we renewed our county farm lease with Fred Lane. We undertook major uh budgeting this year, one of the largest budgets we've ever had of a total of $61 million. and we had na we navigated some of the most significant economic headwinds we've dealt with in the community since early on. Um the budget management for the 2526 budget, we had multiple multiple workshops and multiple meetings throughout the year to come to a what I could consider a great budget. the tax reduction. We lowered the county's tax rate from 6.3 to 5.9 and still managed our revenue efficiently with a large surplus and the lowest amount of historic debt the county has ever had. Again, I give a big shout out to our um finance team for our clean audits. We

did so all with clean audits and we've also taken care of our county employees. If you look at our cost of living adjustments over the last several years, 2022 23 that was 7%. 23 24 was 6 1.5% 24 and 25 was 3.5% and in this budget was 3%. That reflects a sustained commitment to the well-being and keeping our employees up with the pace of inflation. As I mentioned also, we enhanced uh holiday leave and paid leave for everybody. We gave a dedicated 1 hour of paid leave for employee appreciation. And we've also expanded paid leave and our improved our benefits. We've taken on the cost of our health benefits even though those costs went up. We bore those for the county employees. And we're continuing on uh keeping the county clerks and sheriff's office on a fiscal year with us and improving their additional pay increases. Again, our budget was balanced. It had no new taxes. is actually it had a lower tax rate. It had no new debt and a significant budget surplus fueled by steady job wages and growth. We made critical investments in Woodford EMS, our P our EMTs and paramedics. Our law enforcements and corrections, the law enforcement investment in Woodford County is the highest that we've ever had in the history of the community. both the Woodford County Sheriff's Office and the Versailles Police Department, also our jail and our corrections officers. Um, and emergency management, GIS, corner's office, PVA, and the county attorney. Uh, we dedicated funding to combat opiate epidemic and substance abuse, including, uh, approving net recovery device for folks for the very first time in our community and employing that strategy at the Woodford County Detention Center. Um, we've talked about the broadband

expansion, which we're paying cash for. We're talking about the 8.5 million sewer project in Millville and Castle and Key, the $1.3 million project that we just approved, uh, the contract for and the $1.2 million Paynees depot project. But we've also helped support agencies like CASA, Woodford County Senior Center Citizen Center, Woodford Wills. We've helped folks bury their loved ones who didn't have enough money. Bluegrass Community Action, the Woodford Foundation has done amazing work, Director Chandler, serving needs in our community. Living Grac's warming station, we've partnered with Habitat for Humanity. Um the Woodford County Food Pantry, we support their executive director with funding. We also support mentors and meals, and we're here to help those in need with multiple funding through our budget. Again, we're working on the buyout programs for the flood. We provided direct resident uh support offering financial aid, temporary housing assistant, c case management service for the families dealing with the flood. The road department did an excellent job along with uh the maintenance department and other departments and debris cleanup. We worked on infrastructure restoration enhancement to build back our river communities and we worked on mult multiple uh cultural and recreational investments including the big Woodford theater project. Uh it's the biggest project at Woodford Theater since its existence. again, Huntertown Community Interpretive Park, the County Park, Big Spring Park, Clifton Boat Ramp, the Farmers Market Pavilion, and major sidewalk and connectivity projects all throughout the county. We worked on modernizing the county government with new more user-friendly website. Thank you, Madam Clerk. The business onetop, software upgrades, internet upgrades at the courthouse and our facilities, advancements in cyber security, modernizing and updating county

government through transparency, accessibility, and openness, road and traffic safety, improvements in our roads, bridges, and traffic safety items, elections and equipment for our elections. Even though we had no elections this year, we funded to strengthen and support our elections through both equipment and uh programming. Our recycling and solid waste programs continue to provide uh investments in making Woodford County clean and beautiful. our economic development partnerships. We partnered to fund the KPDI program with the city and we undertook the largest single economic development step that the city and county have ever done in the Yokohama building. Uh we've invested in rural and historical preservation through supporting Woodford County Cemeteries, reestablishing the work of the cemetery preservation board, and continue to support folks like Linda at the Jack Dwitt House, our Veterans Commission, soil and water conservation district. Um, this has been a big year in planning in Woodford County, multiple zoning map amendments, and we're still working on the text amendments, which we plan to take up on January 13th. But we've supported the station, bluegrass community action partnership, the food pantry, mentors and meals, project graduation. Uh, we've this year we've undertaken to approve walk and run races like the Iron Horse Half Marathon Squire Taylor. We supported the Twilight Festival, the Woodford County Rodeo, Junth, the first October Fest, the Midway Fall Festival. We had the biggest Fourth of July at Community Stadium we've ever had, a big season at the Jack Jwitt House. We supported projects at Weissa Spooktacular. And this Christmas season was the biggest and best attended, most festive Christmas in our history. We supported the American Legion and our veterans, the Woodford County Veterans Commission with Memorial Day services, Veterans Day events, and along with the county clerk, we

implemented the veterans license plate program. There were very few events in the entire county that Woodford County's maintenance department didn't help or help attend or serve or play some part in. So big thank you to Rick Wade and your team, Rick, who also undersaw the largest annex HVAC project and security improvements over at the annex. We approved uh opiate litigation settlements to bring resources for addiction and recovery. And I mentioned it already, but the net recovery devices. Um we upgraded the courthouse and government agency's internet. We renewed maintenance for our clock tower. We held annual household hazardous waste events. and one of the biggest Kentucky River clean sweeps we've ever had. We approved the baseball lease working to approve youth sports facilities across the county. We approved the non-public school children bus transportation again for this year's Squire Gill. We worked closely with our partners at the schools, the cities, the businesses, the libraries, and done many more projects uh that are unnamed. We received millions in grant funding from state and federal sources to help reduce the cost of projects on the county budget. We passed multiple ordin ordinances including allowing Woodford County Fire District to become inspectors and and also we passed multiple budget amendments to receive funds that we didn't expect to receive. We held multiple public hearings on zoning amendments. Public hearings that weren't required, but we allowed for public input. Of course, we had public comment at every single regular meeting. One of the things I'm very proud of is how we've supported our employees throughout the years with both pay, improved compensation, leave, and regular training and other opportunities, including training incentives for our magistrates as well. So, we did all that in the year 2025 and more. So, I'm very, very proud of the work that you all have done as

magistrates. I know that you've taken hundreds and hundreds of calls from your constituents, many more emails, and I can say that this is one of the most responsive, hardworking fiscal courts I've ever had the pleasure of working with. So, it's been a good year in 2025. It's been a challenging year, both with the economy and with the emergencies and disasters, but those things, I believe, make us stronger and more resilient. And of course, the people of Woodford County are strong and resilient, so we reflect that. So, I want to thank you for each of you, for all you do for your district, for our community, for your family. I want to thank our staff and our team and our county employees. And if there is nothing further to come before this court this morning, we are adjourned. God bless you. Merry Christmas.