[4:02] Good afternoon. Welcome to the regularly

[4:04] scheduled city commission meeting for

[4:06] Tuesday, July the 28, 2026. If you would

[4:09] please stand with me for the pledge of

[4:11] allegiance.

[4:13] [clears throat]

[4:15] I pledge algiance to the flag of the

[4:18] United States of America and to the

[4:21] republic for it stands. One nation under

[4:24] God, indivisible with liberty and

[4:28] justice for all.

[4:32] » Thank you. Can we have a call for

[4:33] attendance, please?

[4:34] >> Commissioner Puit

[4:35] >> here.

[4:35] >> Commissioner Harus present. Commissioner

[4:37] Thomas here.

[4:38] >> Mayor Stton

[4:39] >> here. Uh, first off, I just wanted to

[4:41] say you might recognize a new face on

[4:42] the commission, and I wanted to call him

[4:43] out because he never gets embarrassed.

[4:45] Uh, this is Chief Josh Dixon. He is our

[4:48] acting city manager at the moment. Our

[4:50] city manager is out of town. Our

[4:52] assistant city manager is on Zoom and

[4:54] Josh will be sitting in as the acting

[4:56] city manager for the remainder of the

[4:58] night. Uh, thank you for being here.

[4:59] Appreciate it.

[5:00] >> Thanks, John.

[5:00] >> Uh, first up, if we could have members

[5:02] of Christian Community Outreach and

[5:04] anybody who is here to support them come

[5:06] up to the podium, please.

[5:12] We are proud to recognize Henderson

[5:13] Christian Community Outreach for their

[5:15] outstanding partnership with the city of

[5:16] Henderson through the utility assistance

[5:18] fund and for their unwavering commitment

[5:20] to serving our community. For many

[5:22] years, Henderson Christian Community

[5:23] Outreach has been a trusted resource for

[5:25] local families facing hardships. Through

[5:27] their compassionate staff and dedicated

[5:29] volunteers, they provide assistance that

[5:31] helps individuals and families navigate

[5:32] difficult times with dignity and hope.

[5:34] One of the many ways they serve our

[5:36] community is by administering the city's

[5:38] utility assistance fund. Through this

[5:40] partnership with the city of Henderson

[5:41] and Henderson Water Utility, Henderson

[5:43] Christian Community Outreach works

[5:45] directly with eligible residents to

[5:46] provide financial assistance with their

[5:48] water utility bills, helping families

[5:50] maintain access to an essential service

[5:53] while offering guidance toward long-term

[5:55] stability. Their team handles each

[5:57] application with professionalism, care,

[5:58] and respect, ensuring that assistance

[6:00] reaches those who need it most. This

[6:02] partnership allows the city to extend

[6:04] its support to residents through an

[6:05] organization that has earned the trust

[6:06] of our community. Beyond the utility

[6:08] assistance fund, Henderson Christian

[6:10] Community Outreach provides emergency

[6:12] financial assistance, food resources,

[6:13] and connections to additional services

[6:15] that strengthen families throughout

[6:16] Henderson County. Their mission is

[6:18] rooted in compassion, collaboration, and

[6:20] a genuine desire to improve the lives of

[6:22] others.

[6:23] >> All right. I just wanted to say on

[6:25] behalf of the city of Henderson that we

[6:28] appreciate everything that Christian

[6:29] Community Outreach does. And I did want

[6:31] to provide just a little story. So last

[6:34] month, I think it was last month uh

[6:36] called Susan and uh and we talked about

[6:40] uh there's some money that the city and

[6:41] the water department had set aside uh

[6:44] about a year and a half ago for water

[6:46] bills to help people with uh who who

[6:48] needed assistance basically.

[6:50] >> And uh and the commission decided that

[6:52] hey, we've got 25 $30,000 left in that

[6:54] fund. uh we'd like to loosen the

[6:57] requirements and we up the level of from

[7:00] poverty level to 200% of the poverty

[7:02] level uh and then reset the clock so

[7:04] everybody would be eligible and Susan was was uh was all about it like

[7:09] as soon as I called her she's like oh my

[7:10] gosh this is great we love doing this

[7:12] stuff and uh and so we just like your

[7:14] spirit uh and every time we get a chance

[7:17] to partner with you guys and your

[7:18] organization it has worked out

[7:20] wonderfully you do so much for the

[7:22] community and on behalf of the city of

[7:24] Henderson I just wanted to present you

[7:25] with this community spotlight award and

[7:28] you have a podium. If you'd like to use

[7:29] it, you are welcome to say a few words

[7:32] and I'll get this to you in a minute.

[7:33] We'll take a picture after you get done

[7:34] talking.

[7:34] >> Okay. Well, it's going to be quick.

[7:36] Thank you. Thank you all. This community

[7:38] is huge with support. We are 40 years

[7:41] this year and that is huge. That's a

[7:43] long-standing relationship with the city

[7:46] um with families of Henderson County.

[7:48] And so it's an honor to still be here

[7:51] and to be in a role that we can still

[7:53] meet the need with the rising cost of

[7:55] groceries and everything that's going on

[7:57] in this world. Um hopefully we're a

[7:59] little bit of a bright light to do with

[8:01] groceries and what we have on hand for

[8:03] staple items now and the partnerships

[8:05] that we develop with you and other uh

[8:08] agency partners. So thank you for the

[8:10] honor and the the trust that you have in

[8:12] us as an organization. It means a lot.

[8:14] >> Yeah.

[8:15] >> So

[8:15] >> thank you.

[8:16] >> Oh, thank you guys. You guys, can you

[8:18] join me after

[8:23] [laughter]

[8:37] two?

[8:40] » All right, here we go.

[8:42] >> Perfect.

[8:45] >> Thank you. Thank you for your service.

[8:47] [applause]

[8:51] » Thank you. Thank you.

[8:53] >> Thank you.

[9:01] » All right. Next up, I'm going to turn it

[9:03] over to our acting city commissioner and

[9:05] current fire chief, Josh Dixon, and he's

[9:08] going to recognize a few new employees.

[9:09] >> Yes. So, we have a couple of new

[9:11] employees we want to recognize. If I

[9:12] could get um our public works director,

[9:15] Brian Williams, and Mr. Landon Buckman

[9:17] to come up.

[9:26] » Okay, we're here. What do you want us to

[9:28] do?

[9:29] >> Introduce him.

[9:30] >> Okay, this is Landon Buckman. He's in

[9:33] PWI. Uh Landon has been with us for one

[9:36] week. U so far everything is great. So

[9:41] fire away at him.

[9:43] >> Landon, so this has been the best week

[9:44] of your life.

[9:45] >> I

[9:47] [laughter]

[9:49] he said he applied in April and it took

[9:52] until now to get on and he couldn't

[9:53] hardly wait.

[9:54] >> Okay. Hey, so what uh just out of

[9:56] curiosity, a serious question, what what

[9:58] brought you to the city of Henderson for

[9:59] employment?

[10:00] >> I heard it was a good place to work and

[10:02] had great benefits.

[10:03] >> Oh, good. Good. Good deal.

[10:05] >> Well, we certainly thank you for coming

[10:07] on board. We appreciate it. Brian's

[10:09] really good. uh boss to have. Uh so I

[10:11] think you're in good hands.

[10:13] >> Thank you, sir.

[10:14] >> Welcome.

[10:14] >> Well,

[10:16] wow. I like that.

[10:18] >> It's a good place.

[10:19] >> All right. Next, can I get uh Chief

[10:21] Bolan and Mr. Cade Hicks to come to the

[10:24] podium?

[10:29] » Good afternoon.

[10:30] >> So, Cade is about our favorite type of

[10:33] hire we could possibly get. So,

[10:34] typically we hire people, send them off

[10:36] the academy, and all their training.

[10:38] Well, he comes to us already trained and

[10:40] it's rare that we get somebody from a

[10:42] bigger city. So, he's a officer in

[10:44] Lexington that is coming back home to

[10:46] Henderson. So, we're thrilled to have

[10:47] him.

[10:48] >> All right. And and same thing for for

[10:50] you. So, what brought you to Henderson

[10:52] specifically?

[10:52] >> Well, I grew up here in Henderson my

[10:54] whole life. I graduated high school

[10:55] here.

[10:56] >> Yep.

[10:56] >> Um I did the job in Lexington for a year

[10:58] and then me and my wife decided we

[11:00] needed to be closer to friends and

[11:01] family and I wanted to serve here in my

[11:03] hometown. So,

[11:04] >> awesome. Welcome back. Before you go

[11:06] back, tell them our connection.

[11:08] >> Oh, yeah. He was my He was my basketball

[11:09] coach.

[11:10] >> Oh, there you go. I hear that.

[11:12] [laughter]

[11:13] Tell him that was good. I was good.

[11:19] [laughter]

[11:19] >> Yes.

[11:19] >> Hey, welcome. Welcome back. We

[11:21] appreciate having you and uh and

[11:23] hopefully it's for for a long time. So,

[11:25] you guys looking to get settled back in

[11:26] town, too?

[11:27] >> Yes, sir.

[11:27] >> Good deal. Welcome back home. Thank you

[11:29] for coming. Appreciate it. Yes, sir.

[11:31] >> Yes, sir.

[11:32] >> Yes.

[11:32] >> There you go. [applause]

[11:37] All right. Next up, we've got a

[11:38] presentation from Missy Vanderpool and

[11:40] Henderson Economic Development.

[11:44] >> Hello. I'm going to come up and bring

[11:46] some reports for you.

[11:48] >> Close.

[11:50] >> Long time.

[11:51] >> Not seeing you to read all of it.

[11:58] » Thank you.

[12:06] Oh, that's okay. Thank you.

[12:11] Um, so thank you all for um allow me to

[12:14] come present to you all. If you all

[12:16] remember, um, it's been over a year ago.

[12:20] We talked about KPDI, the Kentucky

[12:23] Product Development Initiative, and the

[12:25] site that you all own with the Henderson

[12:28] Water Utility on 425. We are

[12:31] affectionately calling that Triangle

[12:32] Point. Um it looks like a triangle. So

[12:36] um Triangle Point is located on 425

[12:38] bypass. We applied for the KPDI

[12:42] uh grant and were awarded that a grants.

[12:44] And so the grant was for due diligence

[12:46] reports. The first step in marketing a

[12:49] site. Um the first thing any potential

[12:52] industrial client's going to ask for is

[12:54] the due diligence reports. So, we have

[12:56] to start with there to know where we're

[12:58] where we can go with the site. Um, and

[13:01] so those those reports came back and are

[13:03] completed and I wanted to share that

[13:05] with you all. Um, also to talk about

[13:08] what's next with that site. So, um, the

[13:11] reports came back really good. Um, the

[13:14] environmental, there were no concerns

[13:15] with environmental, um, geotech, all the

[13:18] things, um, that we needed to do. We had

[13:19] an alta survey done. Um, the site sits

[13:23] positioned really well for development.

[13:25] there was utility infrastructure put in

[13:27] for um Pratt Industries and so that

[13:31] infrastructure is there and ready to

[13:32] serve on this site. Again, it's 56

[13:35] acres. Um one of the things that won't

[13:37] come to a surprise to most of you all um

[13:40] is there will be some soil stabilization

[13:43] needed on that site. Um we've seen that

[13:46] on many developments in Henderson.

[13:48] Pretty much anything we've developed is

[13:49] part of our um geological makeup um with

[13:52] our soil. So, um, some soil

[13:55] stabilization would be needed on the

[13:56] site. Couple other things, um, that we

[13:59] learned through this process. And I

[14:02] should have said, uh, QK4 did this work

[14:04] with some partners, but QK4 is who we,

[14:07] um, had do the due diligence work. They

[14:09] did a lot of the work on the 425 bypass

[14:12] site where Pratt is now located. And

[14:14] just as a reminder, this is adjacent

[14:16] just to the west of uh, the Pratt

[14:18] property. So, one of the things um that

[14:22] was recommended from QK4 for next steps

[14:25] um would be a grading plan for that

[14:27] site. Uh we would be able to balance

[14:29] that with the dirt, but there's about

[14:31] 260 cubic yards of dirt work that's

[14:34] needed to be done, some soil

[14:35] stabilization, and some entrance it in e

[14:39] eress ingress on that site. So, um,

[14:42] we're fortunate that there are two

[14:44] access points from 425, um, but we need

[14:47] to look at some improvements that would

[14:49] be needed to get those access sites, um,

[14:51] through KYTC.

[14:53] And so, just wanted to give you that

[14:55] quick report on the we've completed the

[14:57] KPDI. Um, the total cost of that initial

[15:01] assessment or due diligence reports was

[15:03] about $160,000.

[15:05] Um, in all total, the grant was for

[15:08] about 140,000. So total out of pocket is

[15:12] been about $20,000. Um we split that uh

[15:15] we haven't seen those invoices come

[15:17] through yet, but as it's anticipated we

[15:19] would split that between the city and

[15:21] the water utility. Uh when we we first

[15:23] did this purchase of that land, that was

[15:25] something we discussed. So I wanted to

[15:27] talk just a little bit about next steps.

[15:30] KPDI is open for the next round. I

[15:33] personally think that this may be the

[15:35] last round of KPDI as it exists now. um

[15:39] this is approved every year through the

[15:40] legislature. Um and so I think that what

[15:43] we'll see in the future is some

[15:44] different form of product development,

[15:46] but in the way it sits now, um I think

[15:48] this will be the last round for that.

[15:51] And so I anticipate that this would be

[15:53] the last round. Um we are now what's

[15:55] designated as a heritage county.

[15:57] legislation made some ch legislator made

[15:59] some changes last year to Kentucky

[16:02] incentives and to the so the map they

[16:05] designated us as a heritage county and

[16:08] um so with that being said we are now

[16:11] allowed up to $2.5 million of grant

[16:14] money through Kentucky product

[16:15] development initiative for projects and

[16:18] with that also in our population there's

[16:22] a formula they use we are required to

[16:24] have a 20% match on any KPDI project.

[16:28] So, um, a $2.5 million project, we're

[16:30] looking at $500,000 would have to be

[16:32] local match. So, not saying that we

[16:35] would spend $2.5 million on the next

[16:37] project, but just for those numbers for

[16:39] reference. So, I think next steps, what was recommended from um QK4 would

[16:45] be raising the house that sits on that

[16:47] site. I talked to you all about that

[16:48] before. Um, but that the house being

[16:51] there limits what type of development

[16:53] can be in there. And I should have said

[16:54] if you see the picture on the front of

[16:56] this um this made me very excited. I was

[16:59] really concerned about what size

[17:01] building could fit on that site. Um and

[17:03] this is realistically this it's over a

[17:05] million square ft of what QK4 says can

[17:08] fit on that site with having parking and

[17:11] all the access that they would need for

[17:12] truck traffic and things like that. So

[17:14] that's really exciting that that size of

[17:17] a manufacturing facility could fit on

[17:18] that site. Um, so next steps again would

[17:22] be raising that house. Um, the dirt work

[17:25] to grade that to be truly shovel or

[17:27] build ready. Um, and potentially some

[17:30] work for the access points off 425.

[17:34] So the letter of intent for KPDI, it's

[17:36] just a letter that I would need to

[17:38] submit that says, hey, we're looking at

[17:40] submitting for a project and this is

[17:42] what the scope of the project could be

[17:44] is Friday. I anticipate submitting that

[17:46] letter. there's no commitment, financial

[17:48] commitment at that point. When we get to

[17:51] submitting the request for information

[17:53] in September, that's when we will need

[17:55] to discuss what the matching what the

[17:57] total scope of the project would be, and

[17:59] what how the matching funds would come

[18:02] into play. But I just kind of wanted to

[18:03] give you this intro to where we've been,

[18:06] where we are, and where we think the

[18:08] next steps for that site is. Uh we have

[18:11] just really started marketing that site

[18:12] and have already seen some interest. Um

[18:15] we have I've talked with the mayor about

[18:16] this. We have submitted that site

[18:18] already um for an industrial type

[18:20] project. That's very preliminary and I

[18:22] don't want anyone to think that tomorrow

[18:23] we're going to have a big announcement.

[18:25] Um that's just the first step of saying

[18:28] hey this site is here and available in

[18:30] Henderson, Kentucky.

[18:32] >> Any questions?

[18:34] >> So you don't need any formal action from

[18:36] us today?

[18:37] >> No.

[18:37] >> But it sounds like sometime maybe later

[18:39] on in August. Yes. You're going to come

[18:40] back and at that time we need to

[18:42] >> authorize do some planning on what the

[18:43] project looks like. I anticipate in the

[18:45] letter that we'll put that we are

[18:47] looking at [clears throat] a grading

[18:48] plan that raising of the house the

[18:51] things we talked about and that total

[18:53] those things total from the estimates

[18:55] that QK4 gave us is over $3 million. Not

[18:59] saying that we have to do all those but

[19:01] this is the whole step so that if there

[19:02] is another round of KPDI the next year

[19:05] or some other form they know what our

[19:07] long-term plan is because we know that

[19:10] economic development is the long game.

[19:12] It's not the short game. And so, you

[19:14] know, we may be able to only do this

[19:15] portion of the of the project this year.

[19:18] Um, but moving it out forward to what

[19:21] could be next.

[19:23] >> And deal. Anybody have any questions or

[19:25] concerns or suggestions, anything like

[19:26] that?

[19:27] >> No, thank you for looking at it.

[19:28] >> Yeah, I appreciate the partnership. Um,

[19:31] so fortunate if you go through this

[19:32] book, all the partnerships are listed.

[19:33] So, I appreciate the partnership um and

[19:36] the work on the future development of

[19:38] that site.

[19:38] >> Thank you.

[19:39] >> Thanks. And and I will say

[19:43] >> economic development is sometimes like

[19:44] planting a plum tree. Uh where you plant

[19:47] a seed now, but it may take five or six

[19:49] years before it bears fruit.

[19:50] >> And uh and so I I admire what you're

[19:53] doing now and what we're doing now

[19:55] because it's these things are necessary

[19:57] for the future growth and future

[19:59] industrial builds in Henderson. So yeah.

[20:01] >> Yeah, I appreciate that. And just want

[20:02] to just one little thing that I wanted

[20:04] to mention also in 2019 we a we were

[20:07] awarded a KPDI. We were a pilot program

[20:09] for this KPDI. We were one of the one of

[20:12] three in the state that received funding

[20:14] that [clears throat] first year and that

[20:16] is where Pratt sits now. So, just a

[20:18] reminder that KPDI works. Um, it is an

[20:20] investment and it's the long game as you

[20:23] just mentioned. So, thank you.

[20:24] >> Good deal. Thank you, Missy. Appreciate

[20:25] it.

[20:27] >> All right. With that, we have a consent

[20:29] agenda. The consent agenda contains the

[20:32] minutes of the July 21st, 2026 called

[20:34] meeting. Resolution number 52-26

[20:37] resolution accepting human resources

[20:38] report dated July 28, 2026, approving

[20:41] all actions contained within and

[20:42] authorizing the mayor to execute any

[20:44] necessary contracts for employment.

[20:46] Resolution number 53-26, resolution

[20:48] approving the city manager to execute

[20:49] funding agreements with certain

[20:50] nonprofit organizations for fiscal year

[20:52] 2027 consistent with the city of

[20:54] Henderson fiscal year 2027 budget and

[20:57] municipal order number 64-26 approving

[20:59] NSAFE incorporated consulting contract

[21:01] for consultation services of the city of

[21:03] Henderson's landfills permitting and

[21:05] regulatory compliance including closure

[21:07] activities and authorizing the mayor to

[21:09] execute the agreement.

[21:10] >> All right. Do we have any item any

[21:12] commissioner would like to pull for

[21:13] further discussion

[21:15] hearing? Hearing none, I'll entertain a

[21:16] motion to approve, please.

[21:18] >> We have a second.

[21:18] >> Second.

[21:19] >> Roll call, please.

[21:20] >> Commissioner Puit.

[21:22] >> I.

[21:22] >> Commissioner [clears throat] Harkus.

[21:23] >> I.

[21:23] >> Commissioner Thomas.

[21:24] >> Hi.

[21:25] >> Mayor Stton.

[21:26] >> I. U. Next up, we have the second

[21:28] reading of an ordinance amending chapter

[21:30] 13, nuisance relating to clutter.

[21:32] >> Ordinance number 17-26, ordinance

[21:34] amending chapter 15, nuisances. An

[21:36] ordinance amending chapter 15 nuisances,

[21:38] article 1 and general section 15-1,

[21:40] prohibition of the code ordinances of

[21:42] the city of Henderson.

[21:43] >> All right. Uh do we have a motion to

[21:44] approve, please?

[21:45] >> So moved.

[21:45] >> We have a second. Second.

[21:47] >> All right. Before we have any other

[21:48] discussion, uh we did have one person

[21:50] sign up who would like to speak to us. I

[21:52] think about this. Is this Dean? Is this

[21:54] where you wanted to speak, sir?

[21:55] >> All right. Dean Spooner. Uh if you would

[21:57] if you'd come up to the podium and

[22:00] repeat your name, tell us your address

[22:01] and tell us what's on your mind, sir.

[22:03] >> All right.

[22:04] Hi.

[22:06] >> I'm Dean Spooner. Uh Reverend Spooner.

[22:09] Um uh 212 [clears throat] Barker Road.

[22:12] Um, I work a day job so I had to take

[22:14] time off and if it was in Henderson I

[22:17] would have had to anyway but I my day

[22:18] job's in Owensboro so that I'm here just

[22:21] it's no small thing from my perspective

[22:23] and I know you guys are very respectful

[22:25] and appreciate things like that. When I

[22:27] look at the proposed ordinance uh 17-26

[22:32] uh the nuisance clutter, I know I can I

[22:36] have a good idea what you guys are

[22:38] dealing with and what you're trying to

[22:39] do uh for the good, but you know,

[22:42] there's always going to be exceptions

[22:44] among us. Um there are in my opinion,

[22:47] probably yours and everyone, there are

[22:48] lazy people and slob people and there

[22:50] are neat people and all this, right?

[22:53] and the law can kind of reduce and

[22:55] eliminate um clutter and nuisance, but

[22:58] you're never going to get away with it.

[22:59] Someone's always going to be a knob. And

[23:01] you guys know this, and this is the

[23:02] challenge, I think of this, but when I

[23:04] come to section 15-1B

[23:07] and under 0.1,

[23:09] it just I think it goes a little too far

[23:11] here. An accumulation of any item, even

[23:14] if in good condition and orderly,

[23:17] constitutes a nuisance if it exceeds

[23:20] what is reasonably necessary for

[23:21] ordinary residential use. As a citizen,

[23:24] [clears throat] you, the city

[23:25] government, are going to define what is

[23:27] ordinary residential use. And how

[23:30] [clears throat] are items stored on a

[23:33] personal property, private property, in

[23:35] good condition and an orderly manner,

[23:38] constituting a nuisance?

[23:42] how or inconsistent appearance on

[23:46] private and I'm emphasizing private

[23:50] property. Some people have more means

[23:52] than others. Some have more wealth and

[23:53] options than others do. And I just see

[23:56] this as an if you pass this as an

[23:58] intrusion on private property and on the

[24:00] citizen. And I think when you deal with

[24:02] this issue, it's the same with like our

[24:04] um our peace officers, our police, and

[24:07] our courts. they could be much more

[24:08] efficient and effective if they weren't

[24:11] hamstring by those uh bill of rights

[24:13] those those first five particularly

[24:15] right and so I'm also concerned about

[24:18] this that as you go on this you need as

[24:19] government you need to tread very very

[24:22] lightly on people's private property I

[24:25] know that's a I'm pretty think that's a

[24:27] concern of each and every one of you but

[24:28] I'm thinking that this is going too far

[24:30] and when I go to section 52B

[24:33] and then it's like the presence of more

[24:36] than 10 substantially similar items of

[24:39] the same general type and then there's

[24:42] arbitrary list arbitrary number.

[24:46] Um I mean does this include orderly

[24:50] stacked stored in good condition

[24:52] firewood to point C that's under tarp or

[24:55] plastic. And so this is Pandora's box

[24:59] here and it's intruding and then this is

[25:01] going to change or grow and be and the

[25:04] very fact in section two there a

[25:06] property owner may rebut this

[25:08] presumption

[25:10] by requesting a hearing before the code

[25:12] enforcement board. To me that is a self-

[25:15] admission that this ordinance is already

[25:19] admitting that it is overreaching in the

[25:21] private property. I would have you rebut

[25:26] this presumption from this proposed

[25:29] ordinance. Why put the burden on me

[25:31] suddenly because someone complains

[25:33] against me and then I have to appear

[25:36] before a board of people I didn't even

[25:38] vote for and defend my property and go

[25:40] pay out for legal expenses myself

[25:44] for for for what? So, I I just see

[25:47] there's room for grave error here and uh

[25:50] I oppose the adoption of this as it

[25:52] stands. And you're welcome to come by

[25:54] 212 Barker Road right now or later

[25:56] [clears throat] this week. I think my

[25:58] property is in good order, reasonably

[26:00] stored and stacked. Uh you won't find

[26:02] anything under a tarp or piece of

[26:04] plastic. But you know what? If I so

[26:07] choose on my personal property to want

[26:09] to do that for a while, my wife and I, I

[26:12] don't think it's any of your as a city

[26:15] government officials business.

[26:18] I understand the alleyways, the

[26:21] sidewalks, and public safety aspect of

[26:24] things here. There's some you got a good

[26:26] thing, but I think some of these points

[26:28] I just raised, I think are just too wide

[26:31] open, too problematic. And I just wanted

[26:33] to share that with all of you. So, thank

[26:35] you respectfully.

[26:36] >> Thank you.

[26:38] >> Appreciate it.

[26:38] >> Yeah.

[26:39] >> And and I have uh before you take off,

[26:41] >> de

[26:43] I was just going to vouch for you. I've

[26:45] had a conversation with you at your

[26:47] house before

[26:48] >> and I've never have I didn't notice then

[26:50] that you kept an an orderly house. I

[26:52] thought it was an So, yeah.

[26:54] >> Well, and you know, you know, we all can

[26:56] be I think this is more at the

[26:57] neighborly level.

[26:59] >> I wish we could do [clears throat] this

[27:00] better at the neighborly level. And if

[27:02] my neighbor has their lawn, you know,

[27:04] I'll say I generally start with

[27:06] something else. You can be a horse's

[27:07] butt to your neighbor, but just be kind.

[27:08] Sometimes just ask them to mow their

[27:11] lawn for them. Some, you know, if we can

[27:12] just help out one another and leave

[27:14] that, maybe encourage that. But when the

[27:16] more you ratchet down on what I've just

[27:18] highlighted, I think it's going too far

[27:19] and opening up too much into an

[27:21] intrusive area that's going to have to

[27:24] change or be worked. And then you put

[27:25] the citizen like me now suddenly, we're

[27:29] all put under the

[27:31] you know, I mean, under the burden of

[27:33] defending ourselves

[27:35] by some board or whatever. So, anyway,

[27:37] thank you.

[27:38] >> Thank you for coming. We appreciate it.

[27:40] [clears throat] U Don, I think you and

[27:43] Steve might uh might have had some

[27:44] things to to talk about about this

[27:46] ordinance.

[27:47] >> Well, um first I'm going to say that I

[27:51] appreciate you coming. Uh whenever you

[27:53] write a warning not on news, you're

[27:56] really trying to balance the rights of a

[27:58] property owner to enjoy their property

[28:02] um and use their property with the

[28:04] rights of the neighbors to be able to

[28:06] enjoy their neighborhood that are safe,

[28:09] that are clear from clutter that don't

[28:12] um negatively affect their value. And so

[28:15] what has happened for us in the last few

[28:19] years is we continue to get complaints

[28:23] about clutter uh and the way that our

[28:27] clutter ordinance was written. There

[28:29] were many complaints that we could not

[28:31] do and I showed you photographs

[28:35] um on two different occasions. Rocky to

[28:38] the commissioner to get instruction from

[28:40] you all as to how you would like to do

[28:42] this. One of the issuings became how do

[28:46] we know what's excessive? Like, and I

[28:48] showed you um a house that had just

[28:53] numerous bicycles lining up in front of

[28:55] it, numerous. And so, and we had

[28:59] received repeated complaints about that

[29:02] property. And I know that several of the

[29:04] commissioners here had received the

[29:06] express complaint. So we wanted to make

[29:10] it clear as to the property owners

[29:14] understand [clears throat]

[29:15] when you say what trees will necessary

[29:17] set a standard that they can measure 10.

[29:21] But if 10 if you don't believe in your

[29:24] home or your yard that 10 is the

[29:27] appropriate number, you have the right

[29:29] to have the code of course report. You

[29:31] don't need an attorney. I don't think

[29:34] we've ever had Well, we had one

[29:36] demolition where we had a person

[29:39] represented by an attorney at 5:30 on

[29:42] the fourth Monday of the of the uh month

[29:46] and just come and explain. They have

[29:48] always been very open about it and

[29:50] reasonably, but at some point we had to

[29:53] set a more defined standard so that we

[29:57] could go out and address the issues that

[30:01] we kept having. The other issues that we

[30:03] just kept having over and over, not only

[30:07] is like not items in disrespect, but in

[30:10] excessive amounts was the items that are

[30:14] in on driveways and car porch, front

[30:19] porches, back porches where you can see

[30:21] them from a reasonable view. And so, um,

[30:25] we also show you photographs of those.

[30:28] And so, in this situation, we have

[30:30] expanded the clutter ordinance in this

[30:34] sense, but we've really clarified it so

[30:37] that our code enforcement officials when

[30:39] they go out to see um these complaints

[30:43] and we are complaint driven at this

[30:46] point. We are complaint driven. So, we

[30:48] do not have code enforcement officers

[30:51] out looking. they go out to respond to

[30:54] res to to complain that they have the uh

[30:58] right to file a notice of violation and

[31:02] recognize that the way the code

[31:04] enforcement works if you get a notice of

[31:06] violation that gives you x amount of

[31:09] days to remedy it no problem. If it's

[31:12] not repeated within that amount of time,

[31:14] then there's a citation. At that point,

[31:16] you have the right to come to the code

[31:18] enforcement court and say you well, you

[31:21] actually have two rights. You can clear

[31:23] it up before code enforcement gets

[31:25] withdrawn and we don't do anything or

[31:28] you can come to code enforcement court

[31:29] and explain why you believe that this

[31:33] act this does not qualify under the

[31:36] definition of butter. And that's what's

[31:38] written as a rebuttable presumption. So

[31:41] that's how that was constructed

[31:44] [clears throat] and and we brought it

[31:46] back to you all and you know I wish we

[31:48] could write the perfect ordinance. Um

[31:52] they're always and I believe when we

[31:54] presented it to you last time you know

[31:56] we knew that there we may have to come

[31:58] back again but it's always about

[32:00] balancing you know the city's police

[32:03] powers um property rights because people

[32:06] have the right I do also want to say

[32:08] that you can have an accumulation of

[32:13] items under our ordinance that just

[32:16] can't be an ordinary view. So if you

[32:18] want to have an accumulating amount of

[32:22] items, you can have that on your

[32:24] property. It just can't be ordinary. So

[32:28] I hope that

[32:29] >> No, no, no. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah.

[32:31] [clears throat] This is this has been a discussion this Oh, Steve, please come

[32:34] up.

[32:35] >> Uh I saw you heading up here. This is

[32:37] this has been a a part of an ordinary

[32:39] discussion or part of a discussion that

[32:40] we've had at meetings now for a few

[32:42] months. Uh, and we've talked about a lot

[32:45] so far, but Steve, go ahead and and uh

[32:47] >> I mean, it would be great if in the

[32:48] ordinance we can put treat your neighbor

[32:51] as you want to be treated, but that's

[32:53] just not enforceable. Um, and and really

[32:56] what we're doing is we're trying to

[32:57] address those places where um it's in

[33:00] someone's backyard. You know, it's it's

[33:02] not a problem if it's not in your

[33:04] backyard. Uh, but we're getting calls

[33:06] from people who have trash. uh their

[33:09] neighbor is is is throwing all their

[33:12] trash bags in the backyard, you know, or

[33:14] and mice are coming and bugs and there's

[33:17] mosquito infestations, you know, pools

[33:20] left unattended, you know, things like

[33:21] this. These are the things we have to

[33:23] deal with, but we can't really uh some

[33:26] of the things um are are really hard to

[33:29] enforce. Um and uh so we're trying to

[33:32] address those things that are difficult.

[33:34] This is difficult.

[33:35] >> It is. It is. I don't care any way you

[33:36] spend it, whoever you are, this is very

[33:39] difficult. We want balance of of power

[33:41] in the hands of the people, but we also

[33:43] don't want the people to wreck each

[33:44] other, you know. So, we have that

[33:46] balancing act of when does this become

[33:49] destructive to my property value?

[33:53] You That's a good question. If I'm

[33:55] trying to sell my house and I've got

[33:57] somebody next door with all kinds of

[33:58] stuff in the back of a trailer that's

[34:00] been there for 3 months and everybody

[34:02] that's coming to my house sees that and

[34:03] they can't I can't sell my house. When

[34:05] does that become the issue? So we have

[34:08] that balance. We don't want to take all

[34:10] the power away from citizens

[34:13] but we also don't want citizens to

[34:15] control each other at the same point. So

[34:17] we're trying to create something that is

[34:19] actually enforcable that is fair and

[34:23] that ain't easy. [laughter] That is a

[34:25] hard thing to do.

[34:26] >> So, we haven't really changed a lot.

[34:28] What we did change is the number. Yes,

[34:30] we changed the number uh of of of items

[34:33] someone can have. We did put a number on

[34:34] that because really um you can have 100

[34:38] bicycles in your basement, not a

[34:40] problem. When you have 20 bicycles in

[34:42] the front yard of your house and that's

[34:44] impacting my property value, that's kind

[34:46] of a problem. Uh you can have as many

[34:49] trash bags inside your house lining up

[34:51] the hallway. I don't care as long as no

[34:53] one else sees it and it's not impacting

[34:55] your neighbors. It's about treating your

[34:58] neighbor the way you want to be treated

[34:59] and and we can't enforce that. But there

[35:01] is a balance in there we're trying to

[35:03] find and that's really what's before

[35:05] you. Uh how are we going to create the

[35:07] balance that's needed here as a

[35:09] commission? You guys are the ones that

[35:11] get to decide what goes in our

[35:13] ordinances. And I don't envy you guys

[35:15] that decision. We brought this before

[35:17] you to try to help. We're really here to

[35:20] help you however we can.

[35:22] >> So ultimately the decision is on you in

[35:24] your guys's hands. Uh and we've

[35:27] developed this, you know, to try to help

[35:28] you in any way we can. And again,

[35:30] [clears throat]

[35:31] um this isn't easy,

[35:33] >> right?

[35:34] >> But we want to do what's right. You

[35:36] know, at the end of the day, let's do

[35:38] the best thing.

[35:39] >> So,

[35:41] uh that's where we are.

[35:42] >> Okay.

[35:43] >> Thank you.

[35:44] >> Bless you guys. Steve, stay.

[35:47] >> I read it. I read the ordinance. Me and

[35:49] the mayor, we were talking before the

[35:51] meeting and I that's the one kind of

[35:54] thing that jumped out on the agenda

[35:56] today was to me,

[36:00] we know the balance. Just like in my

[36:02] house, I don't want somebody over. Hey,

[36:03] if I'm sell my house, you got a whole

[36:04] bunch of junk over, you know, I Hey,

[36:06] y'all got to get him. I get that. But it

[36:09] looked like to me it went a little

[36:11] further than it should. Especially on

[36:13] some stuff about tarping, you know,

[36:15] having tarps. If somebody goes to the

[36:19] extent to try to cover it up, I think we

[36:21] should give them the benefit of the

[36:22] doubt.

[36:23] >> That's a good question. I mean, we have

[36:25] the only reason we brought that is

[36:26] because it was a very popular um

[36:28] complaint. Uh we're not bringing you

[36:30] complaints that are not like out there.

[36:32] We're making them up. These are

[36:33] complaints that come in our office all

[36:34] the time. So, people complain about a

[36:37] pile of junk in someone's yard and all

[36:39] they do is they cover it up with a tarp

[36:40] and then it's all it's not there

[36:42] anymore, but the pile of junk is still

[36:44] there. There's still rodents. there's

[36:45] still stuff happening, right?

[36:47] >> Uh it's just covering it like you know

[36:49] >> commissioner for if you remember when we

[36:52] came both times to present this we

[36:54] present in September and then we present

[36:56] it again that was a question that we put

[36:58] forward we put pictures up and we asked

[37:01] the commission do you want to prohibit

[37:04] that or do you want to allow it and we

[37:06] were instructed to prohibit it.

[37:10] So just for me

[37:12] >> when I read it, it was a lot of

[37:15] >> what do I think

[37:16] >> is clutter, you know, and

[37:20] >> so something about that it it doesn't

[37:23] hit me just right. But here's what I

[37:24] really truly think I would want to do at

[37:26] this point

[37:27] >> for us to have something like a open

[37:29] meeting with the public, have them

[37:32] speak, tell them what we're thinking,

[37:34] what we're trying to get to, and see can

[37:36] we come to the middle. I just think that

[37:38] would be better on certain this this

[37:41] clutter thing

[37:42] >> because

[37:44] >> are the ones that are doing this are

[37:47] they going to attend that meeting?

[37:49] >> Well, at least

[37:49] >> I would say probably not.

[37:50] >> Well, at least we gave him a shot.

[37:52] That's just me. I think because the

[37:55] gentleman that spoke, Mr. Dean.

[37:56] >> Yeah.

[37:57] >> I I think he hit some great points

[37:58] because when I did read it,

[38:01] >> I told the mayor, I said, "Hey, some

[38:03] stuff in here.

[38:04] >> I don't know if

[38:07] I know it's not easy.

[38:09] >> Well, [laughter] and I'll tell you

[38:10] where. So, so, uh, Commissioner Pru and

[38:12] I did talk and, uh, I think we're coming

[38:15] at it from from two different

[38:16] viewpoints, which is healthy, which is

[38:17] what you want on a commission. You want

[38:19] different people to represent different

[38:20] viewpoints, right? Um, I think I think

[38:23] Reverend Spooner made a good point about

[38:24] firewood especially, right? You know, if

[38:26] you got firewood and you're living out

[38:28] outside the side of your house and

[38:28] people can see it and you got a couple

[38:30] stacks of it, then that technically

[38:32] violates what's on paper here. Uh but I

[38:36] also think that uh one of the number one

[38:39] complaints that I've gotten over the

[38:40] years are codes related and it's not uh

[38:44] it's hardly ever because of the

[38:46] performance of the codes department. You

[38:48] all are operating within the laws that

[38:50] we provide to you to operate within.

[38:53] >> Sure. Uh, and so if something says that

[38:55] somebody hasn't cut their grass and you

[38:57] go out and issue a citation and then

[38:59] they have three weeks to cut their

[39:00] grass, a lot of times they wait those

[39:01] three weeks, they cut their grass and

[39:03] then you have to start the process all

[39:04] over again. If they're habitual

[39:06] offenders, there's very little to do

[39:08] there. And so what I'm seeing on paper

[39:10] here is there is some room for open

[39:14] interpretation for the codes department

[39:16] which I don't think is necessarily

[39:17] unhealthy because I believe that in

[39:21] order to get to the things that are of

[39:24] concern to people you for example the

[39:26] bicycles you know early on I was reading

[39:28] some stuff on the internet where Adam Bl

[39:30] said something about bicycles on his

[39:31] Henderson Live page uh where he said you

[39:34] know what if all the neighbors came over

[39:35] and parked their bikes there you're

[39:36] going to be in violation of it. Well, I would think that we would be able to

[39:40] have the discretion of a neighborhood

[39:42] get together and a difference between

[39:46] having that and junk bicycles par, you

[39:48] know, piled up for 6 months that

[39:50] somebody's been complaining about three

[39:51] or four times and you don't have

[39:53] anything to to enforce by.

[39:55] >> And so for me, the the the by clarifying

[39:58] the clutter, it gives you a little bit

[40:00] more teeth when you need it,

[40:02] >> but not more teeth when it's not needed.

[40:05] Uh uh and and so that's kind of the way

[40:07] that I'm taking it is that we we we

[40:11] would create a framework for our codes

[40:13] department to have a little bit more

[40:15] teeth whenever it's needed whenever we

[40:17] get these types of complaints because

[40:19] one of the most frustrating things for

[40:20] me over the years uh anytime we're in a

[40:23] situation where we can't fix it is

[40:24] frustrating for me. If somebody's got a

[40:26] complaint and we can't fix it, it's

[40:27] frustrating. And and so if this allows

[40:30] you more teeth to fix certain situations

[40:32] or to address certain situations, then

[40:35] it it actually is helping to prop up the

[40:38] freedom of people who want to live their

[40:39] life happily without these types of

[40:41] things next door to them. Uh and so

[40:43] there's there's all different kinds of

[40:44] angles to to look at from it. I'm

[40:46] positive this wasn't uh some evil person

[40:49] trying to to put her spin on it or his

[40:52] spin on it from an elite standpoint and

[40:54] all this other crap that people say

[40:56] online, which I find a little

[40:57] frustrating. Uh this is this is a this

[41:00] is an exercise based on the the number

[41:02] of complaints that we get and and uh the

[41:04] sheer amount of of complaints that deal

[41:07] with codes that you guys do not have uh

[41:09] the ability to address. We're trying to

[41:11] make it so that you can address them

[41:13] more. Uh, and I did see some stuff in

[41:15] here that uh it's not perfect. Uh, but uh uh I I do think it uh I do think

[41:22] it's at a point where it does provide

[41:24] for you the intent of what it's supposed

[41:27] to provide. And that's just giving you a

[41:29] little bit more teeth where you get an

[41:30] honest complaint that you apply your

[41:32] discretion and you're able to address it

[41:34] versus getting a complaint, going out

[41:36] and looking at it and not being able to

[41:38] address it because we don't have it

[41:39] written into our local laws. And so

[41:42] there is a balance. So it's very

[41:43] difficult.

[41:43] >> Yep.

[41:44] >> If a person has an open carport and you

[41:47] ride behind and you see something, you

[41:48] say, "Hey, y'all got to do something

[41:50] with that." And they tarp it. Are they

[41:52] in violation?

[41:54] >> No. Currently, no.

[41:55] >> I'm talking No, I'm saying once if we

[41:58] were past this person has a carport, I

[42:01] don't say they got 15 bicycles.

[42:05] >> Mhm.

[42:06] >> And they tarp them, but you can't see it

[42:08] from the street, but it's under their

[42:10] carport.

[42:10] >> Yeah.

[42:11] >> Are they in violation? Okay. Would be

[42:12] with this from the street from ordinary.

[42:17] So it would depend. So it would depend

[42:20] where the you know in the carport.

[42:22] >> So if it were in the back quarter of the

[42:24] carport and you could not see it because

[42:27] if the definition if you saw when you

[42:29] reviewed it is from ordinary view.

[42:32] >> It's where anybody can see.

[42:33] >> Not from ordinary view from the street

[42:35] then no it is not. But if it were within

[42:38] ordinary view of the street,

[42:41] >> see that's where my problem is.

[42:42] >> But they could also tarp trash.

[42:44] >> Well, I know. But

[42:47] >> I know I know where we're trying to get

[42:49] to because

[42:50] >> we're here to help [laughter] you.

[42:51] However,

[42:51] >> I know where we're trying to get to, but

[42:53] I I

[42:55] >> you know, my my opinion is

[42:57] >> I'm like think

[43:00] I don't like government overreach at

[43:01] all.

[43:01] >> Yeah. But as a city, if you call and

[43:05] complain on your neighbor, the worst

[43:08] thing we can do is say, "We can't do

[43:09] anything about it. Sorry." Which is

[43:11] what's happening now. Because we don't

[43:13] have the rights or the means to do this.

[43:15] Now, if we put some teeth into it, we

[43:18] can address these complaints. And I can

[43:20] guarantee Steve not going out looking

[43:22] for clutter. He's got too much other

[43:25] stuff on his plate. At least we can

[43:26] address complaints that we get. Now, now

[43:29] if something happens like in the DARP

[43:31] issue,

[43:33] we can come back and address that again

[43:35] just like we're doing now. We got an

[43:37] ordinance now. We're addressing it now.

[43:38] We're changing something in it two

[43:40] months down the road. We go right back

[43:42] and you build some of this stuff where

[43:45] we want we screwed up on something.

[43:47] Fine. Let's go fix it. You know, a month

[43:48] down the road.

[43:49] >> And the other thing is every month Steve

[43:52] files a report. He files a written

[43:55] report with the code enforcement board

[43:58] every month as to what the complaints

[44:01] were that they wrote up what the

[44:04] citations were. He he does it every

[44:06] month. So I'm not suggesting this that

[44:10] this could be to address your issue is

[44:13] that Steve can forward you all the

[44:16] report that he forward the code

[44:18] enforcement board every single month and

[44:20] that way you would see are there any

[44:23] clutter ordinances

[44:25] violation that you all want to see with

[44:28] targeting and that way uh I think that

[44:31] might address what you're talking about

[44:34] >> the repeaters

[44:36] so Um, so that report's already in

[44:39] existence. All it would be is you would

[44:42] forward it not just to our coordinate

[44:45] forward, but they would forward it.

[44:48] So, and I do a great way of you all

[44:51] being able to monitor where we are. Yes.

[44:55] >> And and I do I think that's good to get

[44:58] that report. You know, how many people

[44:59] reporting different things, but I know

[45:01] you're not out there doing that and I

[45:02] know the calls that you get and we get

[45:04] are for real.

[45:05] >> Yeah. But when I read that whole

[45:07] ordinance, that's just too much to me.

[45:11] That's just too much of do I think what

[45:14] I think is clutter. How many can you

[45:17] just you can only have 10 post these are

[45:19] brand new bicycles?

[45:22] >> Is that clutter? I don't know. That's where I'm at. Well, it's I would

[45:26] not be in agreement the way it is in

[45:28] your yard. You know,

[45:30] >> getting hung up on something like

[45:32] bicycles too when that is really not

[45:34] what we're talking about. We are talking

[45:36] about those extreme examples that we

[45:39] keep seeing, those extreme examples that

[45:41] you keep getting calls on, we keep

[45:43] getting calls on. And that is what it's

[45:46] intended to help, you know. Um, and we

[45:48] have to give them something to help in

[45:49] that way. And it's hard and I I hate it.

[45:52] is difficult.

[45:54] But the the situations that we are

[45:57] seeing, they are they're extreme. Um and it's unfortunate because I don't I

[46:02] don't want to overstep either, but

[46:04] people are taking

[46:07] advantage. I know you are not out there

[46:09] looking for wood piles.

[46:12] We are talking about

[46:15] the pictures that we're seeing because

[46:17] we we have to we have to know those

[46:20] pictures. We really do. That's right.

[46:21] >> Just like the one call I keep getting

[46:23] about the guy who keeps parking his

[46:25] trailer.

[46:25] >> Oh, yeah.

[46:26] >> Yeah. So, I get all that.

[46:28] >> But if we're going to have an ordinance

[46:30] and we're going to make it work, we got

[46:32] to make sure that it's right.

[46:34] >> Absolutely.

[46:34] >> If piles of wood like Miss Dean was

[46:38] talking about, if that's going against

[46:40] clutter and then we we pass this, we

[46:43] need to fix it before we pass it. You

[46:46] know, I don't think we it needs to be in

[46:48] there and then say, "Okay, well, if

[46:50] somebody gets cited for clutter and cut

[46:52] firewood, we'll bring it back and do it

[46:54] a month later." I don't think that's the

[46:56] right thing to do. If you're going to

[46:58] put it in, put it in, right? Put it in

[47:00] the first time, right? Let's just do it.

[47:02] It's no hairy to get to that. We can

[47:05] pass this in two weeks. We could go say,

[47:08] "Hey, let's if we got firewood and they

[47:11] cover it up or whatever, how do we get

[47:13] to this?" Uh let's don't say well let's

[47:16] we have to sight him because it was in

[47:19] there and make him go to a board make

[47:21] him go through all jump through all the

[47:23] hoops.

[47:23] >> Well it's what's reasonably necessary

[47:25] for a residential use of but imagine

[47:28] that a pile of fire would be reasonably

[47:30] necessary.

[47:31] >> Okay. Now how much is not reasonably?

[47:32] Who going give me that answer? Who can

[47:34] determine how much is not reasonably?

[47:37] Well, yes, with all things,

[47:39] Commissioner, we we uh we have to give

[47:43] some discretion or vote for portion, but

[47:46] due process allows people to address

[47:49] that.

[47:49] >> Well, that's that's taking citizens

[47:52] through something that we should define,

[47:54] not that he's if he walks up there and

[47:57] I've got a bunch of firewood, he may he

[48:00] wow, he burn he's keeping a lot of heat.

[48:02] >> Yeah, I was going to say firewood again

[48:04] is not what we're talking about. Well,

[48:05] but it's in there.

[48:07] >> It's in there. I'm not worried about

[48:09] what we're talking about. When you make

[48:11] laws that can be used against someone,

[48:14] >> you ought to make sure that it's right.

[48:16] Not we not we weren't talking about you,

[48:18] but since I'm here, I can still cite

[48:20] you. That's not That's not how you do

[48:22] it. You do it right. When I read a law,

[48:24] >> that's how he's doing it.

[48:25] >> When we read a law,

[48:26] >> if a police officer stops me, he said,

[48:29] "We didn't write the law up for that

[48:31] personally." Yeah.

[48:32] >> We we we're doing Well, let me speak.

[48:35] Okay.

[48:36] >> If a police officer stops me, he said

[48:39] the law really wasn't written for this,

[48:41] but it's in here and I I'm going to cite

[48:44] you.

[48:45] >> You're talking about abuse of power.

[48:47] >> That's right. There you go.

[48:48] >> We don't want abuse of power.

[48:49] >> That's right. All I want you to do if if a guy's got firewood and we can sight

[48:54] him, let's just say if it's firewood and

[48:56] it's neatly stacked or whatever, that's

[48:58] okay.

[48:59] >> Let's just do it. Let's just say it.

[49:02] Well, I mean there's there's always

[49:04] checks and balances with law typically

[49:06] so that we don't have abuse of power,

[49:08] right?

[49:09] >> So, I mean, whatever you guys want to

[49:12] do. Like I said, this is your decision.

[49:14] >> Whatever you guys want to do,

[49:17] >> Don say we can pass this and go back and

[49:19] amend it with firewood.

[49:22] We want to put that in.

[49:23] >> I mean, is it Harry to pass it today?

[49:25] Why don't we amend it and pass it in two

[49:27] weeks?

[49:27] >> Well, I'm going to be quiet because I

[49:29] know Josh is

[49:30] >> just quick question. So say somebody

[49:32] does call for a complaint and you go

[49:34] address it.

[49:35] >> Do they get an opportunity to correct

[49:37] before it's taken to obviously cited and

[49:40] taken to the company?

[49:40] >> So there's always a notice of violation

[49:42] and there's a certain period of days

[49:43] they have to correct that. If it doesn't

[49:45] get corrected then it goes to citation.

[49:47] They have more days to correct it. If it

[49:49] doesn't get corrected then we we stepped

[49:50] down.

[49:51] >> So good example I remember when we did

[49:54] um a fine schedule for fire code

[49:58] violations. One of the one of the one of

[50:00] the big questions was that you all asked

[50:03] me was are you going to go looking for

[50:05] it? No, we're not going to go looking

[50:06] for it. But it also again it gives us a

[50:08] point where we can we do set a standard

[50:11] that we can go by. And most of the time

[50:13] I can tell you I I may be wrong, but I

[50:16] don't think we've ever find anybody yet

[50:20] >> for your fire.

[50:21] >> No, not yet. But it it's but it's also

[50:23] having that standard saying, "Hey,

[50:26] >> this is what's got to be corrected and

[50:27] we're going to give you x amount of days

[50:28] to do that."

[50:31] >> Operated that way.

[50:32] >> And and two, so there are probably

[50:35] thousands of exceptions that we could

[50:37] think of

[50:38] >> that we could add and it could be a

[50:39] 200page ordinance and I don't think we

[50:41] want to end up there. No, I just I just

[50:43] think we should add in

[50:47] [clears throat]

[50:47] >> especially like when I'm out in country

[50:48] view,

[50:49] >> I see people got stuff in their carports

[50:52] and they and they got it tarped

[50:55] and but you can see it, you know,

[50:57] country roads are thin. I can see it

[50:59] from the street. Is that clutter? I just

[51:02] don't know if I'm going to tell them

[51:04] what you got tarped up under there cuz I

[51:07] can see it from the street. You're

[51:08] breaking a law. I just don't know if I'm

[51:10] there. Uh and [clears throat] and I

[51:11] don't want to come back and amend

[51:13] something if we can wait two weeks and

[51:15] fix it and then pass it like that.

[51:17] That's just me.

[51:17] >> Commissioner, if you remember, that was

[51:20] a question we had for the commission

[51:22] >> and we asked for your direction on

[51:25] tarping and the direction that was given

[51:29] was to include tarping. So that was that

[51:32] was

[51:32] >> well it might have been a mistake if we added that tarping. I think

[51:36] >> I think the the

[51:37] >> we need to look at

[51:38] >> I think the spirit of the tarping rule

[51:40] has to do more so with rodent control

[51:43] and things like that and and so so I I

[51:46] think that that when our codes

[51:48] department goes so first of all he Nolan

[51:50] said we're not doing uh proactive things

[51:53] we're doing reactive things so when we

[51:55] receive complaint

[51:56] >> complaint driven

[51:57] >> yeah complaint driven thank you so

[51:59] whenever they receive a complaint they

[52:00] go out and investigate they don't go out

[52:01] with a piece of paper in their hand and

[52:03] a citation they go out and investigate

[52:05] to see if it is in violation and and I

[52:08] think there's some leeway there for them

[52:09] to use their their their reason uh you

[52:13] know their reasoning capabilities when

[52:15] they go out

[52:15] >> and Steve I think you're right on time.

[52:17] Steve does a great job. He's not he's

[52:19] not bullying anybody.

[52:21] >> But I do think when I read a law if it

[52:25] says if you got something tarped under

[52:27] your carport and I can see it from the

[52:29] street it's breaking the law. I think

[52:32] our citizen deserve to know the law and

[52:34] know when they're breaking the law. If

[52:36] they're not breaking the law, then don't

[52:37] put it in there. That's just me.

[52:39] >> The ones who are abusing the TARP

[52:41] situation, [clears throat] how do we

[52:43] help them? How do we get to that? How do

[52:46] >> that's the whole thing? That's right. I

[52:47] get that because that's who it's

[52:49] intended for and and how do we help

[52:51] them?

[52:52] >> Well, I think this I think this is a

[52:53] this discussion is a good representation

[52:55] that I know where we get there's a lot

[52:57] of different opinions and we're not

[52:58] going to we're obviously not going to

[53:00] agree on it. However, I think we've got

[53:02] all the information that we need. If

[53:04] there are no additional questions or

[53:06] concerns or suggestions or anything, I

[53:08] think we've had a really healthy

[53:09] discussion about it. And I think we're

[53:10] at a point to where we should probably

[53:12] know which way we're going to vote on

[53:14] the issue.

[53:14] >> U so if there's no objections, then uh

[53:17] we've got a motion and a second. And

[53:20] >> let me say this before we do.

[53:21] >> Yes, sir.

[53:21] >> Um and if we decide if we find out

[53:24] something is wrong, one thing about this

[53:27] council, we will come back and fix. We

[53:28] will absolutely absolutely

[53:32] >> absolutely but I I think uh well we

[53:34] haven't done anything yet uh you know

[53:35] and uh we we've had a discussion so

[53:37] let's vote and however the vote turns

[53:39] out you are exactly right you know

[53:41] whatever we do if uh if we get out there

[53:43] and we learn that it's a mistake we will

[53:45] go back and correct it is you know but if it's not then we'll keep it in

[53:48] place uh if we vote to do that. So like

[53:51] to ask for a roll call please.

[53:53] >> Commissioner Puit

[53:54] >> no. Commissioner Hargus.

[53:56] >> Hi,

[53:56] >> Commissioner Thomas.

[53:57] >> Hi,

[53:58] >> Mayor Stton.

[54:00] >> Hi.

[54:02] >> All right. Thank you. And Reverend

[54:04] Spinner, thank you for coming. I really

[54:06] appreciate your information and thank

[54:07] you for being so respectful. Really

[54:09] appreciate it.

[54:09] >> You're welcome. Thank you.

[54:10] >> Um, next up, we have a municipal order

[54:14] authorizing the purchase of a customuilt

[54:17] barge.

[54:19] >> Municipal order number 65-26. Municipal

[54:21] order authorizing the purchase of a

[54:23] customuilt barge gangway and accessory

[54:25] handrail from Maritime Preservation and

[54:26] Training Foundation LTD for the

[54:28] furniture for sorry for the future

[54:31] display and birthing of the PTF26

[54:33] gunboat authorizing non-competitive

[54:35] negotiation pursuant to KRS 45A 380

[54:38] subsection 6 and authorizing the mayor

[54:41] to execute all documents necessary to

[54:42] complete the purchase.

[54:43] >> We have a motion to approve. Please

[54:45] move.

[54:45] >> Do we have a second?

[54:46] >> Second.

[54:47] >> And Buzzy, are you on the line?

[54:50] I am. Can you hear me?

[54:52] >> I can I can I don't know that there will

[54:54] be any questions because we've talked

[54:55] about this now three or four times. Uh

[54:58] but before we vote, does anybody have

[55:00] any questions for Buzzy about the barge

[55:02] purchase?

[55:04] >> Everybody, I think we're I think we're

[55:06] good. I think we got all the information

[55:07] that we're going to need. Um roll call,

[55:09] please.

[55:10] >> Commissioner Puit,

[55:11] >> I.

[55:11] >> Commissioner Hargus.

[55:12] >> Hi.

[55:12] >> Commissioner Thomas. Hi.

[55:13] >> Mayor Sten,

[55:14] >> I uh thank you. Thank you. And then last

[55:17] uh last before we go into executive

[55:18] session, we've got a resolution

[55:20] approving the submitt and acceptance of

[55:22] a grant application for a new ATRV.

[55:26] >> Resolution number 54-26, resolution

[55:28] approving submission of an acceptance if

[55:30] awarded of a grant under the Kentucky

[55:32] Office of Homeland Security, state

[55:33] homeland security grant program for an

[55:35] armored tactical response vehicle in the

[55:37] estimated total project amount of

[55:39] $371,950.

[55:42] >> Thank you. Can we mot?

[55:44] >> So moved.

[55:44] >> We have a second. Second, there's time

[55:47] I'll have Chief come.

[55:48] >> Yeah, absolutely. Uh Chief, do you mind

[55:49] to come to

[55:54] Commissioner Puit has a question for you

[55:55] >> real quick? Um the price that we can get

[55:58] this grant and the price uh it seems

[56:01] affordable, but I just want to relay

[56:03] this to you so that everybody watching

[56:06] would understand. Evansville is one

[56:09] beast. When it comes to crime, Hamilton

[56:11] is a different beast. I don't want to

[56:14] see this vehicle pull up every time we

[56:15] see policemen in a neighborhood. One

[56:19] reason why I don't want our people to be

[56:21] intimidated by military style stuff.

[56:25] >> So, one thing I could say is I was the

[56:27] chief in Evansville when we bought

[56:29] theirs and we did a very conscious roll

[56:32] out of it and we took it to community

[56:34] events everywhere. Um, like a couple

[56:37] weeks ago we went to the summer sizzler

[56:38] and fire department had the fire truck

[56:40] out shooting water. I would foresee us

[56:42] taking this to events like that, letting

[56:44] kids get in it, letting them see the

[56:46] inside of it, see what it is. These are

[56:48] not like where there's guns mounted at.

[56:51] You went toward the one with me, so

[56:52] you've seen them.

[56:53] >> They're a defensive tool. They're not an

[56:55] offensive tool. They're to keep our

[56:57] officers safe and to protect them. And

[56:59] furthermore, if, god forbid, we have a

[57:01] citizen gets shot or they're down

[57:03] somewhere, we have an active shooter, a

[57:05] bank robbery, a, you know, any kind of

[57:08] community event, if they're down and

[57:09] there's still shooting going on, we

[57:11] don't have a way today to get to them

[57:12] and get them out of there. With a

[57:14] vehicle like this, we could pull up,

[57:16] protect our officers, our first

[57:17] responders, and get somebody out of

[57:19] harm's way. So, it's a a defensive tool,

[57:22] and we would educate the community on it

[57:24] by taking it out, let them be in it. Um,

[57:27] one of the things Henderson's been

[57:28] involved with for years is the 911 gives

[57:30] hope for the holidays toy drive. A lot

[57:32] of time we get bicycles and stuff that

[57:34] we can't give out like in a hospital. We

[57:36] would take the Bearcat, fill it up with

[57:38] bicycles and we'd get a Santa Claus and

[57:41] we'd go around and just randomly find

[57:43] kids and just have a Santa Claus hop out

[57:45] and give them bicycles out of the back

[57:47] of the Bearcats. So things like that we could do to build trust and for

[57:51] the community to see that it's not a

[57:52] tool that they need to be afraid of, but

[57:54] something that's going to help them. And

[57:56] I think all that's great, but what I was

[57:57] trying to get across was

[57:59] >> it we're not going to be using it for

[58:00] everyone. Now, it it would be only if we

[58:03] have high risk warrants or things. I

[58:06] mean, you may once a month see us using

[58:08] it, something like that.

[58:10] >> Um, but it's not going to be all the

[58:12] time, but we do have needs for it in

[58:14] Henderson. And I think our number one

[58:16] priority should be keeping our first

[58:17] responders safe so they can help our

[58:19] people, and this would do that.

[58:21] >> Okay.

[58:23] Any other questions? No. Does anybody

[58:24] else have any questions for Chief Bolan?

[58:26] We we had this discussion a while ago uh

[58:29] you know and and the first time this

[58:31] came to us it was it was costly and and

[58:33] we said if you find a way to make it

[58:35] less costly uh and more affordable then

[58:38] uh then we could find a way to support

[58:40] it and you found a way and so we don't

[58:42] have the grant yet. I'm not overly

[58:44] optimistic we get it but

[58:45] >> yeah potentially found a way. There we

[58:47] go. Yeah. And so what we're doing here

[58:49] is we would just be voting on you to be

[58:51] able to apply for a grant that would pay

[58:53] for half of it. And if we apply for the

[58:55] grant that pays for half of it, we're

[58:56] basically committing that we'll pay for

[58:57] the other half if we get the grant.

[58:59] >> Uh and so for a $370,000 vehicle, it'll

[59:02] pay $185,000ish. I'm rounding. Uh and

[59:05] then we would owe the other 185,000.

[59:08] >> Um so everybody good? Everybody any have

[59:10] any other questions, concerns?

[59:12] >> Thank you, Chief. Whoever roll, please.

[59:14] >> Commissioner Puit.

[59:15] >> Hi.

[59:16] >> Commissioner Hargus. Hi. Commissioner

[59:18] Thomas.

[59:18] >> Hi,

[59:18] >> Mayor Stton.

[59:19] >> Hi.

[59:20] >> Uh, do we have any mayor?

[59:21] >> Yes, sir.

[59:21] >> Somebody's back there.

[59:22] >> I'm sorry. What?

[59:24] >> Oh, speak. Is that all right if I come

[59:27] up and say something?

[59:28] >> You are Well, yeah. Anytime. Yeah,

[59:29] please.

[59:29] >> And I'm not a speaker and I don't like

[59:31] you in this.

[59:31] >> You are welcome to come up and speak.

[59:33] Yes, ma'am.

[59:34] >> Back to the clutter.

[59:36] >> S I'm Susan Big 2 48 Old Nook Road. I'm

[59:39] in the county, but this is my city. I

[59:41] grew up in the city.

[59:44] the clutter. It's far beyond bicycles

[59:47] and covered up firewood. My gosh, it's

[59:51] cars that are parked that haven't been

[59:53] work working for years. Porches that you

[59:56] can't even get to the front door. I have

[59:58] one in frontier behind where I used to

[1:00:00] live. That is unbelievable.

[1:00:01] [clears throat]

[1:00:04] » It's so much more than that petty little

[1:00:06] things you are talking about. It's the

[1:00:07] major things. And I don't understand why

[1:00:09] the codes department

[1:00:11] can't make

[1:00:13] time

[1:00:15] two days a week to go to different areas

[1:00:18] in the city to find places to not

[1:00:21] necessarily site them but call attention

[1:00:23] to it. Ask if they need help. They may

[1:00:26] be so overwhelmed by it and may have

[1:00:28] been left by a family member they become

[1:00:32] ill. You know, is there funds to help

[1:00:34] people like that to get rid of the mess?

[1:00:36] But it's these cars and boats and things

[1:00:39] that take up so much room. It's not

[1:00:41] firewood and bicycles that are so bad.

[1:00:44] It's yards that are growing up over top

[1:00:46] of cars, grass. I mean, stuff like that

[1:00:49] in my eyes and I see it. But another

[1:00:51] thing is what bothers me is you we

[1:00:54] really have the nerve to say anything

[1:00:55] about private properties when look at

[1:00:58] Henderson City. When you come in across

[1:00:59] the bridge, I can't talk. I get so

[1:01:01] nervous. I'm sorry.

[1:01:02] >> You're okay. do.

[1:01:03] >> But the curbs that are grown over

[1:01:07] um drains that are covered up with grass

[1:01:10] and stuff like that. I had friends that

[1:01:12] we met at the Front Follies came to

[1:01:14] town. They were amazed how they said

[1:01:17] nasty and it is. I mean, you're worried

[1:01:19] about downtown Henderson and they're

[1:01:21] trying to help different areas. The East

[1:01:22] End, I was raised in East 10. That's

[1:01:24] right.

[1:01:25] >> But I mean, look at the curbs. The

[1:01:27] yellow on the curbs aren't marked in

[1:01:29] most places. roads are tore up like

[1:01:31] behind Thornton's [clears throat] by

[1:01:32] Applebees and that's private property I

[1:01:35] imagine but there's this deep holes

[1:01:37] right there.

[1:01:38] >> Yeah.

[1:01:39] >> Make those people responsible. Make

[1:01:41] companies responsible like by Palmer's

[1:01:45] um the bank next to Palmer's.

[1:01:47] >> Mhm.

[1:01:47] >> And then that building that used to be a

[1:01:50] store and then they still got a

[1:01:52] billboard going across the thing. Weeds

[1:01:54] are this tall growing out there. people

[1:01:56] that own that property should be

[1:01:58] responsible and have that stuff taken

[1:01:59] care of. We had just been to Jasper

[1:02:01] recently and I don't know if it's the

[1:02:03] ordinance that they make people that own

[1:02:05] a business that their curbs are taken

[1:02:07] care of or what. I'm sorry I can't talk.

[1:02:09] I'm getting so but you understand where

[1:02:11] I'm coming from. It is so much more than

[1:02:13] this petty little stuff about firewood.

[1:02:16] Anyway, I just had to say my piece.

[1:02:18] >> Can Can you stay Can you stay up there

[1:02:19] for a second?

[1:02:20] >> Uh so I wanted to address a couple of

[1:02:21] things that that you said. Uh so first

[1:02:23] of all, thank you for coming and

[1:02:24] speaking and and you're not wrong about

[1:02:26] a lot of things you said. Uh when you

[1:02:28] come into town, uh it's a state road and

[1:02:31] then it's the county until you get to

[1:02:32] the city limits and and uh uh along the

[1:02:36] state road, the state maintenance

[1:02:37] schedule changed in our last governor

[1:02:39] administration uh where they don't mle

[1:02:42] uh but half the time that they used to.

[1:02:44] Uh and so I I totally agree with you. I

[1:02:46] think it looks bad. Uh when you when you go up and down the

[1:02:50] roads like that on private property,

[1:02:52] it's a little bit difficult. The uh one

[1:02:54] of the things that we've talked about

[1:02:55] lately that I've talked about lately, uh

[1:02:57] I don't use the word I very often, but I

[1:02:58] don't want to corner the rest of the

[1:02:59] commission. Um the uh with the codes

[1:03:02] department is I'd like to see us add an

[1:03:03] extra code inspector. Uh we we've

[1:03:06] operated a certain way for years, and I personally feel like that department

[1:03:10] is understaffed. Uh, and so if we can

[1:03:13] get out of this within the next couple

[1:03:15] of months by posting another code

[1:03:16] inspector position and having that

[1:03:18] there, I think that we'll be able to do

[1:03:19] some of the things that you're talking

[1:03:20] about.

[1:03:21] >> I mean, I I drive we drive around town

[1:03:23] all the time and I could write down a

[1:03:24] list, just go five blocks and find

[1:03:26] several, you know.

[1:03:28] >> Sure.

[1:03:28] >> And but it's not just the county road or

[1:03:30] the state roads or things like the pine

[1:03:32] room, the old pine room is still

[1:03:33] standing. Things that are just old and

[1:03:35] needs to be torn down and things

[1:03:36] revived.

[1:03:38] >> I would be more worried about all that

[1:03:40] than

[1:03:41] the rest.

[1:03:42] >> Yes, ma'am.

[1:03:44] >> Well, thank you so much for coming and

[1:03:45] talking to us. We appreciate it.

[1:03:50] » All right. And we've got uh uh we've got

[1:03:53] an executive session. Before we do that,

[1:03:55] I want to see if any commissioners have

[1:03:56] any comments before we go. [laughter]

[1:03:57] Commissioner Thomas, do you have

[1:03:58] anything today?

[1:03:59] >> Song writers festival this week.

[1:04:01] >> It is. And bluegrass festival next week.

[1:04:04] >> Yeah. Back to back.

[1:04:05] >> Uh songary festival starts tomorrow,

[1:04:06] right?

[1:04:07] >> There we go. Commissioner Prit. No,

[1:04:09] >> I just want to thank the lady for coming

[1:04:11] up speaking. Uh, this is your house.

[1:04:14] Like I I tell everybody, taxpayers, this

[1:04:17] is your government. We work for you. If

[1:04:20] there's something's wrong, you see cars

[1:04:22] all over the place, come tell us. That

[1:04:24] way we can get it fixed for you. We work

[1:04:26] for you. That's all.

[1:04:27] >> That's a good point and it's accurate.

[1:04:29] Commissioner Argus.

[1:04:30] >> Oh, I'm I'm hoping this will help some

[1:04:33] of that. So,

[1:04:34] >> I I do too.

[1:04:35] >> A little bit at a time.

[1:04:36] >> I do too. this and maybe a little bit of

[1:04:38] restructuring of the department. I I uh

[1:04:40] but we hear you. You know, there there

[1:04:41] are always things that we can do better

[1:04:43] and and we want to do better also. So,

[1:04:44] thank you guys for coming and talking to

[1:04:46] us.

[1:04:46] >> Well, I want to make one,

[1:04:48] >> Steve. I've never heard one bad

[1:04:50] complaint about our codes department is

[1:04:52] being overly aggressive or anything. So,

[1:04:54] kudos to you.

[1:04:56] >> Good deal.

[1:04:58] >> And we have need for executive session.

[1:05:00] And just to just to remind everybody,

[1:05:01] we're going to go into executive

[1:05:03] session. And then once we do, this is uh

[1:05:05] this is where we're going to have the

[1:05:06] discussion on who we are going to

[1:05:07] appoint uh to replace the commissioner

[1:05:10] who left us. Uh and so we're going to

[1:05:12] executive session to do that and we will

[1:05:14] be coming back with action. Uh yes, sir.

[1:05:17] >> Could I state just one thing real

[1:05:19] quickly, Mr. Mayor?

[1:05:20] >> Uh if if you would like. Yes.

[1:05:22] >> Very quick.

[1:05:23] >> Tom Davis.

[1:05:25] >> First of all, I appreciate the approval

[1:05:26] of the resolution earlier this evening

[1:05:29] for the barge dock for the PT boat. It's

[1:05:31] going to be such an important part of

[1:05:33] our uh veterans park down on the

[1:05:36] riverfront. But I also want to commend

[1:05:39] city staff. And folks, if you haven't

[1:05:41] seen it, there is a video out that the

[1:05:44] city has put together for our parks

[1:05:46] program for the coming that's in

[1:05:49] progress right now that the commission

[1:05:51] just approved. And a large part of that

[1:05:53] is our veterans memorial park. And I

[1:05:56] just want to thank the staff that put

[1:05:58] that together because it is a it's an A1

[1:06:02] job and thank you very much for that uh

[1:06:06] helping us get another step forward on

[1:06:08] this parks project. Thank you.

[1:06:10] >> You are welcome. Happy happy to do it.

[1:06:12] Yes, sir. Yes, sir. [applause]

[1:06:17] » All right. Thank you guys. And with

[1:06:18] that, we'll entertain a motion to go

[1:06:20] into executive session. I move the

[1:06:21] commission go into executive session

[1:06:23] pursuant to KS 61.8

[1:06:26] subsection C discussion of pending

[1:06:28] litigation against the city in pursuant

[1:06:30] to KRS 6.8

[1:06:32] subsection F discussion that may lead to

[1:06:35] the appointment of an individual

[1:06:36] employee or member. Do

[1:06:38] >> we have a second?

[1:06:39] >> Second.

[1:06:40] >> All in favor? I.

[1:06:41] >> I. We are going to stay here for the

[1:06:43] executive session. Thank you God.

Live with Restream

Agenda

Transcript