Noisy drag queens, bees and butterflies, property tax time

Council briefs

Public comment

Concerns over Medicaid
During the first regularly scheduled Berea City Council meeting of the month, Berean Laura Mangus expressed her concerns over federal cuts to Medicaid, which she said will adversely impact our local hospital and two nursing homes in town.

Mangus referenced a recent interview in local media with Baptist Health Richmond president, Greg Gerard, whom she said gave a state of Madison County healthcare outlook. Mangus said she'd brought with her, copies of the interview with Gerard to distribute to Councilmembers. Mangus did not state whether Gerard's outlook was positive or negative.

Drag queens are noisy and partisan
Shane Morris, a local resident, complained about the noise made during a recent Berea PRIDE event, which apparently was held near his home, given that Morris said from his dinner table, he was able to hear particulars of the event such as what he called "obscene lyrics" and stage introductions. To demonstrate, Morris affected a falsetto voice and bobbed his head from side to side as he mimicked, "Buh, buh, bah, buhhhh! Now, welcome to the stage, Cinnamon!"

Morris did not say precisely where the PRIDE event took place, only that he commended City officials for not letting it occur on City-run property. He also said the event was partisan. Morris suggested that the City's existing curfew ordinance for juveniles, specifically its prohibition of “raucous” noise, be applied in these situations.

Proclamation

In concert with the Madison County Fiscal Court, Mayor Bruce Fraley issued a proclamation that October is Hope’s Wings Domestic Violence Awareness month in Berea and Madison County, stating that "we have a moral obligation to support the victims and their children while putting into place strategies that prevents it in the future."

Kaylynn Carpenter, who is assistant director of Hope's Wings, a domestic violence shelter in Richmond, accepted the proclamation on behalf of her organization.

Presentation

Originator of the Berea Pollinator Gardens, local resident, Judith Weckman, would like Council to consider the gardens become part of the Berea Tourism brand.

At the meeting, Weckman gave Council a presentation on the progress she and her co-volunteers have made since early 2023 when they began restoring local habitats with native plants as a way to support local wildlife while also providing peaceful areas in nature.

Weckman told Council there are three pollinator gardens, all located at various points near along the bike paths that follow Brushy Fork, and all of which were places that needed ecological restoration, according to Weckman, who said she worked with Fraley to designate where the gardens should be located. A wheelchair bridge and ramp are currently under construction at the Prairie Garden, Weckman said. That garden is near the Harrison St. bridge to the Quaker Meeting House.

She said that pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are in decline, yet are important to our food supply. The pollinator gardens help with ecology, education, and economic impact and increase Berea's biodiversity, according to Weckman. "Berea has many identities," she said, noting that she would like to add to the Berea brand, that we are a pollinator-friendly town.

On October 24, there will be a free Halloween themed concert at the Shade Garden. For more information, she referred to her group's Facebook page.

Councilmember Steve Davis told Weckman that she and her group would be better off as a nonprofit and he would help them. Councilmember John Payne thanked Weckman and invited her and others in her group to meet with the Parks Department, which he chairs, for more input on how to beautify our town. Councilmember Katie Startzman thanked Weckman and offered her help if needed, and also commented on how "pleasing" the gardens are.

Fraley remarked, “that whole area has pretty good karma” and noted that it is also part of Boone Trace, where Daniel Boone and his Westward entourage forged through the wilderness. Fraley said he was grateful to see the community working together, and thanked Weckman for the update.

Housing Authority appointment

Fraley asked Council to approve his appointment of local attorney Tracey Blevins to fill the unexpired term of Jeanie Hogg, who is stepping down from her position on the Housing Authority. The executive order passed with a unanimous voice vote. Fraley thanked Hogg for her service and said he was grateful to her for the knowledge about rental properties she brought to the Authority.

Department head report

Finance Director Susan Helton said that as of October 7, 6,129 property tax bills had been sent out, and 17% had been returned. Helton reminded residents there is a 2% discount for paying before November 30th. Helton also told Council the City's annual audit is done, and that she expects it will show the City is "strong and fine" but that the report will be late. Helton explained this is due to there being no official federal guidance from the Office of Management and Budget on how to audit municipal federal expenditures nationally.

Helton said that the guidance is normally issued over the summer, but that this administration has not finalized the guidance as of now. "So, we have no idea when that will be. It’s out of our control," Helton said.

City administrator's report

City administrator Shawn Sandlin thanked Helton and her crew before announcing that this year's Fall Cleanup is scheduled for October 20 through the 24th. It will be run in partnership with Waste Connections, the City's contracted trash hauler, and will take place for residents according to their regular weekly trash pick up schedule.

Sandlin also said the community pool's punch list has been completed, and that the shared use path on Ellipse Street is also wrapping up. Still to come for the path are lights along the trail. Progress on the pickleball courts is also being made, with the asphalt laid and lights, court surfaces, and nets to come next week. Then, final grading of the facility will be the week after that.

Sandlin commended Codes and Planning's Brian Reed, for his project management of the pickleball courts and for procuring two sets of bleachers that Sandlin said were a surprise.

Funds for the Farristown Community Center project will be released by the state this year, but Sandlin said the project will be delayed a few months until the state's transportation cabinet informs the City what it plans for the road there.

Public works has started a box culvert installation to help with storm water ponding at Ginger Drive, according to Sandlin. He said the previous culvert wasn't large enough and there was too much retention. The new one can be expanded in the future if developers wish to do that.

Requests for proposals are now under review for demolition of the park trailhead bathroom located near the Community School parking lot, according to Sandlin. The contractor chosen will build a new facility. How 911 is to be funded in Berea is still being hashed out, he said, and a work session for it will be announced for the end of the month.

Sandlin noted that of the seven capital projects current underway, Berea Tourism is funding four of them.

Mayors comments

Fraley commended Sandlin, saying the city administrator has an "uncanny ability to get things done", and Brian Reed as a project manager does great work, all in service to improving the quality of life in our town. He added that Sandlin and the Public Works head, Roy Curtis, also have been "very hands" to work with the pollinator gardens volunteers.

Fraley also announced that the Central Kentucky Business Park, of which Berea is one of five jurisdiction-members, had made the first cut for the latest round of the Kentucky Product Development Initiative which could mean up to 4 million dollars in state funds to help develop the industrial park. Fraley said he was "optimistic" about the Authority's chances. A site visit from the state will occur sometime this month.

Fraley also asked Council to set this year's Community Park Trick or Treat date. Council unanimously voted for it to be October 31 from 6PM to 8PM. Sandlin reminded folks that there will be a football game on at the same time but said that the City can handle the crowd.

Council comments

Ronnie Terrill: Wants grant-funded lighting for the Ellipse Street shared-use path. Fraley said he'd look into it.

Cora Jane Wilson: Thanked Weckman for the pollinator gardens work.

Steve Caudill: Thanked Carpenter and Weckman, and said their kind of passion makes the City's quality of life higher. He also thanked Helton, despite what he said is her plight to have a "thankless" job. He also thanked the folks who made public comments.

Jerry Little: No comment.

Startzman: Thanked Mangus for coming in and said she would read the article, and also thanked Weckman for her work. She also told Sandlin she "loved" his update because it was "juicy" and showed all the great things happening in Berea.

Payne: Said he'd recently attended an event at the Berea College Forestry Outreach center, hosted by local astronomer, Jeff Hutton, which was great fun. He encouraged folks to check the online site, VisitBerea.com, which he said is a good resource for learning about events and activities in town, and then he read off several that are to happen throughout this month.

Davis: Thanked those citizens in attendance and suggested that the pickleball courts are evidence that Council will listen to what is presented to them.

All councilmembers except Terrill and Little thanked the public for attending the meeting and encouraged them to continue attending.

The next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, October 21, at 6:30 PM. Meetings are held at the City Building Annex at 304 Chestnut Street. You can watch regularly scheduled meetings on theCity’s YouTube channel under the “Live” tab.