EDA sells two Midway Station lots to Creech Services, which bales and ships muck from horse stalls

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Woodford County Economic Development Authority voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a purchase contract for two lots in Midway Station to Creech Services Inc., a firm that firm that bales and ships horse-stall muck.

“This entity serves the community,” EDA chair Michael Michalisin of Midway said during the brief special meeting. “This is a business that’s served our horse farms that are near and dear to our heart, part of our heritage and what Mr. Creech does is provide a very professional, world-class service.”

At the regular EDA meeting Friday, Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift endorsed the sale. In May, he and the board were hesitant about making a deal with Creech, since composting is prohibited in Midway Station, but then Creech showed them that composting isn’t what he does.

On July 15, Vandegrift and Michalisin told the Messenger that after meeting with Creech at his Fayette County facility that they were willing to sell two lots that Creech would use exclusively as a transfer point for horse muck that is shipped to mushroom farms.

Vandegrift said Tuesday that some Midway residents had voiced concern about odors, but the only smell they noticed was the smell of a horse farm, and “Smelling is believing.”

He noted that prevailing winds run southwest to northeast, which would take any odor into farmland, but he said there would be no problem even if the wind blew from the northeast into Midway.

Vandegrift told the EDA board that he shared the potential deal with the Messenger in order to get feedback from the public, and heard back from three Midway residents.

“They were concerned and wanted to see what this was,” Vandegrift said Friday. He said Creech invited all three to his facility, and “One of them did join him this Monday, is my understanding. I did not hear back, but I figure no news is good news.”

Michalisin added, “I support Mr. Creech and admire what he built out there (Fayette County) and I just love the fact he wants to be here, be part of Woodford County, wants to be close to our horse farms and wants to bring jobs here.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, former Midway mayor Tom Bozarth, a bloodstock agent, spoke highly of Creech, saying he had known him for 30 years. "He just runs a real class operation, so I can't say enough about him and his integrity," Bozarth said.

During Friday’s meeting the board also:

• Authorized signing of closing documents to sell the balance of the Roach property to Big Dog Trading and Storage Barrel Warehouse Co. The property is next to thenAmerican Howa Kentucky auto-parts plant.
• Allocated the expected profit of $65,000 from Big Dog’s purchase to the Roach family to satisfy debt owed the family.
• Welcomed a new board member, Anna Beth Bobbitt of Versailles. She spent six years as a senior project manager for the EDA and is a client relationship manager at Traditional Bank in Frankfort. “I'm looking forward to contributing any way I can,” she said.
• Heard that a committee led by board member Courtney Roberts continues to work to find a replacement for former chairman John Soper as EDA’s paid staffer. Roberts said he is working with Vandegrift, Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott and Woodford County Judge-Executive James Kay.

State investigating complaints by Highview Drive residents of damage from herbicide spraying on farm

Photo from corner of Highview and Oak shows the effect of the herbicide on a field that was green. (Photo by Al Cross)

Rebecca Herpick of Highview Drive says her young
tree was damaged by the nearby spraying of paraquat.

Story and photos by Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Residents of the Highview Drive area in southeast Midway found herbicide sprayed on their properties last week. They’re upset, and the state agriculture department is investigating.

“Our garden backyard’s our sanctuary” in the covid-19 pandemic, said Rebecca Herpick of the 100 block of Highview. “That's how we're getting through this thing. It was, but it's my therapy, and just to see all your plants dying is just, like, devastating.”

The herbicide was sprayed on one or more farm fields next to the residential area. That was confirmed after Herpick had a conversation with farm owner Susan Coats, who told her that the spraying was done by Joe Greathouse of Midway, who is leasing the land. Herpick’s partner, Sean McDonald, said he believes wind blew it onto the residential property.

Herpick and her partner, Sean McDonald, say
this damage was caused by the spraying.

Greathouse and Coats could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.

McDonald said Coats told him that the herbicide was paraquat, which is commonly used to kill grass before planting crops.

McDonald and Herpick said they noticed spots on their lettuce on Wednesday, June 3. Two days later, when they went to grab lettuce for a weekend camping trip, the spotting looked worse, but they did not think of much of it, they said.

"It just had this ominous dead look to it and we're like ‘Wow’,” McDonald recalled. "We didn't think about a chemical or anything like that." 

The couple still packed the lettuce and ate it while on their trip. When they returned Sunday, however, they realized there was undoubtedly a problem.

“Everything had major damage," McDonald said. "I told Rebecca, man, the whole place looks like we've got a disease."

Eating food contaminated with paraquat “could poison people,” says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Herpick shows damage to her garden. (For
a larger version of any photo, click on it.)

Herpick and McDonald reported no symptoms, but Herpick said, "I just kept feeling so violated. We have a small dog . . . he could have died.” A study by Cornell University has found that paraquat is highly toxic to animals by all routes of exposure.

Angry, McDonald posted photos of their garden on the Midway Musings group on Facebook, and others reported similar experiences.

“The leaves in my trees and bushes are dying,” wrote Melissa Scheier, whose yard runs along Highview. “They all have the same spots.”

Warren Carter of Highview wrote, “I complained to Mr. Greathouse a few years ago about this same issue. I lost my garden in my back yard. When he sprays and the wind is coming from the southwest you can smell the chemical is your house. At least in mine. . . . Something must be done about this issue."

The problem isn't just on Highview Drive. Mary Williams Greene of Richardson Street commented on McDonald's social-media post Tuesday: "I noticed this evening that some of my plants on the side of the house nearest Highview had that same spotting."

A closeup of other damage. 

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift encouraged the residents to file complaints with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

 “We are going to keep an open line with the Department of Agriculture as it proceeds, and will do tests of water in Lee's Branch to see if any pesticides show up. We'll look especially for paraquat, unless an investigation leads us to look for any other pesticide as well.”

The Agriculture Department has received two complaints, and “We have two inspectors looking into it,” spokesman Sean Southard said. “Over the course of the next four to six weeks, we should wrap up the investigation which will determine if a violation has occurred.”

Under state law and regulation, the fine for applying herbicide not according to its label is $100.

UK expert gives Woman's Club the facts about hemp

University of Kentucky agronomist Tom Keene spoke to the Midway Woman's Club at Midway Presbyterian Church Oct. 10.

Story and photos by Dalton Stokes

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

“I’d liken it the gold rush of the 1840s and 1850s,” Tom Keene said. “Everybody thinks there's a pot of gold if you grow hemp.”

Keene, an agronomy specialist researching hemp at the University of Kentucky, spoke Thursday night to the Midway Woman's Club to inform curious members about one of the most talked-about crops of the decade – and dispel any misinformation.

Keene continued his goldrush analogy: “Everybody is racing to get there, but nobody’s got a map, nobody’s got any GPS coordinates, and for sure most people don’t ask how to get there. They’re just jumping in.”

Keene said hemp is like no other crop he has ever seen, because newly trending crops usually get attention only from farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture. “Everyone’s interested in hemp,’ he said. “Grandma’s interested in hemp, soccer moms are interested in hemp, athletes … students, pharmacists, doctors, lawyers. It goes across all spectrums of society.”

One of the first things Keene pointed out is that hemp is the “exact same plant as marijuana,” contrary to common references calling them “cousins.” Both some from the species Cannabis sativa. The only thing that separates the two is the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. To be considered hemp, and thus be legal nationwide, it can contain 0.3% THC or less. At that level and above, it is marijuana, and is illegal in Kentucky.

Keene also dispelled talk that hemp is some “magic crop,” that it can be grown anywhere, it doesn’t need fertilizer, it doesn’t need insect or disease control, or it will outgrow weeds. He called all of these wrong, and said capitalism will not allow the production of hemp products unless money is being made.

“If it doesn’t make money,” he said, “it doesn’t make sense.”

Keene brought visual aids: a hemp stalk, seeds and fibers.

Keene cited three primary uses of hemp: grain, fiber and cannabidiol, or CBD. In an email interview, UK hemp researcher David Williams said “Cannabinoids are plant-generated molecules, like capsaicin in peppers or nicotine in tobacco.”

CBD is a cannabinoid like THC, but it is not psychoactive and does not cause euphoria or a high.

It is commonly advertised as treating a myriad of medical problems, but has only been scientifically linked to a few. It is most effective at treating tremors and seizures. A CBD firm, Kentucky Cannabis Co., is relocating to Midway.

A myriad of other cannabinoids have shown medicinal potential, but scientific research on them is nowhere near conclusive. Keene said that around 15 to 20 years ago, scientists discovered a system of endocannabinoid receptors in the brain. CBD, THC and all other cannabinoids interact with our bodies through these receptors, meaning our body has a built-in avenue to interact with cannabinoids.

Hemp seed can be used for human or animal consumption, like other grains, or cold-pressed for oil, which can be used as a cooking oil or replace the fossil-fuel oils used in plastics. Keene said the seeds have good nutritional value and are high in protein and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, and taste like almonds, only oilier.

Hemp fiber can be used for building materials and textiles. Cannabis has one of the longest natural fibers known to man, and it presents two major fibers, Keene said. The exterior fiber, the bast, is a longer fiber that can be woven into textiles like cotton. The interior fiber, the hurd, is a shorter fiber that can be used in building supplies, insulation or ground up for composites.

Keene brought in a stalk of hemp to show for visual aid. After his presentation, he gathered everyone around the plant to show its individual uses and the parts of the plant they come from.

This year, U.S. farmers applied to grow 500,000 acres of hemp, half of which was actually grown, and around 60,000 of which Kentucky farmers applied for, Keene said. They planted 26,000 acres.

Keene said 500,000 acres may sound large, but doesn’t compare to other U.S. crops like corn, which covers around 90 million acres this year.

Keene said demand for hemp will grow as the grain of the plant is ”allowed for use in animal feed and is integrated into our diets” as other seeds have been.

The Woman’s Club hosted Keene because members were curious about hemp and CBD, club President Genie Graf said. Also, the coming of Kentucky Cannabis Co. adds to the buzz.  “Our members were interested because it’s everywhere,” Graf said. “Everybody’s doing CBD.”

Robert Clay of Three Chimneys Farm gets award from Bluegrass Tomorrow for farmland preservation work

Robert Clay

Robert Clay, founder of Three Chimneys Farm near Midway, received the Bluegrass Legacy Award of Bluegrass Tomorrow, the farmland-preservation group he co-founded in 1989, at its 30th anniversary dinner Thursday night.

Clay accepted the award from former Three Chimneys manager Dan Rosenberg, who said "This work would be his longest, truest legacy."

Former BGT chair Alex Warren, who was senior operations vice president at Toyota, recalled that Clay and Joe Graves came to him in 1989, saying that the Thoroughbred industry "was at a low ebb" while Toyota was expanding, driving growth, and they were concerned that all or part of Calumet Farm would become a commercial or residential development. He said Clay was "the man who started this, and has been the backbone all the way through it."

Clay gave Graves credit for the idea, and recognized original BGT directors who were at the dinner, including Midway lawyer Hank Graddy.

The group inspired the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government's Purchase of Development Rights program and the Bluegrass Land Conservancy, which Clay said have protected more than 15,000 acres of Bluegrass land from development. He said leaders in the region "continue to embrace the idea of saving its cultural landscape and quality of life."

The group originally focused on seven counties, but now includes 18. "County lines in Kentucky were drawn for very outdated reasons," and have been barriers to cooperation, Clay said. "We cannot compete as 18 separate communities, but we can as a region."

The dinner at Fasig-Tipton was catered by Ouita Michel of Midway, who told the crowd of 200, "Agriculture in Kentucky is so tied to how we see ourselves in the world, and I try to put that on your plate." The entree was all-natural Kentucky Proud roasted chicken with distillers' mixed grain pilaf and roasted Brussels sprouts, with a Happy Jack's kabocha squash salad, including local lettuces with a thin slice of Broadbent country ham.

Farmers' market open downtown from 3 to 6 p.m. Mon.

The Woodford County Farmers' Market at Midway opened last week and will be open Mondays from 3 to 6 p.m. through October. Current offerings include fresh spring and summer flowers, fruits and vegetables, fresh beef and sausage, and baked treats. The market is located in the parking lot of Darlin' Jean's Apple Cobbler Cafe at Gratz and East Main streets.

The market is coordinated by the county office of the Cooperative Extension Service. Its market in Versailles is open from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and 8:30 to noon Saturdays in the Lexington Road Plaza shopping center. For market offerings and events, see the market's Facebook page; questions about the market should be directed to Faye Kuosman, county extension agent for horticulture, at 859-873-4601 or faye.tewksbury@uky.edu.

Robert H. Conway of Georgetown, Midway churchgoer, 1 of 2 Democrats seeking ag-commissioner nomination

UPDATE: Conway won the Democratic nomination, getting 60 percent of the vote.

By Collin Kruse and Al Cross
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

One candidate in Tuesday’s statewide primary elections has a strong Midway connection.

Conway (left) and Trigg (Photos by Glasgow Daily Times)

Robert Haley Conway of Georgetown, who attends Midway Presbyterian Church, is one of two Democratic candidates for commissioner of agriculture.

The other Democratic candidate is Joe Trigg of Glasgow.

The job is held by Ryan Quarles of Georgetown, who is opposed by Bill Polyniak of Lexington in the Republican primary.

Conway said in an interview last month that he has been traveling throughout Kentucky, fighting for farms and their businesses.

“We’ve lost over 11,000 farms since the beginning of the decade, and bankruptcies on farms are at an all-time high,” Conway said.  “I feel like there are some problems that need to be addressed.”

Conway says he is looking to break a trend in Kentucky politics by spreading awareness of the financial troubles that state farms are experiencing. “The Republican Party, for the last 16 years, has used the office of commissioner of agriculture as a platform for their young talent to get into the state government. Farmers deserve better.”

Quarles was preceded by James Comer, who ran for governor in 2015 and is U.S. First District representative. Comer followed Richie Farmer, a former basketball star who served two four-year terms, ran for lieutenant governor in 2011 and went to prison for misusing his office.

Conway says he is an eighth-generation farmer, part of a family that has been farming in Kentucky since 1780, before it was a state. He was an executive at the General Electric plant in Louisville, but says he grew up on his family’s farm, where his grandfather stressed the importance of lending a helping hand. “It’s how we were raised as a family, and looking back on it I was very lucky to have that upbringing,” he said.

Conway, who raises cattle with his son, compares his campaign to the story of David and Goliath. “I’m not delusional,” he said. “I know I’m not going to have the type of money to win this election, but I have the message.” That message is to give Kentucky farmers the opportunities to become financially stable, and in some cases, to save their farmland.

One of the first solutions on Conway’s agenda is medicinal marijuana. “It finally got out of committee in Frankfort, but once it got out neither the House or the Senate would vote on it, and I thought that was horrible,” he said.

Conway also says legalizing recreational marijuana would give farmers another value-added crop, and ease jail overcrowding. He said he would use taxes on the crop to strengthen school and community programs.

“My concern right now is that small farmers are going to have to have somebody be a watchdog,” Conway said. “Since the first of January this year, Big Tobacco has bought into the hemp industry, setting themselves up for the near future. If that happens, it will not go well for your small farms.”

Conway said that his campaign experience has been humbling, and that there’s still a lot more work to be done. “I’m looking forward to the day when politics will be about doing what’s right, rather than choosing a side.”

Trigg said at the Fayette County Democratic dinner last month that he is for medicinal marijuana and hemp, but would limit production under a quota system like the one that was used for tobacco from 1940 to 2004, to help small and medium-sized farms.

Trigg, 60, is a member of the Glasgow City Council and an African American. He said he is a first-generation farmer with 50 beef cows, two greenhouses and the beginnings of a hemp crop. He said he retired from the Air Force after 30 years, which included 15 deployments to 10 combat zones.

For a KET story and video about the Republican and Democratic primaries for agriculture commissioner, click here. For a story from the Lexington Herald-Leader, click here. For a story about the Democratic race, from the Glasgow Daily Times, click here.

At town hall, Vandegrift and other executives see a spirit of cooperation among Woodford's three governments

By Tyler Parker and Chadwick George
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

“It’s a new day in Woodford County!” Mayor Grayson Vandegrift proclaimed as he concluded his opening statement at the countywide town hall, “We Are Woodford,” in Versailles Thursday night.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift gives opening remarks at the town hall.
(Image from KCTCS video on Facebook)

The executives of the three governments in the county began the town hall by talking about their goals and ideas. Vandegrift noted that he, Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott and newly elected County Judge-Executive James Kay are all under 40 (respectively, 36, 39 and 36), and “I’m not sure that’s ever happened before.”

Vandegrift, Traugott and Kay all said the meeting and the turnout of more than 100 people showed there is a spirit of cooperation. “What a wonderful sight,” Kay said to open their presentations. Vandegrift said there is “a renaissance in the county.”

Traugott said, “You can feel it in the air between Versailles, Midway and Woodford County and the Fiscal Court. It's inspiring, and it’s a fun environment in which to govern, so I'm looking forward to the next four years.”

The only hint of competition came from Vandegrift mentioning the attendance of all six Midway City Council members, while the Versailles council and county Fiscal Court had one and two absentees, respectively. “I don’t want to brag, but Midway wins again!” he pronounced, and laughter erupted from the audience.

Vandegrift had tried to arrange a joint meeting of the three government boards when the late John Coyle was judge-executive, but said the Fiscal Court resisted the idea. He said Thursday night that the town hall “really is, I think, a great start in the next step forward about how we work together as communities and as an entire county.”

Midway and the county are partners on the Midway Station industrial park. Vandegrift said they and the county Economic Development Authority have been “very fortunate . . . to really turn around Midway Station and take it from what was once called a boondoggle into a boon to our economy.” And to the city; the mayor noted that occupational-tax collections have more than doubled since 2014, and “It’s changed everything for us.”

Farmland preservation a key topic

As the question-and-answer portion of the meeting began, it was clear that the main topic on audience members’ minds was maintaining the county’s agricultural industry.

Hampton “Hoppy” Henton, long a leader in that effort, was the first to speak. He said the county should, like Fayette County have a purchase-of-development-rights (PDR) program, in which people are paid for placing a permanent prohibition on development of their property.

Next was Deb Pekny Heckney, who said she hoped that the officials’ vision for the county "is to let it always be the unique place that it is. . . . We left Florida because development came in . . . and destroyed an incredibly beautiful part of the world."

Margaret Reece Newsome of Versailles said she has worked for some of the best people in the horse industry, and said, “People come here for horses – not for shopping.”

The most passionate comment of the evening came from Jess Bowling, who said he has lived in the county since 1966, and “I am gettin’ tired of seeing it covered with concrete. . . . Stop it or there won’t be no farming!”

Stuart Weatherford of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, which hosted the meeting at its headquarters, said the county’s horse and bourbon industries are “burgeoning,” but so is “the retirement industry,” and asked if there is a program to attract retirees who want to live on 10 acres or more with their horses.

“They're pure gold,” Weatherford said of such retirees. “They don't have kids, they pay all their taxes, they don't tax the system.” He said they can’t afford to retire in the Northeast and Northwest and “are looking for places to go.”

Vandegrift said there is no such program, “but it's a great point you make.” He said taxes in the county “tend to be high,” and Midway’s property taxes were cut recently “partly to help keep and attract people on fixed incomes.”

Dan Rosenberg said he has been a resident of the county since 1978, and asked about the process of appointments for its committees and boards. Kay said he wants to update and modernize the process by putting it on www.woodfordcounty.ky.gov.

Kay welcomed anyone with questions to visit him at his office on the second floor of the courthouse. “My door is always open!” he announced. He also encouraged everyone who wants an appointment to have an email and to be responsive.

Kay noted that he had created a drug task force to fight the opioid crisis, and will start live videostreaming of Fiscal Court meetings.

Longtime community activist Lillie Cox of Versailles told the executives and the crowd, “I probably know every person in this room. . . . We want to see people working together more. We want to see councils, tourism, the courts, all working together.”

State Rep. Joe Graviss, D-Versailles, who acted as master of ceremonies, said the next town hall meeting will be a “county-fair set-up” where “any entity in the county” can have a display.

Legislative update from state Rep. Joe Graviss

By state Representative Joe Graviss, D-Versailles

The 2019 regular session may have begun early last month, but it wasn’t until early last week that, like a train leaving the station, the legislative process began picking up steam.

That delay is by design. Under the constitutional rules governing odd-year meetings of the General Assembly, legislators only meet for four days in January and focus most of that time on such organizational matters as formally electing House and Senate leaders and establishing committees for the next two years.

The remaining 26 working days don’t begin until February, and are over by the end of March. These two months are when we decide which bills are destined to become law.

While relatively few votes were taken last week, this time was nonetheless important, since many of my colleagues and I began solidifying our priorities through the bills we filed. Our overall goals are to use these two dozen or so days to improve school safety; expand access to voting; broaden educational opportunities; and improve economic policies that benefit us all, not a select few. I will cover those more fully in the next week or two.

Governors also use these opening days to promote their own agenda. Their State of the Commonwealth speech has long been a tradition, and it’s special, too, because this is the only time each year that leaders of all three branches of government are in the same room.

Gov. Bevin presented this year’s address on Thursday, and he focused most of his remarks on bigger issues rather than specific bills. Some that he listed have near-unanimous support, such as the need to do even more to tackle the opioid epidemic, improve school safety, reduce bullying and increase the number of foster children who are adopted by loving families.

He also highlighted the positive upgrades that have been made at our state parks and with bridges that have long been in need of repair.

Outside of the legislative process, there were some other important events taking place at the Capitol last week.

In especially good news, we learned on Friday that Rep. Jim Glenn of Owensboro would be able to serve his complete term following his opponent’s decision to drop an election contest. As you may recall, Rep. Glenn won his seat by a single vote last November and was certified both locally and statewide by election officials.

The election contest was formally brought before the House last month in large part because of more than a dozen absentee ballots that were rejected in November because they did not meet statewide standards. A recount a little more than a week ago showed Rep. Glenn did indeed win the race, but after some of the ballots that had been rejected were accepted, the outcome was a tie.

Friday’s decision fortunately ends this issue, but there is broad agreement that changes need to be made so that future close legislative elections can be resolved in a fairer and quicker way without dominating the General Assembly’s time.

In other actions last week, the House began commemorating Black History Month, recognizing the contributions of such leaders as Dr. Grace James, who was the first African-American faculty member at the University of Louisville’s School of Medicine.

Following a request from one of my House colleagues, meanwhile, the Attorney General issued an opinion stating that the recent emergency regulation limiting public access within the Capitol complex violates state law.

While safety is certainly important, the long-standing security measures in place were appropriate. I believe this regulation is more about keeping the public from being fully heard in the People’s House while we debate controversial bills; it certainly does not meet the definition of emergency.

Economically, we heard some good news last Wednesday regarding our bourbon and farming communities.

That morning, my House Agriculture Committee learned that the Kentucky Department of Agriculture has approved requests by farmers to grow as many as 42,000 acres of industrial hemp in 2019. That’s up from 16,000 acres last year and just 33 acres in 2014, the first year the crop could be grown in Kentucky. I’m proud to say our Ag Department reported that in 2019 Woodford County has 12 growers, growing 154 acres with 58,700 square feet of greenhouse space. Franklin County has 11 growers growing 57 acres with 26,210 square feet of greenhouse space. And Fayette County has 22 growers growing 902 acres and 133,650 square feet of greenhouse space. In talking with hemp farmers, processors and retailers in my agriculture committee meetings, hemp is a booming business right now.

Later that afternoon, the Kentucky Distillers Association reported that the number of distilleries in the state and the value of their spirits have tripled over the past decade. The payroll for those working in the industry now tops $1 billion, and there were 1.4 million people who visited the Bourbon Trail in 2018, which is nearly four times as many as in 2009!

This week, we should begin seeing more bills clearing the House and Senate, and it’s possible some may be ready to be signed into law.

I will keep you updated on these and many other issues facing the General Assembly, and I encourage you to keep letting me know your thoughts as well. Your calls, emails, letters and in-person visits are critical in guiding me how to vote. Thanks to all of you who have stopped by so far.

You can email me at joe.graviss@lrc.ky.gov, and the toll-free message line is 1-800-372-7181. If you have a hearing impairment, please call 1-800-896-0305. The legislature’s website also has a lot of information and can be found online at www.lrc.ky.gov.

Thanks for all you all do and holler anytime.

Democrat Liles Taylor elected magistrate by 2.2 percent of vote, on strength of support in city precinct

Liles Taylor

By Christie Netherton

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Democrat Liles Taylor won the race for fiscal court magistrate over Republican Joseph Greathouse, his next-door neighbor in Northridge Estates, in Tuesday's election.

The results were close, with Taylor winning by 32 votes, 744 to 712 – a margin of 2.2 percentage points. Greathouse won the county precinct 312 to 233, while Taylor won the larger city precinct 461-367.

“That’s how people voted, and that’s all right with me,” Greathouse, 44, said shortly after the results were posted. “I’ve served for 16 years, and I’ve loved doing it, and I will continue to serve my hometown and Woodford County.” He is a farmer and an officer in the Woodford County Fair Association.

Taylor, 31, the political coordinator for the state AFL-CIO labor federation, attributed his win to his supporters who showed up at the polls, and to his campaigning.

“I knocked on over 550 doors multiple times in town, and I burned up a lot of shoe leather,” he said. “So I feel like that was a big impact on the race.”

Taylor also ran in a contested primary this spring, which may have given him a head start. One voter he saw in the spring was Brandon DeMoss, 33, a business analyst for the state, who said he voted for him because “He’s the only one who showed up at my door and talked to me.”

Joseph Greathouse

In interviews at the polls, voters generally said personal knowledge of the candidates, or affinity with them, drove their choices in the race.

Thad Kesters, 44, a registered Republican who works for a video production company, said he voted for Greathouse because “My in-laws are farmers, and he’s a farmer.” Geologist Ray Daniel, 63, a registered Democrat, said he chose Greathouse because “I’ve known him and his family along time, and I trust the man.”

Taylor said before the election that some of his major concerns on Fiscal Court will be working on the Weisenberger Mill Bridge replacement (a state project) and flooding on Williams Lane, as well as addressing traffic issues in downtown Versailles in ways that do not increase traffic on Midway Road, US 62.

He said other priorities will be maintaining an economy that preserves the county’s roots in its agricultural community, improving Midway’s relationship with the rest of the county, and increasing transparency and accessibility of county government by live-streaming Fiscal Court meetings and creating an online portal for citizens to report and track road problems and repairs.

Taylor will succeed Linda Popp, whom he defeated in the May primary. “I think that a lot of folks are really excited about what we’re going to do to move forward in the community,” Taylor said.

Next-door neighbors, Republican Greathouse and Democrat Taylor, offer a choice in race for magistrate

By Christie Netherton

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Next-door neighbors Joseph Greathouse and Liles Taylor are running against each other for Midway-area magistrate on the Woodford County Fiscal Court in the Nov. 6 election.

Issues for Democrat Taylor and Republican Greathouse include land use, development, housing and a countywide fairness ordinance.

Joseph Greathouse

The county’s agricultural identity and potential growth are issues, as they have been for 50 years.

Greathouse said in a Sept. 7 forum that he would like to see the area continue to grow within that identity instead of urbanizing. He said Midway should be contained and not have sprawling growth, but focus on developing business that will stay in the county and contribute to the existing community.

“We have a great agricultural community in our county,” said Greathouse. “I’d love to really try to promote that through an agriculture center for grain elevator, hay distribution, cattle facilities—where small farmers can get together and group their cattle for pot loads to sell which in turn brings them more money.”

Liles Taylor

Taylor said the county needs to meet the needs of the current workforce and population, and maintain an economy rooted within the county’s agricultural identity.

Taylor said he has concerns over development of the Edgewood property on the east edge of Versailles, which is tied up in court. Taylor said he is concerned that the current hospital would become another vacant building if a new one is built in Edgewood. He said the county must exercise creativity in development and try to repurpose as much as possible so that developments do not encroach on farmland.

“I have some serious concerns about the expansion of urban service boundary and the loss of farmland that’s so vital to our community as an identity,” Taylor said. He said repurposing properties can be difficult process because “not all vacant and underutilized properties in the community are for sale.”

Greathouse said intentions for use of the land are not being made clear to the public, and there is also potential for an industrial park to be developed in the Edgewood area, which would put more traffic on Paynes Mill Road.

Greathouse said that he would like to see increased police presence and updated speed limit signs and guardrails in the First Magisterial District.

Taylor said the proposed Versailles bypass to relieve traffic in Versailles would send truck traffic to Midway Road, US 62, which is already dangerous. He said one of his priorities if elected will be to work with the county to address traffic issues in Versailles in ways that do not increase truck traffic on Midway Road.

The candidates agreed that the county needs more affordable housing.

Taylor said that it is a difficult task while trying to preserve farmland. “It’s a delicate balance to make sure we don’t just have sprawl out into the county and lose farmland just for the sake of building homes,” he said. “Unfortunately, in the current economy, most builders are building homes that are not affordable.”

Greathouse said there is a need for affordable housing in Midway, and said he was disappointed with the rezoning of Midway Station and adjacent areas for more industrial use, leaving only 11 acres for residential development. “I think there was a real golden opportunity and they let it go,” he said.

The Woodford County Fairness Coalition has been pushing the fiscal court to pass a non-discrimination ordinance similar to the one Midway passed in 2015. Taylor said he would be completely for such an ordinance, which would ban discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or familial status.

Greathouse said that no one should be discriminated against, but he does not completely agree with the public-accommodations aspect of the ordinance. He said forcing someone to unwillingly participate in a business exchange has potential to create resentment among some business owners.

District 1 has two precincts, No. 21 (city) and No. 2 (unincorporated area).
The polling place for both is Northside Elementary School, the green dot.

A longstanding concern for Midway has been its relationship with the rest of Woodford County. Greathouse said Midway is in good standing with the county, but Taylor said there is work to be done.

“I would love to accomplish an increased working relationship between the county and the city of Midway,” said Taylor. “I think we’ve made some strides in the last few years, but I do think that’s really important.”

Another issue for Taylor is transparency and accessibility. He said he would like to create a portal for citizens to make service requests that could map their location and track progress in addressing and resolving problems, most specifically road repairs. He said at the forum that he would also like to make the county budget available online and livestream fiscal court meetings.

Taylor, 31, has been political coordinator for the Kentucky State AFL-CIO, a federation of labor unions, for almost three years, based in Frankfort. He grew up south of Versailles, graduating from Woodford County High and getting a bachelor’s degree in communication at Asbury College and a master’s degree in public administration at Morehead State University. He held several positions in the administration of then-Gov. Steve Beshear.

Taylor and his wife, Robin Lowe Taylor, have two children, Julie and Bennett Taylor.

Taylor says he is an active member of the Midway Baptist Church and a member of the Versailles Kiwanis Club, where he served as president for two terms, engaging children in the community and raising scholarship funds for students. He is the Kiwanis adviser to the high school’s Key Club, a service learning program focused on teaching student members public service and leadership skills by involving them in volunteer work.

Greathouse, 44, is a fourth-generation farmer, working as manager for his family farm operation of approximately 1,000 acres, alongside his father, Tom Greathouse, uncle Steven Greathouse and two brothers, Tommy and Michael Greathouse. He is first vice president of the Woodford County Fair Association, where he works on livestock shows, a position he has held for almost seven years. He is a graduate of Woodford County High School.

Greathouse said he moved from his family farm 10 years ago after a fire. He lives in Northridge Estates with his wife, Kim Greathouse, and three children, Andrew Bruno, Jeremiah Greathouse and Emma Greathouse. He was a member of the elected board that oversees the federal Farm Service Agency's work in the county, but had to give up the post because the race for magistrate is partisan.

Both candidates were asked about running against a next-door neighbor.

Taylor said, “Running against your neighbor is an incredible opportunity for civility and community mindedness, especially in such divisive political times. I have the opportunity to say hello or even just exchange friendly waves with not only Joe, but also his wonderful family. The only drawback is that I think we both tend to kind of sneak out campaigning, out of courtesy and respect for each other. Well, that and my 4-year-old daughter can’t understand why I tell her she’s not allowed to ask Joe to vote for me.”

Greathouse said, “It does not bother me at all. We are like most neighbors and speak, but do not discuss the campaign. To me, it is not about who I am running against, it is about running to support and be a voice for my home district. No matter the outcome, we will still be neighbors.”

EDA to seek industrial zoning of 138 acres of farmland between Midway Station and new whiskey warehouses

EDA Chair John Soper, left, and new Midway member Michael Michalsin, right, talked during today's meeting.

The Woodford County Economic Development Authority voted Monday to seek light-industrial zoning of 138 acres of agricultural property, on which it has an option, next to the Midway Station industrial park.

The property is owned by Homer Freeny Jr., who has asked that the property be marketed in parcels of at least 40 acres, said EDA Chair John Soper. He said, "We're not trying to compete with our own property in Midway Station," on which developer Dennis Anderson has an option.

Soper said the property is in the Midway urban services boundary, as defined in the county's comprehensive plan, and is "a piece of agricultural land that's in the middle of commercial and industrial users." The tract to the north and east is the site of recently built and planned Brown-Forman Corp. whiskey warehouses, which the Planning Commission allowed under a conditional-use permit in an agricultural zone because whiskey is made from grain.

The application notes that the property has all utilities available and is in the Workplace/Employment Land Use District, which is intended for uses that create employment opportunities. That is a goal of the comprehensive plan, as is industrial development.

The City of Midway has not annexed the property, so the final zoning decision will be up to the Woodford County Fiscal Court, Planning Director Pattie Wilson noted. The application says, "It is anticipated that the property will be annexed by the City of Midway prior to the sale to any industrial users."

Today's meeting was the first for new EDA member Michael Michalsin of Midway, whom the City Council appointed last month to fill the city's seat on the board. Michalsin is a former Wall Street brokerage firm employee who moved to Midway five years ago and started Timber Fence Capital, a venture-capital investment business that bought Bob Mickler's equine-supply store in Lexington.

In another zoning matter, the commission will consider at 6:30 p.m. Thursday an application by EDA and Anderson to rezone 75 acres in Midway Station from residential to industrial. The change would be the last major step in the property's re-conversion to industrial; Anderson had planned a commercial and residential development, but that changed after the Great Recession and a succeeding resurgence of interest in the property by industrial users.

The story available via the link in the paragraph above has a labeled aerial photo diagram of the area. Here is the map filed with the rezoning application, labeled to show the Freeny tract, which is in two sections joined by a 100-foot-wide strip. To see or download a larger version, click on the map.

American Farmland Trust coming here to reveal findings from analysis of farmland threatened by development

The president and CEO of the American Farmland Trust will come to Midway Saturday morning to promote his group's forthcoming report, report, “Farms Under Threat: The State of America's Farmland.”

John Piotti will join local agricultural leaders for two press conferences in Kentucky, the first on the Riddle farm at 603 Fishers Mill Rd., just across South Elkhorn Creek in Scott County. He will be accompanied by AFT board member Libby Jones of Midway and Jessie Wilder, executive director of the Bluegrass Land Conservancy.

The second press conference, between Cecilia and Rineyville in Hardin County, will include Jones and Keith Rogers, chief of staff to state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles. AFT says both events will announce "the first major findings" from the report.

AFT says it is coming to Kentucky because the state has much high-quality farmland that could be the target of low-density rural development, the building of single-family homes on lots of more than one to two acres. That is indicated by this AFT map:

"Government officials and nonprofit organizations have been aware of Kentucky's loss of farmland and have taken meaningful steps to slow it," AFT says in a press release. Speakers at the press conferences "will discuss past farmland-protection successes and preview future efforts."

AFT says its full report, to be released next month, "is the most comprehensive analysis of the location, quantity and quality of U.S. farmland lost to development ever done. The report will include maps of the contiguous United States that show actual patterns of farmland loss within counties.

It is also the first study to examine the effect that low-density rural development . . . has on the loss of agricultural land nationwide."

The group argues, "Low-density rural development is particularly harmful because it burdens the land while benefiting few people, can cause problems for the remaining farmers trying to farm and may push farming to more marginal land where it will require more resources."

Ouita Michel and Paducah chef Sara Bradley presenting Ky. dinner at James Beard Foundation in N.Y. tonight

Ouita Michel in the kitchen at her Holly Hill Inn on North Winter Street

Midway's Ouita Michel and a fellow Kentucky chef, Sara Bradley of Paducah, are bringing a Kentucky-rich menu to the world-famous James Beard House in New York City tonight.

“Kentucky continues to emerge as a top culinary destination, and being featured at the Beard House demonstrates that others are catching on to what we have to offer,” Kentucky Tourism Commissioner Kristen Branscum said in a news release. “Even more exciting is the opportunity to showcase our state’s hospitality and unique culinary culture through an exquisite menu created by two of Kentucky’s top chefs.”

Sara Bradley in her Freight House

The Kentucky menu will include canapés and cocktails to start, followed by five courses including Lake Barkley bighead carp with paddlefish caviar and Franklin County chicken-fried rabbit with rolled parsley dumplings. One dessert is an apple stack cake cobbler with Crank & Boom Bourbon honey ice cream. For the complete menu, click here.

Other Kentucky farmers and producers being showcased include Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese, Heritance Farm, Weisenberger Mill, Freedom Run Farm, Hindman Settlement School, JD Country Milk, Broadbent Hams, Newsom’s Country Ham, Fin Gourmet Foods, Koru Gardens, Shuckman’s Fish Co., Reed Valley Orchard, Jim Nance Hickory Nuts, Country Rock Sorghum, Kennameade Farms, Two Shakes Ranch and many more.

The dinner is open to James Beard Foundation members for $135 and non-members for $175 (inclusive of tax and gratuity). Proceeds benefit the foundation. For more information, go to www.jamesbeard.org; for more information about the chef team, see www.ouitamichel.com and www.freighthousefood.com/about.

Sixth print edition of Midway Messenger is available

Margie Stedman, Shirley Davis and Lou Taylor enjoy the
Messenger outside the post office, with Lou's dog Molly.

The latest print edition of the Midway Messenger was distributed to locations around greater Midway this week. It mainly features stories that have appeared online, but also includes an update on the Weisenberger Mill bridge and a story about Heirloom being ranked among the top 100 U.S. restaurants on Open Table.

Stories of lasting interest include Austyn Gaffney's profile of artist Ray Papka, the city council's discussion of goals for the town, concerns of local merchants, the Midway Christian Church's environmental work, the recent study about agricultural jobs, and the denial of a request for another bed-and-breakfast.

The Messenger began publishing a print edition twice a year three years ago in response to requests from Midway citizens. Its major distribution points are City Hall, United Bank and Midway Grocery, but many other businesses also have copies. If you can't find one, email al.cross@uky.edu or download a 16-page PDF of the newspaper here.

UK study for local groups finds almost 30% of jobs in county are directly or indirectly related to agriculture

Agriculture and businesses that support it account for almost 30 percent of the jobs in Woodford County, according to a study the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture, Food and Environment released Monday.

Cover of study report

Alison Davis of the college's Community & Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky did the study for Woodford Forward, the Pisgah Community Historic Association, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Performance Products of Versailles, which sells horse supplements.

The study found that Woodford County has 9,478 jobs, 1,881 of which (19.8 percent) are directly attributable to agriculture and 2,783 of which (29.4 percent) are directly or indirectly related to agriculture.

"This is a very large number," Davis said at a press conference at the UK farm near Versailles. "It is a small county, but it is a very significant number."

Davis said the figures do not include jobs from industries that serve agriculture but may serve primarily other industries, such as fencing and painting. "We try to be as conservative as possible," she said. Later, she said the study cost about $15,000.

In addition to collecting data from proprietary sources, the researchers interviewed people at 15 varied Woodford County businesses, including the Holly Hill Inn and Heirloom restaurants in Midway, asking them what makes the city or county an attractive place to do business, how the horse industry and other agriculture-related activities influence their business, and how their views of it as a place to do business would change "if the rural landscape declined significantly."

Davis summarized the answers to the last question as: "Woodford County would lose its appeal as a place to do business and a place to live; recruitment and retention of employees would become more difficult; and Woodford County would lose its distinctive identity and brand." The study adds, "While some development is wanted, careful consideration of available labor and the impact of infrastructure is needed in the planning process."

Map from study showing commuters into and out of county

Davis said a significant issue for the county's economic development is a shortage of local labor. She said the study found that 4,400 people come into the county for work. That is outweighed by the 7,070 Woodford residents who work in other counties, but the relatively large inflow helps dispel the notion that the county is just "a bedroom community," state Rep. James Kay said.

Kay was among those who offered comments and questions after Davis's presentation. Another was Hampton "Hoppy" Henton, who said "what's missing in this audience" are people from the towns and the planning office, because there needs to be discussion about development, roads and so forth.

Davis replied, alluding to the study's sponsors, "There's a pretty significant divide between the two groups, and it's hard to get them in the same room together." She said one person from CEDIK is trying to get such conversations going.

Lexington Herald-Leader reporter Greg Kocher, who recently wrote a profile of Woodford County Economic Development Authority Chair John Soper, asked why Soper wasn't intervewed. (Soper told the Midway Messenger that he wasn't invited to the event.)

Davis said the interviews were limited to businesses, but "That would be the next step. . . . I think that's a conversation that needs to occur." Earlier, she noted that interviewees called for “stronger communication between the ag and non-ag sectors.”

Midway Business Association discusses problem of some stores not staying open later or on some days

The Midway Business Association has new leadership, more members and better turnout at its meetings, but the chronic issue of limited store hours won't go away.

Former association president Kenny Smith made sure of that at Wednesday's monthly meeting, as he revived his longstanding concern that downtown stores aren't open late enough or often enough. That disappoints visitors to Midway, so "It hurts the whole town," said Smith, owner of Kennydid Gallery. "We are just a part-time retail place."

MBA Treasurer Leslie Penn of the Historic Midway Museum Store retorted, "We are not a mall." She said later that the merchants who cause the problem don't attend meetings of the association.

Peggy Angel

Recently installed MBA President Peggy Angel said personal conviction keeps her from opening her Steppin' Out Boutique on Sundays, but said longer store hours downtown "would be helpful. But everybody, we've got to work together. . . . We have to be careful. We just can't push it. We have to make them think it's their idea."

City Council Member Steve Simoff, who operates the Horse Country Cottage bed-and-breakfast, said "I don't think you're going to get cooperation." Later, he said, "I think you should just close at 5 and let the restaurants support the city."

Simoff echoed another concern Smith voiced, that some store owners and employees park in front of other businesses, taking spaces that should be left open for customers. "I think we've blown the parking thing," Simoff said, noting what he said was a missed opportunity to establish a parking lot behind Damselfly Gallery.

Steve Morgan of Kentucky Honey Farms, chair of the MBA membership committee, noted that a task force is trying to recruit a brewery or distillery to town, which would increase tourism and encourage longer store hours.

The merchants agreed that stores should be encouraged to stay open late during this year's Midsummer Nights in Midway events, scheduled by Midway Renaissance for June 30, July 28 and August 25. Angel suggested that the merchants have sidewalk sales on those three Fridays.

One of the Sawhorse Derby entries is in front of City Hall.

The MBA's current event is the Sawhorse Derby, in which shoppers vote for their favorite sawhorse among those decorated as racing horses. The promotion will conclude with an event on the afternoon of April 29. Morgan said four of the 17 sawhorses are displayed by non-members of the association.

In other business, Adele Dickerson of the Woodford County Farmers' Market announced that it will open for the season in Midway on Monday, May 1.

Don Vizi, executive director of the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce, invited all Midway businesses to attend a meeting of the chamber's board of directors at 8 a.m. April 27 at Midway University.

The association meets at 9 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, upstairs at City Hall.

The Midway Messenger is a non-voting member of the Midway Business Association.

EDA negotiating with prospective Midway employer of 240, helping pursue idea of grain mill in Versailles

The Woodford County Economic Development Authority voted today to reject a letter of intent from a potential employer to buy its 43 acres of industrial property in Midway Station, but said it would continue negotiating with the prospect, which could employ 240 people.

The EDA board discussed the matter in a closed session, which is allowed under the Kentucky Open Meetings Act. After returning to open session, it took the vote and Chairman John Soper said negotiations will continue.

Soper told Fiscal Court 10 days ago that the CEO and four other executives of a California-based company looked at the site around June 1. He said Midway has "a real shot for competing against North Carolina and another city in Central Kentucky," and state inventory-tax incentives might be the deciding factor, The Woodford Sun reported last week.

Among other discussion, Soper said Columbia Gas won't run a line to the American Howa Kentucky plant under construction next to Midway Station, or the Brown-Forman whiskey warehouses to be build behind it, because the companies would use gas only for heating and "Gas used in production is what moves the needle" for extension of gas lines.

Soper said Brown-Forman might have "a little bit more pull" once it starts construction, but in the meantime EDA will pay for propane service to AHK with the escrowed profit it made selling the former Roach family property to the company. The profit was intended to help provide gas service.

EDA would find it "pretty hard" to pay for a gas line now, even with later rebates, because of its $4.7 million outstanding debt for Midway Station, EDA staffer Craig McAnelly said. Prospective developer Dennis Anderson is paying the $11,380 monthly interest on those bonds in return for the right to buy and develop the property.

The developer recently got encroachment permits from the city for a gas-and-convenience store and two other retail buildings at the front of Midway Station, and Soper said Anderson has filed a proposed amended plat for the development with the Planning Commission.

In an agriculture-related matter, Soper said local farm interests are very interested in getting a grain mill to supply the More than a Bakery plant to be built in Versailles. "The farming community is really rallying behind this thing," he said, and "sees this as a real possibility to create an ag-industrial complex" that could also include processing of wheat straw and industrial hemp.

Soper said More than a Bakery will use enough wheat and other grains to sustain 12,000 to 15,000 acres of crops, but advocates of the mill need to decide what its optimum size would be. He said they are consulting with Weisenberger Mills about that, and County Extension Agent for Agriculture Adam Probst wants to pursue the idea of a cooperative to build and operate the mill.

Ag-review committee to hear Brown-Forman application Wednesday for warehouses north of Midway Station

Artist's rendering of one concrete warehouse, with others in background. Windows would be false. (Luckett & Farley)

By Aayat Ali

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Brown-Forman Corp. is asking permission to build 12 two-story whiskey warehouses on a farm next to Midway Station and South Elkhorn Creek.

The Louisville distiller’s application for a conditional use permit will be considered by the Agricultural Review Committee of the county Planning and Zoning Commission on April 13 at 8 a.m. at the county courthouse.

“They will make a recommendation to our Board of Adjustment,” said P & Z Director Patricia Wilson. “They are requesting to build 12 barrel warehouses to store bourbon in, two buildings every other year, as needed.”

Brown-Forman says that since bourbon is a product made from grains, building the warehouses on farmland is an agricultural enterprise that fits the A-1 agricultural zone. It also says the warehouses would reduce the possibility of industrial development on the land.

The warehouses would be built on 117 acres of a 400-acre farm over the next 10 years.  Each two-story high, 900,000-square-foot warehouse would hold about 65,000 barrels of Woodford Reserve bourbon.  The farm would continue operating as a farm, according to the company’s application.

The farm is owned by the Homer Michael Freeney Jr. Trust. It borders the industrial section of Midway Station on the south, Elkhorn Creek on the east, another farm on the north and Georgetown Road on the west. Access to the warehouses would be from Georgetown Road.

The state Economic Development Cabinet announced March 31 that it had approved Brown-Forman for $400,000 in tax incentives on an estimated initial investment of $22 million.

Brown-Forman says the full cost of development is $120 million, and has asked the Woodford County Fiscal Court to issue that amount of industrial revenue bonds in order to give the project a property-tax break. The request will be discussed at the next Fiscal Court meeting on April 12, said Timothy Eifler of Stoll Keenon Ogden, the attorneys for Brown-Forman.

“The county is not on the hook for the bonds,” Eifler said in an interview. “It’s not a true borrowing in the sense that the county is not borrowing money or liable for it. “Brown-Forman will be making lease payments that will pay repay those bonds.”

“The warehouses won’t cost the local government anything, they just generate revenue,” Eifler said. He said each fully loaded warehouse would generate approximately $153,000 in property taxes on the whiskey.

“They don’t demand any resources from local government,” Eifler said.  “It’s not a like a manufacturing plant where more people will be moving into the county or putting a tax on local resources. All they do is generate a lot of property tax because of the amount of barrels that would get taxed annually.”

The Board of Adjustment may choose to hold a public hearing on May 2 at 6:30 p.m. if the Agricultural Review Committee approves the plan on Wednesday.

Council OKs bid for vets' memorial walkway, mayor's idea for joint meetings with other governing bodies

The Midway City Council will spend $14,005 to build a 10-foot-wide walkway along the back side of the veterans memorial in the Midway Cemetery, a long-discussed improvement.

Acceptance of the bid from Turn to Stone was recommended by the council's Cemetery and City Property Committee and accepted by the council at its regular meeting Monday evening.

The council also heard and saw a presentation from Billy Van Pelt of Woodford Forward about the group's recent survey of Woodford County citizens' attitudes and opinions about development, farmland preservation and other issues. For a story about the survey, click here.

Van Pelt said those who responded to the survey, representing about 13 percent of the county's households, have "a sense of stagnation in growth and development" but still want to protect prime farmland.

"They're thirsty for business to come in," said Martha DeReamer of The Matrix Group, who supervised the self-selected survey. She said there was no way to know how the opinions of non-respondents might differ from those of respondents, but the diversity of the results suggest "no red flags" in the methodology.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift complimented the work. "I've seen a lot of surveys like this over the years and this is one of the best I've ever seen," he said. "It's a great resource for us." The survey broke out opinions of Midway residents, Versailles residents and the rural parts of the county.

Van Pelt said Woodford Forward would make the same presentation to the Versailles City Council on Tuesday night, and hold an open house at Woodford Reserve at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for interested people to meet members of the group and discuss the issues.

Vandegrift said the survey gave him an idea: that the city councils and the Woodford County Fiscal Court should have a joint meeting twice a year to discuss broad issues facing the county and "talk about how to move forward together, not look backward." Noting survey results, he said, "Clearly the people of Woodford County want to see the three governing bodies work better together."

The mayor asked for the council's blessing to approach Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott and County Judge-Executive John Coyle about the idea. The council agreed. Council Member Dan Roller said the communities that win awards are those where the county and cities are not competing with each other.

Among other business, Vandegrift reported that the new turnout gear for the fire department has been delivered, Council Member Libby Warfield complimented Vandegrift for recent paving repairs near Midway Grocery, and Roller complimented the police department for its response to the Friday burglary of Railroad Drug, in which the burglar was apprehended after a silent alarm alerted owner Ken Glass.

The council again briefly discussed the need for repairs to the city's welcome sign near Interstate 64. Vandegrift said they had talked about using some material other than wood, and he lnoew two people in town who might be able to do the work, but "I'd like to see some ideas."