Council votes to put completion of cemetery pavilion back into budget; first reading scheduled for Monday

Late-winter photo shows that the concrete base, casket platform and walkway for the pavilion have been completed. 

By Aaron Gershon

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway City Council voted Tuesday to put $30,000 back into the city's draft budget to finish building a pavilion at the Midway Cemetery.

The decision came after Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said Public Works Supervisor Terry Agee saw an elderly woman roaming the cemetery alone, with funeral crowds limited due to the covid-19 pandemic. It was "heartbreaking to see," Vandegrift said.

The concrete base and casket platform of the pavilion have been completed, and Vandegrift had the rest of it in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. When the pandemic hit, threatening payroll-tax revenue, he and the council drafted a “bare bones” budget without the pavilion.

When Lakeshore Learning Materials, the city’s largest employer, said it would call most or all of its workers back soon, the officials drafted a “middle ground budget” with the pavilion as the main unanswered question, which Vandegrift put to the council.

Council Member John Holloway said he visited several cemeteries and said pavilions are "something other cities are doing now,” And "It's something that should we should go ahead and get done."

He also said, "Something that's this close and to being finished, it seems to me to be a waste of money that went into before if we don't go in and finish the deal."

Council Member Bruce Southworth agreed. "It really needs to be done," he said. "It needs to be finished. We already started it; let's go finish it."

The vote was 4-0. Council Members Kaye Nita Gallagher and Stacy Thurman were absent. The meeting was held online, as meetings have been since the covid-19 pandemic hit.

Holloway said Agee wants to ensure that services at the cemetery are of low stress and that the pavilion will help accomplish that, especially in wet weather.

“He's not just blowing smoke,” Holloway said. ”They can handle things so much better and it'll be a better service,” because graveside services with tents require “being so super careful about where the dirt is” placed.

He also said completing the pavilion might even save some money, because f less manpower used in setting up tents.

The only real question was whether to take the $30,000 from the city’s large surplus or, as Vandegrift first suggested, eliminating cost sharing for repair of sidewalks. After some discussion, the council voted to use the surplus, which Vandegrift said is almost $1 million when certificates of deposit are included.

"I think it's the right thing to do, I think it's the proper thing to do," the mayor said after the vote. "I think we're still very fiscally cautious."

Concern remains about a significant loss of payroll-tax revenue amid the pandemic, so Vandegrift reduced that revenue estimate to $737,500 from his original $825,000.

The mayor said Lakeshore has been "on top of the outbreak" since it began in Wuhan, China, because it has a manufacturing center there. Thus, the company believes it will still have a profitable year, which will help Midway's revenue.

Vandegrift said Midway University may still "produce big" payroll-tax revenue regardless of whether or not classes are online or in person.

He said it's hard to tell how the virus will spread, given behavior such as "idiot kids swimming in pools three inches away from another in Missouri." However, he believes there won't be a "typical recession" if the people of Midway continue to keep proper social distance and wear masks.

While much of the budget remained the same from last Monday's discussion of the "middle ground budget," Vandegrift proposed a handful of mostly minor changes that brought no objections from the council. They included:

● Police expense increased from $160,000 to $175,000, based on Midway’s agreement to pay 4.2 percent of the budget of the Versailles Police Department;
● Brick repair work on the Rau Building, which houses City Hall, down to $17,000 from $45,000, with expectation that a grant will pay part of the cost;

● Parks maintenance reduced from $10,000 to $7,000;
● Christmas decorations down to $3,500 from $5,500.

Vandegrift said Wednesday afternoon that he expects the budget to be in ordinance form and ready for first reading at the council's next regular meeting on Monday. Ordinances require two readings before passage.

Community Fund seeks grant applications, donations

By Lori Garkovich

Chair, Woodford County Community Fund

The Woodford County Community Fund seeks nonprofit partners who have the capacity to address unmet basic needs arising from this crisis. To date, we have provided nearly $8,300 in grants to nonprofits in Woodford County to support their efforts, and these funds have leveraged an additional $4,000 in community assistance.

While we have come far together through these trying times, the test of who we are as a community is not over. And, tomorrow’s “normal” will not be familiar. New challenges will emerge, especially for those whose lives are fragile for economic, health, or other life situation reasons. This is why our Covid-19 Response Fund provides grants to community organizations with creative responses to the challenges of the new normal related to:
• Food insufficiency
• Rent and utilities assistance if from approved nonprofits
• Medical supplies/prescriptions assistance

Grants are available to organizations and programs that work to provide residents with access to food, prescriptions, health care, childcare, unmet housing needs or other unmet needs. We are especially interested in grant applications that support Woodford County residents (e.g., seniors, parents, the food insecure, the housing insecure, the economically insecure) who have lost access to the resources they need to thrive.

Do you want to be a part of this effort? If so, you can make a donation to the Woodford County Community Fund’s Covid-19 Response Fund. Your contribution will be added to the available resources from our permanently endowed community fund, and will be granted rapidly to organizations on the front lines of support.

How can you do this?
• Write a personal check. Place WCCF Covid-19 Response Fund on the memo line and send the check to the Blue Grass Community Foundation, 499 E. High St., Suite 112, Lexington KY 40507.
• To make a donation using a credit card, go to https://bgcf.givingfuel.com/woodford-covid19

Contact Lori Garkovich, chair, Woodford County Community Fund at Lgarkov@uky.edu or 859-519-0889 if you have questions or you want to inquire about support for a nonprofit.

Mayor says he will use persuasion, 'market forces' to compel compliance in reopening, but not 'three strikes'

Elisha Holt does a Midway Business Association video about the Historic Midway Museum Gift Store, part of a series tied to retail reopenings, as co-owner Leslie Penn watches and Morgan Castle records. The store will reopen on a limited basis.

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway City Council heard Mayor Grayson Vandegrift outline the city's game plan as several businesses are set to reopen this week with Kentucky’s covid-19 restrictions gradually being lifted.

Vandegrift also discussed his new “middle ground” budget, and the council approved three zoning-ordinance changes, in another council meeting held online due to the pandemic.

Reopening and enforcement: Vandegrift told the council that he has sent both digital and hard copies of the reopening guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to businesses, and expects workers and customers to follow them closely.

"We're going to be strict about this, as we should be," the mayor said, adding that violations of the guidelines should be reported: "Tipping ain't snitching." However, he said reports should be made to him directly via phone call, text, or email, not to police, who he said are busy enough already.

Vandegrift said “There are some things we can mitigate ourselves, just by talking to business owners,” who are responsible for controlling behavior in their premises. He said after the meeting, “The optics of having a police officer come to a business is not really something we want to do.”

Council Member Sara Hicks said she has had “some kind of scary experiences” in a Lexington grocery of people not wearing masks or keeping six feet apart, and asked Vandegrift “who is responsible for following those rules, besides the customers.”

He replied, "I do consider myself somewhat responsible for making sure the governor's guidelines are being followed. You know, we're not going to create a police state. . . . My approach is going to be this, that no restaurant and no shop wants to permanently damage their brand right now by being the place that created a virus farm."

He said customers will be expected to wear masks indoors, except when eating, but “We as a government can’t force people to wear masks,” so it’s up to business owners.

“Restaurants need to know that right now, their duty is heightened, in a sense,” he said. “They really, I think, need, and I think they will, step up to the plate and help enforce these guidelines, because they don’t want to be the restaurant that gets in trouble; they don’t want to be the restaurant or shop that gets shut down and loses their business license over, you know, infractions. They don’t want to be the restaurant known as the place that started an outbreak in a city that had zero confirmed cases. And I think in that sense, market forces can help keep them in line.”

The mayor, a former restaurateur, said he knows how hard it is to tell independent-minded customers that they have to do thing they don’t want to do, but should think of the mask rule as just the latest addition to the standard sign, “No shirt, no shoes, no service.” He added, “That mask is not to protect you, it’s to protect other people.”

Asked after the meeting what the penalties for violation would be, he said “I don’t think it’s going to come to a point where we have to do something drastic, like pull a business license.” He said he would use “open communication” and “honest dialogue” and give violators an opportunity to comply, but there is “not gonna be three strikes.”

Vandegrift said Midway’s experience would be “a bit of a case study” because it is a small town that attracts many visitors.

“Everyone's got to stay vigilant, using social distance, wearing a mask and using the proper hygiene to keep our numbers as close to zero as possible,” he said. No cases of the virus have been reported in Midway, but “I’m sure it’s been here in one form or another.”

Many visitors come to Midway’s restaurants, which can reopen Friday but with only one-third of their normal indoor seating capacity. Vandegrift said he would issue an executive order letting restaurants put tables in parking spaces that the city has designated for curbside pickup, and waiving fees restaurants normally pay to use their sidewalks to set up outdoor tables

He said the order will also allow alcohol sales at such tables, but he would not reinstate the "entertainment destination center" ordinance that allows patrons to carry open beverage containers between businesses. "I think we need to step slowly into this," he said. "I don't think it's the time to encourage congregation downtown."

Vandegrift said outdoor dining is safer than indoor dining. "Indoors has poorer circulation of air, and ventilation systems can pass covid-19 to others."

Restaurants will still be advised to encourage customers to use their curbside pickup, online ordering and delivery options.

“The restaurants and shops that adapt are the ones that will survive,” Vandegrift said. “No restaurant can survive on just 33 percent occupancy.”

Budget: With reopening on the horizon, Vandegrift discussed his recently revised "middle ground budget" that adds back some expenses he and the council agreed to cut when city revenues were more in doubt.

The “bare bones budget” cut almost $200,000 of spending from the mayor’s proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

That is now “not necessary,” he said, mainly because the city’s largest employer, Lakeshore Learning Materials, had furloughed 225 of its 300 employees, putting a hole in the city’s largest source of revenue, the occupational tax on wages and net profits.

Now Lakeshore plans to bring back its full workforce in the next few weeks, and “expects to have a profitable year,” which it did not expect last month, Vandegrift said.

The company also expects to receive a certificate of occupancy in September for its second Midway distribution center, with that facility opening officially in March 2021, adding revenue from up 100 new jobs in the last quarter of the fiscal year.

Nevertheless, Vandegrift reduced his estimate of occupational-tax income for the next fiscal year to $737,500, down from his original estimate of $825,000. He said the city also expects less income from restaurants. The mayor proposed restoring these “bare bones budget” cuts, totaling $67,500:

●            $10,000 for training and travel for employees and elected officials

●            $7,500 in donations (including $5,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates)

●            $25,000 for street paving, for a total of $50,000

●            $20,000 for the sidewalk cost-sharing program

●            $5,000 for a water fountain and refill station on East Main Street

Vandegrift said he would like to see the council find a way to restore the $30,000 originally budgeted for completion of the pavilion in the cemetery, because city employees have told him about older people having a hard time in bad weather at the cemetery, with few family members to help them. Beshear has limited funeral and burial gatherings to 10 people.

The council will work more on the budget during a special budget workshop meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 26.

Zoning: The council gave second reading and final passage to three zoning ordinances that will:

●            Allow fences in the front building setbacks along rights of way to be up to 48 inches high instead of 42; John Holloway voted no.

●            Limit display of banners for charitable activities for up to 14 days, with a 14-day waiting period for reinstallation; Logan Nance voted no, calling it “silly.”

●            Prohibit permanent location of recreational vehicles in flood plains. All council members present voted yes; Kaye Nita Gallagher was absent.

The changes, in the countywide zoning ordinance, are being approved by the Versailles City Council and the county Fiscal Court. Those bodies are also approving another change recommended by the Planning Commission, which allows signs to project up to five feet from fronts of buildings, with nine feet of head clearance.

With the council’s tacit agreement, Vandegrift did not ask for approval of that change. He said at the last meeting, “Our downtown is beautiful and pedestrian-friendly, and I feel that this could only lead to a cluttered and unnecessary look.” He said it is “the first time I can remember when all three bodies didn’t adopt the same amendment” to the countywide ordinance.

Other business: Holloway, the unpaid manager of Walter Bradley Park, said it will “probably have 20 times more visitors than we did this time last year for obvious reasons,” but “most everyone is really considerate of getting out of the way of other people.”

Nance and Vandegrift said they had noticed more dog waste in the park. Holloway said he is placing signs to encourage owners to pick up after their dogs, but “Some people just don’t want to.” He said a dispenser for pet-waste bags is located in the fenced dog park. 

Vandegrift announced that the city’s annual Memorial Day service would be held largely online, with readings of the names of veterans on the monument in the cemetery, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

City budget outlook brightens, as feds will reimburse vouchers and Lakeshore plans to call back workers

By Aaron Gershon
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Two developments have prompted Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift to begin drafting what he calls a "middle ground" budget, not the “bare bones” plan he and the City Council drafted two weeks ago.

The mayor announced Monday he expects the federal government to reimburse the city for the $40,000 the council set aside a week ago for vouchers for city residents to spend at local businesses.The money had been budgeted for a Midway Station interest payment the city didn’t have to make.

He also announced that Lakeshore Learning Materials President Bo Kaplan told him Friday that the distribution center expects to be fully staffed within three weeks, after furloughing 225 of its 300 employees. Lakeshore is the city’s largest employer, and the city’s largest revenue source is a payroll tax.

Vandegrift also delivered more good news from Kaplan: Lakeshore expects to receive a certificate of occupancy for the company's second Midway distribution center in September, with that facility opening officially in March 2021. It will add 100 jobs.

With the reimbursement and return of payroll-tax revenues, the mayor said he does not believe that all the potential cuts in the "bare bones" budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 will be necessary.

“If businesses reopening leads to bad spikes in covid-19, we may need to reassess,” he wrote, “but if people use these skills we’ve learned and wear their masks, we might be able to avoid another economic shutdown.”

Vandegrift said he would propose restoring these funds:
● $25,000 for street paving
● $5,000 for a drinking water filling station on East Main Street
● $20,000 for the sidewalk cost-share program

The mayor said he would ask the city council to decide on adding another $25,000 worth of spending back into the budget, for a total of $75,000 in restorations.

That would be just over half of the $145,500 in potential “bare bones” cuts. Before the council and Vandegrift agreed on those, he had cut from his original budget proposal a $50,000 project, an extension of the Stephens Street sidewalk to The Homeplace at Midway, saying the timing wasn’t favorable.

Vandegrift said he would present a “middle ground of the two budgets” during the council meeting May 18. He said he would call a special meeting for 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 25 via Zoom to work on the budget, which must be enacted by June 22.

Message from the mayor: 'We're doing a good job . . . Be prepared to do this for another month, maybe longer'

By Grayson Vandegrift
Mayor, City of Midway

This is another weekly reminder that we’re doing a good job and that we’re going to get through this. The caring nature of this community continues to shine every day, and that’s what it’s going to take to keep us focused and dedicated to do what’s right and to beat this, which we will do. While there are still no known cases in Midway or Woodford County as this is being recorded, the consensus is that there likely are people with the coronavirus in the county. This shouldn’t cause alarm; it just reminds us of how important it is to have good personal hygiene and to keep practicing social distancing so that we keep that number as low as possible.

Remember that if you need assistance with errands or the like, you can call the Midway Christian Church at 846-4102 and volunteers will assist you. You also have an additional option, as the county’s resource helpline is now operational – you can call them for assistance at 859-753-8228.

While our shops downtown have had to close temporarily, there still may be ways you can support them, if you’re able. Check for special offers like online shopping or purchasing a gift card for future use. Our restaurants are remaining as resilient as can be, but if you’re able to support them, even if just once a week, it can make a difference in keeping someone employed. Many have been very creative in the services they’re offering to keep them afloat and you supplied, so be on the lookout for their offerings as well.

I continue to remain impressed with your resiliency and determination to get through this, as well as your practice of social distancing. That is, bar none, the most effective weapon we have against this virus at this time.

We are keeping a close eye on how our local economy will be affected, and I am very confident our city coffers will be fine. How this affects our downtown shops and restaurants remains to be seen, but with our purchasing support, when and if we can offer it, we can help make sure they’re still here when this is all over. But there is nothing more important right now than protecting people’s lives, and that remains our number-one priority as a city, and certainly as a county and a commonwealth as well.

When this will be all over is still unknown. While it’s true that most people who get the coronavirus are just fine, not everyone fares so well with it. People of all ages have struggled with it, and people over 60 or with serious underlying conditions are the most vulnerable of us, and we have to protect them. But don’t think that just because you are 22 or 32 that this won’t affect you, because it could, and obviously, you could pass it on to someone who might struggle with it.

But it’s also so important not to panic, and not to let your fears overcome you. This is a difficult time for all of us, and that’s why we have to be there to support each other, however we can. As the weather gets warmer, get out and walk, go to the park, enjoy the sunshine. Just practice social distancing, and don’t get a basketball game or soccer match going. There’s also some things you can participate in that are kid-friendly. Here are the upcoming community window walks: March 25 is silly faces, March 28 is flowers, April 1 is jokes, April 4 is yard art, April 8 is encouraging words, and April 11 is Easter eggs. During these events feel free to place the corresponding items in your windows for kids to walk by and spot as they count how many they can find. They start by 4 p.m.

The more seriously we take this, and the better we practice social distancing, the less time we’ll have to do this. And again, if you’re sick, stay home. If you need a doctor, call your local physician, but don’t just show up. If you have a medical emergency, call 911. But remember that we as humans tend to think our worst fears will come true, and tend to think we won’t be able to handle it. So don’t overestimate your fears or underestimate your toughness. You’re tougher than you think, but you’re not invincible either, so use caution, wash your hands, practice social distancing. And be prepared to do this for another month, maybe longer. If we truly do this to the best of our abilities we may end up being pleasantly surprised. I know there have been some rumblings at the national level of a quicker timeline, but luckily states do have rights, and I think our Commonwealth will do the right thing based on what our situation is. Our governor has made it clear that setting arbitrary timelines are not appropriate right now. So let’s keep doing the absolute best we can, let’s continue staying calm, let’s continue taking care of ourselves, and let’s continue helping each other get through it. Because we will get through it. Thanks, and God bless.

Joint meeting of councils and Fiscal Court creates Youth Council and committee for an 'age-friendly community'

The officials are pictured just before the start of the meeting. The Midway City Council and half of the Fiscal Court sat on the left; the Versailles council and the other magistrates sat on the right. The executives and clerks sat at the middle table.

The first joint meeting of the Midway and Versailles city councils and the Woodford County Fiscal Court had a short agenda but longer-than-expected discussions Tuesday evening.

Mayors Grayson Vandegrift and Brian Traugott, and County Judge-Executive James Kay, had drafted resolutions creating a committee for an "age-friendly community" and a Youth Council with members from each jurisdiction. Each governing body passed the resolutions, but on the Fiscal Court there was dissent from its two Republicans. (City offices are nonpartisan.)

The age-friendly initiative was explained by Bill Frederick, who said he was a semi-retired workforce and economic-development consultant who moved to Versailles with his wife Jane from northern New Jersey two years ago. He said having a committee would make the county part of a network that has 363 members, including Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro and Berea.

One goal of the network is to help people live in their own private homes as long as possible. "Aging in place is an alternative preferred by many to living in a retirement community," he said.

Mary Crowley Schmidt of the Bluegrass Area Development District told the officials that a 55-question survey in Lexington got 1,048 responses and more than 800 written comments, and resulted in construction of a 32,000-square-foot senior center with 225 participants per day, age-friendly language in the comprehensive plan that guides local planning and zoning, and a current effort to allow accessory dwelling units, sometimes called "granny pods" or "granny flats." She called the work "the most exciting" she has done in her 33 years with the regional planning agency.

"The Bluegrass is turning gray," she said, but added that making communities livable for the aging can also help younger people: "What's good for a wheelchair is also good for a stroller."

Frederick said the committee would assess local seniors' needs in eight "domains of interest" (housing, transportation, communication, health services, responsiveness and inclusiveness, outdoor recreation, social participation and civic participation) and develop a three-year action plan, using "flexible guidelines" by AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons.

AARP's Kentucky lobbyist, Scott Wegenast, said the organization provides technical assistance, research, training and consultants to communities in the network.

The involvement of AARP was questioned by Magistrate Mary Anne Gill, who called it "an insurance company" and suggested that it was seeking "more opportunities to sell insurance."

Wegenast said the group does not sell insurance but does advertise for insurance companies with which it negotiates, and has "a significant firewall" between its business activities and its "social outreach." The group does not make political contributions or endorse candidates, but has been supportive of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as "Obamacare."

The other Republican magistrate, Matt Merrill, said the work could be done without the involvement of an outside group, and he objected to creating "an entity beyond the voters and ultimately past the elected," and asked the names of the 121 stakeholders identified by the advocates. He was handed a list, which Frederick called "a draft, provisional list." Frederick said names could be added or deleted at the advice of the three governing bodies, which would have representation on the committee.

Kay told Merrill and Gill that the committee "is designed to answer the questions you're bringing up," and couldn't spend any taxpayer money without Fiscal Court's approval. "I believe your concerns are valid," he told Merrill, "but any concerns will be resolved through this committee."

Magistrate Liles Taylor of Midway said the process "is about self-awareness of needs for seniors, not a new layer of government." His motion to approve the resolution creating the committee passed the Fiscal Court 5-3, with Magistrate Jackie Brown also voting no; the councils approved it unanimously.

Taylor also made the motion to create the Youth Council, which Merrill, a retired teacher, said is vague ("youth" is not defined) and "fortifies a culture of the power elite . . . that is causing so much problems in our country today," with appointments coming from groups such as 4-H and FFA.

Kay said Merrill's remarks were "over the top," adding, "I don't know when 4-H and FFA have been considered the power elite."

Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott, whose youth council is the model for the new one, said "I resent a little bit the 'elite' comments," adding that the adjective isn't appropriate for high-school students. "If the structure doesn't work, we can change it."

The resolution passed with one clarifying amendment. Merrill cast the only vote against it.

In their final piece of business, the three governing bodies recognized the efforts of firefighters and other first responders who dealt with the fire at the Jim Beam warehouse in Millville.

The meeting was a victory for Vandegrift, who had sought regular such meetings soon after he was elected mayor in 2014 but was spurned by John Coyle, then the judge-executive.

Vandegrift called the meeting "an important steppingstone. . . . I think our working relationships are great." The three governing bodies held a joint town hall in February at the Kentucky Community and Technical College system headquarters, where the joint meeting was held.

Kay said, "Our cities are not our rivals. They are not our political enemies, They are our people. And we seek every chance to work together to make us all better for the people of Woodford County."

The 77-minute meeting included some good-natured jibes. Traugott joked that the meeting "almost didn't take place for a couple of reasons," including that "We had to schedule it real quick before Mayor Vandegrift changed his mind."

Vandegrift, who ran for state representative for a week last month before dropping out, countered, "How late were you up last night with that joke?"

Council hears plan for 'entertainment destination center' with relaxed drink-carrying rules; donates to Homeplace

Midway could have an "entertainment destination center" with relaxed rules for consumption of alcoholic beverages in a limited area, under a proposal offered to the City Council Monday evening.

The council deferred action on the idea, but took action on other matters, giving The Homeplace at Midway $5,000 to help buy a bus for residents and adopting a resolution supporting communication about land-use planning among local governments in the Bluegrass region.

Alcohol: About a year ago, the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board enacted a regulation allowing cities to buy a license for an entertainment destination center, in which customers of private licensees can go in and out of their licensed premises with alcoholic beverages as long as they stay within the center's boundaries.

The licenses had previously been available only to businesses, but are slowly being bought by cities for a fee of $2,800. Versailles recently passed the necessary ordinance for one, and Frankfort is working on one, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said.

The rationale for the license is to reduce the enforcement load on police and ABC agents, and help localities promote tourism and economic growth, said ABC Agent Ian Thurman, the husband of City Council Member Stacy Thurman. She asked him what the city's obligations would be as licensee.

He said the city would be liable for anything in the common area, inside the boundary and outside the privately licensed premises, that was not directly tied to a business, including someone with a beverage from that business.

Council Member Logan Nance asked about the possibility of drinkers being "overserved." Thurman said that has not been a problem in the two cities that have entertainment destination center licenses, Maysville and Owensboro. He said police and licensees say "It's one thing off the plate, about people walking in and out, that they don't have to worry about, and thus can focus more on over-service.

Cortney Neikirk of the Midway Business Association said allowing customers to go in and out of restaurants with alcoholic beverages "is a huge deal for all the restaurants." She said they work together to spot drunks who should be denied service.

Vandegrift asked the council to consider the proposal and put it on the agenda for the next meeting, on Aug. 5. He said he favored a provision in the Versailles ordinance, which requires beverages taken into the common area to be in a standard size and color plastic cup, for safety reasons. Neikirk said she was sure the restaurants would agree to that.

Other business: Business association coordinator Elisha Holt asked the council to pay half the cost of overtime for two police officers who would provide security and traffic help during the Midway Fall Festival. Vandegrift said "It makes perfect sense to help out with this," but the council deferred a decision to the next meeting.

The council adopted the regional planning resolution after a presentation from Rob Rumpke of Bluegrass Tomorrow, which he said is focused on protecting farmland and advocates growth along major transportation corridors. The resolution supports continuation and expansion of the Regional Land Use Partnership that has been meeting regularly since November 2017 to improve communication among governments and planners in the 18-county region.

"We're trying to build some consensus and partnership in the region" for better communication, Rumpke said. "It is in no way about creating a regional planning commission."

The resolution, supporting documents and other materials for the meeting, including a photo of the bus The Homeplace wants to buy, are downloadable as a PDF here.

The Homeplace bus would cost $25,000 and would hold 12 passengers and two wheelchairs. Representatives of the nursing and assisted-living facility said they had raised $8,000. Mary Lynn Spalding, president and CEO of Christian Care Communities, which operates the 48-bed facility, said the bus they want to buy is eight years old.

"I am 100 percent behind this idea," Vandegrift said. "I want to see a City of Midway sticker on that bus." He said the Homeplace generated more than $32,000 in occupational tax for the city last year, "and this is a one-time purchase." He noted that the newly adopted budget allocates $5,00 for donations. Council Member John Holloway moved to give that amount, and Council Member Bruce Southworth seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

The council also approved an encroachment permit for Tru Blue Hemp Co. to locate in Midway Station. "They're kind of the middlemen for the farmers and the oil processors," Vandegrift said.

Vandegrift reported that he and Southworth plant to meet with Frankfort Plant Board officials next week to discuss building a pipeline that would make FPB the city's primary water supplier, as the mayor announced recently that he wanted the city to do.

He also announced that the sidewalk project is scheduled to begin Wednesday, weather permitting, and take about two weeks. When it is done, he said, "eleven new sidewalks" will replace broken ones, "including the worst of all," which he didn't specify.

Red Cross, firefighters, other volunteers canvass town to install free smoke alarms and educate citizens

By Claire Johnson
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Nathan Bardeen of Eastern Kentucky University installed an alarm.
(Photos by Shawn McLuckie, American Red Cross)

Many residents of Midway got an early wake-up call Saturday as members of the American Red Cross, community volunteers and area fire departments offered free installation and battery replacement of smoke alarms.

The project was part of the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign.

Steve Powell, the Red Cross disaster program manager for the Bluegrass area, said the mission of the campaign is to reduce the number of home fire deaths and injuries by 25 percent by 2019.

“Kentucky really took an initiative with this program and leadership to make it a priority,” Powell said.

Fifteen members of the Red Cross and up to 30 volunteers from the community and fire departments met at Midway Baptist Church before setting out to their specified destinations on maps.

From morning to afternoon, Red Cross workers, volunteers, Eastern Kentucky University Fire & Safety program members and firefighters from the Midway and Woodford County fire departments worked door to door installing small smoke alarms and educating citizens about them.

Three-member teams, one Red Cross representative and two assistants, visited on roughly 20 houses before re-supplying or receiving a map of a different neighborhood.

Quinton Godfrey of EKU watched Nathan Bardeen and Sally Higgins of the Red Cross.

A red vest and two fire department volunteers greeted the citizens as they went door to door with supplies and safety information.

Chief Gerald Walsh of the Versailles Fire Department designed the map of the town with highlighted areas.

“I arrange the streets by how many houses there were,” Walsh said. “As they finish the street, I will hand them another map.”

Anne Peters, 58, who has lived in Midway for about 12 years, thought her smoke detector was fine until one of the teams found that it needed to be replaced.

“I had sort of been counting on it working,” Peters said with a laugh. “So if it’s not working and they catch that, that’s definitely helpful.”

After installing a detector, the teams made sure residents like Peters knew two different exit plans to use in case of fire, and took down their information to keep track of what they did in each home.

The Home Fire Campaign, according to Powell, is on pace to install about 5,000 smoke alarms this year in Kentucky.

“Certainly it never hurts to have somebody remind you,” Peters said. “A lot of people have lived here since the neighborhoods were built, so they might not know about the regulations on smoke alarms.”

Bobby Allison, one Midwegian who had a home smoke alarm installed Saturday, agreed that it can be hard to remember them.

“I don’t know how many people actually check them, or if they think they’re just going to work forever, because they’re not,” Allison said. “I try to check mine as much as I can when I think about it, but at 77 sometimes you forget.”

Midway firefighter Joe Hudson said reminding seniors is a prime benefit of the campaign.

“We have a lot of older families that live in Midway and they don’t even think about the smoke detectors until it’s brought to their attention,” Hudson said.

Hudson recalled a woman who was hearing impaired and did not know Red Cross offered bedside alarms. Hudson said one of the teams arranged for a Red Cross member to contact her soon and get a bedside alarm for her.

“There’s a lot of them that’s very happy to see us out in the community doing this for them,” Hudson said. “Midway is such a small, rural community. You know, we’re kind of like the little back leg of the county and nobody really thinks about it or anything until sometimes it’s too late.”

Powell said issues like Hudson mentioned are exactly why the Red Cross tries to aid rural communities like Midway in the Home Fire Campaign.

“Not all of the rural towns are able to staff full-time fire departments,” Powell said. “A lot of them are volunteer services,” Powell said.

Powell said the Home Fire Campaign has already been documented saving three lives in Western Kentucky.

He said most people might not know how much fire work the Red Cross does.

“I think when people think of the Red Cross they think of natural disasters, but primarily what we respond to weekly are home fires,” Powell said.

Shawn McLuckie of the Red Cross said educating citizens and reducing fire deaths are the main goals of this campaign.

“This is completely free to all residents; we’re not charging them a thing,” McLuckie said. “I feel it’s very good to come in to these communities and do this. It gives the power of choice to the communities. It’s reducing fire death and it’s making educated community members.”

Head of nonprofit that runs The Homeplace at Midway is third outstanding alum of UK College of Public Health

Keith Knapp

Keith Knapp, the chief executive officer of Christian Care Communities, which includes The Homeplace at Midway, received the third Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Kentucky College of Public Health on Feb. 19.

The Homeplace at Midway, which opened last June 25, is home to 38 residents. The opening of the facility marked the end of a 16-year campaign for a nursing home in Midway. The development was the first facility built in Kentucky using The Green House model. The facility has four residential buildings with two dedicated to skilled nursing, one for assisted living and one for “memory care.”

Knapp has led the design and development of several other elder-care facilities in Kentucky. He has served as a member of the state Institute for Aging and as chief executive of the Episcopal Church Home of Kentucky.

Midway is about to become even more of a railroad town, as the permanent home of a steam engine

By Aayat Ali
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The R.J. Corman Railroad Group has received a grant to house the “Old Smokey” steam engine in the Midway Historic District where citizens and visitors can see it and the Corman caboose already in the city, the Midway City Council heard Monday night.

CSX Railroad owns the track that runs through Midway, so a building to house the engine and caboose would have to be built off CSX property to avoid issues with CSX, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said.

The plan is to put the engine on the United Bank lot where the caboose already resides.  “We still have to get approval from the bank,” Vandegrift said.

Vandegrift said the engine itself doesn’t qualify for the historic-oriented grant because it was built in 1987, but a building in the Midway Historic District does qualify.

Vandegrift revealed that the state Transportation Cabinet has approved a grant of $193,000 to help build the facility, with a total cost of about $241,000, all covered by Corman. 

Corman barn in Lexington, before large steeples were added to it

Vandegrift said the building would be a smaller version of the one in Lexington that has housed Corman’s dinner train to Versailles, which recently stopped running.

The main issues are how the engine will be placed in the 125-foot-long building and where it will be built.

Vandegrift said the project is a great opportunity for Midway, the first town in Kentucky to be established by a railroad, which was the state’s first rail line. That was in 1833; the city was incorporated in 1846.

Coolmore America buying Waterford Farm, getting city water

The council approved running a water line outside the city limits to Waterford Farm, which is being bought by Ashford Stud, a division of Coolmore America, whose Versailles Road farm is home to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

The 720-acre farm is just outside the city limits on Weisenberger Mill Road, next to The Homeplace at Midway, a new senior-living community.

The main concern among council members was howa break in the water line might affect the water pressure at The HomePlace, for which fire suppression is critical.

First-term Council Member Libby Warfield asked if the line would be “detrimental to The HomePlace” and whether other farms outside the city limits get city water.

Vandegrift said there are such farms, and Water Superintendent Mark Roberts said a pressure problem is unlikely. He said The Homeplace’s lines would be cleaner because it would no longer be at the end of a line.  In case of a major break, Roberts and Vandegrift said, the farm line could be turned off at the new meter or the town’s water tank could be filled.

They said the city would require a backflow preventer on the line to keep solids from flowing into the city’s water in case of a break in the city system, which could siphon non-potable water from the farm.

Waterford Farm would be responsible for paying all expenses and meeting the city’s specifications, Roberts said.

In other business, the council declared the old fire truck and the fire department’s old van to be surplus, allowing them to be put up for bid. Vandegrift said the equipment is “just taking up space.”

The council also discussed the city’s plan to use $16,384 remaining from a community development block grant funds to build a new Habitat for Humanity home at 209 E. Stephens St. The topic was tabled after Council Member Dan Roller found an apparent discrepancy in the documentation.

Vandegrift wrapped the meeting up by thanking Deputy Emergency Management Director Drew Chandler for his help in preparing Midway for the snowstorm a few weeks ago. 

“They sent me updates days ahead,” he said, adding later, ”They even put on snow boots and walked through eight inches of snow though my yard to let me sign the emergency declaration.”

Chili cook-off, a much-anticipated local event, draws 17 entries; Burchells win first and third places

Children slurped chili as adults lined up to get their fill at the Christian Church's annual Chili Cook-Off.

There were plenty of "fixins" to go with chili.

Story and photos by Tiffany Broughton
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

The Midway Christian Church’s annual Chili Cook-Off was a hit Monday night, after the cold, wintry weekend.

This year’s cook-off, part of the church’s monthly free dinner for the community, brought out 17 of Midway’s best pots of chili and a crowd of about 70 people.

Not all were from Midway, such as Judy Jones of Lexington. “I haven’t been in a couple months because I went back to Chicago,” she said, “but I have been coming out to Midway for decades.”

The room was full of laughter and full bellies waiting for the decision of the judges: Mayor Grayson Vandegrift and City Council Members Bruce Southworth and Kaye Nita Gallagher. They sampled each of the recipes and tallied up the scores to pick their winner.

Winner Phil Burchell displays his chili label.

"We all tried them and then rated each one privately, 1 through 10, and whittled them down. Then we narrowed them down to the top three," said Vandegrift.

The winner was Phil Burchell with his “Old Lions Club” specialty. Second place went to Gloria Batts and third went to Sharon Burchell, wife of the winner. The judges gave an honorable mention to Bart Shockley for his super spicy recipe.

“It’s always a lot of fun,” said Vandegrift. “How often can you say you ate 17 different chilis in one night and lived to tell the tale.”

The community dinners are held on the last Monday of each month. Not only do these events bring out a crowd, they are backed by a community effort.

“A lot of the food is donated and some people make donations to the community dinner account,” said chef Ouita Michel. “Sometimes we have fresh vegetables from the community garden.”

The community dinner has become a tradition for those who can attend. For shut-ins, meal deliveries are available. If you or someone you know is in need of a warm meal delivered to their front door you can call the church at 846-4102.

“The Chili Cook-off is always the most fun dinner to come to,” Vandegrift said, “and everyone kind of looks forward to the cook-off in January.”

The Homeplace at Midway holds an open house

Christian Care Communities held an open house today for The Homeplace at Midway, the new senior-living community across from Midway College on East Stephens Street (or Weisenberger Mill Road). Above, a CCC employee waits to guide visitors to the cottages. Below, the dining area of a nursing cottage was a place to gather, eat, drink and admire the interior design and architecture.

Below, Frankie Fisher, 94, greeted visitors in her apartment at the assisted-living cottage. She said that she "cried the first two days" at The Homeplace because she missed her home on Gratz Street, but Homeplace staff members are "so nice" she has decided to stay.

Sandra Leach and her husband Louie, of Versailles, talked with Sharon Turner, right, about the availability of various types of housing. Turner, who was on the Midway City Council from 2007 through 2014, was one of the leaders of the Midway Nursing Home Task Force, which worked for 16 years to bring such a facility to Midway. Below, a living area in one of the cottages.

Below are the administrative cottage and the Lucy Simms Lloyd Gathering House for special events.

The Homeplace at Midway formally opens

By Kacie Kelly and Al Cross
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

The Homeplace at Midway was formally opened today, bringing to full fruition a 16-year campaign for a nursing home in Midway. It will host an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Construction this spring (Christian Care Communities photo)

The Homeplace, which has four residential buildings that look like single-family homes, is more than a nursing home. Two of the buildings are for skilled nursing, but one is for assisted living and the other is for "memory care" or personal care of patients with dementia and other cognitive impairments.

“The Homeplace at Midway represents a new beginning for older adults in Kentucky and for communities across the commonwealth to embrace them as living treasures, not a burden or a challenge,” Dr. Keith Knapp, president and chief executive officer of Christian Care Communities, which built the Homeplace and will operate it, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Assisted living cottage (Photo by Kacie Kelly)

“We are extremely grateful to the City of Midway, the Midway Nursing Home Task Force, Midway College, state and local government agencies, our capital campaign’s Leadership Council and all our friends and supporters who championed this new direction and envisioned with us a new day when older adults would receive the highest quality care and support, without feeling their lives are being disrupted or overtaken,” Knapp said. “We trust that it will inspire other senior living providers to move in a similar direction.”

The Homeplace is the first facility in Kentucky built with The Green House model, which includes home-like environments and strong relationships with caregivers, with the goal of meaningful lives for residents. Dr. William Thomas, creator of the model, told the crowd at the event, “The Homeplace, with its emphasis on home, shows how care can be made more loving, community centered and effective.”

One of the two skilled-care cottages (Photo by Kacie Kelly)

Patients have been moving in all month. The staff at The Homeplace is trained to use the “best friend approach,” Laurie Dorough, the facility's community-relations manager, said in an interview. Staff and volunteers are to treat residents as they would treat a best friend.

Knapp said at the ribbon-cutting, “Each resident will have a private bedroom and bath and share, just as people do in any home, the kitchen, living room, den and porch areas. It’s all designed to give residents the freedom to set their own daily routines and to live life to its fullest, while receiving the individual care they need – within each cottage.

The assisted-living cottage is larger than the others, to provide room for more activities and “the potential for spouses to live there,” said Laurie Dorough. “It’s kind of the first step out of independent living,” she said. The cottage has an open kitchen where residents can get involved with meal preparation or “come out and see what’s cooking.”

Skilled-care cottage bathroom lift system (Photo by Kacie Kelly)

The skilled-nursing cottages have bedrooms with medicine cupboards rather than medical carts, and a bathroom lift system (photo at right) that takes the resident straight to their own bathroom. The bedrooms are relatively small, an incentive for residents to spend more time in the communal living space.

The Homeplace campus, across Stephens Street from Midway College, also includes an administrative cottage and the Lucy Simms Lloyd Gathering House for special gatherings, worship services and activities.

Between the cottages is the courtyard, with lighted walking paths from building to building, a gazebo, and space for outdoor activities. “Our hope is to maybe start a community garden,” said Dorough.

The long campaign for a nursing home, led by the Midway Nursing Home Task Force, began to see success in 2010 when Louisville-based Christian Care agreed to be the developer. Christian Care has facilities in 11 Kentucky cities, and a church-outreach program with more than 230 churches as partners.

The Homeplace will have a partnership with Midway College. They will be “life long learning partners.” With this partnership both parties will benefit from the relationship in an environment that fosters learning for all ages.

“We are excited to work with Midway College to not only provide learning opportunities for students but also for the residents of The Homeplace,” said Tonya Cox, the facility's executive director. The Homeplace will be offering internships and other learning opportunities for the students. This partnership will also benefit residents, Cox said: “Our residents will also have the opportunity to attend events and classes to foster their lifelong learning.”

Cox said The Homeplace aims to provide “unique long-term care in a way that honors their preferences and desires to be home.” More information is on the facility's website.

Council names new alcohol administrator, starts raising garbage fees, discusses Thurs. forum, senior services

By Nicole Hennard and Jacqueline Nie

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

The Midway City Council appointed a new alcoholic-beverage control administrator Monday evening and heard first reading of an ordinance that would slightly increase garbage rates. The council also discussed the upcoming forum on the proposed anti-discrimination ordinance and the availability of services for seniors.

The first order of business was appointing John Wilhoit, assistant police chief in Versailles, as ABC administrator. Versailles police patrol all of Woodford County, including Midway.

Tom Bozarth, who was mayor until the first of the year, had been the administrator, but new Mayor Grayson Vandegrift is ineligible for the job because his restaurant, 815 Prime, holds an alcoholic-beverage license.

Vandegrift said after the meeting that Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott agreed to include Wilhoit's new duties in that city's contract with Midway, at no extra charge. Vandegrift said Wilhoit Is planning to retire in four months, so another new administrator will be needed then.

The new garbage rates would be $12 for residential customers, up from $11.95, and $25.50 for businesses, up from $23.80. Residents get one pickup per week and businesses two; churches can choose to pay the residential fee, but get only receive one pickup per week.

Vandegrift spoke about the forum scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Northside Elementary School gymnasium to discuss the proposed “fairness ordinance” to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The mayor proposed the idea of the ordinance in early February, and city attorney Phil Moloney prepared the drafts in March at the direction of a council committee. The council has been discussing the language in the proposed document and wants input from the residents of Midway.

“The forum will be an opportunity to hear what our residents have to say,” without comments from the council, Vandegrift said. “This will not be a back-and-forth discussion, just a chance for them to speak.” He said said anyone who speaks will have two to three minutes.

The original wording of the proposed ordinance included language similar to that of Indiana's "restoration of religious freedom" law, which made national news, but that wording has been eliminated by the council's Finance, Ordinance and Policy Committee.

The council recently agreed that it wants to hear what citizens think before it holds a first reading of the ordinance. “However many people show up, you know, it’s a chance for everybody to speak their mind,” the mayor said.

Council Member Sarah Hicks said after the meeting that she does not know what to expect at the forum. “I think it’s a great thing and I hope that, you know, we find out more about what the community wants,” she said.

Vandegrift added something new at the end of the meeting. He said he wants to conclude all future meetings with an open discussion, asking each council member if they had any concerns or talking points they wanted to bring up to the rest of the council.

Council Member Kaye Nita Gallagher said she spoke with contractor Bill Blaze about fixing the cemetery sidewalks, which are in need of repair. Gallagher said she is talking with other contractors about the job.

Council Member Bruce Southworth was concerned with the language of the ordinance that bans open burning and was written during a state of emergency. Council Member Libby Warfield was also concerned. “The ordinance we have is not logical. It prohibits gas and charcoal grills,” she said.

Council Member Steven Craig suggested that the fire chief be involved in rewriting the ordinance, and also pointed out that the door of the fire station needs repainting.

Vandegrift said he would like to see the citizens of Midway utilize the Woodford County Senior Citizens Center, which has only one client in the city and wants to get more involved in Midway. In addition to walking around town, the center will have a booth at the fall festival.

The center provides three hot meals a week, rides to doctors’ appointments and to grocery stores for people over 60. “It’s an untapped resource for Midway,” Vandegrift said.

The center receives federal and state funds, along with private donations, so its services are free and only require the client to fill out a piece of paper. Pam Wesley is the new director and can be reached at 873-8384 or pam.wesley@bgcap.org.

Ceremonial groundbreaking of Homeplace celebrates collaboration of community and others to fulfill dream

By Courtney Kincaid
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Christian Care Communities, public officials and community and business leaders broke ground Tuesday for The Homeplace at Midway, which will be a unique senior living residence in Kentucky.

The ceremonial groundbreaking marked $13.5 million investment and a celebration of collaboration involving about 50 locals and other leaders who worked for 15 years to make the project possible.

Construction is expected to begin in summer 2013, with an anticipated opening in late 2014.

Dr. Keith Knapp, president and CEO of Christian Care Communities, addressed the crowd.

Christian Care Communities Chairman Allan Parsons told the crowd, “This dream could not have been realized without the persistence, vision and the tenacity of the Midway Nursing Home Task Force and the guiding leadership of Helen Rentch. And this would not have been realized without the financial support from the community.”

The project plan called for $2 million to be raised locally. Pledges from several local community members and organizations were key contributors in helping to push this project forward, including Helen Roach Rentch, Hargus Sexton, Betty Ann Voigt, the Mary K. Oxley Foundation, the Woodford Health Foundation, Midway Presbyterian Church, The Keeneland Foundation, the William Stamps Farish Foundation and former Gov. Brereton Jones and his wife, Libby Jones.

In addition to the donations, the project is being financed by an $11.4 million, low-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and a $500,000 grant of federal community-development funds from the state, for infrastructure to serve the facility.

"What a great, beautiful community this is," Tom Fern, head of USDA Rural Development for Kentucky, told the crowd. "Perseverance does pay off."

The Nursing Home Task Force, formed by a group of community members, overcame many obstacles and challenges.  Christian Care Communities President Keith Knapp explained a few of the hurdles the development has had to maneuver around, including its design, financing and location.

The project's complexity was illustrated by the number of shovelers: too many to fit into the photo!

The Homeplace at Midway will be Kentucky’s first Green House senior living community, much different than a traditional nursing home.  The Green House model is intended to deinstitutionalize long-term care by eliminating large nursing facilities and creating habilitative, social settings, according to the Green House Project. The concept emphasizes freedom and flexibility for elders and allows elderly residents to live in small subdivided houses, with nursing and health-care providers proving on-site care.

Audrey Haynes, secretary of the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services, emphasized the flexibility and freedom the Green House model will give residents, such as the freedom to choose when they eat. Hanes said such things truly make a difference in the type of independence residents will have, and led to administrative actions by her cabinet to clear the way for the project.

Haynes said she told Knapp in their first visit, “This is the most exciting thing I’ve heard about in a long time,” and “We’re going to break rules, but we have to move forward with this.” She told the crowd, “This project will be a catalyst for similar ones in Kentucky.”

Mayor Tom Bozarth said the Homeplace will mean more to Midway than 42 jobs and an annual payroll of $1.7 million. “We now have a facility where our loved ones can continue to live in Midway with the appropriate level of care that they may need for the rest of their lives without leaving Midway,” he said. “Dreams do come true.”

Woodford Sun photo by John McDaniel

Rentch, left, considered by many to be the backbone behind the project, was full of excitement and tears of joy.

“I know I’m one of the happiest people here,” she told the crowd. “It was this time of year in the spring of 1999 when several members of the Midway community met to talk about how to keep our seniors at home. People were having to go as far away as Pike County to get care.  The circumstances were a frightening burden on friends and family and heartbreaking as some would be spending their last days among complete strangers.”

 

Rentch said a key hurdle was convincing potential lenders that a small facility would be financially viable. She said that was accomplished by an accounting firm’s market survey, financed largely by several $1,000 gifts, started by the Joneses and followed by a number from people who “had never given a  thousand dollars to anything,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

Brereton Jones, the only other major donor to speak, told the crowd, “This shows what can happen when people decide they’re going to work with each other.”

Bozarth said, “This was a dream by a small group of Midway residents that saw a need for a second nursing home in Woodford County.  They seized the opportunity.  This is an epitome of a real grassroots effort put forth by the Nursing Home Task Force, who after 12-plus years continued to be focused on their dreams. This group has always been the little engine that could, and today they became the little engine that did.”

The Homeplace will have five buildings, including two skilled nursing cottages for 23 residents in need of short-term rehabilitation or long-term care; a 12-bed memory/personal-care cottage for individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia; and a 12-bed assisted living cottage for residents who need periodic assistance with daily living activities. Future plans include the addition of an adult day-care program and independent living duplexes to complement the initial resident cottages.

The elder community will be built on 31 acres across Stephens Street from the campus of Midway College. This location gives students in the nursing program the opportunity to learn and utilize the Green House model of care.

Midway College President John Marsden said, “We welcome this partnership because it provides a great opportunity for our students to learn about a Green House project through their clinical experiences and their servant leadership projects. It also provides a great opportunity for our students and faculty to collaborate on research and to look at ways to improve the care of older adults.”