Kentucky American Water offers $500 scholarships to good students committed to environmental stewardship

Kentucky American Water, Midway's wholesale water supplier, is now accepting applications for 2016 Ripple Effect Scholarships. Woodford County students are eligible to apply.

The program offers one-time, $500 scholarships to high school seniors who demonstrate strong academic performance and a commitment to environmental stewardship. The entry deadline is April 8.

The scholarship program was established in 2002 and has awarded $54,000 to 86 Kentucky students. Information about the scholarship program has been distributed to area high schools and can also be found at kentuckywater.com. --Chris Hartig

Women's group seeks nominations for awards to women who empower women and girls in their county

The Bluegrass Alliance for Women is seeking nominations for County Impact Awards to one woman in each of the 17 countries in the Bluegrass Area Development District who are empowering women and girls in their communities and who would otherwise go unnoticed. The deadline for nominations is March 7.

Nominators should devote at least one paragraph to each of the four criteria for the award: contributions the nominee is making in advocating and promoting the growth and well-being of women and girls within her county, and how her contributions have impact on the entire county; public and/or professional service activities in which the nominee participates in the county; leadership abilities and evidence of integrity as a role model for women and girls; how the nominee encourages and supports women and girls to explore education and career options.

For a copy of the nomination form, contact Allison Burkholder in Versailles at 859-879-4507 or aburkholder@unitedbankky.com. These awards will be given March 22. The BAW is a volunteer organization that fosters opportunities to improve the lives of women and girls in the Bluegrass and celebrate the success of women who make a difference in their communities. --Stepper Toth

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.

New boutique opens Thursday at 117 E. Main St.

By Tiffany Broughton, University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Downtown Midway is packed with good food and good shopping but a new boutique could soon become the talk of the town. 117 East Main Street is getting a new look, with the Cherokee & Co. boutique.

Planning Commission chair says Versailles bypass should be in revised plan; councilman Roller disagrees

The chair of the county planning commission said at a public hearing tonight that the proposed northwest bypass of Versailles, recently deleted from the state road plan, should be included as a goal or objective in Woodford County's comprehensive plan.

J.D. Wolf made the statement at the end of a hearing on the goals and objectives of the plan, which is up for its five-year revision. He spoke as an observer; the hearing was held by the Comprehensive Plan Committee of the Versailles-Midway-Woodford County Planning Commission.

Wolf said an engineering study in 1999 determined that if more roads weren't built, "Versailles would be a traffic jam." Advocates of the bypass say it is needed because of downtown traffic congestion, and Wolf said, "I just think that ought to be part of the comprehensive plan."

Earlier, developer Harold Steele said the road should be part of the comprehensive plan, which guides zoning decisions.

Helen Rentch of Midway spoke at the hearing as
Commission Chair J.D. Wolf (blue shirt) watched.

Many in Midway oppose the project because it would funnel more traffic onto Midway Road. City Council Member Dan Roller, who was in the audience, said after the meeting, "I don't understand why the only solution for transportation is a 39-million-dollar project."

Roller repeated his earlier suggestion that trucks going to and from the Versailles industrial park be routed away from downtown with signs. "Nobody's spending any time to do the simple solution," he said. "Most of the time you could shoot an arrow straight down Main Street and not hit anybody."

Versailles Mayor Brian Traugott, who was the second of a dozen other speakers, had been a leading supporter of the bypass but did not mention it in his remarks. However, he did call for "flexibility" that would allow the commission to change the plan between five-year revisions.

Midway residents Helen Rentch and Joyce Evans mentioned other issues at the hearing.

Rentch said the plan should have affordable housing as one of its goals. "In Midway we don't have sufficient housing to support our workforce," she said.

She also said the plan should include housing standards that reflect the needs of an aging population, and she joined Traugott in endorsing the development of trails for walkers, runners and non-motorized vehicles.

Evans reflected the preservationist stance of most speakers, saying surveys have shown that Woodford County residents "want to protect the urban land and the farmland from each other."

Committee chair Chad Wells said the record would remain open for comments and he would schedule a work session for the committee in "the next few weeks."

Vandegrift cites Midway's 'fairness ordinance' in testifying for bill to create statewide law

By Anyssa Roberts
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Midway Mayor Grayson Vandegrift traveled to Frankfort Wednesday to testify on a panel in favor of the Fairness Campaign’s anti-discrimination bill at a state legislative committee hearing.

Vandegrift and other members on the panel said the state should change its civil rights laws to prohibit people from being denied employment, housing or services due to their sexual orientation and gender identity.

He told the House Judiciary Committee that passing a “fairness ordinance” in Midway has been good for the town and would be good for the state as well.

“A lot of folks don’t realize that it’s still legal in Kentucky to fire someone just because of their sexual orientation,” the mayor said. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people “simply want to earn a living and provide for their families just like everyone else.”

Vandergrift said that passing Midway’s ordinance was a “swift and easy” process and it can be just as easy for Kentucky.

He proposed the amendment in Midway in February of last year and the city council approved it with a 4-2 vote in June. He said the Versailles-Midway-Woodford County Human Rights Commission opened his eyes to the idea when they approached him about a countywide ordinance. The Versailles council is studying the proposal.

Midway’s ordinance bans discrimination in public accommodations, employment and housing based on sexual orientation, gender identity or familial status.

Along with Lexington, Louisville, Danville, Frankfort, Morehead and Vicco, a small coal-mining town in the Appalachian Mountains, Midway is the latest city in the state to include protections for LGBT people in their civil rights ordinance.

Vandegrift spoke alongside Rev. Donzella Lee of the Franklin-Simpson Human Rights Commission, Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville; Sen. Morgan McGarvey D-Louisville; Bob Brousseau, the director of corporate communications at Louisville-based Peptides International; and Patti Minter, a Western Kentucky University professor and leader in an effort to pass an ordinance in Bowling Green. Each person had a few minutes to testify their reason for supporting the bill.

In an interview with the Messenger after the hearing, Vandergrift said prohibiting discrimination of LGBT people statewide could also be good for the state economically.

“A lot of companies want to go to places where they feel like their workers and their families will be protected,” he said.

However, the bill will not be passed this session. The group did not ask for a vote because for fear that it would fail in the hands of the committee, Marzian said in an interview with the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Also on Wednesday, more than 100 people rallied in the Capitol rotunda in support of the bill,  including Democratic Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.

Vandegrift said in the interview, “This truly is the right thing to do. If the history of progress is any indication, the future will shake its head at us if we don’t continue moving forward and expanding the borders of justice and equality.”

Council discusses water-sewer rates, what it might do for system if there's money to spend

By Tiffany Broughton
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Water has been a long-discussed topic in Midway but it was brought up with new perspectives at Monday evening's city council meeting. When Mayor Grayson Vandegrift asked the council for any final remarks after a light business session, Council Member Bruce Southworth raised the topic.

Southworth noted that Kentucky American Water Co., the city’s wholesale supplier, has asked for a rate increase for its wholesale customers, and said Midway’s water isn't as pricey as residents may think. He cited figures from the Bluegrass Area Development District, showing that Midway's price per 2,000 gallons is $22.94 and the average of cities the same size is $21.77. Midway ranks eighth among the 12 small cities for that amount, and eighth or ninth for larger amounts. (Click on images for larger versions)

But water bills also include sewer charges, and Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said the overall bills are high because the city had to build a new, updated sewage-treatment plant in 2000 before the old plant had been paid off and is still paying off both plants.

Even so, the cost for "wastewater is below average," said Southworth. "You could move to Lexington and save $5 on your water bill if that's what you want to do. It's a misconception that water is higher in Midway."

Council Member Sarah Hicks asked if the plants could be paid off early if Midway were to have a windfall of money. The city ended the last fiscal year with a cash balance of $567,000 after expenses of $788,000 and unexpectedly high revenues of $1 million.

Vandegrift said the bonds on the old sewer plant are to be retired in 2018 and cannot be paid off early, but those on the new plant can. They run through 2022. He said, “It may cut the sewer rates in half if you paid both of them off,” which could happen as early as 2018.

However, the sewer system needs repairs, and Council Member Dan Roller said, “We’re spending very little money on our storm sewers now. They’re in awful shape.”

Vandegrift said, “The city is going to have to invest some of that money in infrastructure improvements. . . . We will cross that bridge when we get to it.” He said the city would consider investing in sidewalks and water lines.

Park committee is active

Vandegrift reported that the citizens advisory committee for Walter Bradley Park is making strides other than just advising.

Vandegrift said the committee has formed a volunteer group that will be laying mulch, donated by Midway-area nursery operator Dave Leonard, across all trails to make them more useful. "It will look nicer and be easier to walk on," he said.

Vandegrift reported that the committee is "working diligently and meeting once a month." The chair of this committee is Cecilia Gass.

The committee has raised a little over $2,500 through donations and $10 fees to be “friends of the park, Vandegrift said. More information on becoming a friend of the park can be found at www.facebook.com/WalterGBradleyPark.

The committee is working with University of Kentucky graduate students and will report back to the council in late spring or early summer with ideas, said Vandegrift. "This is going to be beneficial to the city in the long run," he said. "They are helping improve our city out of love."

The Walter Bradley Park citizens advisory committee will hold a public forum March 21at 6:30 p.m.  at City Hall to solicit ideas from the community.

Vandegrift said the other citizen advisory committee he appointed, to work on grants, is headed by Jo Gleese. She is also the new president of the Midway Renaissance civic group. Vandegrift said the committee’s focus needs to be on grants for infrastructure, such as roads and sidewalks.

Other business

The council approved a resolution to give $16,384.01 left over from a community development block grant for housing to Habitat for Humanity for the building of its latest home at 209 E. Stephens St.

The council approved a resolution declaring surplus the city’s 1982 Ford fire truck and 1984 fire-department van. The council did this informally at its last meeting, but Vandegrift said city attorney Phil Moloney thought a resolution was advisable.

The resolution says the vehicles can be sold "through sealed bids . . . or in any other reasonable commercial manner." Council member Libby Warfield asked, "What does ‘any other commercial manner’ mean?" Vandegrift replied, "I don't know, but I’ll let you know if it comes up."

The council voted to approve an event permit for the Race for Education on April 16. "The Race to Read" will have 200 to 300 runners, Council Member Kaye Nita Gallagher said.

The runners will start on West Main Street at the corner of North Winter Street, go down South Turner Street, out West Stephens Street and Spring Station Road and wrap back around for those running 10 kilometers. The race will run from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Vandegrift said owners of the log home on East Higgins Street that is in need of cleanup will be given only a few more days to do the maintenance. He said a lien will be placed on the property for the amount of work the city workers have to do if it is not cleaned up.

The meeting closed with a comment from Vandegrift that people have until March 1 to remove all artificial flowers from the cemetery.

The council meets the first and third Mondays of each month at 5:30. The next meeting will be March 7.