Steady rain didn't keep dozens of children and parents from turning out to greet Santa Claus as he arrived in Midway via RJ Corman Railroad right on time at 11 this morning.

Santa waved to the crowd, which had waited in and around Railroad Drug for his arrival.

Mrs. Claus led the way off the train as the crowd awaited eagerly, took pictures and tried to stay dry.

Amarion Reed, 7, of Versailles, was the first in line to meet Santa inside the old bank building. Santa's visit was sponsored by the Midway Business Association. Next week the building will house a model-train display. For a larger version of any photo on the Midway Messenger, click on it.

Message from the Mayor: Thankful for many things

By Grayson Vandegrift
Mayor, City of Midway

As we come to another Thanksgiving I find I’m more thankful than ever. As always, I’m thankful for my friends and family and this wonderful community, but this year I’m also thankful for a few things specific to 2019:

I’m thankful, for example, that the sidewalk cost-sharing program was a smooth success (pun intended), that the street project came in under budget, and that we’re now a debt-free city. I’m also thankful that the council was agreeable to funding these initiatives, although they were not without their tough questions and discerning eyes, as they should be.

I’m thankful we were able to cut property taxes a little bit more, as we restructure our tax revenue stream for the future. I’m also thankful the blighted property and code enforcement ordinances are moving along smoothly and are hopefully headed for passage. And while I’m thankful for much more, I also know I’ve only got your attention for so long, but I’m very thankful we have a plan to give our city what it deserves – options – when its current 40-year contract with Kentucky American Water expires in 2025 and we’re free to go to the Frankfort Plant Board or another competing wholesaler so we can pay lower rates – much lower rates.

I’m also very thankful for our incredible city employees who keep the town running like a finely tuned machine. They deserve the long weekend they have coming up – and then some.

I hope you’re feeling as thankful as I am this Thanksgiving, and I hope you can keep those divisive topics off the table where the food belongs, topics like: “Are we Midwegians or Midwayans?” Some topics are just better left at the front door.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope to see you at the Tree Lighting this Friday night at 6:30.

Bridge placed at Weisenberger Mill; long-delayed project is on target for expected completion in May

Just as a crane lifted the old, dilapidated Weisenberger Mill bridge off its moorings on Aug. 30, one lifted a new one from a stretch truck and placed it on the recently strengthened abutments. Phil Weisenberger shot a video from his family's mill and sped it up for easier viewing. This is one frame.

For long-debated reasons of historic preservation and safety, the new bridge is a one-lane, pony truss, much like the old one. The project is expected to be completed in May, just in time for the summer tourist season. The bridge over South Elkhorn Creek, where a mill and scenic dam have stood since 1865, is a favorite stop in the Bluegrass.

The state's contract with Louisville Paving Co. gives the firm until July 26 to complete the project, but highway officials said after meeting with the contractor that they expected it to be open by May. Natasha Lacy, spokeswoman for the district office of the state Transportation Cabinet, said Tuesday that the project is on schedule and Louisville Paving would like to complete the bridge itself by Jan. 1. She said that is possible with favorable weather, but approaches to the bridge are also part of the contract, and "They take time to pave, and compact fill correctly. Sidewalk and signs have to be installed as well."

‘Sip and Shop’ tests new open-carry policy and promotes holiday shopping, eating and drinking

Donna Ishmael, George Ishmael, Randy Cederquist and Emily Cederquist

said they went into all 20 businesses that offered clues in a scavenger hunt.

Story and photos by Megan Parsons

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

On a rainy Saturday, Nov. 23, downtown Midway held a “Sip and Shop” event, the first big test of the cty’s open-carry policy, which allows drinkers to take alcoholic beverages in and out of licensed premises within the center’s boundaries downtown.

George Ishmael, Donna Ishmael, Randy Cederquist and Emily Cederquist of Bourbon and Nicholas counties said they heard about the event on Facebook. “We enjoyed the scavenger hunt, we went in every shop,” Randy Cederquist said.

The scavenger hunt encouraged people to visit downtown stores and restaurants; 20 had clues that participants could find if they visited. If they figured out the clue they took a picture with it and showed them at the Midway Makers Market, where they were entered to win a gift basket.

A sign at City Hall marked one corner of
the new "entertainment destination center."

Sam Fisher, owner of Fisher Antiques, estimated he had 50 to 60 people come to his store because of the promotion. He said, “everyone had good behavior.” Many who visited his shop were tourists, “There was a couple were staying at a bed-and-breakfast in Midway,” he said. “Although, most were from the surrounded area of Georgetown, Versailles or Lexington.”

Sarah Hurlburst and Blake Nickell of Morehead were celebrating their anniversary at Wallace Station on Saturday when they saw the flier for the Sip and Shop, and decided to take advantage of the open-carry policy for their anniversary weekend. “It was a pleasant surprise,” said Nickell.

Jan Ramos, a designer at The Milam House, said “The open-carry policy is good for the whole town. I think it’s fairer for the restaurants too, during the summer when West Sixth [Brewing] and places have their big trucks here for events; now it evens the playing field, because people can buy their drinks from restaurants too.”

Ramos said only 10 to 15 people who had come in to the store before 3:30 p.m. had drinks. “Of course the weather has something to do with it,” she said.

The event’s Facebook page said 121 people were going and 4,400 were interested. Many store owners and managers said the rainy weather kept people away.

Mezzo noted "new open container regulations" on its door.

Cortney Neikirk, bar manager at the Mezzo restaurant, said she wasn’t sure that the open-carry policy will increase sales, but “If a couple comes in and the woman wants to shop and the man wants a beer, well, now they can have both, and that’s a beer you wouldn’t have sold.”

Crittenden Rawlings of Crittenden Clothing said he wasn’t sure how it will help shops downtown. “It’ll help in the summer for the local restaurants, but during those summer concerts downtown when the bands are here, the stores aren’t open.” Some hope the policy will encourage more to stay open.

Kenny Swift of Kennydid Gallery of Gifts and Fine Arts, has long said Midway stores need to keep longer hours. He said the Sip and Shop didn’t really affect his business, besides those coming in for a photo with his big dog Ansel for the scavenger hunt. He said the rainy weather affected the turnout, but he wasn’t sure how well it was advertised.

The open-carry policy is in effect from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. if beverages have a cup with the logo of the name of the restaurant that served it.

Other Midway holiday events include: Community Christmas Tree Lighting, 6:30 p.m. Nov. 29; Santa arrives by train, late morning Nov. 30; model train exhibit, Dec. 7; and the Candy Cane Cruise, Dec. 14.

Local magazine proposes 3-month trial partnership with county Tourist Commission, which says it will discuss it

By Dalton Stokes

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Emily Downey gave her first report on her progress this past month as the first executive director of the Woodford County Tourist Commission at Thursday’s meeting.

The commission also planned for the Dec. 7 opening of the new visitor center and heard a proposal from the Woodford Charm magazine for a partnership, which could produce an annual magazine, a mobile app for events, and an online show filmed at rotating Woodford County destinations.

Downey was appointed at the October meeting. “She’s done a lot already,” Commission Chair Maria Bohanan said. “She’s probably earned her keep.”

Downey said, “In about 15 business days we’ve met with over 25 folks.” She said she met with some “tourism colleges” in many of the surrounding counties, the National Tourist Association, Midway University, the commission’s digital marketing contractor, Brainbox; and has talked with the mayors of both Woodford County towns, and that she and Bohanan are prepared to present an update at the fiscal court meeting Tuesday, Nov. 26.

In the midst of Downey’s report, Bohanan suggested an annual Woodford County “stakeholders’ meeting.” She said, “We want to bring all the stakeholders in … We want to hear their needs … Some of the small businesses need to be heard, also.” She said the meeting would most likely be after Jan. 1 but before spring, when Keenland “ramps up.”

Downey also brought up the possibility of doing a restaurant week, but this was only briefly mentioned, and no motions were made.

The magazine's second and latest issue

Woodford Charm proposal: Cory Cooley of the magazine enthusiastically delivered his partnership idea at the end of the meeting. He laid out the proposal in three parts. The centerpiece would be The Woodford Trail, an annual magazine that his written proposal describes as “Woodford County’s first ‘Trade Almanac’” with advertising limited to full pages or two pages.

From that idea, he said, sprang the idea of an "online show" called "Woodford Trail," of about five minutes per episode. He proposed a show similar to Netflix’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” in which comedian Jerry Seinfeld interviews celebrities in cars and coffee shops, but in Woodford County locations.

Cooley said he would be a constant host and have a “revolving cohost” or guest that would change each episode and accompany him to a destination. Woodford County businesses could be destinations or become a guest by buying an ad in the annual magazine. “The options are endless,” Cooley said. “We can do a Midway-centric show, a Versailles-centric show … a horse farm-centric show and tour a horse farm all day.”

The pilot episode, already in the works, will feature Chef Ouita Michel at Holly Hill Inn in Midway, breakfast with her at Wallace Station, then somewhere to shop in Versailles, Cooley said. The Woodford Trail magazine would follow in January or February.

The third prong of Cooley’s proposal is a smartphone application, with what he called a “simple one-stop shop of all things to do in Woodford County,” and an interactive map. Buying one ad would get a business in the show and on the app.

Cooley proposed a three-month trial partnership in which Cooltucky Creative, one of the organizations behind The Woodford Charm, would produce and film three monthly episodes of the show and develop the first issue of the magazine. Cooley said one of the episodes could focus on Woodford County tourism. The partnership would cost the commission an estimated $6,150. Cooley stressed that a lot of the details are not set in stone.

The commission discussed the idea with Cooley for 12½ minutes. Member Ken Kerkhoff said "You might be able to rationalize it" by saying the $6,000 would provide content that could be used for tourism promotion, and he said Cooley could have access "to use any of our B-roll," or supplemental video, from the commission's previous video efforts.

The commission made no decision on the proposal, and Bohanan said the members would discuss it. The members set their next meeting for 10 a.m. Dec. 11 at the Versailles Municipal Building. Bohanon said afterward that there would be no special meetings before then.

Visitor center: Bohanan talked about the things needed to put the finishing touches on the new Woodford County Visitor Center and said, “Give us another week and the visitor center will look very nice.” The open house for the center and the unveiling of the new horse farm mural will be Dec. 7 starting at 3:30 p.m. right before the Christmas parade at 5 p.m., said Downey.

The event will include a mural signing by artist Stephen Sawyer at Corner Drug and move over to visitors center in the Amsden building. Light refreshments will be provided at the open house.

The commission has $650 leftover from its budget for murals. It unanimously approved up to $650 to be used to create a postcard featuring the new mural, with Woodford County tourism-related QR codes on the back.

The commission’s contract with Brainbox ends in January and Bohanan said the commission will be discussing revisions for the contract.

Leaf pickup resumes after machine is repaired; put leaves between sidewalk and street, without branches

Leaf pickup in Midway has been delayed because the necessary equipment has been out of commission, but it has resumed, Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said in an email today.

“We’ve received quite a few calls at city hall about leaf pickup,” he wrote, “so I want to let everyone know that the leaf machine has been under repair but is now back up and our employees are going to work on getting caught up all day today. I’ve also approved for them to work Saturday on leaf pickup as well.”

Vandegrift said in an interview that leaves need to be placed between the sidewalk and the street, not in the street, where they may be washed into the sewer system. He also warned against putting branches in with leaves, because branches can tear up the leaf machine.

City Council votes to make Midway debt-free

Midway, call Dave Ramsey. You're about to be debt-free, just like those happy callers to his financial-advice radio show.

The City Council voted Monday night to pay off the city's remaining debts, totaling about $184,000. "Anytime you can be debt-free, it's good," said Council Member Bruce Southworth, who made the motion for the payments.

Mayor Grayson Vandegrift said City Clerk-Treasurer Cindy Foster suggested that the city pay off its remaining two debts, $176,311 for a sewer project and about $8,400 on a fire truck. He said the city's "number are good, and they're going to get better," with jobs to be added at Midway Station. "We've got more than enough rainy-day funds."

Nationally, local-government "rainy day funds" average about one-third of spending, according to a 2013 article in Governing magazine. The City of Midway's bank balances total $1,182,490, according to a list Vandegrift provided. Its budget for the fiscal year that will end June 30 calls for General Fund appropriations of $1.9 million and a projected surplus of $488,601. That surplus is expected to be larger.

The city's finances have been boosted by its occupational tax on wages and net profits, mainly through the approximately 250 jobs created at Midway Station by the Lakeshore Learning Materials distribution center, which is starting an expansion that is to add 100 more jobs.

Vandegrift said the city collected about $300,000 in occupational taxes in 2015, the first year he was mayor, and "It's only a matter of time before our occupational-tax revenue is $1 million a year." In response to a question from Council Member Stacy Thurman, he said he didn't see any downside to paying off the debts and eliminating the city's interest payments.

In other business, the council heard first reading of an ordinance for an industrial revenue bond to finance the Lakeshore expansion. In an arrangement typical for local governments, the city will take title to the property, thus exempting it from property taxes, and lease it back to Lakeshore. (The company makes payments to the county schools equal to the amount it would pay in taxes.) The lease payments will be the sole source of revenue to pay off the bonds, and "The city's not pledging its taxing authority," Tim Eifler, a Louisville lawyer representing Lakeshore, told the council.

"Lakeshore's already turning dirt," Vandegrift noted earlier.