Erika Bonner

The board meeting agenda included several key legislative and administrative items. Key topics involved the final adoption of ordinances regarding mutual aid agreements, demolition and debris removal for multiple properties, and a change order for the Water Resource Recovery Facility expansion. The consent agenda covered surplus equipment declaration, various engineering services payments for water and utility infrastructure, and waste disposal and landfill service contract awards. New business items addressed change orders for sidewalk and senior center rehabilitation projects, an encroachment agreement for outdoor dining, an alley closure for the conference center project, and a board appointment to the Ashland Boyd County Airport Board.

The key discussions and proposed actions for this meeting involve several ordinances requiring second readings and final adoption, as well as items requiring first reading and approval. Old business includes adopting ordinances authorizing Task Order No. 26-01 with Strand Associates, Inc. for 2025 Combined Sewer Overflow Reports, repealing an ordinance regarding CDBG funds with First United Methodist Church, authorizing an agreement with The Salvation Army for CDBG funds for operating costs, and imposing a temporary 180-day moratorium on applications related to data centers pending Planning Commission review. The Consent Agenda covers recommendations for awarding bids to Tri-State Construction for four separate property demolitions (1204 Long Street, 3445 South 29th Street, 1620 Poplar Street, and 1430 39th Street), approving payment invoices to Cosby Construction for sidewalk replacement on Ferry Street, to Light's Enterprises, Inc. for demolitions at 425 and 429 30th Street, to Strand Associates, Inc. for WWTP Expansion engineering services, to GRW for services on the 2022 Water and Sewer Capital Improvements Project, and to JMK Electric Co. LLC for a police station generator. Additionally, the consent agenda includes declaring three surplus buses for donation to the Boyd County Fiscal Court. New business introduces first readings for an ordinance authorizing a Mutual Aid Agreement between the Ashland Fire Department and Boyd County Emergency Management, and contracts with Tri-State Construction for demolitions at 1620 Poplar Street and 3445 South 29th Street, and with Light's Enterprises, Inc. for demolition at 1430 39th Street. Also introduced is an ordinance authorizing Change Order No. 1 with Judy Construction Company for the Water Resource Recovery Facility Expansion and Improvement Project, decreasing the contract amount based on value engineering findings.

The agenda for the meeting included an audit presentation by Anthony Workman from Kelley Galloway Smith Goolsby. Old business featured several second readings and final adoptions of ordinances. These included amending the Cafeteria Plan Agreement for firefighters, authorizing CDBG funds for roof replacements at Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Inc. and Safe Harbor of Northeast Kentucky, Inc., approving contracts for demolition of blighted properties, repealing a contract for the Sidewalk Replacement Project-Phase III due to bond issues, awarding a new contract for the same project, adopting updated Procurement Regulations, and amending the FY2025-2026 Budget Ordinance to adjust CDBG action plans and Pollard Mills Improvements. The Consent Agenda involved numerous recommendations, such as awarding bids for the Fire Department Shower Installation Project and the High Knob Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation Project, approving payments for design services for the conference center, purchasing a sole-source Air Cascade System for the Fire Department, and paying invoices related to reservoir solids removal, material testing, water system modeling, and sidewalk replacement. New Business involved first readings for change orders on the Roberts Drive Screen Replacement Project and the Fire Department Shower Installation Project, authorizing a service agreement for onsite employee screening, approving the High Knob Water Tank rehabilitation contract, approving a change order for the 13th Street Underground Tank Project, and authorizing applications/acceptance for grants from the Kentucky Fire Commission and Kentucky Employers' Mutual Insurance. The commission also planned to read and adopt municipal orders related to grant applications and temporary construction easements.

The agenda for the meeting included several items requiring second reading and final adoption of ordinances. These covered the annual federal adjustment for the Health Flexible Spending Cafeteria Plan for tax year 2026, execution of agreements with Community Assistance Referral Service, Inc. (CARES) and Hillcrest Bruce Mission for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds usage for renovations and HVAC replacement, an amendment to the engineering services contract with Strand Associates, Inc. for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion Project, and a contract for the Logtown Water Storage Tank Rehabilitation Project. Additionally, ordinances addressed the purchase of real estate for a new water booster pump station, the Spring Park Sanitary Sewer Project, a decrease in the contract amount for the 2022 Water and Sewer Capital Improvement Plan Sewer Lining and Repair Project, and the repeal of an old ordinance prohibiting palmistry and fortune telling. The Consent Agenda involved awarding bids for gravel, stone, and sand; purchasing waterline replacement parts; repairing a waterline leak at the 13th Street Tank; approving payments for safety action plan development and property demolition; approving payments for engineering services related to WWTP Expansion and Roberts Drive Screen Replacement; approving payments for police department conducted weapons replacement; approving a Liability Grant application for Radio Read Meters; approving a service contract with NECO Water; approving annual payments to Motorola Solutions, Inc. for police video equipment; approving payment for environmental consulting services; and approving payment for the Pollard Mills Infrastructure Phase 4 Project. New Business included first readings for ordinances regarding the Employee Assistance Program, a change order for the Water Treatment Plant solids removal, adopting new Housing Choice Voucher Program Payment Standards effective January 1, 2026, yearly purchases of gravel/stone/sand, a significant decrease in the contract amount for the Spring Park Sanitary Sewer Project, adopting the CDBG Citizen Participation Plan, submitting the 2023 CDBG Annual Action Plan Amendment 3, amending minority loan documents for M&J's Rolling Café, LLC, submitting a Substantial Amendment to the Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan, a decrease in the contract amount for the Water Booster Station project, and ordinances to regulate fortunetelling services, as well as an ordinance to reduce the Municipal Planning Commission membership from nine to seven members. The Mayor also requested concurrence on appointing a member to the Boyd County Emergency Ambulance Service Board of Directors.

The meeting convened as a work session with Strand Associates, Inc. to review the timeline for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion project, followed by a tour of the facility. Key discussions involved providing an overview of the City Sewer Assets, which are largely aged, and reviewing the requirements under the Consent Judgment and Administrative Orders related to the Clean Water Act. The commission reviewed the progress of completed Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Abatement projects and discussed the scope of the next phase of the Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) Expansion and Improvement Project, which includes increasing peak flow capacity, improving efficiency, and preparing for future nutrient removal regulations. The construction cost for this phase is estimated between $85M and $100M, to be funded by CSO Surcharge revenue and a secured SRF loan. Next steps outlined include advertising the project for bid in March 2025 and completing construction by June 2028, necessitating a request for an extension to the LTCP completion date.