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RANDY PATRICK

Sun Reporter

State Sen. Ralph Alvarado, a Clark County Republican, will give a legislative update to the Winchester Board of Commissioners when it meets Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

Alvarado, 50, represents Clark, Montgomery and part of Fayette County in the 28th District since 2015. A Winchester physician, he is chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and also serves on the State and Local Government Committee, the Banking and Insurance Committee and several other committees.

Following the senator’s presentation and a public comment period about issues not on the agenda for the meeting, there will be a public hearing on the 2021 Community Development Block Grant program in response to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

EMS funding

Also during the meeting, the commission will consider the agreement worked out between city and county members of the Joint Committee on EMS Contract and Operations to change the funding plan for the Winchester Fire-EMS ambulance service. For the 2022 fiscal year, the two sides agreed to fund the service at a ratio of 61 percent from the city and 30 percent from the county, and to remove the cap on county contributions. For the remainder of this fiscal year, the city and county will keep the current  55/45 percent ratio but raise the county’s cap from $450,000 to $463,000. However, the additional $13,000 will come from allocating part of the city’s CARES Act federal funding to the county.

The 4:30 special meeting work session, which usually precedes the 5:30 meetings, has been canceled.

Also on the agenda for the 5:30 meeting:

– The board will consider correspondence from the Transportation Cabinet regarding the Municipal Road Aid Fund cooperative program.

– The commissioners will hear a report from Karen Leverenz of the Bluegrass Area Development District to communities regarding the CDBG-CV Covid-19 Utility Bill Assistance Grant.

– City Manager Mike Flynn will give an update on potential annexations.

– The board is expected to approve a matching grant from the state Department for Local Government’s Land and Water Conservation Fund for a splash park at the old Eugene Gay swimming pool at Community Park.

– Officials will consider an order promoting Rachael Boyd from part-time administrative assistant to director of the Winchester Main Street program.

– Boyd will give her report for April, there will be a discussion from the Blue Grass Community Foundation of the Winchester Downtown Development Investment Fund, the MSW treasurer’s report and the minutes of the board’s April 13 meeting, and Main Street 2021 promotions.