The news that came out of the Versailles City Council on Tuesday night was a status report from Mayor Laura Dake in response to a question from Councilmember Fred Siegelman about the status of the default by the owner of Highbramble Park on its obligations to the city.
Dake told the council that the City of Versailles Public Properties Corporation, a separate public entity that deals with property owned by the city, including the handling of municipal financing, met and voted against the request of the Versailles Standardbred Group, the owner of Highbramble Park located on Paynes Mill Road, which operates a harness racing training center, for an additional 60-day extension to cure its default, with the bank financing its debt service reserve repayment.
Dake told the Sun that a letter to this effect was sent to the bank, which starts the clock on the required action the bank needs to decide on.
Opioid grants
The council approved two grants from its share of the Opioid Settlement Fund administered by the board of the Woodford County Agency for Substance Abuse Policy (ASAP). The grants will be funded 50-50 between the city and the county from each of their shares of the fund. Both grants were already vetted, scored and recommended by ASAP.
The Life Adventure Center, a Woodford County nonprofit, was awarded a total grant of $2,709. The funds will be used to replace archery equipment used in their outdoor programming involving residents impacted by substance use disorder and related mental-health challenges, according to its grant application. The Center uses archery as a therapeutic tool as it “builds focus, emotional regulation, patience and confidence factors, which support substance abuse prevention and recovery.”
The other grant recipient was Mentors & Meals, which was awarded $3,000. Councilmember Lisa Johnson, the founder and executive director of the nonprofit, presented the application and recused herself from the vote and left the council chambers while the vote was being taken. The award will cover the costs for one year of one middle school participant in the program. Johnson said the student will be from a family impacted directly by substance abuse.
Contracts
The City Council approved the following contracts: $48,000 to TIA Builders for the construction of a training center pole building for the Versailles Fire Department; $15,875 to America’s Bravest Equipment Company for four sets of firefighter turnout gear; $50,699.78 to EarthworX equipment for a new brush clipper to replace a seven-and-a-half-year-old chipper, which will be sold; and $11,800 to J&T Trailers for a water/sewer equipment trailer.
Neighborhood grant
The City Council approved a Neighborhood Grant Program application from Helmsley Subdivision for $2,100 to re-mortar the stone on the subdivision’s entrance wall and replace two lights at the entrance.