Latest / Eastern Kentucky Newspapers / Ashland Daily Independent - 12.17.25

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Ashland Daily Independent - 12.17.25 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: We now turn to The Ashland Independent to bring you
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news from in and around Ashland and Voyd County. Your
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reader today is Jane. We begin with the addition dated
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December fifteenth, twenty twenty five as a reminder radio Wise
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Reading service intended for people who are blind or have
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other disabilities that make it difficult to read printed material.
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Our first article parking free for all day downtown city
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suspends time limit for holiday shoppers by Matt Jones of
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the Daily Independent. The City of Ashland provided approved a
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window of timeless parking downtown. There is a lot of
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information we can get from the process and machine that
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reads all the license plates. Mayor Chuck Charles said, we
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can get all the data and we can do a
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little more intelligent decisions on the parking. The change does
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not include residential or handicapped. Charles clarified it will allow
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shoppers the opportunity to get a little relief during the
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holiday season. Charles said the two hour limit will be
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suspended from December twenty second to January ninth, twenty twenty six.
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During Thursday's City Commission, Charles told the commissioners the city
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was looking to increase the parking limit to three hours.
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I know we need to tweak it. Charles said, why
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don't we call former Commissioner Josh Blinton, maybe he can
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give us some advice about it. Commissioner Sonny Martin responded,
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causing some laughter. Never mind. Instead of taking Martin's suggestion,
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Charles said he met with Ashland Police Chief Todd Kelly
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before Friday's meeting. Charles said Kelly would advise during the
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January eighth City Commission meeting about what the plate readers
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found regarding parking habits. Moving on city hit with six
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figure legal bill by Matt Jones of The Daily Independent,
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the City of Ashland approved payment of legal fees totaling
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six figures. During Thursday's meeting, Commissioner Tim ren Fro questioned
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an a line item in the consent agenda authorizing one
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hundred and seventy one thousand, four hundred and forty three
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dollars and ninety two cents in payments to Frost Brown
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Todd LLP. Mayor Chuck Charles asked City Manager Tony Grubb
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if he wanted to speak on the line item. I
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think what she is going to discuss is the legal
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fees for the conference center. Grub said, deferring to Finance
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Director Michelle Veach to answer the commissioner's question on the
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fee that is on the original conference center since it's
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in exception, Beach said. Beach said the city had an
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outside legal council, and this is the second bill the
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city has received. We were unaware of the amount, Beach said,
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adding she had received the bill about a week ago
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for the calendar year twenty twenty four. The bill was
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one hundred and sixty two thousand, six hundred and ninety dollars.
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Commissioner dj Rimer asked if it was for a full
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time position. Beach said it was four hundred dollars per
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hour for any time the city consulted the firm. At
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that rate, the firm billed for more than four hundred
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hours during the twenty twenty four calendar year. We had
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no idea how much the previous management and administration interacted
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with this attorney. Veach said, I was aware they were
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at some of the conference center meetings. I was unaware
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of the amount of the bill. Grubb was the final
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department director during twenty twenty four and Veach was the
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assistant director after previous city manager Mike Gracie announced his resignation.
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Grub was appointed interim city manager before being named city
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manager early this year. Veach said the firm did a
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lot of research for the city. One thing the firm
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researched was the timing when the city issued the bond
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for the conference center and the Paramount Arts Center. Another
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was if the city could use utility funds for the
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conference center. Grub interjected, it was not research from the city.
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The city knew the answer to that, Grub said. Veach
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said the city finance department had been clear that utility
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fund money could not be used for the conference center,
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even if they found a legal loophole that it could.
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As a financial person for this, it's a no because
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we were investing in the wastewater plant, Veach said. Our
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rate payers were to pay for the wastewater plant, not
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the conference center. Commissioner Sonny Martin asked if the city
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knows if someone in management asked for the research. We
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don't know, Veach said, in the meetings, I was very
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clear it could not be done. Rymer asked if any
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funds or other items from the research had been provided.
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Each said nothing had been provided to finance. City attorney
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Andrew Wheeler said there were discussions about working toward the
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design agreement and the final agreement with AP three. In
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regards to the conference center, he said there were revisions
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as well. There was a construction lawyer who was actually
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very informative, Wheeler said, was helpful in negotiating that and
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provided several terms and guarantees things we just aren't used to.
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We've never developed a conference center before. Wheeler said he
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was uncertain of contact with the firm before that time.
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Each said there were a lot of fees with meetings
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of the previous city manager, Gracie and legal counsel Wheeler.
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She also said the firm had met with the city's
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financial manager about the timing of selling bonds. There are
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a lot of fees there, but as mister Wheeler spoke,
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they did help us with the agreement also, Veach said
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Mayor Chuck Charles asked about the details of the bill,
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it's a very detailed bill. Each said they itemized everything
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that they did, the amount of time, who they met with,
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a lot of phone calls with the previous city manager,
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a lot of meetings, questions, so it's very itemized. Charles
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said there was no doubt on the bill. No, I
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don't doubt the city asked them these questions and met
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with them. Beach said, so we owe the money. Charles said,
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we owe the money. I think we are financially obligated
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to pay the money, Beach said. Rymer asked if a
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budget adjustment will have to be done. Veach said so.
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An adjustment for the general fund to transfer the funds
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to the conference center was on the agenda. Since January
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twenty twenty five, the firm has built the city seven thousand,
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seven hundred and sixty dollars. The bill also included nine
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hundred and thirty three dollars and ninety two cents in
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reimbursable expenses. Prior to twenty twenty four, the city paid
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the firm sixty eight thousand, nine hundred and sixty five
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dollars and fifty cents in total. Moving on, kPa announces
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search for new executive director with the opportunity to usher
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in a revitalized era for Kentucky journalism, Kentucky Press Association
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President Dennis Brown and the kPa Executive Committee announced today
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that the search is officially underway for the association's next
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executive director. This new leader will have the opportunity to
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drive innovation and strengthen the bond between kPa members and
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their communities. The Executive director position description outlining responsibilities and
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candidate qualifications is available on the kPa website and is
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included with this announcement. Qualified applicants with energy vision and
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a commitment to strengthening Kentucky journalism are encouraged to apply.
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Applications will be accepted through December thirty first, with the
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goal of naming a successor in early twenty twenty six,
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honoring Thompson's service. The launch of the search follows the
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planned retirement of longtime executive director David T. Thompson, who
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has served the association with distinction since nineteen eighty three.
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Thompson is the longest serving executive director of a state
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newspaper association in North America and has been widely recognized
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for transforming kPa into one of the nation's leading press organizations.
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David Thompson has served kPa and Kentucky Journalism with a
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level of dedication few in our industry will ever match,
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said kPa President Dennis Brown. For forty two years, he
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has been the steady hand guiding our association with integrity, purpose,
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and an unwavering commitment to open government and free press.
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David has been meant to me and to countless journalists
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across the Commonwealth. His leadership, advocacy, and institutional knowledge are irreplaceable.
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The next executive director will have big shoes to fill.
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During his more than four decades at kPa, Thompson expanded
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member services, strengthened the association's legislative presence in Frankfort, established
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a legal advocacy of resources, built statewide training and internship programs,
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and shepherded major anniversaries of the association. He is a
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Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame inductee two thousand and six
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and recipient of the Al Smith Award for Public Service
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through Community Journalism twenty nineteen. Before joining kPa, Thompson served
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as publisher and editor of the Georgetown News and Times,
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and previously were worked as a sportswriter for the Lexington Herald.
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On behalf of the executive committee, we are deeply grateful
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for David's lifelong service to kPa members in the communities
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they serve, Brown said, we wish him every success and
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happiness in his well earned retirement. Application information kPa seeks
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an executive director who will provide strong strategic leadership oversee
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advocacy and legislative engagement, manage operations and staff, expand revenue opportunities,
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and strengthen statewide programs, including the annual Convention, digital initiatives,
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and association programs. The new executive director will help guide
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and strengthen the association's diverse and growing membership. A full
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position summary and qualification requirements are available in the attached description.
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Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to Executive
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dot Committee at Kentucky Press Association dot com. Deadline for
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submissions is December thirty, first, twenty twenty five. In other news,
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fire in Russell's Saturday First responders answered the call to
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handle a structure fire on Saturday evening along US twenty
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three in Russell. According to Greenop County Public Safety, no
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one was injured in the fire at six oh five
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High Street, Russell, Flatwoods, Raceland, and Ashland fire departments were unseen.
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Greenop County Emergency Management, Russell Police, Raceland Police, Flatwoods Police,
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Balfonte Police, Worthington Police, and the Greenop County Ambulance Authority
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assisted the cause. Of the fire remains under investigation. In
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other news, The Plan for the pack venue Works discusses
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future of theater by Matt Jones of The Daily Independent.
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As the new year approaches, the Paramount Arts Center prepares
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to ring in twenty twenty six with new management. Ashland's
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City Commission had a first reading of a contract with
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Venue Works to manage the theater starting January first. The
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Commission had a second reading on Friday morning. The current
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agreement with Paramount Arts Center Incorporated runs through December thirty first.
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The city will provide funding for six months as the
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company gets set up. Hr Cook, Regional vice president of
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Operations of Venue Works, said the company is excited to
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market and manage the historic theater. The building has proven
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it can sell tickets. Cook said after Thursday's Commission meeting.
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We as private management companies, don't go into markets that
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don't need help. There's no need for us. If it's
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incredibly successful, you don't need us. Cook said he toured
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the theater and was complementary of the sound production at
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the venue. We hire locally, Cook said, we want to
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be part of the community. Cook said he has spoken
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with several dozen promoters and they are excited to book
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shows in Ashland. How to be sustainable efficiency, Cook said
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when asked how the company can make the theater profitable,
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something with which the pack has struggled, It's our network.
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Cook said, as a company that manages several theaters across
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the nation, they have buying power as well as connections
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in the entertainment industry as well as food and beverage
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and all aspects of venue management. Buying power, he added,
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we can put a show in three or four venues.
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Cook also said the company has a national agreement with
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Ticketmaster and gets part of the service fees. We are
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able to control those fees. Cook said. If you come
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to the box office, you're not going to pay a
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service fee. You'll pay a facility fee, but not a
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service fee. Cook added the company co promotes shows and
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can ensure the company does not lose money on a show.
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They would pay sixty to seventy eighty thousand for an
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act and lose thirty thousand dollars, Cook said. Cook said
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then the theater would be in the hole and have
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to have two successful shows to break even. He said
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Venue Works works with other promoters to bring in acts,
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but ensures a zero net loss. All the expenses and
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revenues go in a pot. It all goes to the
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bottom line, Cook said. He said that pot was used
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to pay the promoter and if the show didn't have
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good ticket sales or otherwise lost money, the loss would
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be on the co promoter. We are sure we are
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going to take care of you, so you're coming back,
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but you're taking the loss. We're not taking the loss,
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Cook said. Cook brought up the idea of sponsorships as
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a way to bring in revenue. One example was pouring
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rights for drinks venue Works Lls of Ashland. Cook said
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the theater will be its own company under the Venue
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Works umbrella, all revenues all expenses flow right to the building,
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Cook said. Cook said the company provides accounting in some
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marketing at the national level, but control of the theater
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will be done locally. What of the pack Board. The
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Packboard Incorporated will serve in an advisory role, Cook said,
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they also have to remember it's going to be an
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advisory capacity. Cook said. He said the board will be
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able to fundraise for historical improvements to the theater. We
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don't know what the relationship is going to be, Cook said.
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Cook said He plans to have deep conversations with the
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education and arts employees to figure out what we need
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to keep and keep in house, find sponsorships so the
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Pack Incorporated can bring kids in for events. Cook said
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the funding sources are out there shows going forward. Cook
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said he hopes to be booking shows as soon as possible.
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You'd like to be booking three months out, Cook said,
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we are working on them now. Cook said Venue Works
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will hit the ground running on January first. We're off
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to the he said. We are looking to see what
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makes sense for the market. Cook said they planned to
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have an open house and meet the staff in February.
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By that time, he also hopes to name an executive
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director for the theater. Currently, two shows are on the
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books for the theater in twenty twenty six. On January seventeenth,
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Jimmy Allen is scheduled to perform. It is up to
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the Pack if it goes forward. Cook said, we have
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no interest in that one because they haven't been marketing
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it for months. Cook said Pack did not return a
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phone call seeking comment as a press time. On April second,
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illusionist Rick Thomas is on the calendar for a show
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rescheduled from September. We are going to take over that show.
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Cook said, I've talked to Rick Thomas and his agent
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and we're ago food and drink. Chris Carton, vice president
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of Food and Beverage with FIE new Works, said he
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plans to develop a hospitality program for the theater, keeping
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the food and beverage to a tier that's exciting, Carlton,
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Carton said. Carton said he will be delegating ideas that
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are successful and connecting with community options, as well as
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bringing in established partners. Carton added he was looking for
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local suppliers and vendors. Conference center to growth the city
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plans to build a conference center on the parking lot
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and attach it to the paramount. It's big. Cook said,
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you not only have a full conference center with a
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trade show floor, meeting rooms, but now you have the
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lecture hall and theater. Cook said people attending conferences during
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the day could see a show in the evening. It
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goes hand in hand, Cook said. Cook pointed to Wizardfest
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in Ironton that draws upwards of ten thousand people for
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the event. People come to the area. Cook said, we
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are going to upgrade and already terrific operation into the
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New World Our next article. Commission tables HUD rate ordinance
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by Aaron Snyder of The Daily Independent. Ashland City Commission
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tabled in item regarding housing and urban development rates until January.
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Chris Pullham, Community and Economic Development directors said rates need
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to be set by January thirty first, twenty twenty six.
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The ordinance on Thursday's meeting agenda would have adopted the
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Housing Choice Voucher Program, payments standards for the City, Community
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and Economic Development Department and Division of Existed Living Section
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eight effective January first, twenty twenty six. Commissioner Marty Goo
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voted for it and DJ Rimer seconded, seemingly in an
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effort to at least move it to be discussed. I
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think there's some discussion amongst staff. I do think it
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remains an unresolved issue and we need to be on
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the same page. City Commissioner Sonny Martin said we've got
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a little bit of time when it comes to the
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city reimbursing landlords. HUD allows up to one hundred and
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ten percent of the average rent in an area. All
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expenses will be paid from the Section eight Voucher Fund
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budget for four point one million dollars. If this ordinance
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would pass, a two bedroom unit, of which there are
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four hundred and seventy seven, would intil a HUD set
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rate of nine hundred and seventy three dollars, and the
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proposed reimbursement amount would be one thousand, seventy dollars. We're
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just trying to work out going forward how we'll approach
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the rent standards for HUD tenants. In twenty six twenty seven,
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Pulham told The Daily Independent after Thursday's meeting, we're asking
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to go up to one hundred and ten percent of
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the rent standard which the Housing Authority is allowed to
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spend and still be reimbursed by HUD for those expenses.
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According to a fiscal note included on the meeting agenda,
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the Public Housing Authority's August twenty twenty five success rate
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is listed at fifty two percent, meaning only half of
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Section eight voucher holders are obtaining housing and nearly all
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leasing occurs within sixty days. This, according to the fiscal note,
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suggests voucher holders are having difficulty in finding and or
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finalizing agreements with landlords. The most effective way, the note reads,
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to increase the number of landlords who accept Section eight
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in a given area is to increase what they are
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being paid via an increased payment standard. There's just some
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internal back and forth trying to get to a point
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where we both agree on numbers. Pull them out of
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I think we're close. Pullam is optimistic the rates will
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be set before the January thirty first deadline. The Commission
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table the ordinance until the first meeting in January. Moving on,
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Jingle Bell Charity Ball brings in money for cares. By
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Lee Ward of The Daily Independent, It's a joy for
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Teresa Powers to see children receive the benefits of the
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Jingle Bell Charity Ball. Powers, who was co chairperson of
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the event this year with Michael Hugh, said profits from
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the ball go to cares to help fund the Angel
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Tree program, which provides child's specific clothing and gifts to
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those whose families sign up and qualify. It's amazing to
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watch Powers said, they line up and come down the
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back alley and we run their bag out to them.
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It's a big to do. Funding also helps provide food
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baskets for Christmas Dinner. The fundraiser that made it possible
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was December sixth at the Highlands Museum and Discovery Center.
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About three hundred and fifty attended and more than twenty
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thousand dollars was raised, not including the new clothing and
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toys attendees brought. Powers set. A definitive total isn't available yet,
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but she expects this year's total will top all previous years.
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The holidays bring the Ball committee a little break. We
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don't start planning until September because we have it down
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to soapat Powers said, adding she works on the silent
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auction for about a week. For more information, visit Jungle
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Bill Charity Ball on Facebook. In other news. McConnell House
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event upcoming Christmas open house will be five to seven
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pm December twentieth at the McConnell House, presented by the
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volunteer members of the Heritage Arts, Signed Vance and Tourism Center.
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The house is decorated for the season with three Christmas trees,
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many lights, m much garland. Santa will visit be available
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for photo ops for the children. Each child visiting with
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Santa will be entered in a drawing and one will
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win a fifty dollars gift card. Light refreshments will be
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available and free guided tours of the house will be
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offered our next article two killed and Double A Highway
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crash in Vanceburg by Dennis K. Brown The Lewis County
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Herald two from Rowan County Parish Thursday afternoon in a
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two vehicle crash involving a commercial tractor trailer at the
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intersection of the Double A Highway and Kentucky fifty nine
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in Vanceburg. Kentucky State Police Post eight in Moorhead reports
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they were contacted by Lewis County Dispatch around three oh
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five PM regarding the kale, which occurred shortly before three pm.
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According to KSP, a twenty fifteen Jeep Patriot operated by
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Amber N. Coal forty of Moorhead was traveling southbound all
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Kentucky fifty nine with passenger Gary D. Coal thirty nine,
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also of Morehead. Investigators determined that as the vehicle attempted
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to proceed through the intersection with the Double A Highway,
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it failed to yield to a westbound commercial tractor trailer
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haulingwood chips. The tractor trailer was operated by Cody Reid
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thirty two of Tollsborough. The collision resulted in fatal injuries
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to both occupants of the passenger vehicle, Amber and Gary
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Cole were pronounced dead at the scene by Lewis County
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corner Tony Gaidos. Reed was not seriously injured in the
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crash and declined medical treatment at the scene. Authority said
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multiple emergency agencies responded and Lewis County EMS, Lewis County
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Emergency Management, the Lewis County Sheriff's Office, Vansburg Police Department,
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Vansburg Fire and Rescue, and the Lewis County Coroner. In
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Kentucky State Police traffic was detoured around the intersection for
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about five hours while emergency crews worked and investigated the scene.
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This concludes excerpts from recent editions of the Ashland Daily Independent.
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Your reader husband Jane on behalf of everyone here at radio.
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I thank you for listening, Keep on listening and have
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a good day.