HENDERSON, Ky. – The City of Henderson Board of Commissioners conducted a fairly routine meeting to clear up some
end-of-the-year business at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 28.
The board heard audit presentations for both the City and the Henderson Water Utility and heard an update from
Merritt Bates-Thomas of Green River Area Health Department about the current situation with the Omicron variant
of the COVID-19 virus.
Ms. Bates-Thomas said the latest piece of significant news is that the Centers for Disease Control has shortened
the recommended quarantine length for those testing positive for COVID from 10 days to five days followed by
five days of strict mask use. She said individuals who are fully vaccinated and boosted don’t need to quarantine
following exposure but do need to mask for 10 days, and testing is recommended.
She shared recent info about the extremely contagious nature of the fast-spreading Omicron variant and said there’s
been no official report of the presence of Omicron in our region at this time. She did caution, however, that as it
infiltrates we could see a steep rise in cases.
The board also discussed the need to have a plan developed by Jan. 7 for the OSHA vaccine mandate regulations that
will now be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in the event that a plan will need to be ratified. As of now, 61 percent
of City employees have been vaccinated (147 employees are unvaccinated.)
Among other business, the commission:
–Finalized ordinances adopting a system for registering contractors doing business within the city, amending the Code
of Ordinances regarding the fine schedule used by the Code Enforcement Board and updating definitions of unpaid fines
in code enforcement, parking, and tampering.
–Passed first readings of ordinances making adjustments in the employee pay plan and amending budgeted positions in the Finance Department, and also amending an ordinance to streamline the process for allowing alcohol for events at Gallery 101.
–Approved municipal orders giving a driveway easement on Madison Street to The BRAE LLC and approving a mutual aid
between American Public Gas Association and Henderson Municipal Gas.
–Amended the employment agreement with Project Manager Dylan Ward, awarded a rental contract at City-owned property
Old Corydon Road and awarded a bid for design services for the proposed new Fire Station No. 1 (Brandstetter Carrol Inc.
of Lexington).
–Approved the following appointments: Susan Morgan to the Board of Appeals (Net Profits & Occupational Tax);
Kimber Heddens Jr. to the Henderson City-County Airport Board; and John Henderson and Julie Wischer to the
Henderson Water-Sewer Commission.
–Approved a recommendation from City Manager Buzzy Newman to ask the Henderson City-County Planning Commission to
review annexation for three parcels of right-of-way on Old Corydon Road and the Kentucky 425 Bypass.
The date for the next regular meeting is Jan. 11, 3 p.m. It will take place in the third-floor Assembly Room
of the Henderson Municipal Center.
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