Bourbon County Leadership 101
Bourbon County Leadership is a diverse group of citizens who want to learn more about their community and how it works. Started in the Fall of 2004 under the Chamber of Commerce, the "Class of 2005" graduated in May after having attended eight sessions during the year. These sessions included Orientation, City Government, County Government, Education, Health Care, Business & Industry, Economic Development/Tourism, and Arts & Recreation. The group met one Wednesday each month from approximately 8:30 to 1:00, listening to various speakers on the related topics, and touring various facilities.
If you are interested in joining the Bourbon County Leadership "Class of 2007," please call Lucy Cooper at 859-987-3205 for more information.
Below are some articles written by a class member about what the group learned:
On Wednesday, October 13th, the Bourbon County Leadership “Class of 2005” explored the Paris City Government and what makes it tick. Beginning at the Municipal Building on High Street, the class was greeted by City Manager Bob Casher, who spoke about the many facets of running a city like Paris. Mr. Casher explained that Paris is one of very few cities that owns and manages its own combined utilities, and he credited the many dedicated city employees who make it a success. Mr. Casher also stressed that communication between citizens and their government representatives is very important. Each member of the class is asked to choose a meeting to attend - a City Commission meeting, a Planning and Zoning meeting, or a Board of Adjustments meeting. City Engineer Ron Vanover talked to the group about Code Enforcement and Building Permits. Major Tim Gray of the Paris Police Department explained the Enhanced 911 program, and discussed the crime rate in Paris. After a quick tour of the Police Department, the Leadership group traveled to tour the Water and Power Plants on Scott Avenue. Plant Manager Kevin Crump explained in detail how Paris is able to offer an abundant, safe supply of drinking water to its citizens. Evaluations received from the class so far have been very positive. The main complaint was that the time went too quickly! Thanks to Leadership chairpersons Lucy Cooper, Mark Adler, Susie Ormsby, and Allison Weber for organizing a very informative and enlightening day. The next Leadership Bourbon County day will be November 10th, when they will explore the Bourbon County Government.
Our Bourbon County Leadership class explored the County Government on Wednesday, November 10th. County Treasurer Mary Allen Hedges greeted us and gave us the Grand Tour of the beautiful, historic courthouse. Ms. Hedges is a wealth of information, and really has her “thumb on the pulse” of Bourbon County. She explained that every dollar spent out of the county’s $12.3 million budget must first be approved by the Fiscal Court.
Sheriff Mark Matthews explained the duties of his office, which includes tax collection, service to the courts, law enforcement, and election duties. The service to the courts includes transporting prisoners, serving papers, and providing court deputies, among other duties. Sheriff Matthews works closely with the State Police who are assigned to Bourbon County’s law enforcement.
According to County Clerk Richard Eads, the County Clerk’s Office handles 48 jobs, including vehicle licenses, marriage licenses, deeds, mortgages, voter registration, and much more. The County Clerk is the primary Election Official for the county, and explained that every election costs approximately $20,000 to administer, regardless of voter turnout. The County Clerk’s $4 million budget comes largely from the usage tax you pay when you purchase an automobile. If you buy your car in another county, Mr. Eads explained, you should request that the taxes be paid to Bourbon County, to benefit your own community!
The Property Valuation Administrator is employed under the Kentucky State Revenue Cabinet. Wayne Turner gave statistics on Bourbon County property values. The 8,712 parcels in Bourbon County hold a taxable value of approximately $800 million. There was $19.7 million net growth in 2003, and $14 million net growth in 2004. Mr. Turner mentioned that persons who are 65 or older, or disabled, get a $28,000 discount on their assessed property value. With the increase in senior citizens, the additional discounts are taking a “bite” out of the PVA budget.
Joint Planning Commissioner Charles Harper explained that his group consists of five citizen members from the City of Paris, seven members representing Bourbon County, and one each from Millersburg and North Middletown. The Joint Planning Commission is a recommending body whose decisions are subject to final action by the City, County, North Middletown and Millersburg governmental bodies.
A representative from County Attorney Jerry Brady’s office, Susan Wells, detailed the main issues dealt with in that office. The County Attorney, two assistant attorneys, and their staff deal with domestic violence, child support, cold checks, and complaints from the community, which are analyzed to determine if a crime has been committed.
The Leadership group next heard from Jim Shaw of Bourbon County Building Inspection and Code Enforcement. Mr. Shaw is certified by the International Code Council, and falls under the jurisdiction of the Division of Housing in Frankfort. Mr. Shaw issues building permits for any residential structures in Bourbon County, working closely with the Health Department and other inspectors. So far in 2004, 42 permits for new homes have been issued, averaging $150,000 to $250,000. So far this year, the county has seen over $9 million in construction. Citizens with code enforcement questions can pick up a copy of the Property Maintenance Code for Bourbon County in Mr. Shaw’s office.
County Judge Executive Donnie Foley says that his main jobs are public relations and raising money! Bourbon County has received over $25 million for a huge water project in which 200 miles of water lines are being laid. Judge Foley procured the funds for our wonderful Farmer’s Market, the like of which few other counties can boast. Fire gate numbers have been installed at every house in the county, and an average of $400,000 per year is spent on road maintenance in the county. It is Judge Foley’s responsibility to turn in a budget for the county to the Fiscal Court on May 1st of each year. Judge Foley performs many marriages, and he sits on many Boards of Directors, including the Health Department, YMCA, the Library, the Fire Departments, Economic Development, and many more. His usual work week is 70 to 80 hours, but he really loves his job.
After a quick tour of the new Judicial Building, the Leadership class traveled to the County Jail, where former Jailer Mike Fryman and new Jailer Barry Barnes showed us around. There are no bars in this modern-age jail, but plenty of bulletproof glass, locked doors, and no windows! Prisoners’ cells are very bare, with metal bunk beds, a common table, and a common shower and toilet. Inmates can’t tell if it’s day or night outside. If they misbehave, they get to visit an even bleaker cell with no mattress, no TV, and the only book they’re allowed is a Bible. With only one life on this planet, why would anyone risk spending any part of it in a place like that? I know I’ll behave!
The next Leadership Day is Wednesday, December 8th, when we will explore Education. Persons interested in signing up for Leadership Bourbon County’s Class of 2005-2006 should call Lucy Cooper at the Chamber of Commerce at 987-3205.
The Bourbon County Leadership group had an education about Education on Wednesday, December 8th. The day began at the Bourbon County Community Service Center, where Susie Ormsby explained the function of the Center as a “one-stop” service outlet for families in need - from clothing, to help with utility bills, to job training, and much more. Our next stop was the library’s community room, where several speakers described their roles in educating various portions of the populace.
Betty Overly, of the county’s Cooperative Extension Service, explained the services of her agency. The Extension office is funded by county, state, and federal (USDA) dollars, and employs a Horticulturalist, Brett Reese, an Agriculturalist, Glen Mackie, and a Youth Development Coordinator, Lois Carter. Ms. Overly is the agency’s Family and Consumer Sciences representative. These agents and their staff work closely with the University of Kentucky to provide research-based information to educate and improve the lives of all Bourbon Countians.
Wallis Brooks, of Paris Independent Schools, expounded on some of the things that make his school system a success - the stricter grading scale (93-100 = A, 85-92 = B, etc.), foreign languages offered, gifted education, band, and sports. A decent percentage of Paris students have been awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Diploma in recent years. The dress code that was enacted a few years ago enables students to concentrate more on their studies and less on what the other kids are wearing. Mr. Brooks stressed that they are particularly pleased to offer smaller class sizes to their students. He also mentioned that in 139 years of existence, Paris Independent Schools has only had 8 superintendents!
Superintendent Lana Fryman, of Bourbon County Schools, spoke about the much larger county school system. With approximately 2700 students and 450 employees, the Bourbon County Board of Education’s budget of $18 million is not enough to do everything it wants to do for the county’s children. Ms. Fryman highly praised the teachers at Bourbon County Schools for “doing more with less.” Bourbon County Schools are involved in a multi-county inadequacy suit against the state, for not providing for the educational needs of its citizens. Budget constraints notwithstanding, Bourbon County is extremely proud of its award-winning Preschool and Headstart building, as well as the restructuring of the high school. The restructuring will allow students to “test out” of subjects in which they already excel, and move on to new subjects in which they will stay challenged. Ms. Fryman is committed to abiding by the school’s motto: “child-centered learning.”
Before heading to our next stop, the library’s Director, Mark Adler, talked about the many amenities and services offered by the library. The Paris-Bourbon County Public Library, which just celebrated its 100th year, contains over 35,000 books, over 2,100 videos, over 1,500 audios, 4 computers for adult internet access, 3 computers for child internet access, printing and fax services, computer classes, a variety of programs throughout the year, and a community room that can hold up to 60 people. The library is a tax-supported institution, but is aided by grants and private donors.
St. Mary School was the next stop on Education Day. Principal Barbara Albaugh had 27 years’ experience in Fayette County public schools before coming to St. Mary in 2001. St. Mary School’s tradition began in 1869 as St. Charles Academy, went through a few transitions, and has been under the mission of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth since 1888. Now occupying three buildings on Main Street, St. Mary School teaches children from Preschool through grade 8. The 2005 graduating 8th grade class will be the first since 1968, when it was decided to discontinue 7th and 8th grades, due to a lack of teaching nuns. None of St. Mary School’s current full-time teachers are nuns; however, Sister Loretta Weller still oversees religious instruction at the school. Mrs. Albaugh noted the academic success of St. Mary School with these statistics: St. Mary students consistently rank in the 75th to 95th percentile on CAT test scores; in 2003-2004, 50% of 7th graders qualified as Duke Scholars, which means that they scored in the 95th percentile or higher in at least one subject on the California Achievement Test; of the seven 7th graders who qualified to take the ACT test alongside high school seniors, three received state honors for scoring 21 or higher.
The Leadership group’s final stop was the historic Millersburg Military Institute, founded in 1893. MMI is Kentucky’s only military academy, and under the guidance of its new President, Col. James P. Carruthers, is well on its way to redeeming its status as a premiere college preparatory school. At its peak in the 1940’s and 50’s, Col. Carruthers explained, graduates of MMI were accepted into the most prestigious colleges in the country, often with advanced placement status. After the Vietnam War, military schools declined in popularity, and became used as “alternative schools” for incorrigible students, which caused further decline. MMI had gotten to the point where it actually had to close for a week in March of 2003, and was rescued by a few caring parents and alumni, who brought Col. Carruthers on board to completely restructure the school. Today’s MMI students must qualify for entry by passing math and reading tests and providing letters of recommendation. Current students have laptop computers, play in sports, and they can take languages such as Latin and Greek. Their structured day begins at 6:00 a.m. and includes physical, academic, and spiritual training, including Character Education and Training for Leadership (CETL). Plans for next year include a new library, and Middle-Eastern Studies, including Arabic. The Leadership group wants to thank MMI for serving us a delicious lunch. We can attest to the fact the MMI students are very well fed!
On January 12th, the Bourbon County Leadership “Class of 2005” learned about health care in Bourbon County. The session began with Joetta Hutson of Nurses Registry and Home Health. Ms. Hutson, a registered nurse for 22 years, is the Director of Patient Care Coordination. Nurses Registry and Home Health began as an answering service, gradually included staffing of nurses to hospitals, doctors’ offices, and homes, and has grown to include such home health care services as physical and occupational therapies, respiratory care, dietician services, home health aides, social work, and providing medical equipment - from hospital beds to oxygen. Nurses Registry is proud to employ their own Wound Care Specialist – Kathy King, who helped start the Wound Care Center in Lexington. Nurses Registry has grown to serve 22 counties, including Bourbon County, and employs approximately 800 people. They work closely with physicians to meet the needs of their patients. Doctors like dealing with Nurses Registry and Home Health because they can meet all their patients’ home health care needs with just one phone call, instead of dealing with many separate agencies for many different services. Nurses Registry performs community services by offering free blood pressure and oxygen level screenings at various locations, including the Senior Citizens Center and some churches. For more information, you can call anytime at 1-800-444-3599.
Our next speaker was Dr. David Hanna, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Service Area Manager of the Bluegrass Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation Board. Bluegrass Regional serves 17 counties and runs Eastern State Hospital. Bourbon County has 30 of the 1500 employees in the Bluegrass Regional system. Bourbon County’s Comprehensive Care Center is located in the old TB Hospital in Bourbon County Park, where services include children’s services, family preservation, therapeutic rehabilitation, individual and group therapies for substance abuse, borderline personality disorder, and much more. Dr. Hanna explained that the biggest challenge facing the mental health field today are the costs of medications, and that depression is the third most costly of all healthcare issues. Bluegrass Regional Mental Health-Mental Retardation bases its services on income, with sliding-scale fees, and it performed over $7 million in charity care last year. A 24-hour Crisis Line is available at 1-800-928-8000.
Bourbon Heights Administrator Angie Forsythe gave us a tour of the nursing home, which is celebrating its 40th year this summer. A recent grant allowed some updates such as improved lighting, fresh paint, and some new furniture. The facility includes several independent care apartments with kitchenettes (there is currently a year waiting list for these apartments), personal care units, and full-care nursing rooms. Bourbon Heights is a non-profit facility, and receives most of its funding from Medicaid certified beds and private rent. We saw many dining areas for residents to gather in, an activity room, a beauty salon, a beautiful chapel, and a well-equipped physical therapy suite for in- or outpatient rehabilitation. Janet Patton took us through the Joseph Allen Adult Day Health Center, located at the back of Bourbon Heights, where clients were enjoying a game of bingo. Ms. Patton and her staff stay very busy meeting the needs of the 15 clients currently enrolled. The center is putting together a new library, with shelves recently built by local Eagle Scouts. Clients go on occasional field trips, and grow a garden in the summer. The Adult Day Health Center is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and can be reached at 987-5750.
Cindy Steele of the Bourbon County Health Department was excited to show us a picture of how the new Health Department building will look upon completion. If you have not driven out Main Street past Legion Park, you should go see the progress on the building! Ms. Steele expounded on the many services offered by the Health Department: Healthy Start (providing day cares with safety information), Hands Program (home visits after the birth of a first child), family planning, TB testing, cancer screening, hearing and vision screening, vaccinations, dietary counseling, lactation consulting, fluoride water testing, environmental health, and even bio-terrorism! A community nurse visits the schools with information about reducing the risks of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The Health Department has a “Brown Bag” program in which anyone can pick up a brown bag containing free condoms and information about AIDS and STD’s. The WIC (Women with Infants and Children) program provides milk, cheese, formula, and other nutritious items to low-income mothers. Because of the many health benefits of breastfeeding, mothers who breastfeed their babies are also given tuna and carrots, as an added incentive. Cindy Steele is actively involved in Tobacco Education, working with the high schools and offering classes on the Cooper/Clayton Method to Become a Non-Smoker. Ms. Steele informed us that Kentucky currently has by far the lowest excise tax on cigarettes at 3 cents a pack, with the national average at 84 cents. She encourages everyone to contact your legislator to let him or her know you are in favor of a higher excise tax on cigarettes. Programs at the Health Department are available to everyone. Some programs are free, and others are on a sliding scale, based on income. Call 987-1915 for more information.
The last stop on Health Care Day was a tour of the Bourbon Community Hospital, a member of Life Point Hospitals, Inc. Clay Holderman, Administrator of Bourbon Community Hospital, explained the many benefits of being part of a large hospital network. They are able to share technology, training opportunities, and information resources, among other things. The hospital serves a population of approximately 44,000, with Bourbon, Nicholas, and part of Harrison County. Mr. Holderman is very proud of the services offered, and of the staff. One hundred percent of the nurses at Bourbon Community are RN’s, and 100% of the critical care nurses are trauma certified. A new Hospitalist who is a board-certified internist was recently hired to partner with the patients’ primary care physicians. Services, in addition to acute care, are a wide variety of surgical services, imaging, laboratory, cardiopulmonary, and physical therapy, to name a few. Bourbon Community Hospital is mission-driven, which means it provides services regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. Here are some interesting statistics Mr. Holderman shared from 2004: There were 10,800 ER visits, 21,600 outpatient visits (this included 1880 mammograms, 3200 CT scans, 2664 nuclear scans, and 867 MRI’s), and 2222 surgical cases. The payroll was $8.5 million, and they paid $220,000 in local taxes. They provided $1.7 million in indigent care, and wrote off another $1.2 million in uncollected debts. $6.5 million was reinvested in the facility. Thirteen new physicians have been recruited since 2000. The new helipad is complete and awaiting FAA approval for use. We toured the new ER which was completed in 2004 and features the latest in technology. Our last stop at Bourbon Community Hospital was the Stoner Creek Centre, where behavioral health problems are treated. There are 9 adolescent units and 8 adults units in the center, treating depression, bi-polar disorder, chemical dependencies, and other mental health issues. The beautiful murals on the walls of the Stoner Creek Centre reflect the creativity of the staff, who are always learning and inventing new ways to solve difficult problems. We ended our day with a delicious lunch supplied by the hospital.
The Bourbon County Leadership class learned about business and industry in Paris and Bourbon County on Wednesday, February 9th. Mayor Don Kiser greeted the group and answered questions about a wide variety of topics. When asked about sidewalks on Bethlehem and Clintonville Roads, the mayor and City Manager Bob Casher both agreed that it was not feasible, because many homeowners would lose too much of their lawns, and because the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has declined the request. Mayor Kiser did say that local attorney Jim Lovell is working on obtaining a grant to construct walking and biking trails along some of the city-owned creek banks. Mr. Casher confirmed that there is no land available for development to the north of Paris, and all the growth is occurring to the south. However, by the year 2010, the road from Paris to Maysville should be four-laned, and the water lines are currently being extended to almost Millersburg.
Frank Bellafato, President of CMC/CLA, addressed the group on his experiences with the Paris-Bourbon County Industrial Development Authority. In 1993, Mr. Bellafato and some other local leaders looked at areas for developing an Industrial Park. They realized that bringing in industry would help keep young people from leaving Paris by providing jobs for them. In 1996, 65 acres of the current Industrial Park property was purchased from Jean Cleveland. Another 15 acres was soon added, and the park is already nearly at capacity, with only one 12-acre tract remaining. Last year, the City purchased another 234 acres adjacent to the Industrial Park. Mr. Bellafato explained the makeup of the Industrial Development Authority. Three members are appointed by the city, and they are former mayor Doug Castle, Mayor Don Kiser, and Mr. Bellafato. Three members are appointed from the county, and they are Judge Executive Donnie Foley, Buck Woodford, and Jim Alexander. Part of what the Authority does is to educate schools and the community about what types of jobs are available here. A new committee has just formed the Paris-Bourbon County Toyota Manufacturing Academy, which will train high school juniors and seniors for jobs with Toyota and Toyota-related jobs such as those at CMC/CLA, which start at $16.35 per hour. A new aluminum melting plant is going in next to CMC/CLA, to do related work.
City Manager Bob Casher praised all the selfless work that Frank Bellafato has done for the community. Mr. Casher explained that the city does not try to make a profit from selling land to industries – Paris keeps its prices very competitive, at approximately $16,000 per acre. However, the other gains from attracting those industries go far to improve the services and quality of life in Paris. In the last five years, Mr. Casher explained, payroll taxes from local industry totaled over $949,000! Putting in new roads and water lines for the Industrial Park annex is a “leap of faith” which must be done to attract new industries, believing that they will come. The annex will be tucked away behind the existing Industrial Park, protecting the view shed from Highway 460.
The Leadership group next took a fascinating tour of Mallinckrodt Baker. Mallinckrodt was started in St. Louis in 1867 by three brothers from Germany, and has been a part of the Bourbon County community since 1978. They are a division of Tyco International, which employs over 260,000 people worldwide. Tyco is second only to Johnson & Johnson in healthcare manufacturing. Mallinckrodt produces high-purity lab and specialty chemicals. With plants in Paris, Kentucky, Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Deventer in the Netherlands, and Mexico City, they are the largest producer of acetaminophen in the world, as well as many other bulk, dosage, and specialty chemicals. Some of the specialty chemicals are used to clean computer chips, for example. Ronnie Brooks, Manager for Quality Assurance, explained the very stringent practices used to meet FDA regulations, and to maintain the highest quality possible. Mr. Brooks and his team are constantly finding ways to improve the processing procedures for optimal quality, and they routinely pass their audits with flying colors. Ron Taylor, Environmental Health and Safety Manager, led half our group on a tour of the plant. Mr. Taylor has been with Mallinckrodt for 27 years. The new Plant Manager, John Binz, took the other half of our group around the facility. We all wore hard hats and goggles, in keeping with safety regulations, and were not allowed in certain more hazardous areas. The Paris facility ranked #2 in safety out of 88 Tyco plants last year. Mallinckrodt has won numerous awards for safety and quality over the years. They have over 17,000 sku’s (stock keeping units), 6,600 customers, and they ship approximately 120 million pounds of product each year. The facility sits on 70 acres, and is 290,000 square feet. Paris and Bourbon County are proud to have Mallinckrodt as one of their industrial tenants.
After a quick drive around the Industrial Park, which is off Highway 460 just outside the Bypass, the group met for a delicious lunch and more discussion at the beautiful Paradise Café. Local businesswoman Judy Horne spoke about what it is like to own a small business. Mrs. Horne taught fifth grade in Paris for 15 years before opening her business. Her husband, a pharmacist, bought Ardery Drugs several years ago, and Judy used part of the store to sell gifts. The gift shop became so successful that she expanded into what is now Hornes of the Bluegrass. Hornes now has a second location in Georgetown, and Mrs. Horne noted the differences in the two locations. Hornes is known for knowing their customers and providing great service. Mrs. Horne mentioned that she got a great response from a TV ad that she ran with Channel 18 before Christmas, and she hopes that other downtown merchants will get together and do a “consolidated” ad to bring people to downtown Paris.
Craig McAnally, the representative for Paris with the Bluegrass Area Development District, answered questions about attracting industry. Bluegrass ADD serves several counties in a program in which local elected officials and citizens unite to provide for the planned growth of their area. Mr. McAnally noted that some other nearby states have lower taxes that are more attractive to industries, and that Kentucky needs to restructure their tax laws.
Bourbon County Leadership will meet next on Wednesday, March 9 for Tourism & Economic Development Day.
The Bourbon County Leadership “Class of 2005” spent Wednesday, March 9th learning about recreational opportunities in Bourbon County. Beginning at the Hopewell Museum, the group was given a tour by Museum Director Betsy Kephart. The Beaux Arts building was designed by James Knox Taylor and was begun in 1909 and completed in 1911. The building was used as a post office until 1965, at which time the city offices and police department located there. We were shown where the “drunk tank” was located, as well as a “secret” staircase where the postal inspectors could climb up and observe employees at work. The Museum underwent a major renovation last year which added a bright and airy community room with a kitchen in the basement, handicapped-accessible restrooms, UV-protected windows, new hardwood floors, a new HVAC system, and much more. Hopewell Museum is now equipped to house world-class exhibits that travel the country. If you have not visited the Hopewell Museum since its renovation, it is well worth a visit.
While we munched on muffins and bagels in the museum’s community room, local attorney Jim Lovell spoke to the group about his pet project – developing Walking Trails in Bourbon County. Jim showed us a map of publicly-owned land adjacent to creeks and abandoned railroad tracks that could be developed into walking trails. He has formed a committee that is looking into the funding and legalities of such an endeavor. Developing these walking trails – considered a valuable “urban amenity” in other towns – would not only encourage a healthier lifestyle for our citizens, but would make Paris more attractive to potential residents and businesses. Jim hopes to see the beginning of Phase One within the next year.
Our next stop was the Bourbon County Fairgrounds and Legion Park. Park Director John Plummer showed us Legion Hall and the Bland Building, both of which are available to rent for various occasions for $50 a day. Both buildings have kitchens and plenty of tables and chairs. The entire park consists of 44 acres with the two buildings, a horse show ring, an outdoor amphitheater, playground equipment, a basketball court, softball fields, and a great walking track. The park is owned by the county, and is funded by the Bourbon County Fiscal Court. Our group asked about the old TB Hospital and surrounding buildings, and we were told that to remove the asbestos in the buildings would be very expensive, therefore nothing can be done with them at this time. (I e-mailed ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover show with the idea of renovating the old TB Hospital on their show – keep your fingers crossed!)
We next had a tour of the beautiful clubhouse at Houston Oaks. There is a pro shop and a snack bar downstairs, and a luxurious dining room and bar upstairs which is available for parties and receptions. The view from up there is breathtaking, and even the restrooms are luxurious! The Pro Shop Manager, Tom Berry, told us that the 208 acre golf course was designed by Jack Ridge nine years ago, and has 5 ½ miles of blacktop, including a unique path right through an old horse barn where you can stop for refreshments. It takes a maintenance crew of around 25 people during summer months to keep the 18-hole course ship-shape. Houston Oaks is open to the public, year-round, weather permitting, and has various golf packages for frequent golfers.
Cathy Boone, Director of the YMCA (and a member of this Leadership group), gave us a tour of the renovated Y facility. Cathy explained that the Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in 1853 in London England as a prayer and bible study group, and has evolved into the well-rounded organization that it is today. The building in Paris was built in 1916, and underwent a nearly $2 million renovation just a couple of years ago. Cathy said the Y is very grateful to be in such a supportive community, as they are non-profit and rely greatly on donations. Some of the amenities include an indoor walking/running track, a gymnasium, Nautilus equipment, free weights, stairclimbers, treadmills, lifecycles, a 25-yard indoor pool, a 25-meter outdoor pool with diving well, a wide variety of group exercise classes, child care, a teen center, and various organized team sports. Membership rates are very reasonable, at $13 per month for youth, $24 per month for seniors, $30 per month for adults, and $43 per month for families. No one is turned down for inability to pay, and scholarships are available.
We wound up our day with a buffet lunch at Stoner Creek Country Club. Stoner Creek’s Chairman of the Board, Dr. Paul Pack, spoke to us about membership benefits and amenities at the club. A Family Golf Membership is $975 per year, a Single Golfer is $720 per year, a Family Membership with only one Golfer is $750 per year, and a Social (non-golf) Membership is $590 per year. Dues can be broken into 3 or 6 payments, and there are also Corporate and Junior Memberships. Roger Gordon from the Pro Shop described the challenging 9-hole golf course. Greens fees are included with membership, and cart rental is $12 for 18 holes of golf. Lessons are available from golf pro Scott Beheler, including junior golf clinics throughout the year.
The next Bourbon County Leadership day will be Wednesday, April 13th when we will explore tourism and economic development.
To wrap up the year, Bourbon County Leadership’s “Class of 2005” spent Wednesday morning touring the Color Point facility, the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and the historic Trabue Home, where a graduation ceremony was held after having delectable box lunches by Amy Carpenter.
Color Point is a wholesale greenhouse facility on Cane Ridge Road with an amazing eleven acres under glass. Color Point sells flowers in pots and hanging baskets to Lowe’s in seven states. Walking through Color Point is like walking into a Monet painting! Craig Daniels, our tour guide, has been with Color Point since its opening in 2001. He explained that during peak season, which is right now, they employ around 60 people. During the slower months, they employ 35 who stay year-round, along with the 6 office staff. Our Leadership group watched as huge bags of peat moss were mixed with lime, fertilizers, and other chemicals and then shot into pots, where workers would plant a few plugs from a tray with 288 tiny plants on it. After each pot got a drink of water, the plants were loaded onto tiered carts and driven into a greenhouse where they will be automatically watered until maturity, and then shipped off to Lowes. Some baskets were hung way over our heads, and spun slowly through the air to where they were watered. Other plants sat on a concrete floor which has an “ebb and flood” watering system. The amount and frequency of water is programmed into a computer, which controls the watering system. Color Point uses over 100,000 gallons of water each day! Mr. Daniels said that with eleven acres currently under glass, they are ahead of their goal for this year. Their ultimate goal is 45 acres under glass. That will be something to see!
Our next stop was the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Most of us take for granted that we can flush our toilets and run our dishwashers and not worry about where everything goes. The people at the Wastewater Treatment Plant make sure we don’t have to worry about it. The Leadership group was greeted by Plant Manager Gayle Guy, who turned us over to our tour guide, Michael Harris. Mr. Harris explained that wherever the advantage of gravity is not available, lift stations are installed to pump the wastewater to the plant. There are 4 major lift stations in Paris. There is a mechanical bar screen that is used to remove large debris (currently out of commission), and the debris is loaded directly into a dumpster, on its way to a landfill. In another step, grit and water are separated, and the solids are eventually pressed to remove excess water before they are also hauled to a landfill. Mr. Harris showed us the oxidation ditches in which aerators mix oxygen into the water, to support the bacteria that consume the waste material in the water, which by now is very minimal. Chlorine is added for disinfection, and then sulfur dioxide neutralizes the chlorine, to make the water safe to return to the nearby creek. It is aerated once again before leaving the plant. Samples are taken throughout the process to monitor the specified parameters. Okay, I admit, this tour is a little smelly and a little noisy, but how many of you really knew how all this worked? I feel smarter than I was before.
The highlight of the day, and perhaps the whole Leadership experience, was seeing the Trabue home and meeting Frank and Lally House. Frank House has worked for four years, so far, painstakingly restoring the 1780’s Trabue home. The house had been owned by a small church that couldn’t afford to preserve it, so Mr. Steve Spears and Frank House agreed to tackle the project and move it onto its present site, across the road on the Spears family farm on Trabue Lane. Frank explained the uniqueness of the house, with its German features that I can’t possibly spell, and told us that it is the only such house west of the Appalachian Mountains. It was a very grand house in its day, and was fortified for protection against the Indians that were still in the area until 1794. Frank has hand-forged over 5,000 nails for the flooring, numbered each log before dismantling the place, and rebuilt it exactly as it had been. He moved an 80-ton stone fireplace, and reconstructed it in the same dimensions as before. He used local timber to replace any logs that needed replacing, which was only 10% of the exterior. The restoration is still in progress, with incredible attention to detail and authenticity. In addition to his restoration expertise, Frank House is a Master Blacksmith and “one of the two best flint-lock gunsmiths in the country,” according to his wife, Lally. Frank made the guns for the movies Master and Commander, with Russell Crowe, and The Patriot, with Mel Gibson, among others. Lally House is, herself, an amazing artist who creates 18th Century Indian art with leather, moose hair, and porcupine quills. Both Frank and Lally are historians with a passion for their work (and they’re nice people!) In exchange for their amazing work, Mr. Spears has granted Frank and Lally a life estate – they will be allowed to stay in the house for life.
The graduation at the Trabue Home included certificates, goody bags, cake, and a complimentary membership to the Chamber of Commerce for all alumni. If you are interested in signing up for next year’s Bourbon County Leadership, please contact Lucy Cooper at 987-3205.
I think I can speak for everyone in the Bourbon County Leadership “Class of 2005” when I say THANK YOU to its organizers – Lucy Cooper, Susie Ormsby, Mark Adler, and Allison Weber. I learned a lot about my community, and had a lot of fun, too. I highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to be more informed and involved in his community. It only takes one day out of each month, September through May, to explore topics such as City Government, County Government, Education, Health Care, Business and Industry, Tourism, and Parks and Recreation. If you are interested in joining the “Class of 2006,” contact Lucy Cooper at 987-3205.