# Rural Land Management Board - June 24, 2026 > Auto-transcribed civic record · Board · June 24, 2026 - **Permalink**: https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/meeting/6812 - **Source video**: https://lfucg.granicus.com/player/clip/6812?view_id=14&redirect=true - **Date**: 2026-06-24 - **Body**: Board - **Last revised**: June 24, 2026 - **Length**: 9,697 words - **Speakers**: Chair > ⚠️ **Auto-generated content.** Audio from the official Granicus video was auto-transcribed with OpenAI's open-source Whisper large-v3-turbo model, run locally by The Lexington Times. Structured facts were extracted with GPT-4o; the narrative summary was written by Anthropic Claude. Verbatim wording may contain errors. See [methodology](https://meetings.lexingtonky.news/about/methodology) or [report a correction](mailto:editor@lexingtonky.news). --- ## Meeting Overview The PDR Board convened at 3:05 PM, with Beth presiding over the session. The meeting covered four agenda items spanning administrative approvals and informational discussions. Two votes were taken during the meeting: the approval of minutes and the approval of the FY'27 contract for Charlie Farmer, both of which passed. Two informational items were also presented to the board, covering Large Scale Solar and PDR and Small Farm Easements. No public comments were heard during the meeting. ## Attendance The following individuals were recorded for the Board meeting on June 24, 2026. **Present:** Phil Meyer, Margaret Graves, Jonathan Disney, Robert James, Brian Jones, Jim Coleman, Traci Jones, Hanna Me, Tyler, Steven Howard, Mary Quinn, Abulina, and Juwana. **Absent:** Phil Hagar and Will Mayer. **Arrived Late:** Hanna Me and Steven Howard. ## Votes and Decisions The Board took two votes during the June 24, 2026 meeting, both of which passed unanimously. - **Approval of Previous Meeting Minutes** [timestamp: 07:56]: Robert James moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. The motion passed unanimously. No roll call vote was recorded. - **Approval of FY'27 Contract for Charlie Farmer** [timestamp: 43:16]: A motion to approve the FY'27 contract for Charlie Farmer was seconded by Margaret. The motion passed unanimously. No roll call vote was recorded. ## Budget and Financial Actions The Board addressed two contract items during the June 24, 2026 meeting. - **Baseline Documentation Reports:** The Board considered a contract with Charlie Farmer for the preparation of baseline documentation reports at a cost of **$200**. - **PDR Farm Appraisals:** The Board also considered a contract with **Kennemer** for Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) farm appraisals. No dollar amount was specified in the available record for this contract. No resolution numbers were associated with either contract item in the available meeting record. ## Approval of Minutes [timestamp: 07:56] The Board reviewed the minutes from the previous meeting. Beth led this portion of the meeting, and the minutes were approved without any changes or modifications. No concerns were raised and no discussion was recorded regarding the content of the minutes. ## Large Scale Solar Discussion [timestamp: 08:27] The board took up a discussion on the large scale solar project, including a letter that had been presented to the work group on the matter. Key speakers during this item included Beth, Phil, and Traci. The discussion was informational in nature, with participants addressing the current status of the large scale solar project and the work being done by the associated work group. As part of the process outlined during the discussion, the planning commission is expected to prepare a report and submit their recommendation to the council. No formal vote or binding decision was taken at this meeting, as the item was presented for discussion and informational purposes only. ## PDR and Small Farm Easements [timestamp: 21:42] Beth presented an update on the status of Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) and small farm easements, covering recent closings and the total acreage that has been conserved through the program. The presentation was informational in nature. No additional details regarding specific properties, acreage figures, closing dates, or financial terms are available in the meeting record for this item. No outcome or action was taken by the Board as a result of this presentation. ## Approval of FY'27 Contract for Charlie Farmer [timestamp: 43:16] The board considered a resolution to approve the FY'27 contract for Charlie Farmer to conduct easement monitoring services. Phil Meyer led the discussion of this agenda item. The board reviewed the contract for Charlie Farmer, who would be responsible for carrying out easement monitoring during fiscal year 2027. The resolution was approved by the board. --- ## Decisions - **Motion** — passed (0-0): Approval of the minutes from the previous meeting - **Motion** — passed (0-0): Approval of FY'27 contract for Charlie Farmer --- ## Full transcript Thank you. If we could wait on one more. We have six at our law department and our council member. Well, while we're waiting for two minutes. So, Margaret, how are you? what's going on in your life i'm fine i'm fine i read the minutes i'm glad the letter was okay and got submitted and i will be there on july the 9th um so but that's a public meeting that's a public hearing right yeah okay and i see jim coleman joanna's not here yet but how are the pawpaws doing? The pawpaws are doing well. I water them every single day and they're doing well. I've covered them with some weed fabric just to make sure they don't have to compete and they're just flourishing. Fantastic. This is the second week of my summer youth jobs training. I've got two wonderful interns that are just fabulous. They've taken my farm from looking like I was raising weeds to where it's now looking like a Hillelmeyer showroom. that's great i thought i was growing weeds there beth i've got to go i'm always growing weeds no matter what you all i sat down last tuesday they started and on last tuesday they worked tuesday wednesday and thursday so i said okay now i got myself already had all the priorities laid out i said here's what we're going to do on tuesday today here's what we're going to do on wednesday and here's what we're going to do on Thursday. Yes, sir, Mr. Colvin. By the end of the day on Tuesday, we were done with Thursday. I had to come up with new stuff. That's good. Or you can send them all over, send them to my place. I'll show them something. I'm telling you, I love them. I don't like my summary terms. I love them. It's the best program. It's the second best program to a PDR. That's great. And if I could just figure out how to keep the raccoons and the possums off my pawpaws, I'd be in good shape. Oh, I'm lucky that I don't have them out there. I've got my dog torch. It's all my habitat. I see, Beth, that Hannah has signed on, so we have enough people. Yes. Okay. So I have on mine that it's 3.05, and I'll call the meeting to order at 3.05. Okay. And you want to turn your recorder on just to make sure that in the future, if you need it for our minutes. and just for your record I'll go around that just to list that Phil Myers here and Margaret Graves and Jonathan Disney and Robert James and Brian Jones and Jim Coleman and Tracy Jones and Hannah me Tyler did I miss anybody polski there yes tiffany okay um and so far just for your record beth absence phil hager said he would not be here and mary quinn and phil mayor uh will will mayor okay and i think that's all have you heard from anyone else no that's it let me just also make sure the minutes reflect this, that we need to make sure that we have our quorum next time in July because we'll have three of our good appraisals back by then and we'll be discussing those in closed session. So we need to make sure we have our quorum for closed session next time. can you have everything you can see there Beth yes and Stephen Howard is joining okay welcome all right the minutes from May 27th I take it that everybody has gotten those and Beth always sent also today sent an extra map showing where they are and we'll be discussing our closings later so hopefully everybody got all their minutes and again Beth thank you Lena for doing a great job and getting them to me in a timely manner so we can get them out to the board members in time for them to peruse and make any changes if need be having said that do you all have any changes additions deletions or anything else to go to the minutes that I'll entertain a motion to approve as sent. So move, Madam Chair. And Robert James, a second. All in favor, show of hands, please. Okay. Everybody but Stephen's hand, I think he's driving. Now I see his hand driving. Excuse me, this is allergies. I've been out on the farm trying to get things in order today. Now, old business. The large-scale solar, we started discussing before everybody got on screen, the letter that was presented to the work group on June 9th. And Beth attended, and Robert attended, and Phil attended, and I attended. and Beth has sent the letter as well to the chair of the planning commission and the council members. Beth do you or Phil or Robert want to add anything to that? Oh you're on mute Phil. There you go. I had that had my notes that I made of the meeting at least the meeting last week so maybe that's maybe you're are you asking for information on the first meeting anything any of that has to do with this yes you were at both meetings my notes are attached for the meeting last week for the planning commission committee i believe it was and you know about half the people on the committee spoke and most of them asked questions that made me think they're not real wild about the large-scale solar, but you never can be sure. And then there's a lot of people who didn't say anything. But I came away with a pretty good feeling from that meeting. That's all I'd add above and beyond my letter, which is in your packet. Which Phil did read, Margaret. He did read your letter into the record as well, presenting it to everyone there. And Beth actually handed the letter up for it to be part of the record physically as well. So it should be well documented that it was presented as well as having been read. My understanding is after the public hearing on the 9th, that the Planning Commission will make a, prepare a report and then send their recommendation to the council. Is that your understanding, Beth? That is. Let me let Tracy answer that for us. And I think the staff as well, right, Tracy? Well, what's going to happen on the 9th, as far as I know, is that the whole commission will hear probably what was heard in that committee, what was the information that was provided from the work group. And I also think that they will have the draft from the planning, from the council that came to them. They'll also take public comment on that day. So whoever wants to speak at that hearing. And after that, then the council or the planning commission will basically take, they'll be voting on what they want to move forward to the council. They have to have something back to them, you know, within the 60 day time period from when the council initiated that text amendment. So I suspect, but I'm not sure that they're going to change some of the stuff that came to them. That goes back to the council in the form of a recommendation. Okay. per KRS and then the council gets it. When actually, when they get it back, they're going to be on break because they're on break until mid-August. And so once they get it back, they do not have a deadline per KRS. So they have the option to put it back in committee. They have the option to just put it on their docket. They have the option to do nothing. um you know if they uh if they do nothing what's currently on the books will stay there if they you know change something then it will change what's on the book so nothing permanent in terms of changing that ordinance is going to happen until sometime after august or mid-august when the council gets it back but the planning commission will do their work probably mostly on July the 9th in order to get a recommendation back to the council within the 60-day time frame from when they initiated the text amendment. So I expect there'll be people on the 9th at the public hearing that want to comment. And of course, anybody, anyone from this board or, you know, is welcome to do that as well. Or obviously the information you all submitted, your letter, and that kind of stuff is going to be in the record from what they'll get on the night to look at and talk about. You know, I will say, I thought personally that Charlie Farmer was particularly helpful in answering questions that some of the committee commission members had about soils and impacts to soils. So, but that should be in the record of what they will get as well. Tracy, will the council still have their work session on the 11th, August the 11th or not? um do they come back after that that may be the day they come that may be when they come back okay that may be the first day they come back hang on so yeah all right beth yeah not paying attention to august right now so um I think their calendar is that their first work session back would be, yeah, on the 11th of August. And then they do have a council meeting that night. So, you know, I really don't know what they're what they'll do with it. They'll have all the information. so whether or not they want to put it back on their docket or they want to put it back in a committee the next time the government general government and planning committee meets is not until september the 8th so if they were to want to see it would have to go there when will the planning staff be making their uh recommendations will that be to the planning commission as part of the planning commission's decision or will that go along with the planning commissions to the council they the staff's recommendation is not the decision of the planning commission so i suspect the work group was a little different i think maybe than some thought because they thought that the work group might be recommending something to the planning commission for their ninth meeting but they really didn't the work group didn't make a recommendation they just presented the information at work session last week. And so I suspect the council or the staff will have recommendations for the hearing on July 9th. And the planning commission will discuss those. And so whatever the planning staff recommends will be in the record, but the decision of what's being formally recommended will come from the vote of the planning commission. Okay. And Beth, just for your records for typing in, I see that Joanna has joined and Mary Quinn. Yes. And Albulina is there now. And again, she got here before she heard that we gave her kudos for helping with the minutes. So I think that's everybody. Okay. Yes, thank you. And I will echo what Tracy said about Charlie Farmer was very valuable. He did not go with us. He was actually invited by the Planning Commission to attend. And just that his 37 years with the conservation service, he was really able to talk about the soils and answer their questions about that and make a good impact. And Robert James, too, read a wonderful letter from the Farm Bureau. And actually, it would be great to send it out. So, Robert, if you want to send it or if you want to send it to me, I'd be happy to share it. I would love for the other board, Rural Land Management board members to see your letter. Robert, it was excellent. And he did read it into the record. So it is part of the official record as well. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, Beth. Anything else? Any other comments, board members? The one thing I will add while we're on this is just a reminder to say it in case there's anyone from the public watching that Council Member Boone is hosting a solar info session on June 30th. at Emanuel Baptist on Winchester Road. And I sent that to you all out just before the meeting. Please invite anyone you would like or forward it. But they asked that we announce that today because he could not be here. Okay. Now, on to new business about our PDR and our small farm easements. And Beth, do we have a date decided that the board could talk about when we're going to ask for more applications for small farms yes getting close so actually i was just checking with tracy today so our um the small farm ordinance the amendments we made um have had first reading they will have second reading on june let's see it's july 2nd um and it takes a few weeks for the council clerk to get that recorded and make it officially up on the LFUCG website that it's in the code of ordinances. So I talked to Tracy about that. She said it was best that we let that all be posted and official because the people who were in the AB zone will need to reapply and the program will need to allow them to make them eligible. And so my thought is that we will send out the cards sometimes later in July and maybe have a September deadline. We want to give people a couple of months after we send it so that they can work on their subordinations and have those. And actually, while we're on that note, I'll say that I sent out last summer, John Watts did a memo for landowners that for them and to share with their lenders that explained what subordination is and provided a preliminary subordination form that they have to submit with their application. And then the full subordination that is recorded at closing, as well as a copy of our easement. And so I sent that to Jonathan as a banker to review it for us. And he has done so and given me some feedback. And then he and I are going to meet in the next few days to talk about that. in ways that it might be a little more banking friendly or help explain some things that they might have questions about some things that maybe could help us because as you all know, that has been a struggle for our small farms to be able to get those subordinations. So thank you to Jonathan because he really wrote back a thorough, a nice long email about his thoughts on this and some things we could do. So thank you to him. We'll probably at our next meeting be able to share some of that with you all. Okay, good. Shall we go in order? I think we're going to keep our quorum. So, yes, Phil? I just got a quick question. When are we going to ask for applications on the main PER program again? And when will be the deadline for that? Probably around the same time or maybe a month later. So, we'll probably do maybe an October deadline. So, you may see me slightly frazzled by the fall, but we have, I think, with Abelina's help and Sean and things, we will be able to handle that. So, it will be a big task. You know, last year, we just did word of mouth. We were trying to get the program off the ground. And there are over 1,000 10-acre tracks in the 10 to 19-acre range. So we could get inundated, but so we'll see and we'll work on that. But we're going to try to come up with some plans to maybe help hopefully streamline it and make it a little easier. We want every one of them to qualify. Yes. Okay. While we have a quorum, Beth, do you have your stuff together to do your presentation? for the nine forms we closed on. And you all, some of you have just signed on. Beth sent the map, an updated map that you can download and keep for yourselves. You can print, which is great. And she'll be talking about that, using that today as a reference as well. So you all do have a printable map updated for where we are. Okay. Let's see. All right. So our 2026 calendar year PDR and small farm closings. So we actually have nine farms. So I'll start to go through those in the order that we close those. So on March 30th, we closed PDR Farm 32024 that's located at 3860 Lemon's Mill Pike. It's approximately 29 acres owned by North Elkhorn LLC, of which Mike and Meg Levy are members. It is a horse farm. Mike and Meg are longtime PDR farm owners who sold their farm near Old Trayford Pike to downsize to this farm a couple of years ago. It is PDR adjacent. The North Elkhorn Creek runs through the back of the farm. It is in the North Elkhorn Creek focus area and has 647 feet of frontage in this designated scenic view shed. So here we are. So this is the Farm 3 2024. So this is it here. And you can see not only is it adjacent, but it filled in a piece that was missing out of this huge area of conserved land. So that is wonderful. So we're very excited to bring that one into the program. And then I included a picture here of the creek because that came up last night when Gloria and I spoke to the Fayette Alliance Citizens Academy last night. And we were talking about how not only are we protecting the land, but we're protecting the streams on the land, the historic structures and everything. So I don't have a picture of it, but the creek actually, a very wide portion of the creek runs behind their house and it's just beautiful. So it's a great farm. And then there's an interior of their horse farm. And so our next one is Small Farm 2025 located on 6401 Old Richmond Road. It's closed on March 30th as well. It's 10.17 acres owned by Vicki Watkins. It is a horse and general ag farm. It's PDR adjacent to her 30-acre farm she placed in PDR in 2024. She has 279 feet of road frontage on a Kentucky Scenic Byway. It has environmentally sensitive areas and is part of the designated scenic viewshed. Okay, so here is Vicki's and you can see that this is, and you all may remember because it was just a year or two ago that we closed all of these on Old Richmond Road. And so that is her 10 acre tract. And then we have another here that actually has applied to Small Farm and is trying to work through that. some issues they're having on their end. But so that is was a wonderful piece to get and continue filling in this area. And Jonathan may be able to help us with that white dot. Yes, hopefully so. It is strictly the banking issue subordination letter. Yes. And so our next one is small farm 42025 at 5175 Jack's Creek Pike. It closed March 30th as well. It's almost 11 acres owned by Tim and Diana Haggerty. It is a horse farm as you can see. Extensive natural areas in addition to the farmland. It is adjacent to two other small farms that created a 30 acre block. So that's exciting. And 488 feet of road frontage in a designated scenic viewshed. And it also has rural greenways. And so here it is. And because of the size of them, they don't show up. But you will see, we're going to go through each of these. But these three applied as a batch application. And a batch is when you apply with a neighbor and you receive points for that. And so, especially for the small farms, that was really neat that they did that because we did close all three and have created this approximately 33-acre block. So, that's wonderful. Our next one is small farm 21-2025 located at 5866 Athens Walnut Hill Pike. It closed March 30th. It's owned by Jeff and Jeannie Bradford. It's 10 acres. It sits within a PDR farm. And so this farm was a tract. There are two farms that are adjacent, two large PDR farms owned by a sister and brother. There was a 10-acre tract carved out on which the sister lived, and it has a historic house. and now that they've sold it to the Bradfords and so I'll show you in just a minute but how it sits right within those PDRs so that was really wonderful to have this one join the program. It is used for hay farming and by the people who also farm the other PDR farms. It is a Bluegrass Trust designated resident. It has extensive natural areas and is part of the designated scenic viewshed. That house is also a contributing factor for the National Trust, I mean, for the National Boone Creek National Historic District. So it is, the house is also a contributing factor to that National Register District. Okay, great. So here is, So here are those two. So this is one PDR parcel and this is another and it actually, and so the interstate goes right through. And so this is the little track here. And so it's a narrow little track that shoots back from the road. And you can see right in the middle of the farm. So that was a wonderful one to add to the program. Our next one is Small Farm 12025 located at 5740 through 5742 Old Richmond Road. It closed on May 18th. It's 12 acres owned by Nancy Cox. It's horse and general ag farm with farm workers living on site. There are 362 feet of road frontage on a Kentucky scenic highway. It's part of the designated scenic viewshed and had an 82% prime farmland soil score, which is the highest you can get in our ranking system. You get 30 ranking points for that and 100% when you include statewide importance. And I noted that because most of our PDR farms add up to 100% with the prime and statewide or close to that but it's oftentimes their prime is in 50 or 60 percent so this one had 82 percent so it was actually our top ranked out of the ones that all moved forward um and so exciting to be able to save those soils um and so let me see I think I skipped oops I did the wrong map. Oh, no, I didn't. Here we are. All right, here she is. Okay, so there is Nancy's parcel right here. And while we were looking, if you all got to look at the map earlier, so the green that's a little lighter is the Bluegrass Land Conservancy. So she's very close to that as well as PDR. And I think that the newest, if you go back to that map while Margaret is here, I think the newest addition where your green is there, Margaret, is also on the other side of that upper green, almost where it says SF20. Don't you have another 160 or 70 acres of brand new conservancy right there? I'm not sure. That doesn't ring a bell. Because the pale green that's there, isn't that Alex's? Isn't that Alex's? Yes. Oh, yeah. And we also have cabbies, right? Okay. Directly across the street from Alex. Right, right. Where SF20 is. Yes, you're right. Okay, Margaret, I'll get with you all. I'll get with the staff of the Conservancy to get that so it can get added. Yeah, get with Lee Bard. Lee Bard, okay. And he can give you the most current info. Okay, great. I think we have some of your newest ones, Margaret, are not, I think, on the map. Yeah, I saw the Elmendorf one is on there, but Cappies is not. Okay, great. Okay, we'll get that added. And that's another 165 or 70 acres thereabouts. Yeah, I think that sounds right. Yeah. So the point being that that critical mass area is really good there because it has grown this year on top of ours. And last night, Margaret, we gave your group kudus as well. Oh, thank you. We talked about the Conservancy working hand in hand with us and the surrounding counties. So Beth and I both mentioned that last night. Thank you. I guess there were 50-something there approximately last night. So, okay, Beth, I just wanted to make sure our map got updated because that's a great spot for us to be building critical mass. Yes. Okay. So our next one is back to PDR. So PDR Farm 12025 at 976 Harpenis Road. It closed on May 18th as well. The acreage is 46 acres. It is owned by Jackpot Land Company, of which Terry Green is the owner. And he has another farm. You all may be familiar with his horse farm. He bought it after it was already in PDR, but he's made a lot of great improvements to it and really has a wonderful operation out there. And so I'm not sure. They actually have a house on the other one. And so he may use this one for some hunting and some other things, but right now it is just open land. And so it has natural areas with some wildlife and is PDR adjacent and fills in a piece that connects two large swaths of conserved land and has 914 feet of road frontage in the designated scenic viewshed, environmentally sensitive areas, and natural areas. I said as I said and so here it is right here and so you can see that it connects this area and this huge area that goes all the way up through there so and it was actually last year we just last fall we closed the one right beside it and the two owners are friends and so that owner said I'll get Mr. Green to apply and he did and so we are really excited to be able to bring that into the program as well and our next one is PDR also Farm 2 2024 at located at 4470 Old Frankfurt Pike just closed this month on June 12th it is almost 92 acres owned by Jessica Bollinger it is PDR adjacent. It's in the old Frankfurt Pike focus area. It has 1,611 feet of road frontage on Fayette County's only American scenic byway. It has environmentally sensitive areas, rural greenways, and is part of the designated scenic view shed. And here it is over here. So and you can see how much we have of old Frankfurt Pike and over here and this large parcel that the Bluegrass Land Conservancy has. So in looking at this map today, I thought one of the things we'll definitely do with our recruitment this year is try to get this farm into the program. I actually, Jessica referred the owner to us when she applied and I spoke with him. He lives out of town. I don't think they're doing it. It has been handed down. They're not doing a lot with it right now. so hopefully now we can show him this map and convince him to apply because that would be wonderful to fill in that spot but it would also be good to focus on the white block that's right above Pike that's right on the urban service boundary there's two farms that are there it would just be nice to kind of get those as well or at least make an effort to reach out to them. Okay, great, yes. Yes, so hopefully we can start to continue. I do remember when this was dedicated as an American Scenic Byway a few years ago that together us and the Conservancy had well over 2,000 acres along there. So it's wonderful to keep adding to it. and these are some more pictures of that farm so we had some really great ones from the appraisal that I wanted to share with you all and so our next is back to small farm so this is 33 2025 located at 5201 Jack's Creek Pike it closed on June 16th is 11 acres owned by Mark and Mary Beiser it's adjacent to two small farms that created that 30 acre block. It's a horse farm and has 313 feet of frontage on the designated Cinefue shed. It has rural greenways and is within one mile of Raven Run. So it is right here. So it is one of those three and it's actually the visors who put the other one in as well. It's two adjacent tracks that they have. So the next one is on by the visors as well. It's also 11 acres, closed June 16th. It's adjacent to the two small farms that created that block. It's used for hay production and has over 1,056 feet of road frontage. It's actually a corner lot. And so it also has an underground spring at the back of the property and is within one mile of Raven Run. And I'll point that out this time. I didn't do that, but this is Raven run park here. So and that is it. So those are the nine. So here we are again you can see. So they really went around the county. So from over here on the left here but they all filled in spaces and let me go ahead and show our faces a little in case anyone. But one thing that's neat about that is the small farm program is doing exactly what we wanted. It is filling in these little spots that are right by PDR or in some cases within PDR. And so it's really neat and creating new blocks here together that these three went in together. So I think it's really exciting. Before I stop sharing, do you all, was there anything else that anyone wanted to see or want me to flip back to the best do you know off the top of your head i meant to add this up and didn't how many acres those nine farms added yes i'm glad you said that i'm forgetting my last slide yes so the summary nine easements were purchased this calendar year the pdr acreage was 259 The small farm acreage is 65. So thus far, it's been 324 acres and our total is 33,529, which is 67% of our 50,000 acre goal. And we now have 314 farms at PDR. We also have five small farms under contract, two PDR under contract. We have new federal match funding for three farms that are being appraised right now. And then two farms that are pending federal approval and application cycles coming for both. well those 10 outstanding farms 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 12 we ought to be able to do pretty well about getting to the thousand acres for the year hopefully, because we still have 6 months yes board members are there any comments outside of clapping your hands and patting yourself on that. I would like to go first in saying congratulations to Beth and you on your leadership and these incredible results. This is just spectacular. And it's a lot of work that went into this and it's making a great impact on land preservation in our county. So thank you both. Well, thank you all. I pointed out to the meeting that we were last night that we have a great board and a working board. And I actually talked about some of you all individually in your farm efforts and that, and I actually patted us on the back that we are happy. And it's, and I said, it's a great board. And since before COVID, I think only one time, I have to check to make sure, but I think only one time in years have we not been able to meet because we didn't have a quorum. And I think that speaks very well for this board in all kinds of ways. because it's a very large board. It's hard to get 15 people together like this, and you all have done a great job. And I do think that it is a very positive impact. And we mentioned, Mary Quinn, tourism and the importance of tourism, and that we don't have mountains and we don't have an ocean, and this is our golden goose, and we need to take care of it and how important this is. And Beth talked about soils and the importance of that. So to add on to what you said, Jim, I think it's significant that we've been able to do this much. So thank you all. So now, Beth, we're at 33,529 acres. And the possibility of adding 10 or 12 more this year. Yes, hopefully so. So, yes, moving right along. Any other comments before we go to the to Charlie Farmer's contract? Anybody? OK. On our agenda, the his Charlie's contract for monitoring all of these for FY27. And Beth has pointed out that the mayor and the council did fund our easement monitoring again for Charlie to do this. He has said that now that he's retired and wants to travel, and he just sent pictures to some of us where he was in Greece having a great time. So he only wants to do 250 of these. So we still have 314. So we asked him, and I think Beth very specifically got on one knee and begged for him to do more than $250, but he said $250 was his limit. And he had a conflict, I think, right, Beth? And it's not coming today. So any comments, Phil, about his contract here, our treasurer, other than the mayor's put us some money? Well, my question is, is there anything changed between this contract and the previous one? No, only the year. I'm good with it. Any other comments, guys? Then I'll need a motion to approve the FY27 contract for Charlie Farmer, which, by the way, was included in your packets. So hopefully everybody had a chance to look at those. So moved, Madam Chair. Has made the motion. And Margaret seconded. For all those in favor, show of hands, please. Okay, now I see everybody. All right. And Phil, you're up next. Treasurer's report. Okay, in your packet, there were several invoices there. The first one, they've all been paid. first one was from Charlie Farmer baseline documentation reports this is her pre-site visit and baseline documentation report that NRCS is requiring that we do now as a certified entity. Beth did this pertain to any one particular farm or is this a group of farms or this can't be too many $200? Yeah it's just for one farm and it has not it should probably close next month okay um the other there's a invoice from kenmer three i think we got three invoices from kenmer kenmer for pdr farm appraisals and uh those have all been paid are these ones i can't remember now these ones that are you just they were in the presentation these ones that have been done and closed or these ones that are in pending pipe. They're the ones in the pending. So those have all been paid. And that's all I got on that, on money. Does anybody want to ask any questions about that? Beth, you or Brian, does somebody want to talk a little more about the importance of the baseline documentation visit? And Phil sort of touched on it, the fact that we're required to do that now that we are certified and how that used to work and why we're doing it now. Beth, you might be able to speak to that better, how we were doing it previously, because you all became a certified entity, you know, shortly after I took this position. But it's certainly very important to capture all that information going forward, making sure, like doing our monitoring, making sure that they're maintaining those benchmark conditions. It's certainly vital. And Charlie Farmer, there would be nobody better to do that because Charlie, I think, I mean, you think from the onset FRPP, I mean, he was the individual that really has worked hand in hand with you all for since 94, is that, or 96, Beth. So he's familiar with all these properties. So certainly uh glad to see that we have a a continued contract with charlie for sure so and then he also helps us on on the federal side as well so um but that is there anything else beth that you would want to say about that no well so our baseline documentation prior staff was doing those but now that we're a certified entity there's something called a preliminary inspection certificate that has to be done. And that's a site visit to the farm right before it closes. And NRCS visits the farms before they allocate funding to them. And then they would also sometimes do a visit beforehand, before it closed. And so now we are in charge of that and have a special certificate that we have to fill out. And so that is something that, so when we had to start doing that, we decided to have Charlie do the baseline documentation as well, and he's doing both of those visits. And then he has a form that we submit to NRCS and the baseline documentation, and then he takes photos as well and provides those. This question actually came up last night about how we know in the future that these farms are protected. So we did answer the question last night that they run in perpetuity and that we do have annual inspections for each of these farms. We did talk about Charlie and how important he has been and his credentials so that it's very clear for that group and those 50 ex-folks who showed up last night to know how we actually follow the program forever. So I think it's worth adding that. That did come up and we did address it. And Charlie, we didn't talk about how important it was that he does that. Phil. Are these baseline reports that Charlie does part of his 250 a year or are these an additional to his 250? Additional. Are there any questions or comments? All right. Thank you, Phil. And I have a quick report. I'm up next. In the month of June, as you know from what Beth just showed everyone, that I have tried to sign the closings and as many papers that come my way, and it's looking good and makes me very happy. And I don't know if Lena, yes, she's still there on the screen. Thank you. She always meets me and makes it easy for me to sign. And she notarizes. She is officially a notary now. And she notarizes these for us and has made it very easy for me to get that done. So thank you, Lena, very much for your efforts as well. Thank you. And Beth. And I did go to the solar meeting we've talked about and to the Fed Alliance. last night and i'm happy to say that there's a lot going on and that it looks positive beth it's all yours okay i think the only thing most of it i've covered in the meeting the only thing i'll add um so tracy and i both went to the council work session on june june 16th where they were where our small farm ordinance amendments were on the agenda. And we expected questions since we were adding AB and some things, but there were none. So that was good, but that is again has had first reading and should have second reading, not July 2nd. Tracy, thank you very much for helping with that. Thank you, Tracy. And Tiffany, she probably has had a hand as well, so thank both of you. Yes, and Tiffany who drafted, yes, thank you. Tiffany did the yeoman's part of work on that, so. Well, you still get a pat on the back, both of you. Anything else, Beth, before I move on to? I think that's all, thank you. I'll just go around the faces I can see. Phil Meyer, anything to add from what you've done to help out our program? or anything else? Nothing further to add this month. I'll try and go to the solar meeting on the 9th as well. Thank you. Margaret? Nothing to add. Jonathan? Nothing to add other than Beth. I'll be in touch with you on when we can get together and further discuss those subordinations. Thank you. That'll be great because we do have one. She's very interested and she's already put an easement on the rest of her farm and wanted to do this and has not been able to get the bank to agree. And it's a great 10 acres because they're growing all the farm vegetables for farmers market there. So it's a great spot for us. Hannah? No report. Mary Quinn, how is tourism going? It is doing really well. It's going well and things are good. And I hope you saw that the governor announced economic impact numbers about two weeks ago and Fayette County came in at 1.7 billion in economic impact, thanks to tourism and the region. So that includes contiguous counties is just over 2 billion. So very happy with those numbers and 12,000 people are employed in Fayette County in the industry. So very important piece of what makes Lexington, Lexington. Okay, everybody, tell Mary Quinn. Mary Quinn just gets to be the mouthpiece. Pat yourself on the back, Mary Quinn. I'm just the mouthpiece. It's an amazing industry full of really hospitable folks. Well, we talked about last night what a diverse board this is from the get-go, how everyone is represented throughout the county. And they did announce last night the new numbers at the meeting for tourism in Fayette County. In fact, they had a handout sheet and gave a lot of numbers for farming and tourism. It was great. So, Jim Coleman. Hello, Madam Chair and everyone. I've got a lot of great news. First of all, Coleman Crest Farm just got recertified for the fifth time for being a USDA certified organic farm. and just got all the certification about three days ago. I'm into my third year of the Summer Youth Jobs Training Program. It is one of the best programs that I'm finding here in Lexington next to all the work we're doing. And fortunately, I've got one of the interns. He's been with me for the last three years, and his name is Lathan Hirsog, and he wants to go to UK. And Dr. Stevenson has given me the opportunity to take him over to meet with her and her staff on July the 13th. He wants to study biology in the Department of College of Ag at UK. And then on July the 10th, I'm taking Kentucky State University in to meet with Brittany at Fade Alliance. They have a big interest in wanting to have a better, stronger partnership with Fade Alliance and to see what they can do on land preservation. So I'm happy to bring them together. And then lastly, I just got in the mail. I told you all last time we were together last month that Torch got certified as a certified farm dog. I just got her diploma in the mail yesterday. And now she wants to get her master's in farm management at UK, Madam Chair. And she was running, what, 16.9 miles per hour? 19.8 miles an hour, 10.3 seconds, 100-yard dash. Wow. Isn't that something? She's a border collie. Stephen told us his dog was having a hard time keeping up that much. My dog's not going to be going to school. He's pretty nice. Dogs were always too lazy for that. They really camp out. Okay, next on the screen, Stephen Howard. I don't have a report. Just wish everybody a happy Fourth of July upcoming. I've enjoyed seeing the foreigners on social media as they're in our country for the World Cup, just having fun in our country. And it's nice to see the joy of someone enjoying biscuits and gravy and going to Chili's and getting a triple dipper and having fun at the rodeo. So God bless America. Amen. Joanna. Sorry, my phone overheated and shut down on me. Uh-oh. How about your pop-up, please? The ones that K-State had brought me are still kicking with the rain. But we've done this since a place. A June event, we was at the full brain with Mount Sinai. New Sinai off of Roussel. So we had a great turnout, and if you ever had a chance to go to Houston, we had a history center in a similar history of awards. And I think it was a great event. Since I got about 120 plants and six flowers in your case, so it was a great event. Robert. um i will try to be at the july 9th meeting for the planning commission as well for the 12th district solar information meeting on the 30th i have a farm bureau function and won't be at that otherwise i don't have anything else official going on just gearing up for wheat harvest here soon and brian jones do you have anything you want to add yes madam chair we we had a uh a very positive on-site meeting out at world horse place farm um we met with the uh the farm manager rafael and i will say a very well managed farm um uh doing a great job managing pests managing the fertility in their fields uh we did there was one issue with the muck storage area and we had a really good conversation about that. And then actually I had a follow-up conversation with the farm manager and I'll actually be going out probably mid-July to meet with them and to offer some technical planning advice or potentially some call share to help alleviate that. But it was a very positive meeting and something that needed to be addressed. And so we were happy with the outcome of the meeting. And I think Beth, you maybe had talked with those folks before, But I'll say we're making progress for sure in a positive way. And also, Madam Chair, we did talk to national leadership about the UK, the Georgetown Road Expansion Project. As far as that 10 acres that they're going to utilize for the road expansion project, they will have to either they'll have to add. As far as the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, they'll have to add 10 acres to an existing easement, which would have to offer the same functions and values, soil type, quality as, you know, is what they would be, you know, taking for the project. They can either do that, add 10 acres to an existing easement that would have to, like I say, offer the same benefit, the same quality of land. Or if they can't find that, they've got to purchase a property for you all to hold that would be the average size easement in Fayette County, conservation easement. So that is like 124.6 acres. So the Transportation Cabinet had some concerns about that, but that would be a requirement. So Matt Hutchison and I, we're trying to get a meeting scheduled with the Transportation Cabinet and Wayne Van Ruin. He's our technical expert that handles these kind of situations. So I'll keep you posted on that. But, you know, you were asking, like, do they have to reimburse Fayette County and NRCS? But what they'll have to do is they'll have to purchase at least 10 acres and additional acres to an existing easement like value, or they'll have to purchase 124.6 acres as a standalone. So we've got some things to work through to get there with that. But we'll certainly keep you posted as we learn more for sure. Well, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Does that mean, I mean, could they, if we had a farm in the pipeline and where are we going to get the funding for it, could they step up and provide the funding for a farm that we have in the pipeline? They could, yes. Yes, but they weren't sure exactly what the mechanism would be for them to purchase something to essentially give to another entity. So we've got some, they've got to work through some hurdles to figure out exactly what that process would look like. but the 10 acre property would have to be equal in value to the 10 acres that they're taking so yeah i think your farm is a deterrent of them taking you know i mean that the requirements should hopefully make them uh think twice before they ever take a pdr farm which is our goal so I mean, one of our goals. So it protects our investment, which is great. I think this is one of our earlier farms from early 2000s, is it not, Beth? And Tracy can comment, but I think that there's a very specific section in that easement that talks about foreclosure or taking that they will certainly have to meet everything that is in that easement. Is that if that, in fact, is one of those that I think it is, Tracy? I don't remember the exact date, but I think it was sometime in the early 2000s, maybe before 2010, maybe. I think it's 2006. Yeah. And actually, the Transportation Cabinet, they didn't do their due diligence to even look at Charles' layer, you know, exactly where the PDRs are at. So they weren't even familiar with that. So they're educated on that now. So, but you would have seemed they would have done a title search on, you know, properties that would be impacted. But I'm not sure what happened there, but they're aware now for sure. And I'm surprised because their commissioner, head of transportation, is a former mayor who I'm surprised was not aware of that. It's probably not on his radar screen, but. may not be but it's still important yeah oh absolutely well it would be on his radar now yeah yeah yes uh is there anything else does did we miss anything or anybody did i did i get everything i do need to announce that our next meeting is july 22nd it'll be on a Wednesday, three o'clock, same time, the same place. I do again want to stress, I said this in the beginning in the meeting, and I want to stress again to make sure that to always let Beth know whether you are or are not coming, because this next time we have three appraisals, I've talked to the appraiser and he said he's on vacation, but they will be back by, his appraisals will be back to us by July 13th. So we will have them for our next meeting. So we will have some appraisals to discuss and potential offers to be made. So make sure that you always let her know so that those of you who go the extra effort to be here are thanked. And Beth, thank you for always helping make sure that we do have that. And again, to add on to what Stephen Howard said, hope everybody has a great 4th of July. Don't burn your hands on the fireworks. Wave a lot of flags. Eat a lot of hot dogs. Have a lot of fun. Enjoy Mary Quinn's tourism here in Fayette County. And if there's not anything else to say, I'll need a motion to adjourn this meeting. So moved. Margaret made the motion. Is there a second? Mary Quinn's a second. All in favor, signify by a show of hands. Thank you very much. Thank you for attending and thank you for all you do and for making the effort to always show up. Thanks. Thank you, Gloria. Thank you, Beth. Thank you all. Okay. Thank you. you. Warm, touching warm, reaching out, touching me, touching you. Sweet Caroline, Good times never seem so good I've been inclined To believe they never would Oh, no, no Sweet Caroline Your time never seemed so good Sweet Caroline I believe they never could Sweet Caroline You're ready to give up On that little lie they call love. Then out of the blue clear sky. Falling right into your hands. Like rain on the desert sand. It's the last thing you had planned. Then out of the blue clear sky. Here she comes a-walking, talking true love. Saying I've been looking for you, love. Surprise, your new love has arrived out of the blue clear sky. Ain't love a funny thing. One day you're giving up the dream. And the next you're picking out a ring. Out of the blue clear sky Here she comes a-walkin', talkin' true love Sayin', I've been lookin' for you, love Surprising new love has arrived Out of the blue clear sky Here she comes a-walkin', talkin' true love Sayin', I've been lookin' for you, love Surprise, your new love has arrived Out of the blue clear sky Out of the blue clear sky I'm a man. Skipping out a study hall to hang with the guys. Then it's fast cars, rock and roll guitars. Lighting up behind the barn and not knowing why. But his life is about to change. He's never gonna be the same. And he'll be living in a different world. When boy meets girl. One smile, one look He's nearly on the hook Got it bad and feeling good all over inside He ain't got a clue what he's going through But he's going to just give him time Cause his life is about to change He's never gonna be the same He'll be living in a different world When boy meets girl He never polished his books before Never thought about what he wore Never knew he could feel like that Now there ain't no way he can never go back Oh yeah, his life is about to change He ain't never gonna be the same And he'll be living in a different world When boy needs girl His life is about to change He's never gonna be the same He'll be living in a different world When boy needs girl When more needs girl When more needs girl Young man, there's no need to feel down. I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground. I said, young man, cause you're in a new town. There's no need to be unhappy. Young man, there's a place you can go. 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You can do whatever you feel. Young man, I was once in your shoes. I said I was. Down and out with the blues. I felt no man. Killed an hour alive I felt the whole world was so dry That's when Someone came up to me and said Young man Take a walk up the street It's a place there Called the YMCA They can start you back on your way It's fun to stay at the YMCA It's fun to stay at the YMCA. They have everything for their men to enjoy. You can hang out with all the boys. YMCA. It's fun to stay at the YMCA. Young man, young man, there's no need to feel down. Young man, young man, kick yourself off the ground. YMCA You'll find it at the YMCA No man, no man, does it all by himself No man, no man, put your pride on the shelf YMCA I can't explain. Where do we lose our way? Girl, it's driving me insane And I know I just need one more chance To prove my love to you If you come back to me, I'll