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The most recent meeting of the Winchester City Commission on Tuesday, April 1, featured a variety of agenda items. 

In particular, Brian Sewell – Public Works Director for the City of Winchester – was asked to provide an update covering the last year. 

“Joy [Curtis] asked me last week if I could put something together and go over the last year of what we’ve done,” said Sewell, speaking before City Commissioners and Mayor JoEllen Reed. “I’m going to try to…hit some of the bigger items.” 

Speaking in detail, Sewell emphasized what the two biggest parts of the department’s operations were. 

“Our main focus is our storm sewer system and our tree maintenance,” he said.

Such tasks can be more demanding in cases of severe weather, as was common at the end of March and beginning of April throughout Clark County. 

However, additional tasks come about as well. 

The Public Works Department performs work on vehicle maintenance, sign maintenance and compliance, sidewalk maintenance, and painting – particularly of yellow curbing. 

The salting and scraping of roadways has also been key, with 950 tons of salt being utilized to combat winter weather. 

“We have about 125 [tons] left,” Sewell said. 

Fortunately, a highlight from the last year that Sewell mentioned includes the completion of the city’s salt barn, which had started construction in 2023. 

In terms of staff, Sewell mentioned that there are two-full time mechanics working on the city’s fleet of vehicles and that – in 2024 – about 300 oil changes and fifty new tires had been installed. 

About 275 tons of trash and debris from the city roadways and the storm sewer system were collected over the last year. 

Certainly not least, the Public Works Department has replaced 350 feet of sidewalk and plan to replace more in the coming year. 

In other news, the city unanimously approved an order entering into an inter-local agreement with the Clark County Fiscal Court for county-wide emergency medical services and a second reading of an amendment to a city policy related to nepotism, clarifying that no employee should be directly supervised by a family member. 

Certainly not least, the Winchester City Commission – after hearing an announcement from City Advisor and former City Manager Mike Flynn with regard to city-owned property – stated that it will soon be putting out requests for proposals, or RFPs, from 501(c)(3) organizations with hopes of establishing additional affordable housing community-wide.