Meeting of March 26, 2026

Good evening. I want to call the meeting of the Davis County Fiscal Court to order. Today is Thursday, March 26, 2026. Commissioner Condonder, would you mind leading us in with a prayer and a pledge? — Thank you, Judge. If you could pray with me, please. As we begin this spring season, we start by asking dear Lord for humility. Whenever ideas are shared, there will always be the temptation for us to be proud. We will be tempted to defend our ideas too strong. We will be tempted to demiss to dismiss others. God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Help us to approach this meeting and each day with a humble heart, open to hearing and learning from each other, letting your spirit guide our discussions so that we may come to decisions that are not just based on our own understandings but also in your wisdom

and your guidance. We thank you for the reminder to remain humble and seek unity in all that we do. May this today and every day be a reflection of your love, your grace, and your humility. I ask this in your precious name. Amen. And now the pledge. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. One consideration for presentation. A proclaim April 3rd of 2026 as Arbor Day. — Commissioner Connor. — Thank you, Judge. Proclamation from the office of the county judge executive Charlie Castlin. Whereas the Commonwealth is graced with

a diverse forest and that extends from the hardwood forest of the east to the cypress slooh of the west. And whereas trees are a sustainable resource providing significant environmental, economic, and social and human health benefits to Kuckians. And whereas over onethird of Kuckians live in a community actively managing their o urban forest, spending over 12.4 million on this asset. And whereas Kucky's forest products are a $19 billion green industry employing over 9,000 people. And whereas trees enhance our air quality, purify our water resources, protect our soil, supply a source of renewable energy, and provide valuable wildlife habitat. And whereas forests improve our health and offer a place of recreation and solace. And whereas trees and healthy forests enhance the quality of life for all Kuckians. Now therefore, I, Davis County Judge Executive Charlie Castlin, do hereby

proclaim April 3rd, 2026 as Arbor Day in Davis County. And I urge all citizens AC across the great Commonwealth of Kentucky to participate in observance of this day by planting a tree. Our re reward is that future generations will be more beautiful Kentucky whose health and well-being are sustained by this great natural resources. Our forest presented in Davis County, Kentucky, this 26th day of March, 2026. Charlie Castlin, Davis County Judge Executive. And I believe uh judge that Rachel Christopher, there she is, is here to accept. All right. Thank you so much for signing this judge

and commissioners and thank you for your help as well, Brooke. And yeah, Arbor Day is about planting trees and there's a lot to do with that. So you picture your goals. Maybe you want to beautify your yard or maybe you want to manage for wildlife. So you could pick some oaks or maybe you want to do a red bud. Whatever you do, we say don't plant a calorie pear though. Those guys are not native to us. And thank you guys. Really appreciate it. — All right. Thank you. And you Rachel, you do not have to stay for the rest of your meeting. B recognition award to Janet Howard. — So I believe we have Vicky Smith's going to share some information with us. — Good evening, judge, commissioners. It's my honor to stand before you today to recognize a truly exceptional Davis County. Someone whose work has largely taken place behind the scenes, yet whose impact has been felt by thousands across our community. Today we recognize Janet East Howard.

Janet retired this January as the CEO of the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center after 45 extraordinary years. For more than four decades, she has been a steady, determined force, ensuring that one of our most vital health resources, blood, is always available. And while many may have never known her name, countless lives in Davis County and across western Kentucky have depended on her work. Early in her career, Janet faced a challenge that could have fundamentally limited access to blood in our region. Vendors insisted that a small community-based blood center like ours could not perform its own infectious disease testing. For many, that may have been the end of the road, but not for Janet. Drawing on her training and experience as a medical laboratory technologist, she understood both the urgency and the possibilities. She refused to accept no. Instead, she pushed forward, securing the licensing in infrastructure and establishing high complexity testing at our blood center. That decision mattered and it still does today because blood is a perishable product.

Platelets, for example, having only a shelf life of five days, without that testing being local, delays would have meant that the availability of our platelet supply was reduced or at risk. Because of Janet's determination, our community has had more than 40 years of access to a safe, timely, and reliable blood supply. If the blood supply had a voice, if you think about the Lorax, it would be Janet. She is their champion. She's been its quiet advocate, ensuring that it was always there for accident victims, surgical patients, cancer patients, and those who just depended on it for day-to-day wellness. Under her leadership, the Western Kentucky Regional Blood Center has grown from serving just five hospitals to 11 medical facilities, supporting more than 450,000 patients across 13 counties. And while her work has always been focused locally, her impact has been recognized nationally. On March 11th of this year at America's Blood Center's annual awards of excellence in Tucson, Arizona, Janet was presented with the President's Discretionary Award. As she took the stage, colleagues from across the nation rose, giving her a standing ovation. It was a powerful tribute to a lifetime of

service and leadership. Even in retirement, she continues to inspire those entering the field that she helped to shape. Tonight, we have the opportunity to ensure that her community, our community, pauses to recognize what she has given and what she has built. So, on behalf of a grateful community, it is my privilege to present recognition to my leader, an advocate for our community, a true public servant, and my friend So So Janet, before you say anything, I I wanted to go ahead and and follow your friend Vicki. Um, we don't have a key to the city because we're the county, but we do have uh we do sometimes give away uh a gavl. — Oh, — that that yours has on it. Honorary Davis County Judge Executive. So, that's that's what we're giving you this