RICHMOND—City Commissioners were asked to consider how to improve historic preservation in the City, and whether to leverage an existing Kentucky law against slum lords. Meanwhile, one Commissioner accused a citizen of creating an "uncomfortable atmosphere", at a work session last Thursday.

When a citizen dressed in disguise came to the microphone during the public comment section following the session, Commissioner Jim Newby wasn't having it.

“Whatever you gotta say, your appearance is making the whole atmosphere uncomfortable,” Newby said. “Me personally, it doesn’t. I’ve seen more than you can show me but it’s very disrespectful to my mayor and I don’t appreciate it.” 

The citizen wore a hoodie, gloves, sunglasses, and a mask, and warned the Commission about the dangers of Flock cameras. The person would not state his name for the record, but he was permitted by Mayor Robert Blythe to speak anyway.

National 'week of action'

This week across the nation, activists are speaking out against Flock and other surveillance tools used by municipalities and other organizations, all part of a national week of action orchestrated by anti-surveillance advocates.

Flock Safety is the manufacturer of solar-powered automatic license plate readers that capture the plates of every vehicle that pass by them. The data collected is then compared to a national crime database maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of Investigation. If there is a match, police in the area are alerted.

Dozens of reports have surfaced over the past year of law enforcement officers illegally using ALPRs to track, stalk, and harass women, among other abuses. Critics of the technology say their use is an abridgment of the Fourth Amendment prohibiting unlawful search.

“These devices can be toggled to allow nationwide access by law enforcement, meaning that an officer in a small town in Kansas can access devices in San Francisco and vice versa," the masked citizen said. "This creates a nationwide network of warrantless surveillance."

Earlier this year, The Edge attempted to report how many Flock cameras are used in Richmond, how much the City has spent on purchasing, installing, and licensing them, whether they had aided in decreasing Richmond's crime rate, and if there would be any increased dependence on the cameras as a result. Multiple attempts to reach Richmond Chief of Police Rodney Richardson to answer these questions were either denied, deflected, or ignored.

There are 10 such devices in Berea. Several crimes have been solved as a result of these devices, according to Berea Assistant Chief of Police Aaron Boycan, who told The Edge that Flock cameras make his patrol officers "better" at their jobs. The County does not use Flock Safety equipment at this time, but Chief Deputy Sheriff Tony Terry told The Edge they are useful tools. "I don't think they're intrusive in people's lives. It's only affecting criminal behavior," Terry said.

The anonymous protestor, however, claimed, "There's no research that says that ALPRs reduce crime ... it's no wonder that over 30 cities have promptly ended their contract with flock safety, including Santa Cruz, Denver, Austin, and Olympia."

"Let's put Richmond, Kentucky on that list. With over 20 flock safety ALPRs in Richmond, there are over 20 chances to do the right thing. Please de-Flock Richmond," the disguised anti-Flocker said.

The Edge has been unable to confirm Richmond has 20 Flock Safety cameras.

When chastised by Newby, the citizen apologized and left the meeting.

'Bureaucracy at its finest'

Historic preservation drives healthy economic growth and increases the quality of life, according to local elder law attorney and Madison County Architectural Preservation Trust board president, Scott Collins.

However, lack of communication and mismatched goals between local government entities frustrate the Trust's efforts at creating these opportunities, Collins told the Commission in a presentation at the work session.

“I think there is a huge misunderstanding most of the time—people think it’s about saving old, nice houses,” Collins said. Saving historic homes does preserve history, he said, but that, in turn, helps revitalize areas of the downtown, and attracts people to come spend money there.

Collins accused the various relevant City agencies of not being in synch with one another, and pointed to how some City zoning ordinances are outdated and conflict with one another. "It's bureaucracy at its finest," he said.

Speaking about the conflicting ordinances, Collins said, "They're developed without input from real world experiences, from copying and pasting from other regions that weren't focused on our unique customized preferences."

Richmond City agencies involved in overseeing historic preservation include the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Architectural Review Board, the Board of Adjustments, Tourism, and the City Commission.

“Nobody wants to collaborate and solve the problem ahead of the process,” Collins said. “We’ve got to get aligned and [have] constant information flow.”

Collins said that to help improve the situation, the Trust's board would like to host annual workshops for the different boards and agencies in order to educate them on the many ways historic preservation can improve downtown Richmond and help create prosperity there.

Anti-slum lord ordinance 

The Commission next discussed using an existing state statute to create an ordinance that would establish guidelines for landlord and tenant obligations, rental agreements, and civil remedies for violations.

“The reason this has surfaced is because of the recent flood,” City Manager Rob Minerich told the Commission. In June, two Richmond residents died when their substandard basement apartment filled with water during flash floods caused by heavy rains.

The City also receives numerous calls from parents of EKU students who are concerned about the condition of college rentals, City Attorney Chris Johnson told The Edge after the work session.

Currently, the City has no legal authority to intervene in landlord and tenant disputes, according to Johnson. An ordinance would provide a way for disputes to be settled through the courts, he told the Commission.

Kentucky's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) passed in 1974, but it was only mandatory for Jefferson and Fayette counties. Other cities and counties were given the option to adopt the ordinance. As of 2026, the law has been adopted beyond the original two counties and is now applied in Oldham, Pulaski, Campbell, Kenton, and Boone counties as well as in Barbourville, Georgetown, and Shelbyville.

If adopted in Richmond, the ordinance must match the state's statute in its entirety and cannot be amended or changed, according to Johnson.

If the ordinance is adopted, landlord obligations would include complying with building and housing codes that affect health and safety, making necessary repairs to keep the housing habitable, providing access to utilities, and maintaining working appliances and facilities.

Tenant obligations would include complying with building and housing codes, keeping the premises clean, responsible use of appliances and facilities, and not deliberately or negligently destroying or damaging the landlord’s property. 

Commissioner Mendi Goble asked why other communities in the region have not created such an ordinance. Johnson said that cities and counties typically receive heavy opposition from landlords who believe the ordinance is unfair, burdens them with more responsibilities, and will affect their revenue.

City manager’s report 

Emergency repairs done at Fire Station 4 have now been completed, according to Minerich. Earlier this summer a leak caused by an ice maker necessitated a full rehab of the damaged area in the station's kitchen and hallway.

The Paradise Cove Aquatic Center will close for the season on Labor Day. Until then, it is open Saturdays from 11 am to 7 pm, and on Sundays from 1 pm to 6 pm, Minerich said.

Commissioner comments

Newby briefed constituents on his adiposity, or lack thereof. “My body fat percentages are down about 10%, and that’s amazing at whatever age you are,” he said. “That’s all I got today.” 

Goble said she is excited about Leadership Madison County, a civic educational program she helps to organize. There are 35 members in the cohort this year, which is the program’s largest class size to date, according to Goble.

Commissioner Mike Brewer and Blythe both highlighted the success of the recent Pops at the Park held at the White Hall State Historic Site, which recently came under management by Richmond Tourism.

Commissioner Tammy Cole mentioned that it was a busy time for the city with the start of the new semester at EKU. 

Whitney McKnight contributed to this report.