After local first responders were presented with awards and recognized for promotions, the Hopkinsville City Council discussed the progress of Rotary Park on Pardue Lane, approved zoning for agricultural districts as well as a street renaming policy at Tuesday’s meeting.
From the Hopkinsville Police Department, Michael Atkins was promoted to the rank of captain and Michael Felts and Dendrick Holmes were both promoted to the rank of sergeant. Police Chief Jason Newby then presented officers, Michael Ferrell and Robert Stucki with medals of valor for deescalating an armed suicide attempt.
Hopkinsville Fire Department Chief, Steve Futrell then spotlighted three firefighters joining the department. Drake Runyan, Caitlin West and Jacob Beach officially graduated from training and took the oath to serve the citizens of Christian County.
Turning toward reports, City Financial Officer Melissa Clayton shared an update on Rotary Park which is set to include a playground accessible to children with special needs.
Clayton shared that the park is being funded by multiple grants. The park’s pavilions and playground will be funded by the Land and Water Conservation fund; the trails and the sidewalks will be funded by the Rails to Trails Program grant and the parking lot, the basketball court, landscaping and other amenities will be funded by the America Rescue Plan Act.
However, Clayton says the city has yet to be approved for a $100,000 grant from the Rails to Trails Program. Clayton says she later found out the person they were working with for the grant passed away.
Clayton says there is now a delay in the city receiving the grant, and gave the council three options. The council could split the construction process and start on what is already funded, reject the grant and find funds elsewhere or wait for the program to approve the grant.
Plans for the park started in 2021, and Mayor J.R. Knight says they were hoping to break ground in April. The council agreed to further discuss their options at the July 18 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Moving on to ordinances, the council approved a recommendation from Community and Development Services (CDS) for two parcels of land, AT-1 and AT-2, along Martin Luther King Jr. Way near Bradshaw Road to be designated as Agricultural Transitional Districts.
To conclude the meeting, the council approved a street renaming policy. Proposed street names can’t duplicate an existing Hopkinsville street; a street cannot be renamed if the current name has historical significance; the street name can’t honor a commercial entity and the name can’t be longer than 14 characters.
Ward 10 Council Member Steve Keel asked if there is a way to give streets secondary names to honor someone to minimize the effect a street renaming can have on residents.
The council will discuss secondary street names at a future Committee of the Whole meeting.
