Christian Fiscal Court passes budget, hears health department plan

Christian Fiscal Court approved final reading of $36.2 million budget at its first meeting of June Tuesday morning and heard about plans to renovate the interior of the Christian County Health Department.

The budget includes $4.5 million for completion of the new public safety building on West Seventh Street that will house the Christian County Sheriff’s Department and Judge-Executive Steve Tribble says it should be ready to open in November.

It also includes $2.2 million for renovations to the Alhambra and $1 million for the museum renovations and Judge Tribble notes that debt service will be paid with revenues from the hotel tax.

County employees will receive a 3-percent cost of living pay raise and the budget gives the library the $415,000 it requested.

Ashley Johnson of the Pennyrile Area Development District outlined the health department’s plans to apply for a $500,000 community development block grant to use toward major renovations.

Johnson says the design phase is already getting underway and the health department will also apply for funds from the Delta Regional Authority. The first phase of the project is expected to cost up to $700,000.

Brad Bolinger of Higgins Insurance notified magistrates that their business insurance premiums will increase by about 2.9-percent in the coming year, due in large part to normal increases in value of buildings and property.