The budget for the upcoming fiscal year was approved on second reading at Tuesday’s Hopkinsville City Council meeting and a street closure was temporarily tabled following much discussion.
The $36.7 million budget comes with no cost of living raises for employees with no cost of living raises for city employees, no special projects and an assumed four percent growth in property tax revenue. It also includes a four percent cut to all departments, five percent cut to agencies and makes the standard $500,000 budget for the Inner-City REZ $400,000 instead.
Cameron Mitchell spoke against the reduction to the Inner City REZ budget at the meeting during public comments, saying it will hurt the efforts of Neighborhood Associations and other programs.
Following much discussion, city council tabled an ordinance that would have closed a portion of South Kentucky Avenue off of West Seventh Street, as requested by Second Baptist Church. Second Baptist intends to renovate and expand their campus and would use the space of the road for a covered drive-through area that leads to a parking lot.
Councilmember Phillip Brooks says he’s not against the closure at the moment, but wants to make sure the residents on South Kentucky have been notified of the request and have a chance to give input.
It was voted to table the ordinance until the next city council meeting to allow for that to occur. In other action, city council approved a rezoning request for a field and wooded area on Foston Chapel Road running next to the Eagle Way Bypass. The rezoning would change it from a residential zone to a business zone that could possibly be developed in the future.
Council recognized James Victor at the meeting, for his many years of dedication to multiple boards, committees, projects and advancements to the city of Hopkinsville.