Christian Fiscal Court approved final reading of a budget for the upcoming fiscal year Tuesday morning and heard an update on the expansion of fiber broadband internet access across the region.
Magistrates earlier this month approved an agreement to put an initial $13 million toward expansion of fiber broadband through Christian County in a partnership with Hopkinsville Electric System and Pennyrile Electric.
Representatives of both organizations spoke during Tuesday’s meeting, with Pennryile President and CEO Alan Gates saying they’ve begun the process to purchase the materials needed to expand service in Christian, Todd and Trigg counties and they’re also acquiring the manpower.
While it’s expected to be approximately five years for all three counties to be mostly covered with HES fiber internet access, it will be much sooner for some.
Richard Shaw with HES urged residents in the three-county region to log on to the Energy Net website and submit their information if they’re interested in receiving the fiber service, so they’ll be notified when the availability is arriving.
The $42.3 million budget was approved on a unanimous vote and while it marks a $13.2 million increase from the current fiscal year’s spending plan, Magistrate Jerry Gilliam notes almost all of that increase is due to federal COVID relief money received from the Federal government.
Christian County Animal Shelter Director Irene Grace reported they accepted 349 cats and dogs in May and 314 went out to a forever home or to a rescue.