Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight was on WHOP Friday morning, he talked about the decision concerning the Phoenix Building and code enforcement measures taken by the city recently.
City council approved increases the penalty fines on several code enforcement at Thursday’s special-called meeting, including to for the refusal to collect garbage, noise violations, zoning violations or abandoned vehicles which have more than doubled and property maintenance violations in some instances. Mayor Knight says the prior fine rates were 20-years old and needed updating, and it’s all in an effort to help keep Hopkinsville safer and cleaner.
An agreement was reached in court concerning the Phoenix building and it will be demolished after sitting the heart of downtown for decades. Mayor Knight says he’s sad to see this part of Hopkinsville history go, but the fact of the matter is, the building is a danger and must be addressed.
He says it will also help create a more positive experience for newcomers to Hopkinsville and residents alike.
The East Ninth Street area of Hopkinsville seems to be plagued by storm and wind damage recently, and Mayor Knight says that does play a part, as they’re having to fix damages and look for ways to mitigate future events.