Hopkinsville City Council approves Hoptown Helps Grant recipients

Hopkinsville City Council Members approved awarding $200,000 in grants from the Hoptown Helps Program to local nonprofit agencies at Tuesday’s meeting.

To start the meeting, six Hopkinsville Officers received promotions, and one new officer was sworn in. Michael Atkins and Matthew Overby were promoted to the rank of major, Alexander Cortez and Jack Leek were promoted to the rank of captain and Ryan Seitz and Lori Kryszewski were promoted to the rank of sergeant. Then, Tyler Herndon was sworn in as a police officer.

During the public comments period, citizens talked about the city council’s recent decision to absorb some Community and Development Services programs and positions. Tuesday’s meeting was the first-time members of the public were able to comment on the absorption.

CDS Assistant Director Holly Boggess also serves as the director of the Downtown Renaissance District. Boggess says that position along with others will no longer be under CDS but also seem to not have been absorbed by the city. She also encouraged council members to gather more information before making impactful votes in the future.

Knight did not comment on the suspected reduction in positions but says no CDS services or programs are being cut they are just transitioning to the city.

Turning to municipal orders, council members approved awarding Hoptown Helps grants to 15 nonprofits. City Clerk Brittany Byrum shared that the Future Funding Committee made the grant recommendations and she spotlighted the recipients.

The grant recipients are Aaron McNeil House Inc., Alpha Alternative Pregnancy Center, The Hopkinsville Art Guild, The Hoptown Hoppers, Joy Closet, Lipstick After Dark, Maurice Long Memorial Inc., The Pennyrile Children’s Advocacy Center, The Pennyrile Resource Conservation and Development Area Inc., The Pennyroyal Arts Council, Redeemed and Restored, Grace and Mercy, The Small Business and Entrepreneurial Development Resource Center Inc., St Luke Free Clinic of Hopkinsville Inc. and Wonderfully Made Workshop.

Each organization received between $2,500 and $44,000.