Hopkinsville City Council deferred action on an increase to the city’s business license tax at Thursday night’s special-called meeting and approved creation of a payment in lieu of taxes levy against HWEA.
Council approved first reading of the ordinance Tuesday night to increase the business license tax to 1.95 percent and to remove the cap on maximum liability. The measure was part of a recommendation from the Future Funding and Pension Committee to create new revenue to meet the costs of rising pension obligations over the next several years.
Presiding Officer Wendell Lynch says the decision to table the ordinance came after speaking with constituents since Tuesday’s vote.
Councilman Lynch will be sworn in as interim mayor of Hopkinsville Sunday afternoon at 2 at the War Memorial Building and says he intends to appoint another special committee next month to take another look at options for meeting those rising pension costs.
No member of council opposed deferring action, but creation of the HWEA PILOT was not unanimous. Councilmembers Paul Henson, Terry Parker, Tom Johnson, Jimmy Dossett and Jason Bell voted against the 2-percent levy on revenues from water and wastewater services in the city.
Lynch’s Ward Six seat will become vacant when he’s sworn in as mayor. The city clerk will send out notice Monday requesting interested applicants in serving on council to submit an application to city hall by 4:30 p.m. on March 5.
A copy of all of the applications will be emailed to city council members on March 6 and interviews will be conducted in open session at the March 17 meeting. Council will then vote to choose a new Ward 6 councilmember and that individual will be sworn in and take their seat.