City Council - Special Meeting

I'd like to call this July 23rd special council meeting to order. And would you stand for the pledge, please?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Call on the clerk to call the roll.

Council Member Smith?

Present.

Council Member Stallins? Present. Council Member Marsh? Here. Council Member Crabtree?

Here.

Council Member Hughes? Present. Council Member Martin?

Here.

Council Member Sumner? Here. Council Member Meek?

Here.

Council Member Bogard?

Present.

Council Member Velez?

Here.

Council Member Beall?

Here.

Council Member Droud? Here. We have a quorum.

All righty. item four ordinances ordinance 22-20 26 fy 2627 capital budget amendment second reading

Amending the City of Hopkinsville, Kentucky Annual Capital Equipment and Property Replacement Budget for Fiscal Year July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, by estimating revenues and resources and appropriating funds. Now, they are forbid ordained by the City Council of the City of Hopkinsville, Kentucky as follows. Section 1 of Ordinance 14-2026, adopting the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Capital Equipment and Property Replacement Budget of the City of Hopkinsville is hereby amended as follows. Revenues transferred from general fund, $2,320,546. Transfer from general fund wins, additional insurance premium, $393,022. Prior year revenue, $300,000. Total capital revenues, $3,013,568. Expenses, information technology, 272,183. Building code department, 150,000. Police department, 375,541. Fire department, 170,000. City maintenance, 288,000. Service center, 35,000. Parks and recreation, 145,000. Mandated agencies, 90,000. Buildings and properties, 550,000. Transfers, 937,844. Total capital expenses, 3,013,568. surplus deficit zero section two if any section subsection sentence clause or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid such infirmity should not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance section three any and all existing orders and consistent with this ordinance are hereby hereby repealed section four this ordinance will take effect after its passage and publication according to law all right second motion second any discussion yes sir yes sir so

I know this is just concerning building codes, but I'm just going to jump into all of it here since there are three in a row. So, Melissa, question. As far as like the GIS program, how much, and I asked you this the other day, how much is being allocated as far as new equipment just for that program?

We budgeted $50,000 in the city maintenance line for GIS equipment in the capital budget.

And it's my understanding that the current equipment is owned by the E911 board and the county. Is that correct?

I don't know. I don't know who owns the equipment.

That's what I've been told. So I don't think $50,000 is going to touch what that equipment costs cost-wise. Have we talked to the county as far as the impact on the county and what this is going to do to them?

I have not talked to the county.

As far as the data inside that GIS program, again, I was told that the county and E911 owns that that data and i find it hard-fetched to say that they're just going to hand that with with us killing this relationship i don't think the county is going to just be willingly hand that information over to us um and the data i was told the data in that program is insured for a million dollars in case of a data breach so i mean that that cost is it's pretty astronomical and i don't have we considered that

Like we might have to, we have $4 million in cybersecurity insurance.

All right.

Okay.

Um, then I'll just keep going here. Um, if you know me, you know, I think partisan politics has no place in local government. Um, as conservative Republicans, most of us are Marie slid in on us here. Uh, we say we're against wasteful spending yet. We're about to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars because of personal conflicts and personal agendas. We have an entity already doing these jobs and, and they can do it. And can they do it better? I think, yes, we all agree. There's there's things that we need to work on. Can we be a better partner? I think we can as well. Um, also Republicans are totally against big government. And by doing this, we're making our local government bigger and more governmental control. And I, this just doesn't make sense to me. Um, also public perception, the first reading of this ordinance was slid into our agenda in a way to deceive. we had no warning we literally came in Tuesday night to our meeting and it was sitting on our desk to review and make an informed decision at that minute and here we are again normally we'd have the first reading and then two weeks later we'd have a second reading but we're now here at a special called meeting 48 hours later and with special called meetings most people don't know there's no public comment so we've had two meetings now to make this drastic change and no public input other than calls we've had today And I'll just say at the end of the day, this change may be what's right for the city and it could possibly be wrong. I, you know, I'm, I'm open to the conversation. We've not had time to gather information, make a well-informed decision. So my, my thought is we slow down a little bit, uh, sit down, get everybody at the table, gather the facts and not rush like we're doing right now. Um, some make the motion that we table all these ordinance amendments, uh, send them back to committee of the whole and continue in good faith, try to work out a contract with CDS. I'll add that I think we should probably try to hammer out a one-year contract and then revisit that contract when it's close to expiring. If things work, then that's great. If they don't work, then definitely we can't say we didn't try.

I've been trying for three years. I'll second.

Got a motion and a second? Or a roll call? Roll call, please.

Council member Sumner?

No.

Council member Make?

No.

Council member Bogard?

Yes.

Council member Velez?

No.

Council member Bell?

Yes.

Council member Droud?

No.

Council member Smith?

Yes.

Council member Stallins? No. Council member Marsh?

No.

Council member Crabtree?

No.

Council member Hughes? No. Council member Martin?

Yes.

The motion to bring it back fails.

All right. We need to still now. Now we need a motion for that first ordinance.

You got it.

All right. We have a motion. Got it. Any more discussion on this motion?

I'd like to speak up on it. I'm sitting right here right now. I literally don't know what's going on. And you're shaking your head. Man, this is wrong. This is unethical. no sir it's not i'm sorry you wasn't here separately this ain't about this is stuff that's been going on months ago me and you didn't talk we can't do this man yes we can't it ain't right this can't be this can't be how we're gonna run our government man and everybody up here know that i'm fair Everybody up here know that. Man, let's give these people a fair chance if they lose their jobs.

We can't do this. We've offered the jobs will be open.

No, we're going to shut down 17 jobs and only offer six back.

Excuse me, he was not called on that.

Only thing, what I'm saying, let's do it the right way. You own the business. You know this ain't the right way.

I've been trying to get a contract with CDS for three years. And we... have been in very hard negotiation. You can ask Mr. Will and yourself for the last year and a half. And we are going, we have a motion on the floor. Clerk, please call the roll.

Council Member Sumner.

Yes.

Council Member Make. Yes. Council Member Bogard.

No.

Council Member Velez. Yes. Council Member Bell.

No.

Council Member Droud.

Yes.

Council Member Smith. Council member Stallins? Yes. Council member Marsh?

Yes.

Council member Crabtree?

Yes.

Council member Hughes? Yes. Council member Martin?

No.

That does pass on second reading.

Okay. Ordinance 23-2026 FY2627 Operational Budget, second reading.

AMENDING THE CITY OF HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2026 THROUGH JUNE 30, 2027 BY ESTIMATING REVENUES AND RESOURCES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT. SUMMARY NOW THEREFORE BE ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY AS FOLLOWS. SECTION 1. BY SUMMARY SECTION 1 OF ORDINANCE 13-2026 ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING JULY 1, 2026 AND ENDING JUNE 30, 2027 IS HEREBY AMENDED AS FOLLOWS. REVENUES. General fund, $53,380,003. Municipal road aid fund, $1,325,500. Prior revenue, zero. Total revenue is $54,705,503. Expenses, general fund, $53,380,003. Municipal road aid fund, $1,325,500. Total expenses, $54,705,503. Surplus, zero. Section 2 adopts the classification and compensation plan pursuant to Chapter 30 of the Hopkinsville Code of Ordinances. Section 3 sets authorization to enter into contracts or agreements within budgeted allocations. This full text of this ordinance is on file in the office of the undersigned city clerk of the city of Hopkinsville at 715 South Virginia Street, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, where it is available for public inspection between the hours of 8 o'clock a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Motion. Motion. Need a second? Second. Second. All right. Any discussion? All the clerk call the roll.

Council member Sumner.

Yes.

Council member Meek.

Yes.

Council member Bogard. No. Council member Velez. Yes. Council member Bell.

No.

Council member Droud. Yes. Council member Smith. Council member Stallins. Yes. Council member Marsh.

Yes.

Council member Crabtree.

Yes.

Council member Hughes. Yes. Council member Martin.

No.

That passes on second reading.

Item C, Ordinance 24-2026, amending Chapter 158, Appendix D, Zoning and Building Permit Fees, second reading.

An ordinance amending Chapter 158, Appendix D, Zoning and Building Permit Fees of the Hopkinsville Code of Ordinances. Now they are to be ordained by the City Council of the City of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, as follows. Section 1, Chapter 158, Appendix D, Zoning and Building Permit Fees, Subsection D is hereby amended as follows. D, the City of Hopkinsville and or its designee is authorized to charge fees for processing applications and permits in accordance with the above schedule of fees, charges, and expenses. All fees collected shall be the property of the City of Hopkinsville and shall be deposited into the City General Fund. Section 2, if any section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held unconstitutional or otherwise invalid, such infirmity should not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. Section 3, all ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed. Section 4, this ordinance shall take effect after its passage and publication according to law.

I've got a motion and a second from Mike. Any discussion? Clerk, call the roll, please.

Council member Sumner.

Yes.

Council member Meek.

Yes.

Council member Bogard.

No.

Council member Villegas.

Yes.

Council member Beall.

No.

Council member Gerrard. Yes. Council member Smith. Council member Stallings.

Yes.

Council member Marsh.

Yes.

Council member Crabtree.

Yes.

Council member Hughes. Yes. Council member Martin.

No.

That passes on second reading.

all righty item five we move to adjournment thank you all for being here we'll start the committee of the whole meeting at six o'clock i need a motion and a second for that all in favor say aye aye