Hopkinsville City Council and Committee of the Whole meetings may move to 5 p.m. from 6 p.m. following discussions at Tuesday’s council meeting.
Returning and newly elected council members were sworn in to their roles at the end of 2024 and Tuesday’s meeting was their first of the year. With a newly seated council, Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight made several committee and board appointments.
Council members were appointed to groups such as the Pennyroyal Area Museum Board of Directors, the Housing Authority Board and the Hopkinsville Solid Waste Enterprise Board.
Moving to ordinances, some council members and the mayor were at odds concerning a motion that would move City Council and Committee of the Whole meetings to 5 p.m. from 6 p.m. Knight says he wants to make the meetings earlier so that city staff do not have to work late which could also reduce staff costs.
Ward 4 Council Member Chuck Crabtree says the ordinance was not discussed at a committee meeting before coming to the council, which is what typically happens. Knight says he avoided bringing the ordinance to the committee so it could get approved quickly and by February they could start meeting a 5 p.m.
Knight says he talked with all of the council members about the move, but at the meeting it was the public’s first-time hearing about the possible move. Crabtree says he hasn’t had any time to talk with folks about the change and how it may affect them.
Knight says if the meetings do move to 5 p.m. the public comments portion would be moved to the end for those that can’t make it at the beginning of the meeting. Ward 6 Council Member Travis Martin questioned moving public comments to the end of a meeting because citizens may come to comment on a matter that has just been voted on.
The council voted to discuss the ordinance at a committee meeting before voting. To receive public feedback, the City of Hopkinsville is inviting residents to express their opinions on the possible meeting move.
A survey is available here and at the City of Hopkinsville Local Government on Facebook.