Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight swore in three new officers for service with the Hopkinsville Police Department before City Council’s Tuesday meeting got underway where they approved zoning recommendations and ordinances as well as grants and incentives for industries with local roots.
Officers Michael Salyers, Michael Ferrell and Jesse Bufford were sworn in by Knight taking an oath to perform their job to the best of their ability and in good faith.
After the officers were sworn in, Knight shared an update on recovery efforts in Clarksville following the December 9 tornado and shared that Hopkinsville Public Works has been helping with debris removal.
Following Knight’s update, Community and Development Services Executive Director, Tom Britton presented a rezoning request along Lafayette Road south the Country Club Lane. Britton says property owners in the zone are requesting for the neighborhood business district to be rezoned as a general business district.
The council unanimously approved Britton’s recommendation which will be voted on as an ordinance at a later meeting.
Chief Financial Officer, Melissa Clayton shared the November Financial Statement and says city expenses are running at a slightly higher amount than what was projected.
Moving into their ordinance items the council approved motions to rename a section of East 8th Street bell hooks Way and a section of East 21st Street Bill Flynn Boulevard on second reading. In regards to zoning the council approved a general business district for properties located between 4405 and 4425 Canton Pike and on Pyle Lane on first reading.
The meeting’s municipal orders focused on industries who have planted roots in Hopkinsville. The Council approved for a Knight to sign off on a $750,000 grant agreement between the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the State Property and Buildings Commission, the City of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Toyota Boshoku America, Inc.
The grant will serve to promote Toyota Boshoku’s development at their Commerce II Industrial Park location in Hopkinsville.
The council also unanimously approved an incentive for Huhtamaki, Inc. in Hopkinsville. The incentive will allow Huhtamaki, Inc. to retain 50% of their total occupational license fee revenues which are typically derived by the city for a period of 20 years.
The incentive comes as Huhtamaki, Inc. plans to expand and make improvements to property located at 203 Commerce Court.