HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Christian County Fiscal Court discussed funding options and future upgrades at Ruff Park, along with voting to prevent an extensive pipeline project from impacting roads.

A public hearing was held before the Oct. 13 meeting in regard to potential upgrades at Ruff Park. Judge Executive Jerry Gilliam said funding from a Land and Water Grant could cover the costs to build a new pickleball court and install lighting, as well as upgrading the existing playground.

In the May 2026 budget address, Gilliam announced that the county would allocate around $150,000 for Ruff Park upgrades this fiscal year as a capital project from the general fund. The proposed changes discussed during this week’s meeting would cost around $492,000, which Gilliam is hoping will be covered by the grant money.

In addition to these improvements, Gilliam is anticipating a TVA audit that will allow them to upgrade the lights on the Ruff Park baseball field to LED. He said, “Along with energy savings, it will be better lighting for our busy little league groups that are out there each and every day.”

Natural pipeline upgrade will not cut through county roads

As a result of the meeting, the fiscal court will not allow Atmos Energy to follow through with work required in the area of Shaw-Ovil Road for a 15-mile pipeline project that extends from Todd County to the Lacy area. This would replace and upgrade the existing pipeline.

Gilliam explained, “They (Atmos) are installing a new pipeline, an upgraded pipeline in North Christian that will be providing natural gas to our citizens in the northern part of our county.”

Magistrates unanimously voted against an amendment to a road warranty agreement that would permit the company to do open cut crossing of a section of the roadway instead of the previously approved option to bore underneath the road.

Magistrate John Bruce said he questioned Atmos about why they decided against boring in this area, and it was determined that this section would require an above ground block valve setting to break the pipeline into sections. Doing an open cut would make the instillation easier, according to a statement Bruce read.

“Any time they cut a road, they do a marvelous job of fixing it back as best they can, but there’s still a bump and there’s water intrusion,” said Bruce. Gilliam added that this was an oversight in the original design, and Atmos is willing to remedy it.

It was pointed out that they have held farmers to the same standard in the past and did not allow them to cut through the roads, ensuring they stick to boring and repairing any damage. Requiring Atmos to stick to boring means they will have to go deeper than initially planned, which may cost the company more money.

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