HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Special called meetings were held on Monday with Hopkinsville council members focused on the allocation of hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Hopkinsville Industrial Foundation. A lengthy discussion was held by the Committee of the Whole immediately before a city council meeting where final votes were made.

The municipal order was presented to the committee, and then to the council to authorize the payment of $375,000 from the city’s Economic Development Fund. This money will be used to pay 50% of the Hopkinsville Industial Foundation’s interest payment that is due on their spec building which is currently being purchased by Kitchen Food Co. As laid out in a promissory note, they are promising repayment, with no additional interest charged by the city.

Committee of the Whole Chairman Travis Martin asked John Crenshaw with the Industrial Foundation why it is the city’s responsibility to make this payment. “I think of it as a partnership between the industrial foundation, the city, and the county,” Crenshaw said in response. “The industrial foundation needs help, and we are all in this together, and we’ve been doing this to benefit the community. We have a plan to pay you right back.”

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Crenshaw also clarified that there is no contract with the city that would stipulate the responsibility of payment. He further explained that the closing date for the Kitchen Food Co. development, which will be obtaining the spec building in question, has been continually delayed, leaving them with interest payments that have been pushed back since November. The funds are now due by March 31.

The $375,000 would pay for a year of interest payments, which is in addition to a previous loan of equal value from the county. “I want to help you, but I just want to make sure that this won’t happen again because we have to face our constituents…this is our citizens tax money.” said councilmember Vance Smith.

Councilmember Amy Craig also questioned the length of time that the deal with Kitchen Foods Co. has been in the works. Crenshaw said the atypical delay is coming from the side of the industry, but they are in constant communication.

“It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” added Carter Hendricks, with the Southwestern Kentucky Economic Development Council. “You’ve got to remember this is an international company, and this is their first North American location. So, I think rightfully they have run a slow diligent process to make sure that before they make a commitment, that they know what they need to know to be successful.”

During the council meeting, the council members approved the municipal order and designated the $375,000 to the Hopkinsville Industrial Foundation.

Separately, at the end of the Committee of the Whole meeting Crenshaw additionally requested up to $250,000 for construction of a road in South Park. A motion was not made to move this to council after a brief discussion.

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