HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Planning positions have officially been added under the City of Hopkinsville’s umbrella, with services that were previously offered by the Planning Commission through Community and Development Services now falling to the city.

The annual budget for the fiscal year was amended during the Nov. 2 special called meeting with an ordinance accommodating for the addition of the new positions that are being transitioned from CDS.

The Planner I job will be added to pay grade 11, Planner II to pay grade 13, Principal Planner to pay grade 15, and Development Services Director to pay grade 22. These new positions will be responsible for drafting plans ranging from neighborhood to industry developments, ensuring they are in compliance with zoning and subdivision guidelines along with other planning duties.

The city council additionally approved a capital expenditure of $100,000 to purchase two new vehicles for two of the planner positions. Each vehicle is estimated to cost around $41,000. An additional $55,9000 was also allocated by city, which CFO Melissa Clayton said was needed on the operational side to “balance the revenue with the expenses.”

The capital equipment and property replacement budget was also amended to accommodate this expenditure in another ordinance. Councilmember Travis Martin was the only person to oppose both of these ordinances, and they were ultimately approved on the first reading.

Final vote, no public comments permitted

When the time came to approve the resolution that would officially transfer the planning and zoning staff functions from CDS to the City of Hopkinsville, there was no discussion among the council although the topic was previously debated at a Hopkinsville Committee of the Whole meeting.

Councilmembers Bell, Smith, Stallons, Martin, Bogard voted against the resolution, with Draude, Marsh, Crabtree, Hughes, Sumner, and Velez voting in favor. The resolution narrowly passed 6-5 for the first and final vote.

Since the date was changed and it was a special called meeting, no public comments were permitted by residents ahead of this decision. The city clerk told Christian County Now that the meeting was moved to Monday because of Election Day.

Back in July, amendments to the operational and capital budgets were proposed to initially transition CDS incentive programs to the city with new positions. At the time, the second reading of the ordinance establishing the change was held just two days after it was sprung on the council, getting final approval at a special called meeting with no public comments permitted.

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