Hopkinsville City Council at Tuesday night’s meeting approved an ordinance on the first reading establishing new Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority rates.
City Clerk Crissy Fletcher presented the new HWEA water rates for Hopkinsville division customers in order to help pay for a loan to finance a new $45 million expansion and renovation project at the Hammond-Wood Wastewater Treatment Plant.
She also presented the new rates for the Pembroke division.
Council approved the ordinance by a 9-1 vote with Councilman Chuck Crabtree casting the lone nay vote due to his concern with the difference in the funding amount for the project.
Councilman Tom Johnson, who serves on the HWEA board, said he would vote for the rate increase because it boils down to three things.
HWEA President and CEO Derrick Watson explained the monthly rate adjustments are from a study of rate metrics conducted by HDR out of Louisville which is then recommended to HWEA to help pay the indebtedness on the loan.
In other action, the Council unanimously approved a municipal order pertaining to incentives for Brazeway for up to ten years in which the company estimates an investment of at least $5.1 million to develop needed industrial space at 310 Bill Bryan Boulevard, which will create approximately 38 new jobs.
Council also unanimously approved an executive order establishing a twelve-member non-partisan citizens committee that study and evaluate non-partisan elections in a balanced and unbiased manner and then provide their findings and conclusions to the citizens of Hopkinsville. Mayor Wendell Lynch said a list of potential citizens to serve on the committee would be presented at the next City Council meeting.
