[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6658196,"mediaKeyId","5028785-e3b19094b426f6182f2f6fe8a5d1c8b5","parentId",5028785,"title","Council creates Legacy Hopkinsville committee; members to study inner-city housing funding and eligibility","audioSeconds",476,"startMs",2452000,"endMs",2928000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5028785-e3b19094b426f6182f2f6fe8a5d1c8b5&start=2452&end=2928","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5028785-e3b19094b426f6182f2f6fe8a5d1c8b5/thumbnail_2452000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6658196/Hopkinsville-City/Christian-County/Kentucky/Council-creates-Legacy-Hopkinsville-committee-members-to-study-inner-city-housing-funding-and-eligibility","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658196-7973c3335809c628a6342c32a74614f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206590&Signature=MpUf-cFR~SnxGya3eYLZ8bylXO8G1ipUDIdnb4SzwA6j2xirQGivx4OqhSHnVploOAIAQ2xl8nOKldxoupSW8XBq1Sq7SWbiYq7Hr5Nda5nXO2HwNHwJp9ToZdR2OXXmdarRf0~HbgLQ5gD~fsAzhdUYvMFA~xc~XA7G-4YE-Q7sSSv09K8Aqj9BbMeeZq0~Y37XFKfs7TND~~OjbADeyCAHOPsYNdtBDvG~WGLT~Lh-fJD7Dh5D~cia~Iyxw3eLkLMliC1NyT5MMdana0E6DFGZVpXP4ekRRkgzopk0~Rywu1CesIX5ykADlWlbf7J3LGcvsluQrMMS9xe4mXyH9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Hopkinsville, KY","date","2025-06-18T10:09:13.483Z","article","The Hopkinsville City Council on June 3 issued an executive order creating the Legacy Hopkinsville committee to study and make recommendations regarding funding for the Inner City Residential Enterprise Zone program. The executive order lists committee members from the council and does not require immediate action.

Executive order and membership
Mayor James R. Knight Jr. issued Executive Order 209-2025 creating the Legacy Hopkinsville committee. The order names the following council members to the committee: Jason Bell, Bridal Bogard, Amy Craig, Elizabeth Drowell, Donald Marsh, Vance Smith and Brandy Statlins. The council did not vote on the executive order because no action was required for its creation; the committee was announced on the council floor and members were listed in the order.

Discussion on eligibility: geographic vs. income-based
During council comments, a council member raised questions about the program’s geographic eligibility, asking why assistance through the inner-city enterprise zone is limited by location rather than by household income or demonstrated hardship. The council member said the distinction had prompted many constituent inquiries and asked whether the program could be made equitable for homeowners in other wards who face similar financial situations.

A staff member responded that the program was originally set up to use existing target areas identified as low- to moderate-income via census data tied to the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) planning and that eligibility has been based on both census-defined geography and housing-stock conditions. The staff member said some eligibility triggers—such as assessed property value thresholds—require income calculations for applicants within those geographic boundaries. The staff member confirmed council can change those parameters.

Council intent and next steps
Council members said the committee will consider whether eligibility should be defined geographically or by economic need and will also examine funding levels. One council member noted that broadening eligibility could require additional funding beyond amounts previously requested, and the committee was asked to return recommendations to the full council. No funding decisions were made at the June 3 meeting.

What this means for residents
The executive order formally establishes the group that will study program scope and funding. Residents who asked the council about eligibility were told the committee will evaluate whether the Inner City Residential Enterprise Zone program’s rules should change and whether additional budgetary allocations would be needed to expand assistance beyond current targeted areas.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hopkinsville City Council Meeting - June 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council established a Legacy Hopkinsville committee to review funding for the Inner City Residential Enterprise Zone program; members and questions about whether eligibility should be geographic or income-based were discussed.","taxTitle","Hopkinsville City, Christian County, Kentucky","taxId",51060,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6658201,"Hopkinsville City Council adopts FY 2025-26 budgets, approves code supplement and multiple appointments",583,1327000,1910000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5028785-e3b19094b426f6182f2f6fe8a5d1c8b5&start=1327&end=1910","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5028785-e3b19094b426f6182f2f6fe8a5d1c8b5/thumbnail_1327000.jpg","/articles/6658201/Hopkinsville-City/Christian-County/Kentucky/Hopkinsville-City-Council-adopts-FY-2025-26-budgets-approves-code-supplement-and-multiple-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6658201-c5184809495d236e98b3fd45fad59177/orig.mp4?Expires=1771206590&Signature=WF7QqzcPnNvvBki65J4cp9JlCFUJTlaEaD~OA0Y7IMPEVRYmTlJjLtUDQGvYS5gbLChvwDYgjVGT6xX8YmO3ED2UYuFXMD14WBwsLRVtmfrCLA3b3XTXQUQx5E4Nrk9AaP-45gDkx2-TUJTXd1uUKGdsgYAsFPIXt7HgyRooZ52Nuvd9cOlV4mHmmDKcxTBgl7FrhlesxmsALOh2-4~Ktd3E0E1SpjYJnOPN5-kcS7iU-bHA4p6L4eOLLjqziZVW-IkCe2MuE6tFatbsNniMdIx4VDe~A9UNIWest8J6iX-png79SdGuvP3yjYMjmGrC81r~i5VWeSF8JBO8MvQvFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hopkinsville City Council on June 3 adopted its fiscal year 2025-26 operating and capital budgets, approved supplements and amendments to current-year budgets and ordinances, heard the city’s May financial report and confirmed a series of board and commission appointments.

Finance presenter Melissa Clayton summarized May financials before the council took votes. Clayton reported year-to-date general-fund revenue collections of $52,083,858 and year-to-date expenses of $48,000,008.65, leaving positive revenue over expenses of roughly $3,005,689. She said cash on hand at May 31 was $20,835,786, with available cash after encumbrances of $20,718,390 and an unassigned cash fund balance of about $19,000,004 (44.6% of the adjusted operating budget). Clayton also reported municipal road-aid fund activity and capital-fund balances and offered department-by-department percent-of-year-to-date spending figures.

During public comment, resident Natasha Francis asked the council to find funding for her neighborhood association, saying the group had requested $350,000 and that the neighborhood needs repairs on several properties. The council did not take immediate action on that request at the meeting.

Votes at a glance
Ordinance 14-2025 (Code of Ordinance supplement, second reading): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present.
Ordinance 15-2025 (FY 2024-25 operational budget amendment, second reading): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present.
Ordinance 16-2025 (FY 2024-25 capital budget amendment, second reading): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present.
Ordinance 17-2025 (FY 2025-26 operational budget, second reading — adoption of FY25-26 budget): Adopted. The roll call recorded two \"no\" votes; the remaining members voted yes.
Ordinance 18-2025 (FY 2025-26 capital budget, second reading — adoption of FY25-26 capital budget): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present.
Several executive orders that required council approval were also adopted, including appointments to the Hopkinsville Electric System board and the Housing Authority of Hopkinsville board; the council confirmed those appointments by roll call votes.

What the council approved
- The FY 2025-26 operating budget passed by roll call (total revenues and expenses listed in the adopted ordinance as $58,263,024). The ordinance also includes authorizations for classification and compensation changes pursuant to the city code. Two council members recorded \"no\" votes on that ordinance; the ordinance passed.
- The FY 2025-26 capital equipment and property replacement budget was adopted, with listed capital revenues of $2,701,508 and matching capital expenses. The ordinance authorizes the mayor to enter contracts within the allocations shown.
- Council adopted a 2025 supplement to the Hopkinsville Code of Ordinances (American Legal Publishing 2025 supplement through 12/31/2024).
- The council approved several executive orders that required votes, including an appointment to the Hopkinsville Electric System Board and a reappointment to the Housing Authority of Hopkinsville board; those motions passed by roll call.

Council procedure and next steps
Most budget and ordinance items were presented as second readings and adopted on the council floor after motions and roll-call votes. The mayor signed a proclamation at the start of the meeting declaring June as Pride Month in Hopkinsville; that proclamation was read aloud but is ceremonial and was not part of the council’s fiscal actions. The council also created a Legacy Hopkinsville committee by executive order to study funding for the Inner City Residential Enterprise Zone program; committee membership was listed in the executive order and is expected to report back to council.

The council received the May financial report and did not schedule immediate action on the neighborhood-association funding request voiced by a resident. Additional program-level decisions (including potential changes to eligibility or funding levels tied to the Legacy Hopkinsville work) were deferred to future meetings or committee work.","At its June 3 meeting the Hopkinsville City Council adopted the fiscal 2025-26 operating and capital budgets, approved supplemental and amendment ordinances for the current year, heard May financials and approved several appointments and reappointments.","actionData","errors"]

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Council creates Legacy Hopkinsville committee; members to study inner-city housing funding and eligibility

Hopkinsville City Council adopts FY 2025-26 budgets, approves code supplement and multiple appointments