Gov. Ernie Fletcher presented three checks Monday to local officials to be used for a spray park in Crofton, cemetery maintenance and cleanup in Pembroke and sidewalks near North Drive Middle School.

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By Blair Dedrick, New Era Staff Writer

More land will be designated as floodplain, according to new flood insurance rate maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hopkinsville Mayor Dan Kemp said Monday.

A forum at 6 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the Lackey Municipal Building will give residents an opportunity to see the new floodplain boundaries, Kemp announced at the Surface and Stormwater Utility Board meeting.

“There are people with land not in the floodplain now that will be (in the floodplain) on the new map,” he said.

The city has to adopt the new map in order to have flood insurance.

The Utility Board took no action at the meeting but did discuss applying for a loan from the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority.

With a project list that is estimated to cost $12 million, Planning Commission Executive Director Steve Bourne advised that applying for the low-interest loan of $5.8 million might be a good start.

The loan would pay for the South Sunset/Woodmont drainage project, the Deepwood/Winsor drainage project, the Hurst Drive drainage project, the Apache Drive drainage project, the first part of an Army Corps of Engineers study on the dry dam project and flood buyouts and flood proofing.

Applying for the loan and using some of the money for the Corps of Engineers project would mean the board could begin the project without waiting more than a year for a federal allocation, Bourne said. The Corps would reimburse the board for the $520,000.

“Right now the Corps does not have enough funding …” said Board Chairman Don Langhi. “I don’t think we should stop at that; I think it’s very important that we get the engineering done and started.”

Langhi, Kemp and Bourne met with Corps representatives twice since the last meeting, and the Corps requested the officials send a letter requesting aid.

“We have to have federal funding, and we have to do it through them for federal funding,” Kemp said.

The Corps estimated the project would take a maximum of five years, Langhi said.

The board also discussed the need for two new city ordinances in order to comply with federal mandates by the end of the year.

The Stormwater Phase II requirements include ordinances addressing illicit discharge detection and elimination and erosion prevention and sediment control.

“There’s already some pretty tough laws against discharge,” Board Member Ray Diuguid said to Bourne.

“Yeah, but who’s enforcing them?” Bourne asked.

“We’re supposed to be,” Diuguid said.

“We need a mechanism to enforce,” Bourne replied.

The ordinances, which were not ready to be voted upon, will have to go before city council for two readings before they are enacted.

QuickInfo: Floodplain

You can call the Surface and Stormwater Utility at 887-4035 to find out if your property lies in the newly redrawn floodplain.

A meeting at 6 p.m. Sept. 6 at the Lackey Municipal Building will present the revised floodplain insurance rate map.

Blair Dedrick can be reached at 887-3240 or bdedrick@kentuckynewera.com.

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By Blair Dedrick, New Era Staff Writer

The hiring freeze proposed by Mayor Dan Kemp and approved by the city council in January has saved the city more than $200,000, numbers provided by the city reveal.

In response to a request from council members, City Administrative Officer Glenn Abee provided the update at last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting.

Eight positions are vacant, five in administration, one firefighter/EMT, one police secretary and one master auto technician from the Service Department.

To date, the empty positions have saved the city $219,032. Some of the positions have been vacant since January.

“I do not envision or foresee any of those coming back,” Abee said today. “As I said to council, never say never, but I don’t see them coming back.”

The only exception to that, Abee said, would possibly be the manager of accounting position. He said if that position does return it would be as a title change with existing personnel, not as a new hire.

If the eight positions remain empty for a full year, the city would save $423,551 in salary and benefits.

The assistant city administrative officer position is the highest paid position at $67,739 base salary. The position was eliminated in May.

The police department lost two secretarial positions this year, one of which is unbudgeted and will not be replaced. The city is advertising to replace the second, funded position.

Abee presented three job descriptions to the Committee of the Whole last week as well.

The first position would change an accountant position to accounting clerk.

The second created a new position, budget officer. The budget officer position would take the place of a comptroller, which became vacant when Patrick Fletcher resigned in June, at a slightly lower pay grade.

Finally, Abee proposed replacing both the Human Resources director and assistant Human Resources director positions with one Human Resources officer.

“I have no plans to hire an HR director,” Abee said Thursday. “But we do need a position in HR as an HR officer.”

Abee said today that the only new jobs he foresees proposing to the city council at the moment are the jobs for the employees of the Recreation Commission. The deal making the commission into the city Parks and Recreation Department includes the city absorbing the eight commission employees.

In addition, Abee said the new department will increase the duties and responsibilities of Mike Perry, Parks and Cemeteries Superintendent, enough to justify a pay upgrade.

“His role will increase, and I’ll definitely be recommending moving him to a higher grade,” he said.

Abee said as he gets more familiar with the city staff he is finding strengths and knowledge that can be tapped.

“We’re going to be taking advantage of existing resources and skill sets,” he said. “The first thing you do is look for what experience level and knowledge employees have, and usually they appreciate new challenges and opportunities.”

Blair Dedrick can be reached at 887-3240 or bdedrick@kentuckynewera.com.

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By Blair Dedrick
New Era Staff Writer
Statewide radio and television advertisements have been the main indications that the election race for governor is coming up this November, but that’s about to change as the local parties gear up for the contest.
“It feels kind of late in the year to some for public awareness of the election,” said Rachel McCubbin, Christian County campaign chairman for the Republican Party. “But, we’ll just capitalize on the last few weeks.”
Both the Republican and Democratic campaign headquarters will be opening on Monday to head the respective campaigns for incumbent Gov. Ernie Fletcher and challenger Steve Beshear.
Sen. Joey Pendleton (D-Hopkinsville), the chairman of the Democratic Party in Christian County, said both candidates for governor as well as candidates for the other contested races will probably be visible in western Kentucky in the coming weeks.
“If you look back, the last few elections have all been won or lost in western Kentucky,” Pendleton said.
To that end, he said the main message the Democrats will be trying to get out in the coming weeks will be for people to vote.
“With the soldiers at Fort Campbell leaving and the low turnout in the primary, people have got to see how important it is to get out and vote,” Pendleton said. “The guy elected is going to be the one to lead up for the next four years.”
A mere 11.1 percent of registered voters in Christian County made it to the polls for the primary in May. That number represents 12.3 percent of registered Democrats and 8.7 percent of registered Republicans.
The Republicans will begin a telephoning campaign next week, McCubbin said, and signs will appear as well.
“When Gov. Fletcher appears in person in the district – well, everyone has to agree that he’s done a wonderful job being visible in western Kentucky the last few weeks,” she said.
McCubbin said she is optimistic about the race. She said Fletcher’s polling numbers have risen since the primary election in May while Beshear’s have fallen.
“Steve Beshear’s numbers peaked in the polls the day the primary concluded,” she said. “Although the governor had a large gap then, it’s been improving since and we hope he peaks at the right time.”
Pendleton, on the other hand, said the poll numbers didn’t appear to be narrowing, keeping Beshear in the lead.
The candidates have made casino gambling into the main issue of the election through advertising, particularly from the Republicans.
“I think the casinos have become so important because that’s at least an issue where there is such a clear distinction between Gov. Fletcher and Steve Beshear,” McCubbin said.
In Pendleton’s view those differences aren’t so important.
“I’m going to have to say this about both candidates, they can try to push it in, but it has to go through the General Assembly and then the people will ultimately have to decide,” he said.
A poll he had conducted in his district resulted in 70 percent of those polled wanting to vote on the issue, however.
The casino issue could hit close to home for Christian Countians, however, especially those in the south of the county.
McCubbin said that area would be a prime site for casinos near Fort Campbell.
“Some of us have concerns about the health and welfare of the soldiers if a casino is right outside the gates,” she said. “It’s a valid issue to bring to voters.”

Blair Dedrick can be reached at 887-3240 or bdedrick@kentuckynewera.com.

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By Blair Dedrick, New Era Staff Writer

Christian County Judge-Executive Steve Tribble and Hopkinsville Mayor Dan Kemp sent their protest to the 2006 Census count to Washington, D.C. on Friday.

The two will follow the protest in a few weeks to present their findings to Census officials, Tribble said at Friday’s Leadership Council, and hopefully get a permanent solution to the problem.

The census, based on such information as income tax filings and birth and death certifications, showed Hopkinsville as losing more than 1,000 people between 2005 and 2006, from 28,645 down to 27,415.

Income tax filings, in particular, are challenged as an accurate source of information for the area because many of the soldiers at Fort Campbell file taxes in other states. Deployment can also skew population findings.

“This seems to be a recurring problem and we would like to have a way to fix this so it wouldn’t be a recurring problem,” Tribble said. “We would like to see if they could like maybe check with us before releasing the figures.”

Kemp and Tribble have gathered other data such as water and utility connections, which they say portrays a more accurate picture of the area’s population.

Based on that information, they say Christian County and Hopkinsville have actually gained population, not lost it.

“There’s no doubt in my mind (that the figures will be changed),” Tribble said. “I think we can back it up and that’ll help us all the way around.”

Blair Dedrick can be reached at 887-3240 or bdedrick@kentuckynewera.com.

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The new city administrative officer, Glenn Abee, has said he is open to suggestions from the public and wants to hold public forums to get an idea of what Hopkinsvillians want their town to look like in 15 or 20 years.

So, what do you think? What suggestions would you give to the man who is set to become the mayor's "right arm"?

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Well, the news is out. Mayor Dan Kemp gave his budget address this morning, recommending higher taxes and overall budget cutting for the entire city.

Here are his main points:

Taxes:

• Payroll taxes would be increased from 1.5 percent to 2 percent beginning Oct. 1. That means someone with an income of $30,000 would have to pay $150 more per year - $600 total up from $450.
• Business and manufacturing license taxes would change to a flat 1.5 percent rate with a $10,000 maximum tax cap beginning Jan. 1, 2008.
• Those with less than $25,000 in gross receipts would no longer have to purchase a business license.
• The minimum license fee for those with more than $25,000 in gross receipts would increase from $50 to $250.
• Insurance premium taxes would increase from 5 percent to 7.5 percent, beginning July 1, 2008. The deadline has already passed to increase this sooner.
• Standard 4 percent revenue increase in property taxes.

Cuts:

• The current city hiring freeze would remain in effect when people retire or leave, except by order of the mayor.
• Departments will receive a budget that is 5 percent less than last year's.
• So will optional agencies, except in cases where there are contractual obligations.
• Deferral of new pumper truck for the fire department and a new 3/4 ton pickup truck for the public works department until 2008-09 fiscal year.

Additional expenses:

• 2.56 percent cost-of-living pay raise for city employees. Employees did not receive a cost-of-living raise last year.

The cuts total about $547,000 and the additional revenue should bring in around $2.65 million next fiscal year - that number should increase the following year when the payroll and business and manufacturing license tax increases include a full 12 months and the insurance premium tax is enacted.

The mayor's budget must go before the city council before any of the changes are certain. The council will address the proposal at next Thursday's Committee of the Whole meeting at 6 p.m. at the city municipal building. A budget ordinance and tax change ordinances would probably go before city council at the first city council meeting in June.

For more details, check out the actual documents on the links page: http://www.kentuckynewera.com/2007Budget/index.html

So, there you have it. What do you think?

How might the changes affect your personal situation?

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Having been alive long enough to have seen some things pass in American society, I would now like to make a modest proposal to our elected officials. since the end of World War 2, it has become fashionable in the political life to give your electorate whatever they want. Seems that the way to get, and keep getting, elected (so that you do not have to work for a living, like the hoi polloi do), is to promise the electorate the moon, stars, and planets. I now propose a radical thought. Most of us have, in the course of our adult lives, had kids. What happens when you give your kids everything they want? Come on, you all know....... So here it is. Mabye, just mabye, it is time for a return to the principles that made this country great. Instead of giving us what we all want, you politicos should give us the things we have to have- and let us be responsible for our own wants! Example: Claiborne Pell and his bunch made it possible for everybody to get a college education, back in 1965 or so. Without speculating on whether it is a good idea for plumbers and garbagemen to have PhD's, follow this thought. if everybody has a college degree, pray tell- what is it worth? A bachelors' degree has become the new high school diploma- it MIGHT get you in the door, but little else. I remember, in 1966, my mother bought our first color TV. She paid $2000 for it. Now, Walmart is selling them for $99. Homeless people have them. You can get a good one in the classifieds for $25. The principle applies to government as well. If everybody can get the government to do for them what they ought to be doing for themselves, then what is government worth? I realize that I might be starting to sound like Herbert Hoover, here, but I have considered that our society has reached the point of no return. We EXPECT the government to give us what we want, and then we get mad when they hand us the bill! We need Policemen, Firemen, clean air and water, and Garbagemen (and other things that I might be missing for now). We don't need taxpayer supported swimming pools, taxpayer donations to private businesses, and other money-wasters. One of the reasons that we do not trust our politicians is because we don't trust ourselves. The major difference between us and our forebears is that they had the ability to exercise restraint and delay gratification. We do not. We want it NOW, and we've been getting it now since 1960 or so. Bad news, folks- there is no longer enough of the pie to go around. As a society, we need to start making some hard choices, to wit: Do we really need this? Do we really want this? What sort of legacy are we leaving, "to ourselves, and our posterity"? We must return to the exercise of self-control and restraint, and pass that legacy on to our children, otherwise things will NEVER get better. 

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