Hopkinsville City Council met in council chambers Tuesday night for the first meeting of June to discuss budget amendments to the fiscal year 2020-21 budget, as well as the proposed
Council approved the implementation of the Lot Next Door program unanimously with councilmembers Alethea West, Terry Parker, Tom Johnson and Patricia Bell not present at Tuesday’s meeting which authorizes the mayor and Chief Administrative Office Troy Body to initiate legal action and release liens as needed to facilitate the program. The program is intended to transition vacant or unmaintained lots to new ownership through a year-long ‘sweat equity’ process.
Interested residents could become the owner of a lot attached to their existing property, following a 12-month period during which the individual was responsible for the upkeep of that lot. The participation fee is $25 and the application fee is $175, with applications to soon become available through the City of Hopkinsville.
Chief Sumner also said the police department held an event to reach out to the city’s homeless community last Friday and he was amazed at the response when 30 to 40 people attended.
In new business, the Lot Next Door Program was unanimously approved by an 8-0 vote with council members Patricia Bell, Tom Johnson, Terry Parker, and Alethea West absent from the meeting. The municipal order authorizes Mayor Wendell Lynch, Chief Administrative Officer Troy Body, and City Attorney Doug Willen to initiate legal action and release liens as necessary to facilitate the program. The Lot Next Door Program allows residents who live next door to a dilapidated property to pay a nominal fee and take ownership if it is maintained for 12-months and no violations have occurred.
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In other action, city council approved waiving the fees for Alcoholic Beverages Licenses for the 2021 calendar year for certain businesses in the city limits on second-reading, in an effort to assist businesses with recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Wendell Lynch says they will be looking into when would be safest for council meetings to resume being in-person once again, saying at the moment the spread still seems to be pretty high in the community. Councilmember Steve Keel pushed for that return to be soon, saying other city employment has not stopped and safety measures are already in place in the Municipal Building that are currently going unused. The topic was discussed for several minutes, with all councilmembers agreeing that providing the public with a way to bring forth their concerns at meeting is of utmost importance.