At Tuesday night’s meeting, Hopkinsville City Council selected Travis Martin to fill the Ward 6 seat left vacant when Wendell Lynch was chosen by Council as mayor after Carter Hendricks resigned.
Martin, a Realtor with sales and marketing experience, told the News Edge he is happy to have been selected.
And he is ready to work with everyone.
The six other applicants vying for the vacant seat included: former Hopkinsville Police Officer and Detective Mary Martins, Family Resource Officer with the Christian County Board of Education Christopher Dudley, former Human Rights Commission Executive Director Bernard Standard, longtime banker Kenneth Hatzakorzian, businesswoman and former councilwoman Paula Knight, and retired Certified Clinical Perfusionist Gregory Watkins.
City Administrative Officer Troy Body asked the applicants ten questions ranging from why they were interested in a city council position and what they hoped to accomplish as a council member to what steps they would take to resolve issues in the city and what things can be improved to make Hopkinsville a better place to live, work and play.
After an hour of questioning, Martin was chosen by a 6-5 vote, with Bernard Standard receiving five votes from council members Darvin Adams, Kim McCarley, Patricia Bell, Jason Bell, and Phillip Brooks.
Mayor Lynch then read the Oath of Office and Martin was sworn-in and took his seat on the council.
In other business, approved a municipal order for COVID-19 sick leave for city employees and a resolution to apply for a $310,000 grant proposal to purchase a rescue vehicle for law enforcement.
In addition, the Council approved the second reading of an ordinance rezoning approximately 1.5 acres of property owned by Henry Morris Jr. on Russellville Road to an Arterial Commercial District. Council also approved the first reading of rezoning of 1.72 acres of property located on South Elm Street at the intersection of West 4th Street from Multi-Family Residential to General Business District.
Councilman Paul HensonAfter the City Council meeting was adjourned the Hopkinsville Committee of the Whole met and selected Paul Henson as Presiding Officer in the absence of the mayor.
