In the college world, some would call it “Syllabus Day.”
But Christian County’s brand-new fiscal court took its first steps Tuesday morning, unanimously approving and codifying the second reading of an ordinance regarding the Kentucky Association of Counties Finance Corporation.
The move allows for the governing body to service the debt accrued with the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library and its up-and-coming renovations, which are being afforded by a Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives grant worth more than $750,000 over the next 25 years.
HCCPL Executive Director DeeAnna Sova had given an update on the library’s proceedings at the previous fiscal court meeting, but went into further detail for this new panel — which includes a familiar Jerry Gilliam as judge-executive, incumbents Phillip Peterson, Rich Leibe and Maggie Ferguson as magistrates, and now includes Russ Giffey, J.E. Pryor, Josh Turner, George Barnett and John Bruce as squires, as well as Melinda Humphries as county clerk and Lincoln Foster as county attorney.
New ADA compliant bathrooms, a fully-furnished Makerspace, more collections, an upstairs centrifuge for youth programming and an easily-accessible community room are just many of the changes coming to the facility — first built in 1977.
Programming at the library isn’t interrupted at this time.
Some other fiscal court news:
— New Christian County Jailer Adam Smith sought the approval to retroactively hire Michael Sandbrink into a position of leadership for the jail, following the retirement of a former employee. Smith said there would be no change in the sheriff’s budget since this serves as a replacement. Sandbrink most recently served in the Trigg County Sheriff’s Office before his dismissal by Sheriff Aaron Acree, and he was the lead write-in candidate for Trigg County Sheriff during the 2022 November Election. Smith said Sandbrink’s salary will be $55,000.
— Gilliam “re-appointed” a number of standing leaders and their staffs within the county’s jurisdiction and purview Tuesday morning, before noting that County Treasurer Walter Cummings will be reappointed to the same seat this June.
Cummings lost a narrow race to Humphries in the November 2022 General Election.
— Concerned citizen Mack McCord brought up a common subject with many in south western Kentucky, involving the intermittent and inconsistent trash pickup service coming from contractor GFL.
Gilliam assured McCord that county leadership will soon be meeting with GFL executive leadership to discuss alternatives and solutions to these recurring issues.
