Constituents, local leaders and concerned citizens spent more than an hour Tuesday morning, imploring and pleading with the Christian County Fiscal Court and its magistrates to reconsider cost-cutting measures for two organizations — line items that, at the moment, are planned in the 2023-24 fiscal year budget.
Those entities: the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library and the Human Rights Commission of Hopkinsville and Christian County.
As things stand, HCCPL would see its annual county contribution reduced by more than $90,000, while HRC would have its more than $24,000 brought to zero — essentially de-funding it at the county level.
A retired librarian of Hopkinsville High School and active local citizen, Margaret Macdonald pointed out it would be difficult to continue fundraising through avenues like Friends of the Library and the Retired Teachers Association if the county didn’t fully support the entity.
Among her notes:
*Several comparable Kentucky counties, including nearby McCracken, spend no less than $1 million per year anchoring their libraries, while Christian County spends under $900,000;
*And Christian County has one of the top five economies in the state, yet has only seen a population growth around 6,000 people since the 1980’s.
Bonnie Lynch called HCCPL a “great resource for helping children and families” prepare for the next steps in life.
Francene Gilmer, executive director for the Christian County Literary Council and a 40-year educator, said HCCPL is more to the community than walls and shelves.
Tyrell Bonner, a transplant New Jersey native, affirmed this as well — noting he’s able to connect to his children in a special way thanks to the library.
Interim HCCPL Director Tiffany Luna said life skills connect her office to adults, parents and children of the community.
Markeeta Wilkerson, a former HRC board member, said both it and the HCCPL always uses this extra funding effectively, pointing most recently to Girl Scout troops taking advantage of program offerings.
HRC Executive Director Idalia Luna reminded the court that the organization under her watch is celebrating its 60th year in the community — first delivered by city ordinance all those years ago, but embraced at both levels for the last four-plus decades.
Among its many tasks is to serve as a middle ground arbitrator for anyone underrepresented.
Christian County Public Schools Board Chair Tom Bell also spoke on HRC’s behalf, noting that tough, expedient choices “don’t send a great message.”
Hopkinsville councilwoman Natasha Francis said HRC assisted her years ago, and it would certainly assist others in the future.
Bernard Standard, of the Focus 21st Century minority leadership program, said HRC helps find peaceful resolution — something especially needed in 2023 and beyond.
Molly Lewis, citizen, said it was HRC and other city organizations coming together ages ago, forming to earn the label as a “City of Compassion.”
Yasamin Ausenbaugh, associate professor of sociology at Hopkinsville Community College, 15-year resident, said she decided to raise a family here because of Christian County’s true prism of ethnic diversity. It’s something she said HRC helps regularly illustrate.
Alethea West, former councilwoman, asked for at worst a compromise of funds, in order to help soften the dramatic change in line items.
Magistrate Rich Leibe, former mayor and police officer, also addressed and besought the court…noting he was away on family affairs when the first budget was authenticated.
Magistrate Maggie Ferguson, also an HRC board member, said she understands the full budget as it sits.
The 2023-24 budget is already approved by the Department of Local Government in Frankfort and is set to have its second reading June 27 before final approval. The fiscal court could realign its finances, based on nearly $250,000 in contingency, and both line items could even be re-addressed on an “as needed basis.”
In other fiscal court news:
Christian County magistrates made it clear Tuesday morning that they will soon be reviewing industrial incentives, after Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam broke a 4-4 tie in favor of a 20-year commitment to MDM Med Properties LLC.
Ferguson, J.E. Pryor, Josh Turner and George Barnett were the “nay” votes — each stating that while they were in favor of growth for Hopkinsville and its surroundings, 20 years was “too long.”
A pair of eight-year incentives for Stillworks, LLC and MB Roland Distillery, Inc., passed unopposed and without question.
— Magistrates also renewed their business insurance for fiscal year 2023-24, at a cost of more than $750,000. Gilliam said an inflated property value alongside historic damage from strange weather patterns played a large part in the year-to-year increase.
— Jackie Jones was reappointed to the West Kentucky Workforce Board, while Don Pemberton was appointed to the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council.
— Magistrates unanimously approved for CGI Digital to begin creating a promotional, interactive video about Christian County and its public offerings. Gilliam noted the process is free for the county, with the company using sponsorship as the payment platform. The video will eventually be used on an improved, interactive county government website, and the footage will be made available to other local agencies seeking such material.
