Funding repairs and improvements for Tie Breaker Aquatic Family Center were once again the main topic of discussion as Hopkinsville City Council approved an operational budget amendment and two municipal orders at Tuesday night’s meeting.
City Financial Officer Robert Martin explained he was tasked by members of the city council to find ways to fund the equipment replacement and repairs without pulling it from the general fund. He said Mayor Wendell Lynch is agreeable to taking $393,000 from the Capital Equipment Replacement Reserve Fund. However, for the $490,000 cost of repairs, Martin said, he was able to find money to cover all but $87,000 which he recommended taking from the general fund prior-year revenue.
Councilman Chuck Crabtree asked Martin how much the city is going to spend in total this year on the water park, which Martin said would include the amounts mentioned along with the bond payment of around $228,000 that has already been paid.
click to download audioCouncilman Travis Martin questioned Martin about the $412,000 cost to repair the leak and the other repairs with Martin explaining some of it is due to the aging park.
click to download audioCouncilman Martin then questioned why the city council has continued to “kick the can down the road” when making repairs and improvements to the water park? Councilman Terry Parker explained in the past no one wanted to put any money into maintaining the water park.
click to download audioCouncilwoman Alethea West said she supports the water park and the city is financially responsible for the water park. She went on to say the water park is a great asset to the community and it has promise in the future.
City Council approved an operational budget amendment to the general fund on first reading to cover the related costs for repairs and equipment replacement by an 8-1 vote with Crabtree the lone nay vote. Council members Patricia Waddell-Bell, Tom Johnson and Amy Craig were absent from the meeting.
City Council also approved two municipal orders transferring capital equipment reserve funds and moving trust funds from various accounts by an 8-1 vote with Crabtree again voting no on both items of action.
In other business, the council unanimously approved a Surface and Stormwater Utility Bond on first reading for an amount over $6.1 million for a labyrinth weir to be constructed on the South Fork Little River for flood control.
