City Council Blames County on Tax Increase

Campbellsville City Council met in regular session Monday, April 13, 2009. The meeting began with a prayer from Randall Herran, and Mayor Brenda Allen led the Pledge of Allegiance.

First order of business was from Ron McMahan. Stated that Taylor County is the 65th top micropolitan area in the state of Kentucky. A micropolitan area is a community of 10,000-50,000 people.

"Our ranking will lower due to the surrounding counties by 2010," he said.

McMahan then proceeded to discuss the employment rates of Taylor County.

"Due to Upstream, Amazon, and other big companies," he said. "Employment rates have risen since last year, with a one percent increase in population each year since 2000."

According to McMahan, there are currently five possible locations for the Heartland Parkway expansion, one of those being Taylor County. By fall of this year, it will be narrowed down to three, and finally decided by 2010.

"If the Heartland Parkway were to come into Taylor County, there will be more traffic, and therefore, more business," said Mayor Brenda Allen.

McMahan then stated that sometime in the near future, Campbellsville University would be offering technical training.

"This will mostly be for Taylor County jobs," he said.

After he was dismissed, Allen brought up the discussion about Ponderosa restaurant being changed to a Colton Steakhouse.

"I am really looking forward to this," she said.

The changes being made include: about 50 more employees, no buffet, and a waiter-customer style of restaurant.

The Council then agreed to accept the gift of a building that has asepsis in its flooring. They have yet to decide how to clean the flooring.

The next order of business included a number of water projects for the city, and how much it will cost, the lack of stimulus money for the city so far, leasing out the Sport's Spot building, and possibly making a park area where the Sumer Snow is currently located.

The decision that the first reading of the smoking ordinance with a public forum will be on May 4 after the City Council Meeting.

The Council then moved on to the Occupational Tax and jail. There is currently $360,000 missing for the fiscal year, which ends in late June/early July. They agreed to forgive the rescue/911 payment of $208,000 for the year. Terry Keltner proposed that the Council and Fiscal Court forfeit their salaries for the year, which would result in $145,000

Mike Hall explained that if the county cannot find a way to pay for the new jail, the state would come in and raise taxes.

It was agreed that a resolution would be presented to the Fiscal Court on Tuesday, April 14, 2009.

Eight of the rescue workers were in attendance, and they all were talking amongst themselves while the deliberations for the agenda were held. A rescue worker's cell phone went off twice, which Mike Hall gave a sour look to. A buzz sound managed to go off inside the building as well.

Stan McKinney was absent for the meeting. He was currently driving across the US to Las Vegas to pick up his wife in his mustang. Save him, all members of the Council were present.

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