By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
for Glasgow News 1
Aside from the extensive conversations on refugees and medical marijuana that took place at Monday’s regular meeting of the Glasgow Common Council and have been reported on separately, plenty of other business took place during the nearly two hours the council members were gathered.
Additional items included the swearing in of two new Glasgow Police Department officers, annual reports from three departments, second readings of ordinances related to the current and upcoming fiscal years, two annexations and several appointments and reappointments.
Mayor Henry Royse also reminded those in attendance or watching on TV or online that the city has an ordinance in place that limits the use of consumer fireworks to the period of June 28 through July 5 and only from noon to 11 p.m.
Several residents have already been celebrating Independence Day a bit early with some bangs here and there. To report individuals who are using fireworks outside those time periods, residents may call the police.
Other holiday notes are that Glasgow City Hall will be closed July 4, and a free Independence Day-themes concert by the Glasgow Community Band is scheduled for 7 p.m. July 5.
The new officers sworn in by Royse were Joshua Proctor and Mitchell King.
The annual reports were kicked off by Sheryl Pena, code enforcement officer for the city, who reviewed the basics of code enforcement – what it means; the complaint and enforcement processes; typical types of complaints, like high grass, dilapidated housing, tires, etc. She said she had 436 cases in the 2023-24 fiscal year, and 63 of those are still active. She distributed 243 notices of violations, and out of those, 153 resulted in citations. Occupied residences, either owned or rented, accounted for 57 percent of those cases. Businesses constituted 9 percent, and vacant homes, other buildings or lots made up the remaining roughly 35 percent, Pena said.
Next up was Carolyn Glodfelter, executive director of the Plaza Theatre, who reported to the council that the facility hosted 51 events during the current fiscal year, which goes from July 1 through June 30, and she already has 24 lined up for the next fiscal year. Those include performances she has booked as well as rentals by local organizations and others. She spoke about the numbers and demographics of patrons who attend these events, noting that during the past year, for example, more than 17,406 guests came from 33 states, including Alaska and, of course, Kentucky and also from the United Kingdom, Brazil and Germany.
Glodfelter spoke about the Plaza Theatre memberships that cost $25 per seat and offer advance ticket purchase opportunities, and those memberships are for the duration of the fiscal year, so this is the time for those who wish to renew.
She announced some of the events coming soon; more information is available at historicplaza.com.
Nick Hurt, the business tax administrator and alcoholic beverage control administrator, rounded out the trio, listing revenue figures as they were budgeted and the “realized” or actual numbers. For example, $9,775,000 was budgeted for quarterly tax withholdings, and more than $10.12 million. He also provided figures for tax withholdings penalties and interest, net profit fees, net profit penalties and interest, insurance fees, alcohol sales, and alcohol sales penalties and interest.
“The total amount budgeted for those … was $14,829,000, and $14,928,608,” he said.
He noted that while some figures were down from the prior year, others were higher, so they somewhat balanced out each other.
In other business, with all members present, second readings of multiple ordinances were approved unanimously, which was required for final adoption. Those ordinances:
– amend the budget for the current fiscal year by appropriating $676,000 from the General Fund that has not yet been appropriated for other uses to grant expenditures, the Plaza Theatre and, Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund, which provides funding for mandatory training of Kentucky law enforcement officers, and overtime; officially receiving $860,630.23 from grants, opioid settlement funds and the sale of property into the General Fund; and appropriating $300,400 from the unappropriated portion of the Sanitation and Landfill Fund for equipment rent and repairs;
– set the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1;
– accept Hudson Lane as a city street;
– annex approximately 5.53 acres at 2420 New Bowling Green Road and establish B-3 (highway service business district) zoning for it; and
– annex approximately 0.608 acre at 2384 New Bowling Green Road and establish B-3 zoning for it.
The council also unanimously approved a total of five municipal orders appointing or reappointing individuals to various boards, commissions, etc. – Thomas Grubbs to the Glasgow Board of Adjustment and the Joint City-County Planning Commission of Barren County, Debbie Livingston to the Glasgow Economic Development Loan Fund board, and Melissa Gibson and Ale Gomez Garcia to the Glasgow-Barren County Tourist and Convention Commission.
