(Leitchfield, KY) – Leitchfield City Council members decided to forfeit the 4% increase in real and personal property taxes this year. The council choose to accept the same rates as last year, which is 11.5 cents per $100 of assessed value of real property and 16.8 cents of $100 of assessed value o f personal property. The city will gain $867.90 in real property taxes next year but they will show a $5,114 loss in personal property taxes.
Several restaurants in Leitchfield and other public areas such as the Grayson County school district and Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center have made the decision to have smoke free campuses. These decisions have been enforced over the past couple of years but one man wants the Leitchfield City Council to look into making the entire city smoke free. Kenneth Green, originally from Arkansas, said his asthma keeps him from patronizing several businesses that allow smokers inside their premises. Green said within five minutes of inhaling the smoke he is in pain and he suffers for days following. The council suggested having Green, an ex—smoker himself, start a petition to see what the citizens interest would be in a smoke free ban. Councilman Billy Dallas said he wasn’t sure how business owners would feel about the city forcing them into restrictions. Public Works Director Darrell Harrell suggested Green contact UK who recently performed a study in Ohio County on the topic and see if the group would be interested in performing the same study for Leitchfield. Harrell said he read an article that showed Ohio County was 80% in favor of a smoke free ban.
The Leitchfield Planning and Zoning has an opening up for grabs. Dr. Brett Abney has resigned from the committee effective October 1st. The council is seeking resumes from anyone who is interested who lives within the city limits. Interested parties need to have their resume turned into city hall by October 15th. Abney said in a letter that he had over committed himself to other organizations and cannot give his full attention to the planning and zoning committee
Leitchfield Councilman Steven Elder recently attended one day of the Kentucky League of Cities Annual Conference in Louisville. Elder said in a letter to the council:
During the opening session, Kim Huston who is an author and President of the Nelson County Economic Development Agency spoke with the participants about Small Town Charm. “With technology, people can live and do business anywhere,” says Kim.
She is the economic developer in Bardstown, KY. She went on to give some interesting statistics. There are over 20,000 economic developers in the world all going after the same jobs we are. “We all want the big elephants in the industry, but the fact is there are very limited opportunities,” remarked Huston. Last year there were only 400 announcements of 100 plus job expansions or new industry in the United States! Small business is the heart of our economy, both locally and nationwide. More than 90% of businesses in small towns are small businesses that employ less than 50 people. Building a spirit of entrepreneurs in our community is the single best thing we can do locally to grow our economy.
Mrs. Huston went on to say that each community needed a website and/or Facebook page. “Everyone can look BIG online,” states Huston. Recently, we have created and updated our website to look as big as we can. Locally, we are still working on this to showcase our talents and opportunities.
Another presenter and speaker was Steve Austin who is the Director for the Legacy Center at the Bluegrass Community Foundation. Mr. Austin discussed how the global economy is really turning more to localism. The session offered practical examples of the many ways that groups and individuals are working to increase self-reliance in everything from local food to energy to jobs. “Think local first in every decision you make,” says Austin. “Build a placed-based economy, re-skill the workforce and foster local markets; the future is local, not global.
Finally, Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson stated how large cities depend on small cities. “Drive around our ball games, malls and restaurants. See whose license plates you see there. More people cone into Louisville and enjoy our city than what you realize.” We are only as strong as our closet large city. In other words, what is good for Elizabethtown to help them grow, is good for Leitchfield and Grayson County. Abramson explained, “Government can no longer do it alone. There must be collaboration between businesses and government working together to build something great for your city.” His example was given when over $16 million of private funds was donated to help build their park by the river.
Overall, it was great to attend and learn from other cities what is working for them and how we can improve here. Bottom line, Leitchfield and Grayson County are great places to live and work. We have so many things to offer our citizens, tourists and businesses that other towns do not. We also have tremendous opportunities going forward for advancement in jobs and recreation and overall a better quality of place. This makes the fourth Kentucky League of Cities meeting I have attended and each time I walk away with a new idea and renewed sense of motivation to bring back to Leitchfield.
The council discussed their financial obligation to Leitchfield/Grayson County Industrial Recruiter Dudley Cooper after the question was raised by visitor Frankie Harned. Mayor William Thomason explained five entities donated $25,000 per year to pay for Coopers $67,000 salary and expense account. The City of Leitchfield, Grayson County Fiscal Court, Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center, The Industrial Foundation and a private donor. Questions were raised about the effectiveness of having an industrial recruiter on payroll and several accomplishments were mentioned that have come to fruition over the past three years since Cooper’s tenor. The Bel Cheese expansion was personally accredited to Cooper by Councilman Steven Elder, Kelly Stevenson and Mayor Thomason after Councilman Jerry Schlosser said he felt like Bel Cheese would have expanded without Coopers help. Mayor Thomason said Cooper was instrumental in taking Bel Cheese Manager Francine Moodry to Frankfort and introduced her to key people who helped make the expansion possible with grant monies. Mayor Thomason said there have been 299 jobs in the past 20 months added to the Leitchfield area. He said you may not be able to accredit it directly to Cooper but you can’t say he didn’t play some part in those jobs either. He also spoke about the Communicare expansion Cooper was instrumental in and how he has retained jobs already established in the city.
Councilman Stevenson said if Cooper’s position was eliminated then who would stand in the gap between industries looking at the city/county. Council hopeful Harned said “The six of you and the Mayor.” Stevenson strongly disagreed and reminded Harned that the council members have daily jobs also and are not available to meet with these people at any given time. Councilman Billy Dallas described Cooper as a liaison between the council and the already established businesses and to help foster that relationship by relaying wants, needs and desires from not only local industry but the small business owners. Mayor Thomason also accredited the Kentucky State Fair Opening Ceremony that Grayson County has hosted the past two years and planning a third in 2011, is the initial work of Cooper. Stevenson said he personally spoke with Cooper and requested a list of his accomplishments and work since his hire and Stevenson spoke highly of the amount of work Cooper has accomplished. Thomason said the city has a three year obligation with Cooper and after the three years the council will evaluate the situation and proceed on with a decision to keep an industrial recruiter or forfeit the idea.
Visitor Ann Huff asked several questions about Cooper’s position. She was concerned if he lived in Grayson County. Mayor Thomason said Cooper does not; he is a resident of Owensboro. Huff asked if he was working for Owensboro in the same capacity as he is for Grayson County. Thomason said no, Cooper’s recruitment work is exclusive to Grayson County and with his former experience as Ohio County Judge/Executive he had contacts in place in Frankfort that makes him a highly qualified candidate for the position. He also said Cooper worked in the Grayson County booth at the state fair. Huff asked if he had been furnished a city vehicle and Mayor said yes, but he does not drive the vehicle home. It stays parked at city hall and he only uses it to travel to Frankfort and other out of town ventures on behalf of his position. Mayor added that the vehicle is an old Crown Victoria that was part of the LPD fleet.
The City of Leitchfield announced the beginning of a new program for the community. Mayor William Thomason said the Beautification Award program is to show the dedication and hard work local business owners are making to improve the city and make it more attractive. The council recognized several owners Monday night including Judge Shan Embry, Jason Pharis, Jim Dinwiddie, Derrick and Darren Embry, Judge/Executive Gary Logsdon, Chester Shartzer, Rick Rutledge, Wilson and Muir Bank, Arndell’s Used Furniture and A & B Hardware.
Several local high school students will spend their afternoon Wednesday painting 17 tables at the Leitchfield City Park. The students gathered Sunday to spray paint their capes and sheets for spirit week, this week, unfortunately the group left some spray paint residue behind as names bled through onto the pavement and picnic tables. School Resource Officer Braxton Allen was able to gather a list of responsible students, who wrote an apology letter to the city council and offered to clean up their mess on Wednesday. Mayor Thomason said the students were not being punished and he was pleased to see them take responsibility for an accidental situation.
The council heard the first reading of a re-zoning ordinance for 702 Dixie Avenue. The owners Charles and Diane Overby would like to change the zoning from R-2 residential to B-1 small business. The 2nd reading will be at the council’s next meeting.
The council agreed to donate $500 to the Chamber of Commerce to help with their annual dinner. Denny Crume will be the guest speaker this year. The dinner will be on October 26th for Chamber of Commerce members.
