Elizabethtown council approves up-to-$41.08 million contract amendment for outdoor music venue; passes zoning, ethics and CDBG measures

Elizabethtown City Council on Aug. 4 approved a contract amendment that would allow construction of a planned outdoor music venue for a guaranteed maximum price not to exceed $41,082,281, and adopted several ordinances and municipal orders including a new code of ethics, changes to the zoning code, and submission of the 2025–2030 Community Development Block Grant consolidated plan.

The GMP and contract amendment, described in the municipal order as an amendment to the existing construction agreement for the outdoor music venue, were approved after council members moved and seconded the item and voted in favor. The municipal order directs the mayor or designee to execute necessary agreements to implement the amendment.

The council’s action on the music venue follows earlier steps described in the order: the city and the local tourism body selected a construction management firm after soliciting proposals and the item covers preconstruction, design and construction-phase services for buildings, utilities, equipment, parking and landscaping.

Votes at a glance: the council also acted on multiple ordinances and municipal orders during the meeting: - Ordinance 16-20-25 (second reading/adoption): established a code of ethics for City of Elizabethtown officials and employees (roll call recorded: Council members Bishop, Fulkerson, Essex, Jones, Springsteen and Tyler voted yes; motion carried 6–0). - Ordinance (title 15 amendments) 17-20-25 (second reading/adoption): amendments to Title 15 (land uses), including revisions to definitions and zoning district descriptions; roll call recorded unanimous yes votes (names recorded in roll calls during the meeting). - Ordinance 19-20-25 (second reading/adoption): rezoned property at 1151 Pearl Orchard Road from Urban Residential (R-3) to Regional Commercial (C-3) to allow uses such as a medical clinic (roll call recorded unanimous yes votes). - Ordinance (first reading) 20-20-25: proposed rezoning of 202 North Main Street from Urban Residential General (R-4) to Downtown Mixed Use (C-5); read by summary (first reading; no final action this meeting). - Ordinance (first reading) 21-20-25: proposed rezoning of 201 North Main Street from Neighborhood Office (C-1) to Downtown Mixed Use (C-5); read by summary (first reading; no final action this meeting). - Ordinance (first reading) 22-20-25: annexation of property at 1331 Hayden School Road; read by summary and presented as first reading (owners listed in the summary; zoning upon annexation proposed as Suburban Residential R-2; no final adoption this meeting). - Municipal Order 47-2025: contract amendment with a construction-management firm for the outdoor music venue (GMP not to exceed $41,082,281); motion adopted. - Municipal Order 48-2025: approval to submit the 2025–2030 consolidated plan and 2025–26 annual action plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for public improvements in the East Downtown neighborhood; motion adopted.

During public comment, Leanne Wiseman of Hodgenville asked whether a proposed VA facility would be a full hospital with a pharmacy. Mayor Judge Howard (presiding) said the council had only recently rezoned property that could allow a clinic and that the city has no development plans or a formal VA decision to announce: "we're not anywhere near that stage," he said. Howard also emphasized legal limits on what the council can consider from outside the formal record, telling the audience that planning and zoning decisions must be based on the planning commission record and minutes.

The council closed the meeting to enter a closed session under Kentucky open-meeting law to discuss acquisition or sale of real property and possible or existing litigation; the meeting notice and presiding remarks referenced Kentucky Revised Statutes governing closed sessions (KRS 61.810). The mayor stated there would be no action coming out of the closed session at this time.

Details and context: the municipal order for the music venue describes the project scope to include construction of buildings, utility infrastructure, equipment installation, parking areas and landscaping. The order states the city and the local tourism authority solicited proposals and selected a construction-management firm; the transcript contains inconsistent spellings for the firm’s name (appearing as "Congleton Hatford Company," "Cognizant Hacker Company" and "Cogington Hacker Company"). The council’s municipal order sets the GMP ceiling at $41,082,281 and authorizes the mayor or designee to sign agreements necessary to implement the contract amendment.

The CDBG municipal order directs the mayor or designee to submit the consolidated plan and annual action plan to HUD and to comply with federal CDBG statutory and regulatory requirements; the order specifies the application includes public-improvement work in the East Downtown neighborhood and notes that the city held public hearings to gather input.

What the council did not finalize this meeting: the rezoning proposals for 202 and 201 North Main Street and the annexation of 1331 Hayden School Road were read by summary as first readings; the council did not vote to adopt those items during this meeting. Council members repeatedly told the audience that only materials contained in the planning and zoning commission record could be considered when those items return for final action.

The meeting record shows roll-call participation by Council members Bishop, Fulkerson, Essex (Hazitz was recorded in one roll call for a separate item), Jones, Springsteen and Tyler on adopted measures; items recorded as adopted list either a roll-call vote or a general "aye" vote in the transcript.