Hopkinsville City Council adopts FY 2025-26 budgets, approves code supplement and multiple appointments

The Hopkinsville City Council on June 3 adopted its fiscal year 2025-26 operating and capital budgets, approved supplements and amendments to current-year budgets and ordinances, heard the city’s May financial report and confirmed a series of board and commission appointments.

Finance presenter Melissa Clayton summarized May financials before the council took votes. Clayton reported year-to-date general-fund revenue collections of $52,083,858 and year-to-date expenses of $48,000,008.65, leaving positive revenue over expenses of roughly $3,005,689. She said cash on hand at May 31 was $20,835,786, with available cash after encumbrances of $20,718,390 and an unassigned cash fund balance of about $19,000,004 (44.6% of the adjusted operating budget). Clayton also reported municipal road-aid fund activity and capital-fund balances and offered department-by-department percent-of-year-to-date spending figures.

During public comment, resident Natasha Francis asked the council to find funding for her neighborhood association, saying the group had requested $350,000 and that the neighborhood needs repairs on several properties. The council did not take immediate action on that request at the meeting.

Votes at a glance Ordinance 14-2025 (Code of Ordinance supplement, second reading): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present. Ordinance 15-2025 (FY 2024-25 operational budget amendment, second reading): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present. Ordinance 16-2025 (FY 2024-25 capital budget amendment, second reading): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present. Ordinance 17-2025 (FY 2025-26 operational budget, second reading — adoption of FY25-26 budget): Adopted. The roll call recorded two "no" votes; the remaining members voted yes. Ordinance 18-2025 (FY 2025-26 capital budget, second reading — adoption of FY25-26 capital budget): Adopted. Roll call recorded unanimous support among council members present. Several executive orders that required council approval were also adopted, including appointments to the Hopkinsville Electric System board and the Housing Authority of Hopkinsville board; the council confirmed those appointments by roll call votes.

What the council approved - The FY 2025-26 operating budget passed by roll call (total revenues and expenses listed in the adopted ordinance as $58,263,024). The ordinance also includes authorizations for classification and compensation changes pursuant to the city code. Two council members recorded "no" votes on that ordinance; the ordinance passed. - The FY 2025-26 capital equipment and property replacement budget was adopted, with listed capital revenues of $2,701,508 and matching capital expenses. The ordinance authorizes the mayor to enter contracts within the allocations shown. - Council adopted a 2025 supplement to the Hopkinsville Code of Ordinances (American Legal Publishing 2025 supplement through 12/31/2024). - The council approved several executive orders that required votes, including an appointment to the Hopkinsville Electric System Board and a reappointment to the Housing Authority of Hopkinsville board; those motions passed by roll call.

Council procedure and next steps Most budget and ordinance items were presented as second readings and adopted on the council floor after motions and roll-call votes. The mayor signed a proclamation at the start of the meeting declaring June as Pride Month in Hopkinsville; that proclamation was read aloud but is ceremonial and was not part of the council’s fiscal actions. The council also created a Legacy Hopkinsville committee by executive order to study funding for the Inner City Residential Enterprise Zone program; committee membership was listed in the executive order and is expected to report back to council.

The council received the May financial report and did not schedule immediate action on the neighborhood-association funding request voiced by a resident. Additional program-level decisions (including potential changes to eligibility or funding levels tied to the Legacy Hopkinsville work) were deferred to future meetings or committee work.