Hopkinsville council approves ordinance updating elected-officer pay; council and mayor salaries specified

Hopkinsville City Council on March 3 approved an ordinance amending the city's employee classification and compensation plan for elected officials.

The ordinance, read aloud by the clerk, set council member salaries at $15,628.88 per year for calendar year 2027 and lists a mayoral salary of $95,335.76 (as printed in the ordinance text). The reading referenced the amendment'process under state statute and stated the ordinance would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, after passage and publication.

Council member Crabtree moved the ordinance and Council member Craig seconded the motion. During discussion, a council member noted that an additional amendment of roughly 0.3% had been offered at the prior meeting but had not received a second. "I did offer an additional amendment to the motion in the last meeting [that] didn't receive a second," the council member said, adding that the intent was to signal the city values all employees. That amendment was not adopted; the main ordinance advanced to a roll-call vote.

On the roll call the ordinance passed 8-3 (yes: Crabtree, Craig, Martin, Bogart, Bell, Drowd, Smith, Salins; no: Marsh, Sumner, Velez). The clerk announced the ordinance passed on second reading.

The ordinance text, as read into the record, cites the Hopkinsville Code of Ordinances, Chapter 30, and references state law as the procedural authority for adopting the classification and compensation plan. The council did not provide additional changes to the printed salary figures during the March 3 vote.

The ordinance summary filed with the clerk lists statutory severability language and an effective date tied to publication and the calendar noted in the ordinance. The council did not direct further study or amendment at the meeting.

Next steps: the ordinance will be published according to law and take effect per the ordinance language.