Hopkinsville City Council approves council member salary raises

Despite some public disapproval, the Hopkinsville City Council voted to increase council member salaries in a split decision at Tuesday’s meeting.

Before the meeting got underway, Mayor J.R. Knight and Ward 10 Council Member Mike Velez read a proclamation recognizing February as Black History Month. Velez read that Black history is American History and that Black Americans have played a key role in shaping the nation for the better.

At January’s Committee of the Whole meeting, members discussed and voted to propose a salary increase for council members at a future city council meeting. Council members currently receive $14,777.75 per year, and the committee proposed raising the salary to $22,000 per year.

Before the raise was voted on at Tuesday’s meeting, members of the community expressed their disapproval of the raise and its implementation. Hopkinsville resident Joe Turner said he thought council members were deserving of a raise, but noted that they have not done enough work to warrant a raise of around $7,200.

City Attorney Doug Willen says council members are obligated to set the council salary rate, but the approved compensation must be within the guidelines provided by the Kentucky Department for Local Government and will be implemented starting the next city council term.

Council members were divided concerning the raise. Ward Seven Council Member Clayton Sumner said the raise is financially responsible, and with the current salary, citizens might be discouraged from running for a city council position due to the lack of compensation.

On the other hand, Ward Three Council Member Don Marsh made his opposition to the raise loud and clear. Marsh said he does not believe the current compensation is preventing folks, who are highly qualified and want to represent their wards, from running for a city council position.

A motion to table the salary vote until March was proposed to give council members time to find a more agreeable way to implement a raise. However, the motion failed, and council members approved the salary raise with seven votes for, four votes against and one abstaining vote.

If the salary increase receives another approval at a future city council meeting, then the raise will be implemented in January 2027.

Beyond the salary discussions, the council also voted to establish an all-way stop at the intersection of Blane Drive and Noel Avenue and to make West Edmunds Street a one-way with traffic only traveling from South Main Street to West 19th Street.