COTW votes to increase council member salaries, discusses Bluegrass Splash repairs

Hopkinsville’s Committee of the Whole approved motions to raise wages for the mayor and city council members and to host a town hall to discuss the future of Bluegrass Splash Family Aquatic Center at Thursday’s meeting.

Before tackling that business, council members elected Ward Six Council Member Travis Martin as chair and Ward Two Council Member Brandi Stallons as vice chair of the committee. Then Ward 11 Council Member Jason Bell was elected as the presiding officer for if Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight is absent from a meeting.

City Human Resources Director Kenneth Grabara presented a wages and benefits survey that compared the compensation of city council members and commissioners in cities such a Murray, Bowling Green and Madisonville. In Hopkinsville, city council members currently receive around $14,000 per year and have no healthcare benefits.

Ward Seven Council Member Clayton Sumner says the compensation for city political offices is not competitive enough, leading some citizens not running for those positions.

Sumner made a motion to increase city council member salaries to $22,000 per year and increase the mayor’s salary to around $95,000 per year.

Council members were divided on Sumner’s motion, but it passed. If the motion passes twice at a city council meeting before May 4, then the salary increases will be implemented in January 2027.

Concerning health insurance, Ward Five Council Member Amy Craig says since being a council member is a part-time position then they should not receive health insurance, because it would be unfair to other part-time city workers who are ineligible for it.

Turning toward Bluegrass Splash, the water park is set to be closed through the 2026 season to address needed repairs or to permanently shut it down. Ward Four Council Member Chuck Crabtree proposed forming a committee of council and community members to discuss the water park’s future.

Before forming a committee, Stallons made a motion to host a town hall to spotlight the options and to see which citizens would be interested in serving on the committee, and her motion was approved.

The matters approved at Thursday’s meeting will require a vote at a city council meeting before any items are implemented or changes are made.