City council members voted unanimously Tuesday night to establish the Hopkinsville Small Business Commission, whose members will be appointed by the mayor and approved by council.
The commission is a proposal that grew out of Mayor James R. Knight Jr.’s campaign pledge to support locally owned businesses.
Speaking after the meeting, Knight said he wants to see other business owners achieve the kind of longevity his family has had with its appliance business, which is now 47 years old.
The commission will have 13 voting members who will provide input about city incentives and policies aimed at “strengthening, promoting and accelerating the growth of small businesses” in Hopkinsville, according to the ordinance.
Each member will be the owner of a business that has less than 100 employees. A designee of the Christian County Chamber of Commerce will serve as a non-voting member. They will meet at least quarterly.
City Administrator Troy Body said city hall is reviewing the numbers and types of businesses in the city to ensure the commission membership is representative of the community. He said the mayor wants Sarah Whitaker, owner of Williams Advertising, to chair the commission. She also leads a small business committee for the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, he noted.
Downtown rezoning
In a separate matter, the council agreed to have Community and Development Services draft an ordinance to rezone a section of downtown from I-1 (Industrial) to B-3 (Business).
The area is part of the Ninth Street corridor between Eighth and 10th streets, and between Clay and Campbell streets. Buildings in that section of downtown include the old L&N Train Depot and the Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority.
CDS Executive Director Tom Britton told council members that his agency is reviewing zoning categories around the city to see if any are outdated. The Ninth Street corridor needs updating so it will be in line with the business and residential uses that are now part of downtown, he said.
Boards and commissions
In other business, the mayor’s office announced the following appointments to boards and commissions:
- James E. Fleming was appointed to the Housing Authority of Hopkinsville. His term will expire June 30, 2027.
- Becky Dearman, Crystal Ferreira and Kenneth Means were appointed and Yasamin Ausenbaugh reappointed to the Human Rights Commission. Their terms will expire June 30, 2026. Also, Caleb Ballard was appointed to the commission to fill the unexpired term of Antonio Rodriguez. That term expires June 30, 2025.
- Phillip Eastman was appointed and Lee Conrad and Ward 6 Councilman Travis Martin reappointed to the South Western Kentucky Economic Development Council. Their terms expire June 30, 2025.
- Sharon Craft Chilton was appointed to the Hopkinsville Electric System Board. Her term expires June 30, 2027.
- Tracey Brumfield was appointed and Jim Blair was reappointed to the Hopkinsville Water Environment Authority Board. These terms expire June 30, 2027.
- Russell Hayes was appointed and Crystal Ferreira, Chris Gilkey and Wayne Goolsby were reappointed to the Pennyroyal Area Museum Board. Their terms expire June 30, 2027.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
