By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
for Glasgow News 1
The Glasgow Common Council on Monday approved first readings of ordinances that would prohibit all cannabis business operations in Glasgow and set the city’s budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Discourse regarding whether to allow cannabis businesses that could cultivate, produce, process and/or dispense medical marijuana or act as a safety compliance facility for it went on for roughly 45 minutes, and that vote was 5-3. Further information on that exchange is provided in a separate report . Meanwhile, discussion on the budget determining the spending plan for more than $38 million took less than 10 minutes, and that vote – like all the others during the meeting besides the one noted – was unanimous among the eight members who could legally be considered present.
Though he attended at least most of the 90-minute meeting via Zoom, Councilman Patrick Gaunce could not be counted as present nor was he allowed to participate in the discussion, because he had not provided enough notice of his physical absence for the notation that a member would be attending remotely to be included in the agenda, Mayor Henry Royse said.
The proposed budget ordinance, like all ordinances, requires approval of two readings before it is adopted. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, an estimated $13.14 million, roughly, is expected to be carried over in the General Fund. General Fund revenue is estimated at roughly $22 million, and expenses are estimated at roughly $30.6 million, with the hope of having approximately $4.5 million left in the General Fund at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2024. The General Fund includes the monies things such as administrative and legislative functions, police, fire, emergency communications, public works and recreation.
Nine other funds are accounted for separately, such as the ones for the Plaza; for Glasgow Municipal Cemetery and for its perpetual upkeep; for sanitation and landfill functions and for the landfill’s cell closure and postclosure costs.
The approximate totals with all the funds included are:
– estimated FY 24 carryover – $30.2 million;
– estimated FY 25 revenue – $30 million;
– estimated FY 25 expenses – $38.3 million; and
– estimated end-of-FY 25 remaining balance – $21.9 million.
The city is required to have a copy of the full proposed budget available at the mayor’s office for review by residents to wish to do so.
Royse said the budget was the product of a whole lot of work by a whole lot of people, but he specifically credited City Treasurer Stephanie Garrett and Finance Officer Madi Griffin, and he requested comments from Councilman Terry Bunnell, chairman of the council’s finance committee, the members of which Royse said had “picked through all of this budget.”
Bunnell characterized the spending plan as aggressive but realistic.
“It moves us forward in lots of different areas,” he said. “It’s a proactive budget.”
He noted that it does have deficit spending in it, with more expenses than revenue.
“We’re very fortunate to have, in our General Fund, carryovers from prior years, so that’s been of great benefit to us. But now, to look to the future, we have some expenditures that we need to make to take care of some services,” Bunnell said.
He pointed out that a significant amount of money is being put into the construction of the aquatic center and other changes at American Legion Park, and the budget includes pay raises for employees and various pieces of equipment.
“We’re not taking on any debt,” Bunnell said. “We’re using our own funds to do this, so we’re funding this internally, which is a wise move in my opinion, so that we can move the city forward.”
Other business
Also on the agenda are five other first readings of proposed ordinances, two resolutions, a municipal order, all part of new business; unfinished business of a second reading of an ordinance; and a handful of informational items.
Those five proposed ordinances would, in summary:
– amend the budget for the current fiscal year by appropriating $676,000 from the General Fund that has not yet been appropriated for other uses to grant expenditures, the Plaza Theatre and, Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund, which provides funding for mandatory training of Kentucky law enforcement officers, and overtime; officially receiving $860,630.23 from grants, opioid settlement funds and the sale of property into the General Fund; and appropriating $300,400 from the unappropriated portion of the Sanitation and Landfill Fund for equipment rent and repairs;
– accept Hudson Lane as a city street;
– annex approximately 5.53 acres at 2420 New Bowling Green Road and establish B-3 (highway service business district) zoning for it; and
– annex approximately 0.608 acre at 2384 New Bowling Green Road and establish B-3 zoning for it.
The resolutions authorize two grant applications – funding from which would go toward construction of a bridge at the Glasgow Regional Landfill and a standalone farmers market facility. The municipal order amended a previous such order from 2023 relating to the personnel policies and procedures manual.
The one item of unfinished business on the agenda was the second reading of an ordinance closing a public way known as Branham Avenue that was designated for use as a street but wasn’t developed as such.
Informational items included:
– notifications of three executive orders changing portions of the Glasgow Police Department Standard Operating Procedures and interpretation and clarification of a portion of the city’s personnel manual relating to attendance and tardiness;
– notification of the mayor’s intended appointees to various boards, commissions, etc., such as reappointing Thomas Grubbs to the Glasgow Board of Adjustment and the Joint City-County Planning Commission of Barren County, reappointing Debbie Livingston to the Glasgow Economic Development Loan Fund board, and Melissa Gibson and Ale Gomez Garcia to the Glasgow-Barren County Tourist and Convention Commission; and
– notification that Glasgow City Hall is to be closed June 19 in observance of Juneteenth Freedom Day.
Road aid hearing
Just prior to the council meeting, a public hearing took place for the purpose of discussion of proposed projects to be done with Municipal Road Aid funds from the state. The streets for which at least portions are intended to be either repaired and resurfaced or simply resurfaced are Adairland Court, Barlow Cemetery Road, Central Avenue, Frazier Street, Maplewood Place, Parkview Drive, Shane Drive, Smiley Court, Trimble Avenue and Trista Lane, said Jim McGowan, superintendent of the Glasgow Department of Public Works.
As is common, no one from the public attended the hearing to speak or ask questions about the proposed uses of the funds.
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