By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
Park City, a home-ruled city northwest of Glasgow with a population of approximately 614, has been approved to become a voting member of the Barren County Economic Authority.
The Barren County Economic Authority had its regularly scheduled meeting on April 12 wherein the board members present unanimously approved Park City’s membership as a voting member at the future monthly authority meetings.
The discussion began on March 15 when CEO and President Maureen Carpenter read to the Administrative and Personnel Committee a letter of request sent by Park City Mayor Larry Poteet in which he asked to become a “paying, voting member of the board.” The city currently has one non-voting member, which can either be Poteet or another individual sent by him, this request aims to change the one non-voting member to a voting member.
Carpenter was initially hesitant of the proposed membership saying the city’s and the authority’s interests might not align. Chairperson David Peterson said at the March 15 meeting that he did not mind Park City joining as a voting member, but suggested a meeting with Poteet before any action was taken.
Board Attorney Rich Alexander read aloud the resolution that states the city would agree to pay $2,000 a month to contribute to the authority’s “operations and endeavors.” Carpenter and Alexander explained that Park City’s voting membership would require Barren County, Glasgow, Cave City and Park City’s approval on the membership resolution.
“Once all parties pass the resolution to authorize the change, the Inter-Local Agreement will be amended,” Carpenter wrote via email. “The final step is to submit and receive approval of the agreement by the Department For Local Government.”
All present agreed to “make the recommendation to the authorizing government entities.”
The authority also received its audit from Carr, Riggs and Ingram. The audit was presented by Shelly Compton, a Bowling Green based partner-in-charge at the firm, who gave the authority an “unmodified opinion,” which is the best a company can get, according to Compton.
The members also authorized Carpenter to take out a line of credit for “South Cooper Industrial Park Developments” totalling $2 million to be repaid when “the grants come in.”
“As I was looking at the things we have coming up…my concern was we’re going to deplete all of our cash to pay for these projects,” Carpenter said.
“We anticipate that the line of credit will be open for a maximum of a year,” board member Ervin Sorrell added.
Carpenter said they did not expect to exhaust the whole amount but wanted it as a just-in-case measure while work at South Cooper was ongoing.
Towards the end of the meeting Larry Glass accepted the position of interim vice chair; filling the position after Gary Hartell resigned.
“It is with sadness that we accepted his resignation from the board,” Carpenter wrote. “Gary stated in his resignation letter that he was stepping down due to increasing personal commitments and new responsibilities within other organizations.”
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