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E-Town Council approves zoning change on College Street

The Elizabethtown City Council met for their first meeting of the month Monday.

The council approved an amendment on its second reading which changed the zoning of 310 College Street from Urban Residential (R-4) to Neighborhood Office (C-1). That zoning change came after negative feedback from College Street area residents prompted the council to change the intended zoning from Neighborhood Commercial (C-2) to C-1 and request the city review several of its zoning change procedures. Elizabethtown Resident Brad Luebbert, who said after the ordinance’s first reading that the residents presented a survey opposing the zoning change, was disappointed in the council’s decision.

“We had a hundred people that asked you to not vote for this,” Luebbert said. “It was a hundred to one, and you guys voted to approve. Just know, I appreciate the process. I appreciate what you do, but know that 100 people, all of them, asked you not to, and one person asked you to do it, and you did.”

The first reading of an ordinance approving the annexation of about 154 acres at Gaither Station Road and South Ring Road was held. That land would be primarily zoned General Industrial (I-1) with a portion Suburban Residential (R-1). 

The council also approved a resolution opposing the centralized collection of local occupational taxes. City Attorney Ken Howard read the resolution, which expresses concerns with the state establishing occupational taxes and licensing fees, and encourages members of the Kentucky General Assembly to vote against such measures due to the impact it would have on municipal budgets.

“The receipts affiliated with these funds are recorded into the general fund of the local government and allocated toward providing critical services including police, fire, and emergency management services, public infrastructure improvements, and other critical programs and services to citizens,” Howard read.

The council approved a contract with engineering firm Jacobi, Toombs, and Lanz for engineering services on the design of the expansion of the city’s wastewater treatment facility, with the contract not to exceed $400,000. The council also approved a $44,600 contract with Revize Software Services for a redesign of the city’s website.

Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory issued a proclamation declaring Brown-Pusey House Day in recognition of the house’s 200th birthday celebrations in 2025. Gregory said the city is lucky to have such a landmark and the volunteers that make the house a community asset.

“We’ve been blessed for many years to have tremendous volunteers and great people that have seen to it that the house stays what it has been to our community and continues to mean what it means to our community, so we’re very grateful for all the work that all of you all do,” Gregory said.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet February 10.

Guthrie accepting entries for Second District student art contest

Kentucky Congressman Brett Guthrie is asking high schoolers in his district to submit their artwork for an annual contest. 

Congressman Guthrie has announced the start of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for the Kentucky Second District.

According to a release from Guthrie’s office, each spring participating members of Congress invite submissions from students in their districts. The artwork is judged by an independent and local panel of art professors from colleges and universities. Overall winners have their artwork displayed at the U.S. Capitol, with the second and third place submissions displayed at Guthrie’s district office in Bowling Green. The competition also includes a publicly decided “Facebook Favorite” which will also be displayed at the Bowling Green office.

All high school students in the Kentucky Second District are welcome to participate. The deadline to submit is April 9. Students may ship their artwork to Guthrie’s Bowling Green office or drop it off there, or make arrangements with the congressman’s office to have the work picked up from their school. Winners will be announced in April.

Visit guthrie.house.gov for more information.