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West Point City Council holds April meeting

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The West Point City Council met for their regular monthly meeting Monday.

The council approved a zoning change for property along Dixie Highway the city intends to lease to TowerCo for construction of a cellular tower. Mayor Richard Ciresi said the property was zoned on the city’s original zoning map as Residential R-1, but the state zoned the property Agricultural, so the zoning change matches the city’s zoning designation with the state’s. Ciresi noted that the location, which is the fourth proposed location for the tower, fits agricultural zoning definitions as it is more than 10 acres without houses.

The council voted down an ordinance that would amend city  zoning and building codes to accommodate the construction of tiny houses. Council Member Chris McVey introduced an ordinance that will move city council meetings from the former West Point School building to West Point City Hall when the city’s lease on the building expires in May. That ordinance will have its second reading at the next council meeting.

Ciresi discussed flood recovery efforts, including issues with getting supplies out to victims in an efficient manner. Ciresi said the city and county is still waiting for the White House to approve a local disaster declaration, and he is hopeful FEMA will assist with securing assistance for residents in need of electrical inspections. The city will be collecting waste placed along curbsides beginning Tuesday.

The West Point City Council will next meet May 12.

Voter registration sees another decline as state continues voter roll maintenance

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Voter registration in Kentucky saw another decline in March amid ongoing voter roll maintenance. 

The Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office says more than 7,000 voters were removed from the voter rolls in March. Of the voters that were removed, about 4,600 were deceased, about 400 were felony convicts, about 200 moved out of state, and about 1,700 registrations were duplicates.

The Secretary of State’s Office credited the drop in registration to vigorous maintenance of the voter rolls. In a release, Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams says federal oversight of the voter rolls that has been in place since 2018 was recently lifted due to the state’s work on election integrity.

Republican registration grew by 157 voters and independent or other registration grew by 1,181 voters in March, while Democratic registration fell by 248 voters. Republican registration makes up 47 percent of the state electorate, Democratic registration makes up 42 percent, and independent or other makes up 11 percent.

Kentuckians can register to vote or check their registration status by visiting govote.ky.gov, or by contacting their county clerk’s office.

City of Elizabethtown releases 2024 Annual Report

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The City of Elizabethtown recapped the city’s activities last year with the release last week of their 2024 Annual Report. 

The report states that the city’s budget in 2024 came in at just over $119.7 million. That budget supported the hiring of additional employees, bringing the total number of city employees to 375, and supported public works activities such as the installation of nearly 21,000 feet of new natural gas pipelines and the paving of more than 12 miles of city streets.

The report states that the city’s wastewater treatment facility increased capacity by 19 percent in 2024. The city’s planning and development department approved 458 building permits and oversaw more than $211 million in construction activity in the city.

The Elizabethtown Police Department responded to nearly 33,000 calls in 2024, and the Elizabethtown Fire Department expanded its training capabilities with a $513,000 live fire training facility. Safety improvements on U.S. 31W resulted in fewer fatal and injury collisions.

Completed capital projects in 2024 included improvements at Freeman Lake Park, phase one of the Buffalo Lake connector trail, completed gas well restoration, and Hawkins Drive sewer upgrades. Projects on the books for 2025 include the extension of Commerce Drive, sidewalk lighting and street improvements on the south end of the city, the completion of Fire Station No. Four, and renovations at the Elizabethtown Police Department.

The annual report can be viewed in full on the city’s website.

Springhaven partnership with FOHCAS supports animal owners during difficult time

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Springhaven Inc. Assistant Director Shonna Sheckles says the organization’s partnership with Friends of Hardin County Animal Shelter over the past year has provided peace of mind for domestic violence survivors as they are faced with a difficult choice.

“Our survivors, when they come to us, they have pets, and a lot of people look at their pets as their children and they don’t want to leave, but due to our partnership with FOHCAS, now people are able to know that they can bring their pets and their pets be safe and they be safe as well,” Sheckles said.

Sheckles says 13 survivors with a total of 24 pets were able to leave their abusers and get their animals out of dangerous situations in 2024 through the partnership.

“FOHCAS is able to board the animals while the survivor is at the shelter,” Sheckles said. “The pet owner can have visitation with their pet, so it’s not like you’re handing your pet off to a stranger.”

FOHCAS is able to get the pets up to date on their shots while under their care. Springhaven is able to offer services to survivors without fear of financial burden.

“There is no cost for anyone to come to Springhaven,and there is no cost for anyone that has a pet for FOHCAS to board and take care of their pet during the time that they’re at the shelter,” Sheckles said.

The partnership is limited to cats and dogs. Organizations and individuals can support the program financially by visiting www.fohcas.org.

ECTC gearing up for Giving Day

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The month of April is Community College Month, and as Elizabethtown Community and Technical College celebrates the role ECTC plays in advancing the lives of its students, they’re inviting the public to help support their mission.

“If anybody wants to help those who are helping others, we’ve got our Giving Day coming up on April 16, and that’s a really good opportunity to connect in with ECTC and this team, and support them as they’re doing this work, because as much as people can love and do, it also takes resources,” said ECTC President and CEO Dr. Juston Pate. 

Fundraising on Giving Day supports several initiatives including the ECTC Unstoppable Fund, emergency funds for students and employees, scholarships, and more.

“There’s a lot of options for people to give, and we’re not trying to raise a million dollars on Giving Day,” PAte said. “We’re just trying to resource some little pockets of good that occur within the college so that our folks can maximize their ability to help others.”

80 donors across seven states raised more than $26,000 during last year’s Giving Day event. Pate says support for ECTC students goes hand in hand with supporting the community.

“95-plus percent of our graduates stay in our communities, and that’s where I think from even a state tax dollar perspective ECTC is a good investment because our mission is to add value to the lives of our students and return that value right to our community,” Pate said.


Visit ectc.us/giving-day or contact ECTC Director of Philanthropy Chrissie Angell at 270-706-8833 or chrissie.angell@kctcs.edu to learn more.