WQXE NEWS

The Elizabethtown City Council met for a regular meeting Monday.

The council approved two ordinances on their second readings. The first amended the city’s ordinance concerning signage on scenic parkways to replace Miles Street with Saint John Road. The second approved amendments to the city’s Natural Gas policies, which includes fee and rate increases.

“I do want you to take away though, just like when we talk about sewer, we’re still lower than just about every other utility around, and that’s after not raising it for several years, so we’re proud of that fact but we also have to be able to keep up with the times and the costs so we can continue to provide that utility and that service,” said Elizabethtown Mayor Jeff Gregory.

Gregory said the average increase for customers is about $20.

The council approved two municipal orders. The first authorized a land transfer from the city to Hardin County Habitat for Humanity for property located on Mills Court to be developed for affordable housing. The second approved an amendment to the city’s wastewater treatment agreement with Hardin County Water District No. Two for use of the city’s wastewater infrastructure including the Valley Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The agreement was amended to account for more development in the Glendale Service Area. When asked by Council Member Marty Fulkerson if the system can handle the increased capacity, City Administrator Ed Poppe said the agreement allows the city to take on more while planning for expansion.

“(Elizabethtown Director of Wastewater Treatment) Corey Bond and his team have been working with the consulting firm of JTL Prime for the last six months updating the facilities plan and making sure that’s in line,” Poppe said. “We’ll begin, probably, design work after the first of the year or so.”

During the meeting, Elizabethtown Police Officer Austin Smith was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant. EPD Chief Jeremy Thompson said the department has recently seen a lot of retirements, which has allowed for new opportunities.

“Through these opportunities to promote young officers, I just talked about the stability we have as a department, and our hopes are that as we promote very talented young leaders within the department that it continues the continuity of that same stability,” Thompson said.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet October 27.

Elizabethtown Community and Technical College is now accepting nominations for their Distinguished Alumni and Lifetime Achievement awards.

According to ECTC, the Distinguished Alumni program is now in its 20th year and has celebrated the accomplishments of 162 former students and graduates.

ECTC says nominees for the Distinguished Alumni Awards must have completed a credential from ECTC or have been enrolled as a student at least five years ago. Self-nominations are permitted and nominations that were not selected in 2025 will be considered again. 

Nominations are also being accepted for the Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors the contributions of college faculty, staff, and community partners. Nominees may be former employees of the college, area businesses, or community organizations.

A brief statement documenting the professional achievements, leadership activities, and evidence of exemplary community service of the nominee will be required with each application. Nominations for both awards are due by December 12. Find more information and the nomination form by visiting the ECTC website.

Kentucky is joining a national effort this week to encourage parents to talk to their young drivers about safe behaviors on the roadways.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is spearheading National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs now through October 25.

According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Highway Safety, over the past three years there were more than 48,000 crashes involving a teenage driver in the commonwealth. The incidents resulted in more than 13,000 injuries and 210 deaths. Data indicates that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S., with teens involved in three times as many fatal crashes as other drivers.

The NHTSA says there are six basic rules of the road teens and any driver should remember: avoid distracted driving, wear seat belts, minimize passengers, obey speed limits, drive sober, and don’t drive drowsy.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet had launched several initiatives aimed at better preparing teens for the responsibilities of driving, including the Kentucky Safety Prevention Alignment Network’s Kentucky Checkpoints program and graduated licensing requirements. Visit drive.ky.gov for more information.