City property tax rates increase by about 75 cents

Hodgenville residents will see an increase of about 75 cents on their property tax bills this year.
Mayor Terry Cruse recommended a 4 percent increase after a 15-minute hearing prior to the regular city council meeting. The council voted unanimously to approve. No members of the public attended the meetings.
Property values have decreased and if a tax increase was not voted in, the city would lose money, Cruse said. The city took the compensating rate last year which brought in about $166 extra for the year.
The rate – .125 per $100 assessed value on real estate – will bring in $133,972 to the city’s coffers. That’s $1,092 more than last year.
About 414 city tax bills will be mailed out in late October. A 2 percent discount will apply if paid by Nov. 21. If paid by Dec. 31, the face value is due.
Penalties accrue for late payment and a lien may be filed in April on unpaid taxes.
In other business:
• Wally Sparks was named city fire chief. Sparks reported eight runs in August including one house fire.
n Cruse announced that the restrooms at Creekfront Park will open Monday, Sept. 19. He plans for them to be available 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.
The handicap-accessible restrooms were paid for with a 50-50 Recreational Trails Grant. The city’s share was $25,000 – much of it in-kind labor.
• The council held first reading of a change to the planning and zoning ordinance. The lot size for an in-family conveyance will raise from 25,000-square-feet to 30,000-square-feet. The change affects only new lot creations.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Bud Ireland said all lot sizes covered by planning and zoning will be uniform when the ordinance is passed.
• City council members discussed enacting an ordinance to deal with an increasing number of false alarms that are tying up emergency services. The ordinance would allow a fine to be imposed on businesses or organizations that do not keep their fire or burglar alarm equipment up-to-date.
City Attorney Mary Gaines is looking at “false alarm” ordinances passed by other cities. More information will be available in next week’s LaRue County Herald News.
• Cruse announced the city has replaced the solid waste hauling truck that was wrecked earlier in the summer. Insurance paid $44,000 for the 1998 Freightliner that has 9,000 miles and can carry double the capacity of the older truck. The city paid $1,000 deductible for the truck.
City worker John Thurman, who was injured in the wreck, has returned to limited duty.
• The council voted to authorize the mayor to sign paperwork for federal wastewater and drinking water revolving fund applications.