Leaders discuss city, county governments
Local government leaders gave their state of the city and county addresses Thursday to a large crowd gathered at the Owensboro Convention Center for the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce’s Rooster Booster breakfast.
Daviess Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen used his first “state of the county” address to tout Fiscal Court’s accomplishments over the past year, while staying mostly mum on the new Court’s plans for 2023.
Meanwhile, city Mayor Tom Watson’s “state of the city” presentation focused on the number of projects the city is advancing this year. Watson also unveiled new signs that will go up in the spring, further branding the city the “bluegrass music capital of the world.”
State of the County According to Castlen, the county has invested in projects, focused on basic services.
Castlen, who was a county commissioner before being elected last fall, told the large audience the Fiscal Court had made progress in several areas in 2022.
Castlen said the new court would “blaze its own path.”
“I’m proud of our accomplishments over the last 12 years, but a new county judge and a new Fiscal Court took office this week, and will be charting a new course for the county,” Castlen said.
County government made “excellent progress” in providing services to residents in the last year, Castlen said, and that, “these projects may not be flashy, but the county never forgets its basic function: To provide basic services to its citizens, and provide them well.”
Castlen said one of Fiscal Court’s major accomplishments over the past year was its decision to invest $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars in broadband internet expansion. The work is currently focusing on unserved areas of the county.
Contractors “want to hit the areas that are totally unserved” first, Castlen said.
Other accomplishments include adding pickleball courts at Yellow Creek Park and in Stanley, and rebuilding the elevated trails at Panther Creek. The county also replaced the old radio system for law enforcement and firefighters with a digital system that is more reliable.
The county also expanded the county landfill using the solid waste department to perform the work, and opening of the county’s spay/neuter clinic at the county animal shelter.
The county saved over $1 million using solid waste workers to do the landfill project, Castlen said.
The spay/neuter clinic gives the county the option to start a trap, neuter and release program for feral cats. County officials are considering creating the program, Castlen said.
The county paved 26 miles of roads in 2022, “even with the record high cost of asphalt,” Castlen said. The county also partnered with the city to create a workforce certificate program for the detention center. Some staff members have already graduated from the program.
“A lot of the folks who find themselves in our lock-ups … many times they are good people who have made bad decisions,” Castlen said.
The program “hopes to reduce inmates ending up back in jail” by helping inmates connect with good employment upon release, Castlen said.
Castlen said the new Fiscal Court’s priorities would become apparent when commissioners begin budget discussions in the spring.
“While I do not expect big changes, you will see where this court starts charting its own course, with new priorities, new programs and new ideas,” Castlen said.
“My hope is next year, I can announce the state of the county, while good last year, is better than before,” Castlen said.
State of the City Watson, who is in his third term as mayor, also listed the city’s accomplishments, largely through a video prepared by city staff.
But Watson told the audience a continued goal is expanding the city’s brand as the “Bluegrass Music Capital of the World,” a designation local officials gave the community last year.
Watson said the city will extend the brand across the city through the instillation of 42 “wayfinder” signs that will guide visitors to amenities and landmarks, such as museums and downtown.
The signs will have the city’s bluegrass logo at the top. Watson said the plan is to install the vehicular and pedestrian signs in the spring.
“Visitors will be able to easily find their way to where they are going (in the city) and all that Owensboro has to offer,” Watson said.
Vehicular signs must meet state highway regulations and Assistant City Manager Lelan Hancock said the city plans to solicit bids for companies to produce the signs later this month.
Watson’s video presentation focused on city projects completed in 2021, including the construction of a new police training center and the remodeling and expansion of Fire Station 2 on East Parrish Avenue. The fire department also became certified for firefighters to provide advanced life support, the police department was funded to purchase body cameras for patrol officers.
The city ended the year with an $2.4 million increase in its general fund, and a decrease of $9.4 million in debt, according to Watson.
Projects on the horizon for 2023 include beginning construction on a downtown indoor sports complex. That project is expected to be completed in 2024.
With the sports complex the city “will be able to compete with other communities” for sports tournaments, Watson said.
The proposed transient boat dock was mentioned in the video, but was described as under discussion. Last month, commissioners tabled the boat dock plan indefinitely, after concerns were raised by Commissioner Mark Castlen over the cost of the dock, and return on investment.
Other work scheduled for the year includes starting work improving drainage in the York Park neighborhoods, and beginning renovation of Fire Station 3, which will also be expanded in size. The city will also solicit bids this month to build a new fire training center for OFD.
Watson said, “2023 will be a big year for the city of Owensboro,” as work begins on the projects.
By James Mayse Messenger-Inquirer