Watson’s State of the City: Large projects on the horizon in 2024
The City of Owensboro is going into 2024 with a record $6.2 million added to the general fund balance, and Mayor Tom Watson said large projects are on the horizon this year.
During his State of the City address at Thursday morning’s Rooster Booster, Watson recalled some of the success from 2023. He cited the addition of Contour Airlines to the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport; renovations to Moneta Sleet Jr, Jack C. Fisher, and Ben Hawes parks; and the recently announced plans for a basic law enforcement training academy.
The academy, run by the Owensboro Police Department, will in part be geared toward raising the number of recruits OPD can train at a time, as they can complete the 20-week training in Owensboro rather than going to Richmond, Kentucky.
“It will be a tremendous help because a number of people turned us down because they did not want to make that journey to Richmond,” Police Chief Art Ealum said. “A lot of people didn’t have the family support to be able to do that. So now they’re afforded the opportunity to not only join the very rewarding profession but to do it here locally at home.”
Watson also noted that the City is finishing its work on the Riverview neighborhood through the Northwest Revitalization project, which has resulted in a total of $10 million invested in the area.
Addressing another common area of concern among citizens, Watson said the Public Works Department filled 629 potholes and paved 8.5 miles of streets in 2023.
He then discussed the General Fund Balance for the City, saying it saw increased revenues and lower expenditures, to the increase of $6.2 million going into the new year. He added that the City saw record high revenues for net profit license fees, occupational withholding fees, and interest on investment — totaling $4.5 million higher than in 2022.
Looking ahead, Watson said there is plenty to be excited about in 2024.
“We have several very large projects on the horizon here in the City of Owensboro, your tax dollars at work,” Watson said.
Some projects include Operation Firehouse, which includes the renovation of Fire Station 3 on Cravens Avenue and a new fire training center on Daviess Street. The overall project is a $30 million investment throughout the community.
The City is also continuing to move forward with the development of the 86,000-square-foot indoor sports facility — though that’s not expected to be complete until December 2025.
Watson said the York Stormwater Ditch Project has also made significant progress, with an expected completion of April 2024.
Watson also teased a preview for the Owensboro Air Show in September, when the Blue Angels will return. Last year’s Air Show drew 60,000 people throughout the weekend.
By Josh Kelly The Owensboro Times