Mayor Dan Kemp looks through some papers during Thursday's meeting/photo by Adam May

            THE HOPKINSVILLE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WENT FORTH WITH THE DOWNTOWN MUNICPAL BUILDING PROJECT TONIGHT, BUT NOT WITHOUT SOME SPIRITED DEBATE.

            PROJECT MANAGER RICHARD MITCHELL, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR STEVE BOURNE AND FINANCIAL DIRECTOR ROBERT MARTIN GAVE REPORTS ON THEIR CAPACITIES IN THE MATTER.

            BOURNE WAS GIVEN THE UNENVIABLE TASK OF TELLING COUNCIL THE PROJECT WILL LIKELY COST AT LEAST 1 MILLION DOLLARS MORE THAN HAD BEEN PROPOSED.

            THE NEW FIGURES SHOW THE TOTAL COST OF REPLACING THE OLD DOWNTOWN PLANTERS BANK BUILDING WITH CITY HALL INCLUDING A BASEMENT PLUS TEARING DOWN THE METCALFE PROPERTY ACROSS THE STREET IN ADDITION TO RENNOVATING THE LACKEY BUILDING INTO A POLICE STATION WOULD NOW COME IN AT JUST OVER 10 MILLION DOLLARS.

            WITHOUT THE BASEMENT AND METCALFE PARKING PROJECT—IT WOULD BE JUST OVER 9.2 MILLION DOLLARS.

            THE COMMITTEE DEBATED WHETHER THEY HAD LOST FOCUS OF THEIR ORIGINAL INTENTION OF HAVING A NEW POLICE STATION, BUT ULTIMATELY VOTED 8 TO 3 IN FAVOR OF SENDING A BONDING ORDINANCE THE FIRST SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE PROJECT TO CITY COUNCIL.

            COUNCIL MEMBERS ANN CHERRY, CHARLIE HENDERSON AND PAUL HENSON VOTED “NO.” KIMBERLY MCCARLEY WAS ABSENT.

                                                **

11/17/2011/AM