Bonnieville City Council discusses possible dissolution of city

Mary Beth Sallee

Managing Editor

Hart Co. News Herald

 

During the Bonnieville City Council meeting on April 8, discussions were held regarding the future of the city. Present during the meeting was Mayor Marie Whitlow and Council members Johnny Hornback, Colby Smith, Larry Srygler, Danny Thompson, Sherman Bowman, and Wyonia Sue Butler.

Dissolution Discussion

The main topic of discussion was the possibility of the dissolution of the City of Bonnieville. Dissolution, or the dissolving of a city, refers only to the termination of the city being an incorporated municipality. If the city dissolves, it reverts to dependence on the county government.

Council member Danny Thompson began the discussion by addressing concerns made to him about taxes burdening the citizens of Bonnieville. He then stated that others had expressed to him their desire to have the right to vote on whether or not Bonnieville should remain an incorporated city.

“We’re throwing our tax money in the sinkholes,” Thompson said. “…If all we’re doing is keeping this building going, paying the taxes, what it takes to do this, then we’re not accomplishing a thing.”

Thompson went on to state that he was presented with a petition to sign which, if approved, would allow for citizens in the City of Bonnieville to vote on whether or not the city should remain incorporated.

“I think it’d be very important that that be one thing that gets on the ballot and let the people choose and not us,” Thompson said. “…There’s also discrepancies in the way you tax people. Like, I don’t understand.”

Mayor Whitlow replied, “Who’s trying to stop you from doing that voting? Who’s trying to stop you? Nobody. You’ve got the petition. Turn it into me, and I take it to the voters.”

“Well, I’m not finished. I ain’t said nothing for six years down here,” Thompson continued. “I’ve kept my mouth shut, tried to be nice to everybody. I’m going to have my say tonight. If it’s the last night I speak, it’ll be the last night I speak. But there’s things done that was wrong here, y’all. Y’all don’t know what’s been done here. They do stuff behind their backs. We’re not involved. Me and Larry and Johnny, we don’t even know what’s going on half the time.”

Thompson addressed the requirement of paying property taxes but not seeing anything come to fruition for the city with those tax dollars. He also addressed his concern for an individual he knows who owes back taxes of $98 over the course of 20 years while he owes $600 for three years of taxes. Thompson questioned the fairness in the tax amounts.

Mayor Whitlow said that the cost in taxes are different amounts based on different structures.

“You gotta talk to PVA,” Whitlow said. “They’re the ones what assess the value. We don’t.”

Thompson then further discussed his belief that the people of Bonnieville have the right to vote on whether or not to dissolve the city. It was also acknowledged that the Council seems to be split, with allegations that some members are not being informed of certain issues.

“They don’t want to know,” Mayor Whitlow said. “They don’t want to get involved and help us do anything.”

The Mayor was then questioned if there had been meetings held without certain Council members present.

“I would just like to be able to know that Johnny and Colby can openly talk about anything y’all need to talk about, that Marie and Danny can do the same thing,” said Bonnieville resident Richard Green. “That Sherman and Wyonia can talk. Work as a group because that’s why there’s six of you, not two or three.”

“I thought we were all working together pretty good, last few months anyway,” Whitlow said. “But I was wrong.”

After additional concerns were addressed, Mayor Whitlow stated, “Since I’ve been in office, I have begged people to come to the meetings. Tell us what you want, what you expect of us. Nobody comes except now when you all have a complaint. When things are not nice, then you’re here. I don’t know what you need or what you want. unless somebody tells me.”

“I got kind of run out here last time I come to a meeting,” Green said.

“I didn’t run you out,” the Mayor replied.

“No, but you told me you was going to fight me every step of the way standing right outside that door,” Green said.

Mayor Whitlow stated that the specific situation Green spoke of was her stance against Bonnieville becoming unincorporated.

“So what do you want us to do?” Whitlow asked.

“I know the last meeting that, that I came here, it was questioned when we were talking about unincorporated – ’cause there’s nothing being done for the city,” said resident Elisa Green to Mayor Whitlow. “Since we’ve been here…the city’s gone down. And I know that the last time that we came to the meeting, I know that it was questioned as to you were fighting that, ‘Oh, we need to give me a chance. Gimme a chance. I just got in here. Give me a chance.’ We’ve given you a chance…It’s been several years, and I’m not seeing anything productive in the city at all. “

Mayor Whitlow then stated that certain Council members didn’t want to help do anything and often voted down items on the agenda.

“I wasn’t going to get involved until you said this,” Council member Larry Srygler said directly to Mayor Whitlow. “…I voted for the roads and everything to be fixed. I’ve never voted against nothing. And you say we on this side (of the table) like it’s just us three…That’s wrong.”

“I mean it’s quite obvious when you do come to the meetings, it is quite obvious that there is a split,” Elisa Green said.

After additional discussion, Elisa Green added, “What I’m saying is the people that were here at one time were young when the things were flourishing and stuff like that. Now, those people have stayed. They’ve gotten older. Businesses have closed down. The younger people get jobs. They move away…They’re gone. They have no choice because they have to, they have to move away. So all that is here is the older generation, which is wonderful the way it is. Now, if y’all had come in here and the people before y’all and the people before y’all, if y’all had continued with that businesses and the city was still going and things were going in and people felt like my taxes are doing something…They’re not doing anything anymore.”

According to KRS 81.094, “Any qualified voter of the city may file with the mayor of the city a petition seeking a referendum on the question whether the city shall be dissolved…Petitions shall contain or have attached throughout their circulation the full text of the following proposal: ‘We the undersigned registered voters of the City of (Bonnieville) hereby petition the mayor for an election on the question whether the city should be dissolved.’”

The KRS further states, “If such a petition signed by registered voters of the city equal in number to at least twenty percent (20%) of the total number of votes cast in the city in the last presidential election is presented to the mayor, the mayor of the city shall deliver a certified copy of the petition to the county clerk of the county in which the greater part of the city is located within ten (10) working days after it is received by the mayor. The county clerk shall have printed on the ballot provided for use in each precinct embraced in whole or in part within the city the question: “Are you in favor of dissolving the City of (Bonnieville)?”…The election shall be held at the next general election if the petition is filed with the county clerk and certified by the county clerk as sufficient not later than the second Tuesday in August preceding the general election; and (c) If a majority of those voting in the election favor the dissolution of the city, the city shall cease to be an incorporated city within thirty (30) days of the certification of the election results. The terms of all elected and appointed officers shall terminate at such time and all assets of the city shall become the property of the fiscal court of the county in which the city is located.”

According to an email received from Bonnieville City Clerk Jayla Durham, dissolving the city would mean that Bonnieville would no longer
be an LLC or incoporated city.

“City Hall would be closed down and sold off and all assets would be transferred to Hart County,” Durham stated. “…Hart County will proceed in collecting (tax) payments. If the city was to be dissolved, the streetlights would be turned off. I did verify that with KU (Kentucky Utilities). Crime would increase will no streetlights. Property values would decrease. Street banners would be taken down. We would no longer receive funds from the government. We would lose funds from CSX, SCRTC, KU, etc. All the money we collect to work on the roads in town would no longer be. We wouldn’t be able to help out the fire department. The cemetery would be left for Hart County to maintain.”

Other Council Business

The Council discussed applying for funding to have a tornado shelter constructed for the citizens of Bonnieville.

Care Guide Partners Pace spoke about the services offered for elderly residents.

Council members also discussed concerns regarding the county no longer offering limb retrieval within the city limits, as well as concerns regarding an area within the city limits that often floods. Council member Butler said that piece of property is owned by Caveland Environmental Authority (CEA).

The Hart County News-Herald is looking into these other concerns as well.

Bonnieville City Council meets the second Tuesday of every month. The next meeting will be held May 13 at 6 p.m. at Bonnieville City Hall, located at 7621 North Dixie Highway in downtown Bonnieville. For questions or concerns, you may contact Bonnieville City Hall at 270-531-3212 or via email at bonnkywater@scrtc.com.