Commission Finalizes Bent Creek Phase 2

HENDERSON, Ky. 2/23/21– The City of Henderson Board of Commissioners finalized an ordinance annexing Phase 2 of the Bent Creek Subdivision at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

A first section of the subdivision was annexed into the city in December. Residents in the latest annexation will begin receiving the city services of police and fire protection, sanitation services and a lower rate on water and sewer services as early as March. City taxes will not be assessed until 2022.

To launch the meeting, the commission (along with the Henderson Utility Commission), heard a detailed presentation from Bob Berry of Big Rivers Electric Corporation about the company’s written offer to purchase Henderson Municipal Power & Light and his assessment of what it could offer the City of Henderson. Chris Heimgartner, general manager of HMPL, followed with a presentation detailing his assessment of the offer. The commissions went into joint executive session to discuss next steps in responding to the offer, and members indicated a desire to identify a third-party firm to determine a value for HMPL.

In other business, the board:

• Approved an incentive program to encourage citizens to sign up for automatic payment option and electronic billing. The program is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2021, for first-time participants and will be available through June 30, 2021.
• Finalized an ordinance awarding a 20-year electric system franchise to Kenergy Corp. The purpose is to allow the utility company to do work in its service area within the city limits.
• Finalized an ordinance that amends the FY 2021 Budget and Appropriation ordinance to allow hiring temporary non-hazardous duty personnel for key positions when deemed necessary for succession training purposes and to prepare for retirements.
• Approved the purchase of a compact excavator with a mulching head, a bus for Henderson Area Rapid Transit and diesel generators for John F. Kennedy Community Center and The Gathering Place.

The next meeting will take place at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 23. There will not be a meeting on Tuesday, March 9. Meetings are still closed to in-person attendance but are streamed through the Zoom meeting platform, on the city’s web site (www.CityOfHendersonKy.org), on Facebook and on Twitter. They are also broadcast on Spectrum Cable Channel 200.