Bowling Green · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Bowling Green public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Riverfront Park Phase IV funding push
Phase II brings the park's big attractions — a car-themed playground, river spray ground, food truck area, observation mound and performance lawn — starting around September with about 12 months of construction. Phases three (whitewater park) and four (east side) follow.
FY2027 street paving and gas tax fairness
The city plans to spend $2 million repaving roughly 10 miles of streets and $400,000 fixing broken sidewalks, curbs and gutters under its annual Liquid Fuel Tax program. Sidewalk fixes target trip hazards by priority zone, with downtown and the medical center already addressed and the west end now in focus.
Fairview Avenue widening at Kereiakes Park
The city sold right-of-way to the state so KYTC can widen Fairview and add left-turn lanes at the park — a fix for the notorious afternoon congestion, though cemetery crews raised concerns about safely crossing the widened road.
Clean city audit and finance awards
The city's annual financial audit came back with zero findings, and the finance department completed a 'triple crown' of GFOA awards for the 15th straight year — a strong signal the city's books are in order.
Termination of HR employee Kirsten Homer
The board voted unanimously to fire a three-and-a-half-year HR employee who told them publicly she was never told what she was accused of, never interviewed, and felt pressured to resign — raising questions about transparency in city personnel actions.
Stormwater utility rollout
Bowling Green is building a modern stormwater utility because its 80% cave-and-karst drainage system can no longer handle runoff — commissioners referenced the April 2025 floods. The extra $460,000 for GPD Group gets billing integration ready for a January 1 launch.
Crossridge Subdivision speed bumps
Mark Davis returned to ask the city for a solution to chronic speeders on his street — including a stolen car that rammed his neighbor's parked truck — and suggested testing devices like drop-down plates that still let emergency vehicles through.
TIF district downtown investment
The downtown TIF district generated $3.44 million in 2025, with $2.75 million flowing back to district recipients and the city keeping $688,497. Since 2008 the city has returned $17.4 million of $21.7 million in incremental revenue to downtown.
FLOCK license plate reader policy
A WKU student told commissioners the city's FLOCK/ALPR program tracks residents' movements with unanswered questions about data storage, deletion and federal access — and urged the city to pause expansion while other Kentucky cities have suspended or curtailed theirs.
Expanded bus service on Route 4
The city is adding a Route 4B with a 50% service increase, cutting waits by about 30 minutes and adding 2,063 annual revenue hours for roughly $218,183. Commissioners also discussed the longer-term goal of Sunday service for WKU students and transit shelters at high-traffic stops.
Downtown facade and improvement grants
Seven downtown businesses and property owners get matching grants totaling $21,500 for facades, murals, soundproofing and more — the first round of a new FY27 program with $40,000 to give.
Street renaming honoring Betty Natcher
A stretch of Collett Lane will become Ms. Betty Natcher Alley, honoring the widow of Congressman William Natcher who has guarded crossings at T.C. Cherry and Potter Gray Elementary for almost 50 years. Final reading comes later.
Hobson Grove pedal park
The city wants an $823,099 state/federal grant to build a kid-sized pedal park at Hobson Grove — a safe place with mini city icons where children can learn to ride bikes.