And other city commission tidbits
The Henderson City Commission passed a resolution Tuesday that extends the city’s current downtown parking enforcement moratorium until May 15, 2027.
Mayor Brad Staton said the city needs more time to study what downtown parking enforcement will look like, and he added especially in light of what other cities are doing. He told the Hendersonian that Evansville has implemented a new plan with parking requirements.
Staton said outside of some hotspots in downtown, he’s not heard many concerns about parking recently.
In April, the Downtown Henderson Partnership, a committee of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce, presented survey results about downtown parking. Respondents included those who work or own businesses downtown, and 46% of them said they were very satisfied or satisfied with downtown parking; 20% were neutral; and 34% were unsatisfied or very unsatisfied.
That split is something that Chamber Executive Director Clay Gillham said she encounters in talks with downtown business owners. She’s “hard-pressed to find a definitive answer how the community feels about it,” she said.
The survey was compiled in the early part of the year.
At the end of the group’s presentation to the city commission in April, several recommendations were left for the city to consider. Among them were:
- Repeal the ordinance establishing time-limit enforcement
- Pursue public-private partnerships that offer one to three dedicated downtown employee parking lots within close range of the most congested areas of the central business district
- Offer downtown businesses and residents permits to park in those dedicated lots
- Create a clear and thorough communications plan with visual aids to be available downtown, and also install signs around downtown with a QR code that easily links to this information.
DHP also suggested that the city model some of things that the town of Holland, Mich., is doing, including free designated parking for customers, designated parking for business employees, spots for resident overnight parking and clear instructions of its downtown parking.
In other news:
- The city commission tabled a vote on a plan that would provide assistance on residents’ utility bills this winter. Staton said two commissioners wanted to be sure the plan only gives money to those residents who need it and is not abused by those who don’t. The funding would include $15,000 donations from the city, Henderson Municipal Power & Light, Henderson Municipal Gas and Henderson Water Utility to create a $60,000 pot to help residents in need.
- The commission approved the purchase of a 2026 Ford F350 4X4 regular cab pickup truck for the Parks Department from Mid-Tenn Ford of Nashville. The winning bid was $44,831.22. Local dealership Kate Faupel Ford also bid—and at a lower price of $42,916.72—but its bid was for a Ford F-250, not an F-350 which was designated in the city’s bid specifications, according to a city document in the agenda packet.
- The city commission approved a new part-time project engineer position. Since the retirement of former City Engineer Doug Boom last summer, advertising for an engineering position “has generated little to no interest,” City Manager Dylan Ward wrote in a memo. Ward said in a previous meeting that the plan is to bring Boom back on in a part-time position while still searching for a full-time engineer.
- The city will buy five individual heating boxes for heating at the Peabody Building. Assistant City Manager Buzzy Newman said Henderson Police Department employees have said that the building, where HPD offices are located, is cold. The heating boxes, which range from $7,500-$10,000 each, will be incorporated in the bid that the city will put out for air conditioning work for the building, Newman said.
- The city recognized two people for the Community Spotlight at Tuesday’s meeting.
First, John Gallagher, an employee of 911 Dispatch, was recognized for talking through a caller in the delivery of a baby girl recently. This recognition is a “true testament to the outstanding service he provides every day,” according to the announcement at the meeting.
Second, the city recognized Taylor Heady, who in November 2023 started the Warming Box near Hays Boat Ramp. The Warming Box contains food, clothing and other items that any person can take. Heady also helps other local groups dedicated to helping those in need, such as the Henderson County Homeless Coalition.
“Just love each other is all I request,” Heady said after receiving the recognition.
- The city also recognized Rogena Bugg for 30 years working as a school crossing guard. Currently, she’s the crossing guard at North Middle School.
