By James Brown
Glasgow News 1
The Cave City City Council meeting opened on an emotional moment and adjourned after a nearly 40-minute closed session.
Council member Beverly Ford recommended a moment of silence for Pat Hatcher, the late wife of Mayor Dwayne Hatcher. Pat died Aug. 22, and the meeting Monday was the first since her death.
The mayor said he planned to address this at the end of the meeting, but he then began to cry, and said, “I certainly want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and kindness.”
The council then observed a few minutes of silence in Pat Hatcher’s memory.
After the silence, the council members then passed the second reading of the 2026-27 property tax ordinance. The first reading was passed during the August council meeting, and the compensating rate was taken.
At the August meeting, city attorney Bobby Richardson explained that last year, the property tax rate was set at 13.4 cents per $100 of assessed value. Richardson stated that the compensating rate for this year would drop the rate to 13.0 cents per $100.
The second reading sets the 2026-27 fiscal year tax rate at 13.0 cents per $100 of assessed value. At the August meeting, Hatcher said growth in the city allows nearly the same revenue to be generated despite the tax rate actually declining.
The city council had to vote on an amended tax rate for motor vehicles and boats. At the August meeting, Richardson said, the ordinance was filed right before the meeting and had the incorrect rate in it. The amended tax rate is 17.8 cents per $100 of assessed value. The council passed that on second reading.
The council also approved the appointment of Sheldon Ballou to the CEA board.
Council member Ronald Coffey, who is running for mayor against Hatcher, suggested a review of how some city employees are using city-owned vehicles. He questioned whether the code enforcement officer should be using the city-owned vehicle to transport their children to and from school.
Council member Leticia Cline said her issue is if the city’s insurance would cover someone in the vehicle who is not a city employee.
“My concern would be about kids in the car depending on what our insurance says,” Cline said.
Ford said as she understood the city’s rules, the city vehicle can be used for city business only, but that the vehicle can be taken home by the person to whom the vehicle is assigned.
Hatcher said he would review the city ordinance and the city insurance coverage and provide information at the October meeting.
The council also discussed ongoing derelict property issues within the city limits, and requested paperwork at the next meeting that details how those properties are being addressed.
The council went into closed session to discuss litigation, but took no action after the nearly 40-minute session other than to adjourn.
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