Judge-Executive Kota Young talked with Princeton Rotarians last week about the positive partnership that has developed between himself and Mayor Jim Seibert and Mayor Brock Thomas, and his recent trip to Washington D.C. to advocate for the community.
At the Princeton Rotary Club meeting last week, Young reflected on his relationship with the two mayors and noted the positive partnership between the county, Fredonia, and Princeton started with his predecessor, Larry Curling.
Young remarked that their collaboration on the Marion water initiative has allowed them to put aside any differences and work together.
click to download audioAs far as the county is concerned, he said the first thing any new judge-executive gets thrown into is the budget. Young noted they have a whole new slate of elected officials in the courthouse who has experience in their respective fields, but this is new to them as well.
click to download audioYoung said he’s also happy to work with the magistrates whom he had preexisting relationships with prior to taking office and he looks forward to see what they can accomplish in the coming years.
In addition to the project in Fredonia to connect water utilities, Young said the internet projects are ongoing and he believes there will be some good news coming from Pennyrile Rural Electric soon.
Additionally, he noted they continue to move forward on industrial development in the county, as well. Young said they were very proud of the Porter Road expansion that occurred during his tenure as Princeton mayor.
click to download audioDuring his recent trip to Washington D.C., Judge Young noted there has been a significant effort among the regional governments along Interstate 24 to support Tennessee’s plan to expand the highway to a six-lane road from Nashville to Clarksville, which they would like to see extended to Eddyville.
click to download audioHe felt this was a good time for them to start these discussions with an estimated cost of the six-lane project of around $20 million per mile, an amount that was out of reach for the county governments and district offices individually.
click to download audioYoung said they also discussed the traffic concerns with I-24 and the rerouting problems it causes on KY 139 not only in Caldwell but in Trigg County as well.
Young is three months into his first term as judge-executive after serving four years as mayor of Princeton.
