For more than 20 minutes Tuesday night, Cadiz City Council members discussed the viability of the Trigg County Country Ham Festival Committee — and what it truly means to have a municipality in charge of this annual, and well-attended, celebration of local history.
By the end of the conversation, further talk was tabled for another time — and all agreed to negotiate a special-called city council meeting to occur before the end of January, in which the committee would be invited to collaborate.
This October is the 50th anniversary of the pig party, and City Administrative Officer Jack Lingenfelter said there are currently two options on the table moving forward:
+ Structure everything involving the festival under the city’s control, once and for all
+ Or give it back to a private entity, and allow the city to offer assistance as needed and afforded
At the moment, Lingenfelter said it’s already under city control, and there is a desire to “finish what was started” back in 2008 — when more than $80,000 was given to the city coffer, and former controllers relinquished their grip in a request for more municipal manpower and authority.
Councilwoman Susan Bryant and Lingenfelter summarized the tug being felt in one exchange.
Meanwhile, the next scheduled meeting of the current Trigg County Ham Festival Committee is noon Friday, January 16.
In other city council news:
+ Not only has a new police clerk and code enforcement officer been hired, but Lingenfelter noted that Loralee Smith has been promoted to assistant city clerk, and Amber Syester has been installed as the city’s new finance director. Budget work continues for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
+ Council members unanimously approved an economic incentives request from Dr. Harshul Patel of the Western Kentucky Medical Group.
They are expanding and upgrading their facility at 116 Main Street, as well as adding three staff members, and now have access to a two-thirds payroll tax abatement for three years, a business license tax waiver for two years, a matching $2,500 grant over multiple years, as well as waivers for utility and building permit fees.
Patel said this expansion, among many things, will be focused on providing more mental health services to the region.
+ Lingenfelter said the city remains deep in the process of switching over municipal bills on a United Systems Utility software upgrade.
The system will shut down Friday, January 16, and payments will go on a paper trail between January 16 and January 21. Then, the system will go live Wednesday, January 21. The office, Lingenfelter said, will be closed that day — allowing for officials to enter the paper trail into the system, and bring everything into order.
This improvement further brings City Hall into the 21st century, and Lingenfelter said there will be a wider array of payment options, including in-person. Furthermore, bills will look a little bit different than in the past, and QR codes will be available on subsequent bills in order to set up new auto-draft and online customer accounts.
More clarity is coming in the next two weeks.
+ Mayor Todd King and Cadiz Police Chief Tyler Thomas noted that more than 20 warning letters and six property citations have gone out this week, and more are likely on the way, as code enforcement ramps up across the city limits.
King confirmed several locations were going to be cleaned up now, regardless of authority, because he was “tired of it.”
City council members are, too.
New warnings, King added, will soon become penalties.
+ For more than one hour, city councilmen and councilwomen convened in executive session under KRS 61.810 (1)(c), which is for deliberations on proposed or pending litigation against or on behalf of a public agency. No action was taken in open session.
Listed in the City Administrator Officer notes is “executive session” for the Energy & Environment Cabinet. While this doesn’t explain reasoning for any discussion points, it does infer as to what could have been of subject.
According to eec.ky.gov, this group serves the public by enforcing law relating to natural resources and the environment.
Within the EEC are two main departments: the Department for Environmental Protection — which protects and enhances Kentucky’s environment through its divisions of Air Quality, Waste Management, Water, Enforcement and Compliance Assistance — and the Department for Natural Resources — which provides technical assistance, education and funding to sustain Kentucky’s natural resources. It is home to the divisions of Abandoned Mine Lands, Forestry, Mine Permits, Conservation, Oil & Gas, Mine Safety and Mine Reclamation.
+ City of Cadiz Police Chief Tyler Thomas noted that December capped what was a “very active” 2025. Eight cases were investigated, 10 people were arrested, 130 traffic stops were made and more than 40 citations were issued — as part of more than 500 calls of service after Thanksgiving and through Christmas and New Year’s Day.
For the year, more than 120 cases were investigated, 87 arrests were made — one every four days — and more than 370 calls for assisting other agencies were answered.
Nearly 700 traffic stops were conducted, as well.
+ And Lingenfelter confirmed the City of Cadiz has “no control” over increased Mediacom rates, which were delivered to constituents January 1.
HAM FEST DISCUSSION:
FULL MEETING:
