GLASGOW — Barren County and Glasgow may have some serious challenges this year, according to County Judge-Executive Davie Greer and Mayor Darrell Pickett.

The two leaders gave state of the county and city reports to members of the Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce on Friday morning during the group’s quarterly breakfast at Glasgow Golf and Country Club.

Krissie Coe Fields, new chamber president, presided over the meeting and introduced the officials.

Judge Greer said she wasn’t going to “preach gloom and doom” about the current economic situation in the county, but rather take a positive approach about 2009.

“We’re going to see great things in Barren County,” she told the audience. “It may take a little work and it make take a whole lot of our time and effort.”

As far as the state of Barren County is concerned, she said, “It’s in pretty good shape.”

She said the county operates mainly on property taxes and licenses for revenue and the only part showing a small decline was in license fees at the county clerk’s office.

The judge spent the majority of her time at the podium discussing the Barren County Correction Center. She said the facility is 34 years old and is operated 365 days a year and 24 hours, seven days a week housing people who are constantly trying to tear things up and that has taken a toll on the building.

Recent mandates by the state over the jail’s air evacuation system, along with other pre-existing conditions, including problems with the plumbing and HVAC systems, resulted in fiscal court members voting recently to replace the facility rather than trying to do another temporary fix or renovate some areas of the jail. There was also the question of where to house prisoners while the work was being completed.

“It was going to cost entirely too much,” she said.

Greer said the court is currently looking for property and continuing to work with an architect on plans for the new facility.

Mayor Pickett began his comments by saying he was thankful the city didn’t have a jail to deal with.

He said he could tell the group that everything was OK, but they would know better. The city is going to have to regroup and change some things, he said, adding this is “one of the most serious times of my life.”

“I am the leader of this community and I have a great responsibility,” Pickett said.

The mayor gave reports on the operations of the different departments including the Glasgow Water Company and Glasgow Electric Plant Board, which are municipally owned but separate entities from city government. He spoke about the regional landfill and cemetery, the lack of progress on Veteran’s Outer Loop, the Plaza Theatre and cultural center and the recreation, police and fire departments.

Pickett said, “We’re going to have to tighten our belts and I may have to make more trips to Frankfort.”

He praised state Rep. Johnny Bell for “the outstanding job he has done and is doing for us.”

The chamber also recognized A.F. Crow & Son Funeral Home as the Small Business of the Quarter. Crow Funeral Home has been a family owned business since 1928 and is in its 81st year of service to the community.

It is owned and operated by third-generation family member, A. Follis Crow III.

See Sunday’s edition for a more in-depth article on the state of the community.