Business View Magazine | July 2020

197 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE JULY 2020 MADI SONV I LLE , KENTUCKY to put in a new playground made with 90,000 recycled plastic jugs. The playground is inclusive, meaning it encourages and enables disabled and non-disabled children to engage with one another in play and discovery. Our Public Works department trained on how to lay the rubber to reduce the cost to the City, while providing a safe play zone for the playground. LED lighting was installed to make the playground visible and safe for the community’s use and enjoyment.” In keeping with the Mayor’s mission of enhancing the quality of life for the community, another park project will soon be underway at Mahr Park Arboretum. A $1.3 million playground is being planned for Mahr Park, a 265-acre farm owned by the late Dr. Merle and Mrs. Glema Mahr that was gifted to the City of Madisonville in 2009. The park offers a variety of services for the community to enjoy, such as championship disc golf course, walking trails, ponds for fishing, bike & kayak rentals, a community garden, hiking trails, and so much more. The Madisonville.” Cotton’s disciplined focus on revitalization and redevelopment has proven that it’s always possible to make a significant impact, even in the midst of crisis. It’s one of the big reasons why his office was voted City Government of the Year by the Kentucky League of Cities in 2019; and why Madisonville is classified as one of the safest cities in Kentucky. “We’ve witnessed a reduction in crime by 20 percent from 2018 to 2019,” says Cotton. “This year versus last year, we are looking at a 34 percent reduction.” The Mayor’s approach has been to treat safety and inclusivity as direct influences on the quality of life. Cotton offers Madisonville’s public parks as an example: “We have 770 acres worth of beautiful parks and recreation in our community. We’ve spent an enormous amount of time, effort, and resources to ensure that we’re providing the best outdoor recreation possible,” he explains. “We were just able to complete a project at Festus Claybon Park. We were able