Being from a small town in Eastern Kentucky, I originally thought I would enjoy life in Corbin Kentucky. After more than 5 years in this town, I have to admit that I was mistaken. I want to point out that I'm not angry, and I'm not looking to move out of Corbin, but I can't help but point out a few things that have me confused, annoyed and a little bewildered.

1. Some how, Corbin was approved for a grant to build a "Technology Center", but failed on one point in the grant, which was to have someone that could professionally administer the grant. Instead of hiring someone qualified as a grant administrator, they panicked and gave the entire thing to Eastern Kentucky University. Who had only recently built a new Annex/Campus here in Corbin. What should have been a building with services to serve the public in Corbin, has been turned into an extension of the EKU extension. If even the City wished to hold an event at the "Corbin Center for Technology" they would have to pay, like everyone else. Essentially only EKU can use the building for free, and the City of Corbin is responsible for building upkeep.

2. Corbin managed to some how scrape up the money to build a regional Arena, with the capability of seating 7500 people. Instead of biting the bullet and buying property with road frontage and acreage suitable for the construction of such a facility, they acquired a hilltop, cheaply. If anyone with half a brain had analyzed this, instead of rushing it through "the process", they would have seen that it would have been cheaper to buy the land that was available along side the highway. But wait, there's more. When completed the 7500 seat David L Williams Arena, has only 1200 or so parking spaces. Seriously. I can't remember the last time I wanted to go to a concert and said to myself, "It's a sold out show, I better pack 7 people in my car, or we won't find parking." Any idiot could have seen that this was going to be a problem, except for the idiots responsible.

3. Corbin has a Chamber of Commerce (Now merged with Whitley County's I think) and I fully believe that a Chamber of Commerce should not be affiliated with the City. Unfortunately Corbin also has a Tourism Commission (that apparently only loosely answers to the City), and a Board of Economic Development which does what ever it wants and doesn't seem to have to answer to the City. All of this in a town of 8000 people. Seriously? Until recently Corbin had a Main Street program as well, but because of "budget concerns" they crushed that program by cutting it's only employee back to part time. There may be cities in which this type of disparity will work, but it's ridiculous in Corbin. Personally in a town this size, it would be much more practical to create one City controlled entity that does all of it. Economic Development, Tourism and City Improvement. At the very least it could be one entity that would have some accountability to the City Government. I wouldn't feel as strongly about this, if the City government wasn't handing fist fulls of tax money to all of these organizations who have accomplished nothing. Except for maybe the Main Street program, which had to raise it's own money through grants and other funding sources, the other two organizations have become nothing but money sponges, sucking up tax money and offering nothing in return.

4. As if building the David L William Arena on top of a mountain with limited parking, and a ski slope for an access road, wasn't bad enough; the City hired an out-of-state management company to manage the Arena. This organization was hired on the basis that they were already managing the Pikeville Arena. Unfortunately, not one individual responsible for making the decision to hire this company looked at the track record of the Pikeville Arena, which had never shown any signs of breaking even, let alone a profit. Now, the City has decided to fire the management company. Really? Their reasoning is because the Arena is going so far into debt there is no point in the future where it will ever break even, because the management company is sucking up all the money, and doing nothing to book shows. I'm glad someone pulled their head out of their butt long enough to notice this, but I can't help but ask the question, "Why did it take this long?" I am also allowed an "I told you so." at this point. Because I did tell everyone that would listen.

5. Corbin decided a few years ago to pass an alcohol ordinance, allowing alcohol sales in restaurants. Whoopie! Unfortunately, they made the ordinance so ridiculous there are only 4 or 5 places that can sell booze. For example, the restaurant must seat 100 people. The restaurant must meet the food:booze ratio which is something like 70% food to 30% booze, which eliminates the possibility of opening a bar. Oh, and there can't be live entertainment, no dart boards, no pool tables, no neon signs above a certain size... the list is actually quite extensive. It certainly makes me question the reasoning behind such an ordinance, until I consider the fact that there is a really stiff tax on alcohol sales, and a huge portion of that money goes to the Tourism board, which isn't really controlled by the City. At this point, killing the ordinance and the associated alcohol sales would hurt no one, except for those organizations that benefit from the tax revenue generated. Not that it would be all that bad if these organizations had to find funding elsewhere.

6. Shunning heritage in the hopes of avoiding discourse. That should be the City's motto. It should be emblazoned on everything. It is no small secret that Corbin has a reputation for being racist. I am not here to debate this, either it was a community full of racists, or it wasn't. I don't believe it to be true today, but I think it's reputation - true or not - casts a bad light on any positive aspect the town has achieved. Part of the problem that keeps this stigma afloat is our current system of government here in Corbin. Corbin is based on the "City Manager" style of government. Yes, we have a Mayor, we even have a City Council (actually they call it a Commission), and all of these positions are Elected. However the City Managers position is not an elected one, it is instead, apparently, a position for life. It is a position that has the ability to out last the Mayor, and the City Commissioners. Only a unanimous vote from the Mayor, and the city Commissioners can fire the City Manager. Since this is a good ole boy's form of government, Boss Hogg will never be fired. Ultimately all the blame for all the stupidity that has wafted out of City Hall, should be aimed back to the City Manager's office, since that position is the only one with real authority to make decisions. However, through deft finger pointing, properly placed accusations and good ole boy influence, the City Manager responsible for all of this stupidity escapes retribution. Kind of like Boss Hogg from the show Dukes of Hazard.

7. To rehash an earlier point. There exists in Corbin, a Board of Economic Development which is headed by "he who shall not be named". We'll call him "Mister Head" for short. Mister Head, in his time in office is making a nice salary north of $70K per year. Mister Head has also contributed zero, zip, nada to the economic growth of Corbin. More to the point, Mister Head has interest in commercial properties that are outside the City Limits of Corbin, which he used his influence as Economic Development Director to fill those commercial properties with businesses that would have been better inside the city limits. Mister Head, also has somehow weaseled his way into part ownership of a restaurant downtown, for which he doesn't want any competition. Personally I see this as a direct conflict of interest. Mister Head wouldn't want to encourage any business to come into the city limits which might cause him any competition. So Mister Head works diligently to protect his own business interests, instead of working for the good of the community. Thanks Mister Head. Oh, did I mention that Mister Head bought a house inside the City limits so he could qualify for the position of Director of Economic Development?

8. Let's have a pissing match! Corbin is in the unenviable geographic position of legally inhabiting two Kentucky counties, Knox and Whitley. The Corbin postal zip code 40701, covers three counties which includes Laurel County. Years ago, Corbin wanted to incorporate that part of Laurel County which also calls itself Corbin. There was an offer made, and things looked rosey, until someone got their feelings hurt, and the whole deal went south. There can be no dispute to the fact that David Harlan Sanders a.k.a. Colonel Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame is from Corbin Kentucky. Although the original Sander's Cafe is actually in Laurel County, it had, and still has a Corbin, Kentucky postal address. While Corbin was twiddling it's thumbs, and worried about political infighting, London Kentucky, in Laurel County, fired up the World Chicken Festival. Talk about hurt feelings. Now, the City of Corbin is being petulant, and doesn't want to do anything to lay claim to Kentucky Fried Chicken because they're afraid someone will say they're riding on London's coat tails. There isn't even a street in Corbin named for Col. Sanders. Oh we have streets named in honor of EKU football coaches, but not of our most famous citizen.

9. Speaking of hurt feelings. At one time Corbin wanted to incorporate the massive local railroad yard into the city limits. It would have been a significant revenue generator, and because of the amount of taxes the railroad company would have to pay, they told Corbin to take a flying leap. Understandable from a business aspect. After all, railroad land was and is, sacred ground, owned by and controlled by no one but the railroad companies. It is this point where the relationship between Corbin and the railroad as a "Railroad Community" fell to pieces. A while back, when our Main Street Manager decided to help promote Corbin, she found and purchased train statues to be placed on display after being painted by local organizations and businesses. The City was appalled, I actually saw the City Manager turn beet red at the mere mention of the train statues, and heard him hiss the statement "Goddamn Railroad doesn't want to have anything to do with us, why should we have anything to do with them!" I avoided pointing out the obvious. Again, the motto of "Shunning Heritage to Prevent Discourse" should be over the City Hall doors.

10. Don't get me started on the "Occupational Tax" stupidity that is going on in these parts.

Living in Corbin makes me feel like this "rant" if you will, could be endless. It's something new and horrible every day. I'm not mentioning anything that anyone around me with any intelligence doesn't know. Yet, the seemingly boundless stupidity continues. Eventually, I suspect, enough people will pay attention just long enough to really make a difference, but I'm starting to doubt it. This place has a way of sucking all the hope out of people, it takes their good ideas, and twists them into some kind of self serving-self destructive bastardization and builds those distorted ideas into a monument of stupidity. Personally, if ever there was ever a place deserving of an "EPIC FAIL" award, it would have to be Corbin.