Acknowledgements
Thank you to all the elected officials and community stakeholders who provided feedback for this resource. This is a comprehensive compilation of stakeholder feedback. It will be updated throughout the year.
Table
of Contents
Letter from the Executive Director ........................2
Breckinridge County ……......................................4
Grayson County.….………………………………….8
Hardin County…………………………………….....14
LaRue County………………….……………….…....20
Meade County ..………………………………….....24
Nelson County .………………………………….....28
Washington County ..…….....................................32 Special Region..……………………………………...36
Feedback..….………………………………………...39
Letter from the Executive Director
Daniel London
Lincoln Trail Area Development District Executive Director daniel@ltadd.org 270-982-5207 (O)
Exciting things are happening in Central Kentucky! New economic development opportunities, continued local investment, and expanding education resources continue to grow our region; however, we cannot do it alone! The Lincoln Trail Area Development District (LTADD) needs the support of the Kentucky legislature to invest in our infrastructure, workforce, and communities.
This resource is designed to put our district’s preeminent needs in one, easy-toconsume location. LTADD gathered this information by surveying elected officials and community stakeholders.
This document will provide you with the contact information for everyone who participated in the survey. Please reach out to them directly if you have questions about their projects. Our office is also a phone call away if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you for your continued work to strengthen Central Kentucky. LTADD is grateful to partner with you.
Daniel London Executive DirectorLincoln Trail Area Development District
Breckinridge County
Judge/Executive Maurice Lucas Breckinridge County Fiscal Court mauricelucas@bbtel.com 270-756-2269 (O) 270-617-0413 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Increased funding for road improvements. Roads are still a huge issue for our county. Funding for road improvements needs to be consistent as the transition to electric vehicles moves forward. Highway 86 towards Hardin County is a priority for Breckinridge County. Expansion of funding for roads, especially for the Highway 86 project, would be a high priority for our county. A major concern is the loss of revenue as more electric vehicles are using our roads and less revenue is received from fuel sales at the pump.
Legislative Priority Two: Expanded water for our county. Although the City of Hardinsburg is in control of water in our county, there are many homes that do not have access to clean water, and expansion of water is a big issue for several citizens. More funding to help them receive water is a major priority for us.
Legislative Priority Three: Expanded access to broadband throughout the county. More funding to expand internet access throughout the county is a major issue to our county. We are a huge county and many areas still do not have access to dependable internet service as more people are working from home.
Breckinridge County
Meredith Dubree
Executive Director
Breckinridge County United meredith@breckunited.com 756-0268 (O)
Legislative Priority One: Funding for Expanding the Hardinsburg Water Treatment
The City of Hardinsburg provides water for most of Breckinridge County. Our current water treatment plant is nearing capacity, which limits our ability to recruit further commercial and industrial projects throughout the county. We have otherwise competitive industrial sites available and do not want to lose job opportunities for our residents due to an inability to provide water.
Legislative Priority Two: Funding for Improvements to Highway 86. Highway 86 is the primary route connecting Breckinridge and Hardin Counties. Hundreds of Breckinridge County residents who drive to Elizabethtown every day to work or to attend college use this road, which is so narrow and curvy it can be unsafe. The condition of Highway 86 has long been a hindrance to economic development in our county as well.
Legislative Priority Three: Increased Funding for the Breckinridge County Area Technology Center.
The Breckinridge County Area Technology Center has been preparing students for successful entry into the workforce for over 50 years. The school's programs, including machining, welding, industrial maintenance, and nursing, have continuously adapted to best suit the needs of regional employers. However, they are operating on impractically small budgets, which limits the opportunities our staff can provide for students. The economic growth our region has seen over the past few years is not sustainable without a well-trained workforce. It is imperative that we properly fund this school and all of Kentucky's Area Technology Centers.
Additional Priorities:
• Funding for expanding the sewer system in the Breckinridge County Commerce Park.
• Support for federal funding for the rehabilitation of the Rough River Dam.
Breckinridge County
Mayor Charles Lucas
City of Irvington mayor@irvingtonky.org 270-547-3835 270-750-1535
Please note: Outgoing Mayor Yvonne Kennedy offered these legislative priorities and shared with Mayor Lucas at submission.
Legislative Priority One: Replace old water lines within the city
The city has numerous old water lines within the city that need to be replaced due to water loss, which is causing the city to lose money.
Legislative Priority Two: Additional water/sewer services for possible new annexations to the city.
The city is going to have the opportunity to have an industrial park within the city limits. This will bring cause for additional water/sewer lines to accommodate the new businesses that will build in that industrial park.
Legislative Priority Three: A new Public Works Facility with a breakroom, restrooms, and storage for equipment. At present, the city has a maintenance building that lacks many things that are needed present day. A facility that would be able to hold a breakroom, restrooms, and storage of equipment is much needed for the employees of the city and to keep our equipment safe from the elements.
Grayson County
Mayor James P. Embry City of Caneyville cityclerkcaneyville@yahoo.com 270-879-9701 (O)
Legislative Priority One: Sewer expansion.
Legislative Priority Two: Road funding.
Legislative Priority Three: Financing projects.
Grayson County
Jeremy Woosley
Manager
Grayson County Water District gcwd@graysonwater.com 270-259-2917 (O) 270-230-7038 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Receiving assistance with the lead service line inventory in order to stay in compliance.
One of the Grayson County Water District’s top priorities is to receive help with funding to provide assistance with completion of the lead service line inventory process to maintain compliance with DOW.
Legislative Priority Two: Assistance with possible infrastructure growth in the east end of the county as a result of the BlueOval SK Battery Park.
The Grayson County Water District will need funding to make the necessary infrastructure improvements required to support possible growth surrounding the construction of the BlueOval SK Battery Park in Glendale.
Hardin County
Rick Games PresidentElizabethtown/Hardin County Industrial Foundation
Elizabethtown/Hardin County Industrial Foundation is supportive of all Hardin County and city governments’ submitted priorities.
Hardin County
Stephen Hogan
General Manager
Hardin County Water District No. 1 shogan@hcwd.com 270-351-3222 270-219-2182
Legislative Priority One: Water infrastructure funding related to the Pirtle Spring Water Treatment Facility.
Hardin County Water District No. 1 has identified $20 million worth of improvements for upgrades to the Pirtle Spring Water Treatment Facility, including the facility’s transmission main. This funding would provide volume capacity for growth.
Legislative Priority Two: Water infrastructure funding related to the Louisville Water Company.
Hardin County Water District No. 1 has identified $20 million to go toward a transmission main and pump system interconnect with the Louisville Water Company. This funding would allow a supplemental connection for Hardin County, along with Meade County and Fort Knox, and would allow a resilient water source for supporting growth for all of Hardin and Meade counties.
Legislative Priority Three: Water infrastructure funding related to pipe replacements.- $10 million for old cast iron pipe replacement to replace failing pipe.
Hardin County Water District No. 1 has identified $10 million worth of improvements to replace failing and antiquated old cast iron pipes, many of which are over 70 years old. The funding will allow for aggressive replacements of the pipes, providing a reliable water distribution system for Hardin County, Radcliff, West Point, and support to Vine Grove.
Hardin County
Margy Poorman
President
Hardin County Chamber of Commerce margy@hardinchamber.com 270-765-4334 (O) 270-681-0070 (C)
Legislative Priority
One:
Creating a Competitive Tax Climate for Business
The state has taken steps to make Kentucky more competitive by making reforms to business taxes and a system to reduce and eventually phase out individual income taxes.
Legislative
Priority Two:
Solving Workforce Issues
Several areas are being addressed to reduce barriers for many people to join (or rejoin) the workforce: such as transitioning off public benefits (Benefits Cliffs), childcare options of affordability and availability of day care and working through an employer-led benefit program, as well as recovery and re-entry from substance and criminal background with expungement and fair chance opportunities.
Legislative Priority Three: A local issue for the Chamber to focus on is the Conversion of Parkways to Interstates Conversion of the Bluegrass and Western Kentucky Parkways
Benefits to converting parkways to auxiliary interstate highways include:
• Implementation of road design enhancements which might take decades to achieve otherwise
• Improvements in parkway safety
• Putting Elizabethtown on three different interstate highways which
• will enhance economic development efforts and new job creation
• Putting cities like Bardstown, Leitchfield, and Lawrenceburg on an
• interstate highway for the first time, enhancing those communities’
• economic development efforts
Hardin County
Kendra Scott
Vice President of Operations Hardin County Chamber of Commerce
Kendra@hardinchamber.com 270-765-4334 (O) 270-312-7827 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Gas tax. Our roads and highways are in desperate need of repair, attention and improvement. More funds need to be utilized for road improvements across the LTADD region.
Legislative Priority Two: Support the Bourbon Barrel Tax. This tax is imperative to our region and the bourbon industry, which is the backbone of the economy for numerous counties including Hardin, Nelson and Marion.
Legislative Priority Three: Opportunities for veterans. We must make Kentucky more attractive and tax-friendly for our veterans and retiring service members. We are losing them to neighboring states, thus losing quality employees, entrepreneurs and families.
Hardin County
Robert WoosleyVine Grove City Engineer
City of Vine Grove bwoosley@heritageeng.com 502-727-0079
Legislative Priority One: Sewer funding. Financial support is needed to keep our rates affordable and competitive. Without financial support, it will be difficult for us to complete the needed improvements to support economic development in our region.
Legislative Priority Two: Storm (drainage) funding. Stormwater funding is needed to resolve long-standing flooding and erosion issues throughout the City. We recently implemented a new stormwater utility fee that has helped tremendously, but much more work and funding is needed.
Legislative Priority Three: Roadway funding (bridges and culverts).
We have numerous bridges and structures in dire need of replacement or rehabilitation. We currently have no funding allocated for these much-needed improvements.
Hardin County
Shaun
YouravichGeneral
ManagerHardin County Water District No. 2 syouravich@hcwd2.org 270-737-1056 (O) 270-268-1255 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Infrastructure funding .
Hardin County Water District No. 2 has identified over $65 million worth of improvements necessary to ensure the long-term water supply that will be required for the expected growth spurred by the BlueOval Sk Battery Park in Glendale. Nearly $20 million is specific to the development of BlueOval and the onsite KCTCS Training Center. To date, only $10 million worth of grants have been allocated to Hardin County to be used for water infrastructure related to the BlueOval project.
Legislative Priority Two: Sewer infrastructure funding.
Hardin County is expected to see significant growth from the BlueOval development in Glendale. The current sewer collection system within rural areas of the county is very limited and in some cases non-existent. Funding is necessary to expand current sewer systems to accommodate growth and allow for denser residential developments. These developments will allow for necessary growth in designated areas while preserving rural agricultural areas.
Legislative Priority Three: Water infrastructure replacement funding.
Water infrastructure does not have an infinite life. As water systems age, the need for replacement becomes more prevalent. To maintain a water system that is reliable and safe requires continuous evaluation and maintenance of infrastructure. Replacement is eventually necessary as it nears the end of its life. Our District is no exception. Older parts of the system are in need of replacement and funding is needed to maintain the integrity of the system.
LaRue County
Tim Bartley or John Detre Manager
Larue County Water District #1 tim@laruecountywater.com 270-491-5258 (O)
Legislative Priority One: New water plant. A new water plant will supply water needed to meet demand for the Larue County community for decades to come. It is time to work toward upgrading and preparing for our future to ensure quality water is always available.
Legislative Priority Two: Water line upgrades. Moving water to customers is critical to everyone's health and wellbeing. The ability to fill tanks when needed is of utmost importance. Being able to supply water to other cities and water districts is very important as well, including the City of Hodgenville.
Legislative Priority Three: New centralized Water tanks. New water tanks are needed to centralize the storage and availability of water. This will allow us to better serve our customers
Additional Priorities:
• A wastewater collection system would be a benefit for the environment and for LaRue County.
LaRue County
Mayor Jim Phelps City of Hodgenville jbphelps3167@gmail.com 270-358-3832 (O) 270-268-1603 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Wastewater treatment plant. Our plant has reached capacity, which limits our growth. The plant needs to be upgraded.
Legislative Priority Two: Water and sewer line replacement. Many of our water and sewer lines are beyond their life expectancy. Many of these lines need to be replaced.
Meade County
Annie Hamilton
Executive Director
Meade County Chamber of Commerce director@meadekychamber.org 422-3626 (O) 974-9990 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Funding for road improvements. Roads are still a huge issue for our county. Funding for road improvements needs to be consistent as the transition to electric vehicles moves forward. Highway 86 towards Hardin County is a priority for Breckinridge County. Expansion of funding for roads and especially for the Highway 86 project would be a high priority for our county. A major concern is the loss of revenue as more electric vehicles are using our roads and less revenue is received from fuel sales at the pump.
Legislative Priority Two: Expanded water for our county. Although the City of Hardinsburg is in control of water in our county, there are many homes that do not have access to clean water, and expansion of water is a big issue for several citizens. More funding to help them receive water is a major priority for us.
Legislative Priority Three: Expanded access to broadband throughout the county. More funding to expand internet access throughout the county is a major issue to our county. We are a huge county and many areas still do not have access to dependable internet service as more people are working from home.
Meade County
Brett Pyles
General Manager
Meade County Water District bpyles@meadecountywater.com 270-422-5006 (O)
Legislative Priority One: Utility rates.
An annual rate increase allows utilities to raise their water rates annually based on an inflation index chosen by the Legislature or the Public Service Commission without having to pay the costs of a full-blown rate study.
Legislative Priority Two: Water tax and tax collection.
Water districts provide safe drinking water which is essential to life. Water should not be taxed nor should water districts be "tax collectors" for the local schools.
Nelson County
Cole Cissell
General Manager
North Nelson Water District Colennwd@gmail.com 502-348-8342 502-507-5606
Legislative Priority One: North Nelson Water District South Zone Water Tank. The Highway 245 area of North Nelson Water District's system is the most populated and growing area in the district. Our existing water tank for that area is aging and not at a desirable elevation. It will not provide adequate pressure and fire flow needed for industrial development. This is our highest need.
Legislative Priority Two: Nelson County Water Supply Project.
We have already received funding for this much-needed project. With rising construction costs, it is very possible that more funding will be needed to fully fund this project and not directly impact customer rates. This project is a very high priority for not just North Nelson Water District, but for our entire county.
Legislative Priority Three: Telemetry System.
North Nelson does not have adequate telemetry throughout its distribution system, making it difficult to monitor and maintain service throughout the distribution system. An updated telemetry is a very high priority.
Nelson County
Mayor J. Richard Heaton
City of Bardstown mayorheaton@bardstowncable.net 502-348-5947 (O) 502-510-5424 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Infrastructure funding. Infrastructure funding is desperately needed to help fund projects such as water and
Legislative Priority Two: Revision of the wastewater sludge removal permitting process.
Revision of legislation to revise and update the permitting process for the removal and disposal of lagoon sludge at wastewater treatment plants is needed, particularly the permitting process for agricultural application for the sludge.
Legislative Priority Three: Bourbon Barrel Tax.
It is imperative that the Bourbon Barrel tax remain in place, or an alternative form of payment be implemented. This will ensure that Nelson County’s schools, courts, sheriff's office, libraries and extension service will still receive the $8.6 million in funds provided by this tax.
Nelson County
Judge/Executive Nicky Rapier Nelson County Fiscal Court ncjudge@bardstown.com 502-348-1800 (O)
The Bourbon Barrel Tax issue is very big to Nelson County.
Washington County
Daniel Carney
Executive Director
Springfield-Washington County Economic Development Authority (SWEDA) daniel@sweda.org 859-481-1437 (O)
Legislative Priority One: Bourbon barrel tax. It is important to leave this tax in place as there are projects we have done with revenue promised to us by the distilleries themselves. These warehouses contribute very little otherwise. We are counting on the revenue from stored spirits.
Legislative Priority Two: Workforce development. We must continue to support measures that enhance workforce development and increase the workforce participation rate in Kentucky. This includes supporting areas such as childcare and affordable housing.
Legislative Priority Three: Infrastructure and site development. We should continue to support infrastructure enhancement and site development programs such as the product development initiative to support communities in upgrading and developing new sites and infrastructure.
Washington County
Judge/Executive Timothy E. Graves Washington County Fiscal Court washfofc@kyol.net 859-336-5410 (O) 859-481-3914 (C)
Legislative Priority One: Addiction recovery facilities. I would like to see legislation passed requiring drug treatment facilities with over 100 beds to have fencing on their property. The facility also should be required to transport patients that are wanting to leave. I feel this could be enforced by restructuring the state license requirements for these types of facilities.
Legislative Priority Two: Restructuring of road tax formula. Restructuring the road tax formula would increase revenue that would be used to enhance roadways throughout the Commonwealth.
Legislative Priority Three: Paramedic shortage. Look for creative ways to enhance/promote paramedic training in our state. Also, allowing for the re-employment of retired paramedics without being penalized by the retirement system.
Special Region – Bullitt, Hardin, LaRue and Meade
James T. Iacocca Brig. Gen., U.S. Army (Retired) President / CEO Knox Regional Development Alliance
Legislative Priority One: Eliminate income tax on military retirement. In the fight for talent, Kentucky employers regularly seek out military veterans and military retirees to meet their workforce needs. Kentucky prides itself on being a military-friendly state, yet it continues to tax military retirement income when so many other states do not. That matters when retirees consider where they want to call home following their military service. We recognize that Kentucky is moving toward the elimination of income tax entirely, however, in this time of tremendous economic growth, it would serve the commonwealth well to put forth legislation that eliminates the tax on military retirement income.
Legislative Priority Two: Eliminate the vehicle tax military service members have to pay on vehicles they purchased before they moved to Kentucky. When active duty service members purchase a vehicle in Kentucky, they don’t have to pay Kentucky sales tax. However, when they register a vehicle that they purchased in a different state that has a lower vehicle sales tax rate than Kentucky, the service member has to pay the difference. It seems counterintuitive to place this additional financial burden on our military. It is not tax revenue that Kentucky would have otherwise realized had the vehicle been purchased in the commonwealth and it is an unanticipated costly expense for service members.
Legislative Priority Three: Fund a feasibility study to expand capacity of the Elizabethtown Regional Airport /Addington Field.
KRDA, in partnership with the Elizabethtown Airport Board, the Elizabethtown/ Hardin County Industrial Foundation and the City of Elizabethtown, supports the expansion of the Elizabethtown Regional Airport (EKX). The Elizabethtown/Fort Knox MSA, which is experiencing unprecedented economic growth with the new BlueOval SK Battery Park, NUCOR Steel, Kruger Packaging and numerous other manufacturers. Growth at Baptist Health Hardin, as well as new and expanding missions at Fort Knox, would also benefit from expanded capacity at EKX. An expanded runway would directly support Fort Knox deployment operations. Funding of a feasibility study is needed to move forward with EKX expansion.
Feedback
If you or organization would like to update your top three Legislative Priorities, please go to this link or scan the QR Code below to complete the online form. This document will be updated online as feedback is submitted.
We hope to complete a similar process ahead of the 2024 Kentucky Legislative Session.
If you have any questions, please contact Daniel London, daniel@ltadd.org, or Krista Levee, krista@ltadd.org.
