Funds support education, infrastructure, tourism, cleaner water projects and local nonprofits

MORGANFIELD / HENDERSON, Ky – On March 8th, at the Union County Courthouse in Morganfield and Gallery 101 in Henderson, Gov. Andy Beshear presented more than $16 million for career and technical education, infrastructure, tourism marketing, cleaner water projects and local nonprofit organizations.

“As Governor, and most importantly, as a dad, I want to make sure all of our kids have every opportunity right here in Kentucky, so they never have to leave home to chase their dreams,” Gov. Beshear said. “That’s why we’re putting education first, investing in clean water, building up community nonprofits and so much more in Union and Henderson counties today.”

“We love to celebrate good things that are happening in Union County and on March 8th, is certainly one of those days as we receive funds that will greatly help to improve our workforce, schools, clean water infrastructure and nonprofits,” said Union County Judge/Executive Adam O’Nan. “On March 8th, marks the culmination of years of work and we are thankful for the funding from the Governor’s office and look forward to more announcements in the future for more celebrations like this one!”

“The positive impact of these grants will be felt for many, many years in Henderson County and provide invaluable assistance across a broad range of vital community services,” Henderson County Judge/Executive Brad Schneider said. “I can’t thank the members of the General Assembly and the Governor enough for the thoughtfulness and vision shown with this funding to help nonprofit organizations all over Kentucky recover from the pandemic. They truly were victims of COVID. With that period in history hopefully behind us, helping these groups get back on firm footing so they can accomplish their important missions is a worthy priority for the commonwealth.”

Career and Technical Education
The Governor presented $8,582,500 to Union County Public Schools to support renovations at the district’s vocational education center. The General Fund funding was allocated by the General Assembly and supported by the Governor.

In their application, the district explained, “The Union County Vocational School was originally constructed in 1963. This expansion and substantial renovation will touch every aspect of the building and will be one of the most significant building projects with regard to academic programming for Union County Schools.”

Renovations include updating portions of the building that do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements; welding exhaust system renovations; adding a sprinkler system; and renovating emergency lighting and fire alarms.

Tourism Marketing Funding
Gov. Beshear awarded $155,663 to the Henderson County Tourist Commission and $14,455 to Union County Fiscal Court to support travel marketing and promotion. These awards are part of the $75 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding supported by the Governor and allocated by the General Assembly in 2022 to boost the state’s tourism industry and economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the pandemic. They were announced by the Governor in July.

“With these ARPA funds, the Henderson Tourist Commission will activate fresh and creative marketing strategies, allowing us to reach new audiences that were previously unattainable,” said Abby Dixon, executive director of the Henderson County Tourist Commission. “As we transition from the uncertainty of the tourism industry throughout the pandemic to recovery and unprecedented growth, we look forward to celebrating the positive economic impact that tourism growth will have on our community and its people.”

“With the influx of ARPA funding, Union County will be even more prepared to promote its tourism attractions, especially with the upgrades and renovations at our Moffit Lake Recreation Area, including new cabins; and major renovations at the James D. Veatch Camp Breckinridge Museum & Arts Center,” said Paul Monsour, director of Union County Tourism.

The Governor awarded $100,000 to the West Kentucky Brewery Hop Trail, a collaborative tourism project with a focus on craft breweries, to support multicounty collaborative destination marketing.

Community Development Block Grant Funding
Gov. Beshear announced $1.5 million in funding to the City of Morganfield, in Union County, to replace the outdated sanitary sewer system at the Earle C. Clements Job Corps Center. The extra demand placed on this system during and post-pandemic is taking a toll on the already stressed system. The funding comes from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Coronavirus Response fund, which is administered by the Department for Local Government.

Gov. Beshear also announced $641,000 in funding to the Union County Fiscal Court to install a new elevator in the Union County Courthouse. The funding comes from Kentucky’s CDBG program, also administered by the Department for Local Government.

The CDBG program provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities and counties to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and by expanding economic opportunities. The CDBG Coronavirus Response program helps communities prevent, prepare for and respond to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Cleaner Water Program
Gov. Beshear announced the commitment of $830,258 in funds for utilities in Union County and $2.7 million in funding for utilities in Henderson County. The funding will come from the Cleaner Water Program which is administered by the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority.

Gov. Beshear announced the commitment of funds for the following projects in Union County:

• $175,065 to the City of Morganfield to replace leak-prone waterlines along North Morgan Street.
• $175,065 to the City of Uniontown to replace a problematic waterline on Main Street.
• $175,064 to the City of Sturgis for improvements to the wastewater treatment plant.
• $175,064 to the Union County Water District to replace water pipes around the county.
• $130,000 to the City of Waverly to purchase generators for their lift stations. This will help in the case of power outages.

“I join the residents of Uniontown who definitely extend their gratitude to Gov. Beshear and the state of Kentucky for helping out failing water infrastructure,” said Uniontown Mayor LaDonna Tapp. “Our water lines are almost as old as our town. Some lines are the ones that were first installed in our town. This is a good start for correcting this problem. Thank you!”

“The City of Waverly is extremely excited to have the opportunity to add backup generators to our pump stations,” said Waverly Mayor Cris Payne. “On behalf of the City of Waverly, I would like to thank all those who helped make this possible.”

Gov. Beshear announced the commitment of funds for the following projects in Henderson County:

• $2,067,242 to the Henderson Water Utility to build a new raw water intake structure and piping to transport raw water from the new intake structure to the existing South Water Treatment Plant site.
• 603,694 to the Henderson County Water District for three projects:
• Construction of a waterline across the Green River on the new Spottsville Bridge. This will help serve the community of Reed in eastern Henderson County.
• Update leak detection equipment county-wide.
• Rehabilitate water storage tanks throughout the county.
• $50,000 to the City of Corydon to purchase equipment for sewer system upgrades.

“It's so incredibly nice to see our Governor and state legislators working together in a bipartisan fashion to provide some much-needed funding to our local organizations and nonprofits who are doing so much good for so many people,” said Henderson Mayor Brad Staton. “Thank you for your generosity and for remembering us over here in Henderson, Kentucky! We greatly appreciate it.”

“This funding will provide many needed upgrades to our aging sewer system,” said Corydon Mayor Ronda Smith.

Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and administered by the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, $500 million has been appropriated through a bipartisan agreement with the General Assembly to provide clean drinking water and wastewater grants to fund projects across Kentucky since 2021. The 2022 funding will be allocated based on each county’s proportion of the state’s population, with the exception of Jefferson County’s share, which is discounted by 50% based on its high per capita allocation from the federal act. As the project progresses, the utility will be reimbursed by Cleaner Water Program funds.

Nonprofit Assistance Fund
The Governor awarded $484,343.11 to nine nonprofits in Union County and $1,220,842.90 to 20 nonprofits in Henderson County. The awards come from the Nonprofit Assistance Fund, which is helping organizations across Kentucky recover from the effects of the pandemic. The funding comes from ARPA, and Gov. Beshear supported the allocation of funds by the 2022 General Assembly. This fund will provide one-time direct relief payments to support the mission and long-term sustainability of each eligible nonprofit.

In Union County, Gov. Beshear presented:

• $100,000 to Breckinridge Place Retirement Community;
• $100,000 to St. Agnes Parish of Uniontown;
• $100,000 to John Paul II Catholic School;
• $74,192.04 to St. Ann’s Parish of Morganfield;
• $66,473.41 to St. Francis Borgia Parish of Sturgis;
• $20,752 to the Morganfield Lions Club;
• $16,097.74 to Sacred Heart Parish of St. Vincent;
• $4,275.82 to St. Ambrose Parish of Henshaw; and
• $2,552.10 to St. Peter’s Parish of Waverly.

In Henderson County, Gov. Beshear presented:

• $100,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Henderson;
• $100,000 to Holy Name of Jesus Catholic School;
• $100,000 to Hugh Edward Sandefur Training Center;
• $100,000 to St. Anthony’s Hospice;
• $100,000 to United Way of Henderson County;
• $100,000 to Holy Name Parish of Henderson;
• $100,000 to the Henderson County Healthcare Corporation;
• $100,000 to the Audubon Kids Zone;
• $94,763 to the Henderson County Family YMCA;
• $67,951.46 to the Father Bradley Shelter for Women and Children;
• $48,737 to the Ohio Valley Art League;
• $45,718 to Healing Reins of Kentucky;
• $38,733.94 to The Salvation Army of Henderson;
• $38,427 to Redbanks Regency Apartments;
• $21,306 to The Gathering Place;
• $18,839.85 to Experiencing Autism Together;
• $18,376.65 to St. Augustine’s Parish of Reed;
• $16,972 to Volunteer and Information Center;
• $5,586 to the Henderson County Healthcare Corporation – Two
• $5,432 to the Humane Society of Henderson County.

Legislator Quotes
“The General Assembly’s investment and allocation of federal funds are now finding their way to Union County – notably the additional $250 million allocated for cleaner water and wastewater improvement projects in the 2023-24 budget,” said Senator Robby Mills of Henderson. “Clean water is the cornerstone of any thriving community and Morganfield, Uniontown, Sturgis, Henshaw and Waverly residents will see a notable improvement thanks to these funds.”

“Our state is built upon our local communities and these awards will directly aid our county’s tourism industry and our non-profit organizations,” Rep. Jonathan Dixon of Corydon said. “Through the legislature’s dedication of ARPA funds and our endless effort to prop up our commonwealth’s tourism, non-profits and local businesses, I look forward to seeing how these projects positively impact our community.”

“Through the dedication of ARPA funds in the Cleaner Water Program, I am proud to see these awards make their away to Union County,” Rep. Jim Gooch of Providence said. “Improving Kentucky’s communities is something we take seriously in the legislature, and I am committed to bringing more relief and more solutions to Union County. I am confident these awards will make an immediate positive impact on our community, and I look forward to seeing our community grow as a result.”

Nonprofit Leader Quotes
“The pandemic has been difficult for the facility to maintain census as well as staff,” Breckinridge Place Administrator Lyndsee Pendleton, LHNA, said. “Financially we have not been budgeted to tackle big ticket items and upgrades that our facility needs. Cosmetic items such as new furniture and paint. As well as tackling some replacements on our air units and keyless entry system.”

St. Francis Borgia Parish Administrative Assistant Holli Jo Corley said, “After the pandemic, many small town churches struggled to get back on their feet financially. This blessing was truly the answer to many, many prayers! I assure you that it will be used to serve and bring Glory to God!

“At Redbanks our goal is to provide care to our residents, their families, our staff and the community,” said Executive Director Shari Newton. “These funds will allow us to continue providing compassionate care above and beyond skilled nursing care.”

“The Salvation Army thanks the Governor and General Assembly for these funds from the Kentucky Nonprofit Assistance Fund. These funds will help us to continue ‘doing the most good’ here in the Henderson area. We have seen a substantial increase in need in this area post-pandemic, and these funds come at just the right time to help us further our mission of helping others in the name of Jesus,” said Major Stephen Story, corps officer.

Kendra Marsh, executive director at St. Anthony’s Hospice, said, “The care and support of those in this community is embedded in our mission. This money will go toward providing indigent hospice care, extensive grief care services, palliative care and fulfilling what matters most to our palliative and hospice patients.”

“These funds will be used to increase our outreach to individuals for our day training and supported employment programs, both of which suffered tremendously from the impact of COVID,” said Julie Wischer, executive director of the Sandefur Center. “These funds will also allow us to focus our attention on future needs of individuals with disabilities, creating a pathway of growth, inclusion and independence for the Henderson area.”

“On behalf of Habitat for Humanity of Henderson, we would love to thank Team Kentucky and Gov. Beshear for facilitating this amazing opportunity! These funds were a welcome gift to our organization, and we were able to put the dollars to work very quickly. This funding ensured that our organization could ‘keep the pedal to the floor’ in our construction efforts of building affordable housing in our community in 2022,” said COO Matthew Reynolds.

“The funds provided to the Father Bradley Shelter for Women and Children from the Team Kentucky Nonprofit Assistance Fund ensure that we can continue our mission of providing a safe haven to homeless women and children in Henderson County and assist them in becoming self-sufficient productive citizens. We are most appreciative of this grant and the financial security it gives the shelter,” said Director Anita Mindrup-Ivie.

“This funding helps to empower our Audubon Kids Zone kids and families to continue to make life-changing decisions that permanently change each person, their neighborhood and the Henderson community as a whole,” Executive Director Tammy Sutton said.

“United Way of Henderson County is very thankful and grateful for Team Kentucky for providing this funding opportunity, especially with the hardship that COVID-19 put upon the nonprofit network,” said Executive Director Melissa Clements. “United Way of Henderson County will use the funds to continue to implement our mission which is, ‘to invest, connect, and empower Henderson County through proven programs in education, health, financial stability and workforce development.’ Thank you again for these funds.”

“The Humane Society of Henderson County is very grateful for the Team Kentucky Assistance Fund dollars awarded to our shelter. The money awarded will help to further our efforts of saving and supporting the animals in our community and the owners who love them,” said Board President Kendra Strawn.

“We love that Team Kentucky is supporting the meaningful work that nonprofits are doing in the state. This funding will have a direct impact on those Healing Reins of Kentucky serve in the community. We appreciate the assistance,” said Executive Director Monica Fella.