WINCHESTER, Ky– On Feb 14th, Governor Andy Beshear presented more than $2.9 million in awards to the tourism commission, three utilities and ten nonprofits in Clark County.

“Every family deserves to know that when they turn on the faucet, they’re going to be able to give their kids clean water,” Gov. Beshear said. “That’s why we’re committing this funding in Clark County today, and we’re also supporting local tourism and amazing community organizations helping our people.”

Tourism Marketing Funding
Gov. Beshear awarded $117,302 to the Winchester-Clark County Tourism Commission to support travel marketing and promotion. The funding comes from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars and Gov. Beshear supported the $75 million allocation by the 2022 General Assembly. It was announced by the Governor in July to boost the state’s tourism industry and economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the pandemic.

“Thank you, Gov. Beshear, for understanding the importance of the tourism industry on Kentucky’s economy and by leveraging $75 million dollars from ARPA in its recovery,” said Nancy Turner, executive director of the Winchester-Clark County Tourism Commission. “Locally, the ARPA allocation will allow us to engage in marketing efforts, research and visitor data and tourism collateral that were previously unattainable in our limited budget. In addition, these funds allow us to partner with other communities across the state to showcase our unique assets and increase multi-night stays throughout the commonwealth.”

Cleaner Water Program Awards
Gov. Beshear announced the commitment of $2,245,852 in Cleaner Water Program (CWP) funds to communities in Clark County. He committed:

• $748,617 in CWP funds to the East Clark County Water District. The funding will go toward replacing outdated water lines.

“The District has had many water line breaks in the area of Winetown along Mt. Sterling Road,” said William Ballard, general manager of the East Clark County Water District. “This money will go to replacement of lines in that area. The KY 89 water line replacement is for upgrading to higher pressure rated pipe in the area just out of town.”

• $748,617 in CWP funds to Winchester Municipal Utilities (WMU). The funding will help improve sewer infrastructure and help with stream restoration at Strodes Creek.

“On behalf of the City of Winchester and Winchester Municipal Utilities, we are sincerely grateful for the support we have received from Gov. Beshear, the Kentucky Department for Local Government and the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority for the investments they have awarded to our community,” said Kenneth “Duke” Dryden, project manager at WMU. “The Cleaner Water Program funding, along with Gov. Beshear’s commitment to improve infrastructure and to invest in communities across the commonwealth has been instrumental. Completion of the project will strengthen our sewer system, ensuring that we have reliable infrastructure to support future economic growth in Clark County.”

• $748,618 in CWP to the Clark County Sanitation District. The funding will help remove three aging package wastewater treatment plants, as well as provide sewer service to approximately 280 homes in Clark County.

“Investing in our infrastructure means making Clark County a better place to live,” said Clark County Judge/Executive Les Yates. “We are making the daily lives of our residents easier. Our thanks to the legislature and Gov. Beshear for helping make this project possible.”

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 Awards
The Governor also presented ten awards totaling $548,415.65 from the Nonprofit Assistance Fund, which is helping organizations across Kentucky recover from the effects of the pandemic. The funding comes from federal ARPA dollars and Gov. Beshear supported the allocation 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. Gov. Beshear announced:

• $100,000 for the Bluegrass Heritage Museum;
• $100,000 for Clark County Community Services;
• $100,000 for The Futbol Club of Kentucky;
• $100,000 for the Winchester Council for the Arts.
• $70,293 for Legacy Greenscapes;
• $31,318 for Achieving Recovery Together;
• $22,776 for the Winchester Youth Soccer League;
• $12,000 for Central Baptist Church of Winchester;
• $6,546 for Friends of the Clark County Animal Shelter; and
• $5,482.65 for The Salvation Army of Clark County.

Nonprofit Leader Quotes
“The money received will help the museum to reach our goal of building an addition to the museum for more exhibit space and storage,” said Bluegrass Heritage Museum Executive Director Sandra Stults. “We have been so fortunate to receive many items from our community that need to be displayed and properly secured.”

“The Winchester Youth Soccer League plans to use the funds to attain better equipment, upgrade existing equipment, purchase equipment for those families and referees just beginning in the sport and to provide financial aid and scholarships to those in need, in our community,” Board President Ben Dorsey said. “We greatly appreciate this opportunity to make a difference in our community and look forward to continue to become more and more involved since rebounding from the pandemic.”

“The requests for our services of food, clothing and shelter never seem to slow down. Throughout the pandemic, we saw a large increase for these most basic needs just to survive by many who had never had to ask for help before. We also served a larger population of the elderly who were afraid to leave their homes to get food,” Clark County Community Services Executive Director Laci Scarboro said. “Winchester is such a giving community and we were able to weather the pandemic and continue our mission. To have the opportunity to apply for the Team Kentucky Nonprofit Assistance Fund as we were coming out of the pandemic was unprecedented and couldn’t have come at a better time.”

“Leeds Center for the Arts was greatly impacted by the generous funding from the Team Kentucky Nonprofit Assistance Fund! Leeds serves not only as a cultural organization, but a community gathering place,” said Leeds Center for the Arts Director of Marketing and Outreach Ellie Miller, representing the Winchester Council for the Arts. “We offer theatrical performances, concerts, art galleries and educational programs. Most importantly, we work diligently to provide a safe space where children can learn to lead, discover their voice and are valued for their uniqueness. As a nonprofit organization, our ability to continue to operate was due in large part to this generous support. Thanks to the Nonprofit Assistance Fund, we were able to securely provide our employees with payroll for the next year and a half.”