BROOKSVILLE, Ky. (Oct. 31, 2022) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear awarded $11,023,200 in funding to enhance health, safety and education in Bracken and Fleming counties. The funding will go toward renovating an ambulance station, rehabilitating a senior center and supporting career and technical training for students and community members.
“The funding announced today will make Kentuckians healthier, safer and better prepared for the workforce,”
Gov. Beshear said. “These funds are getting us closer to that better Kentucky we all want. We are supporting our seniors, students and first responders, and leaving nobody behind.”
Bracken County Senior Center Renovation ProjectGov. Beshear awarded $454,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds to Bracken County to renovate its current senior center in Brooksville. The renovations will include new doors, windows, flooring, ceiling, roofing, HVAC, parking and other general improvements as needed. The adjacent community outreach building will also be renovated.
“The renovations to our senior center will ensure we are maintaining the facility to house critical programs for our seniors in Bracken County,”
Bracken County Judge/Executive Tina Teegarden said. “These upgrades will help Bracken County for years to come.”
Bracken County EMS Building ProjectGov. Beshear announced $1 million in Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response (CDBG-CV) funds to Bracken County to renovate the current Bracken County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) building located in Brooksville. The renovations will include installation of new windows and garage bay doors, a new HVAC system and a new concrete exit drive. The county will also construct a new addition to the current EMS building that will contain emergency quarantining rooms for staff exposed to COVID-19 and a new drive-through garage bay to allow for quicker efficient response times.
“When we invest in infrastructure improvements, we are building a foundation of success for Kentuckians. These investments strengthen our communities for generations. Renovating the Bracken County EMS building will positively impact 911 service responses in dire times,”
Rep. William Lawrence of Maysville said. “I also look forward to watching these resources help the Bracken County Senior Center offer a safe, secure environment for our aging community members.”
“Our first responders have been heroic throughout the pandemic,”
Judge/Executive Teegarden said. “This project will help us support them and will make Bracken County a safer place for all of our residents. We want to thank Gov. Beshear, the Department for Local Government and Buffalo Trace Area Development District staff for helping us secure this much-needed funding.”
The station also serves the eastern portion of Robertson County.
“The Bracken County Ambulance Service District serves the eastern portion of Robertson County and this renovation will help our citizens immensely,”
Robertson County Judge/Executive Stephanie Bogucki said. “The health and safety of our people is my top priority. I want to thank Gov. Beshear for this investment in our community.”
Local Area Vocational Education Center (LAVEC) Renovation and ExpansionGov. Beshear also awarded $9,569,200 to the Fleming County School District to renovate the existing career education space at Fleming County High School, as well as construct a new multipurpose space for project-based learning, workforce training and adult education. The new 15,000 square foot, collaborative, flexible space will be called the Fleming Rehabilitation, Innovation and Training Center, or FRIT Center.
Students, along with community members and businesses, can use the FRIT Center for educational programming. The center will include an accredited childcare program, which removes a barrier for parents attending classes, and provides real-world work experience for Fleming County High School students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education Pathway.
“There’s no secret the demand for trade workers and skilled talent only continues to increase, and LAVECs offer high-quality learning opportunities for Kentuckians seeking education outside of a typical 4-year college degree,”
Rep. Lawrence said. “Investing in our vocational education centers is crucial as we look to increase economic development opportunities in the future.”
“The announcement today has been a project five years in the making,” said
Brian Creasman, superintendent of Fleming County Schools. “The funds will add much-needed flexible space to our vocational center, along with a child care center that will not only help prepare tomorrow's teachers but help the local workforce remain working. The vision of the space is to serve as an advanced training center for students and the current workforce, and as an incubator to attract jobs to Fleming County and the region.”
“This funding will serve our students, and community as a whole, by helping our people get and keep good jobs,”
Fleming County Judge/Executive Larry Foxworthy said.“This investment will support Fleming County’s students and people for a long time. When we invest in our future, we all succeed.”
About the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response ProgramThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development allocated Kentucky’s Department for Local Government $38 million to help communities prevent, prepare for and respond to the Coronavirus pandemic from the Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Response (CDBG-CV) program. The CDBG-CV program guidelines can be found
here.
About the Community Development Block Grant ProgramThe 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.
About the Local Area Vocational Education Centers ProgramAs part of his Better Kentucky Plan, Gov. Beshear awarded Kentucky school districts $75 million to upgrade Vocational Education Centers. The grants were approved by the Kentucky School Facilities Construction Commission Board.
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