Edmonson Voice Report:
The candidates for the 2022 ECHS Basketball Homecoming have been announced.

Back row (standing) L to R: Haley Wallingford, Greenlee Goins, Addison Browning, Kenadi Swihart, Jenna Cook, Maggie Cassady, Mia Cris Holland, Hannah Coogle.

Middle row L to R: Emma Grace Cena, Jadelyn Simon, Rachel Hennion, Hallie Cassady.

Bottom row L to R: Lilly Jayne Vincent, Ryley Jones, Claire Burklow.

The homecoming ceremony is tonight at ECHS as the Lady Cats will take on the Lady Patriots of Allen County-Scottsville at 6PM with the Wildcats taking on the Patriots immediately after.

The ceremony is set to take place in between games. The Edmonson Voice will live stream both games tonight beginning at 5:45PM.

by Rep. Michael Lee Meredith:
Frankfort missed out on the snow that blanketed much of the state last week. While it disappointed some, it allowed legislative work to continue uninterrupted.
 
Executive Branch Budget: Late Thursday afternoon the House voted 85-8 to approve what I think is a strong, responsible budget for the next two fiscal years. This plan, HB 1 HCS has one of the lowest debt ratios of any budget I’ve seen passed during my time in Frankfort and it adds significant money to the budget reserve trust fund to protect us from future economic downturns. The budget also leaves over $1 billion unappropriated, giving us the opportunity to explore ideas like meaningful tax modernization that would lower the burden on our taxpayers and entice people and businesses to move to Kentucky and other game changing investments in our Commonwealth’s future.  
 
The bill provides record funding for public education including increases to SEEK funding, transportation funding, FRYSC funding and state dollars to fund full-day kindergarten.  This budget also prioritizes public safety by funding significant raises for state troopers and dispatchers.  It increases the training stipend for local police officers and firefighters and raises the amount of state aid funding for volunteer fire departments.  It also helps relieve the burden our jails are placing on counties all across Kentucky by providing additional funding.  However I’m most proud of 4 significant projects that are being funded in Edmonson County and Warren County.  The budget provides $10 Million to Edmonson County High School to renovate and expand our vocational department, $8.3 Million to the Bowling Green Independent School District to renovate their vocational department, $75 million to Western Kentucky University to build a new Gordon Ford College of Business and funding to operate the Bowling Green Veterans Nursing Home so that it can welcome veterans from our region after construction is complete.   The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
 
Transportation Budget: This budget represents the administrative costs associated with operating the state’s Transportation Cabinet and includes some funds for maintenance in our state. We will consider the plan for new infrastructure projects when we vote on the 6-year road plan later this session. The sponsor of HB 241 refers to this measure as “the beginning of the end of underfunding our state’s transportation needs” and it represents a commitment to improving the safety and efficiency of our road systems. The bill provides the Transportation Cabinet an operating budget of $200 million in General Fund, $200 million in restricted funds, and $1.6 billion in road funds each fiscal year. It includes $50 million in each year for a special grant to help local governments with road maintenance. I am particularly pleased to see it replaces over $180 million in allocations formerly charged to the road fund with general fund dollars and moves that amount to the Maintenance Account. For too long the state has used road fund monies for services not associated with roads. It may all be state money, but this change ensures transportation dollars are spent on transportation.
 
Many of the 16 legislative committees met this week and sent legislation to the House floor for further consideration. Committees are critical to the legislative process because they provide an opportunity for members to ask detailed questions and give legislation a thorough review. Legislation that cleared committees this week includes:
 
Incentives for Rural Job Creation: The House Agriculture Committee approved a proposed dubbed the “Rural Jobs Act” aimed at creating jobs in communities with a population under 50,000. House Bill 308 would grant an investor who has been qualified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Small Business Administration the chance to compete for a pool of tax credits in hopes of enticing further investment in rural communities around the state. The tax credit would expire in 2029 – which means the legislature would have to determine if it is an effective tool before renewing it.
 
Protecting Kentuckians Personal Banking Information: Members of the Banking and Insurance Committee approved HCR 12, sponsored by my colleague Bart Rowland and I.  The legislation is aimed at bringing awareness to a Biden administration proposal that would require banks and other financial institutions to report to the IRS information about incoming and outgoing transactions from every customer’s account violating the financial privacy of the customers.  The measure also sends a formal request to Congress to reject the proposal on behalf of Kentucky consumers.
 
Bringing Efficiency to School Construction: Anyone who has ever been involved in a construction project of any kind knows that delays can be one of the biggest cost-drivers. The Local Government Committee voted for a measure that seeks to save some time and make the school construction process more efficient by allowing local plan review, inspection and enforcement on educational facilities under certain circumstances.
 
As always, I can be reached here at home anytime, or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected]. If you would like more information, please visit the LRC website www.legislature.ky.gov.

by Senator Steve Meredith:
After the first week of the 2022 Regular Session extended into last weekend, allowing for passage of time-sensitive legislation, week two was an abbreviated one—only four days—ahead of the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. This allows for a four-day weekend which greatly benefits members of the western Kentucky delegation who are eager to be home as efforts to rebuild continue. 
 
On that note, in week two the General Assembly passed vital legislation pertaining to disaster relief for western Kentucky and ensuring in-person education is maintained for as many students as possible amid COVID-19 mitigation efforts in our schools. 
 
Members of the western Kentucky delegation championed Senate Bill (SB) 5 and the remainder of the Senate signed on as co-sponsors, in a clear show of unity for western Kentucky. SB 25–returned to the Senate as the companion House Bill (HB) 5–extended and clarified COVID-19 provisions signed into law during the 2021 Special Session, which were set to expire on January 1. 
 
HB5 provides western Kentucky communities devastated by the recent tornadoes with $200 million in general aid. The Western Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (SAFE) fund will immediately allocate $45 million, with $15 million of the funds going specifically to temporary housing for displaced families. The remaining $30 million will assist with education needs, bringing a sense of normalcy and much needed stability to children's lives. 
 
Additionally, the General Assembly approved House Joint Resolution (HJR) 29, which extended the state of emergency declaration for western Kentucky. Lawmakers contend the governor did not need an extension to continue that state of emergency, but out of an abundance of caution, passed HJR 29 as yet another showing of the legislature’s commitment to western Kentucky. 
 
SB 25 extends and clarifies COVID-19 provisions from the 2021 Special Session as it relates to schools. It also extends some of the more agreeable orders to allow for further mitigation of COVID-19. 
 
The bill continues to prioritize in-person learning by providing each school with remote instruction days, as opposed to a district-wide allotment. These non-traditional instruction (NTI) days may be used by the school in a variety of ways to ensure the fewest students are impacted. In order to address staffing shortages, the bill also loosens regulations around state retirement benefits enabling schools to rehire previously retired staff. 
 
SB 25 maintains legislative remedies first enacted in the 2021 Special Session’s SB 1, which initiates a more balanced approach to mitigating COVID-19 in schools. It is a result of the dedicated collaboration of lawmakers, as opposed to unilateral actions by the Governor. 
 
This 2022 legislative session, still in its infancy, promises many bills to review and consider, most notably the biennial budget for our commonwealth.
 
As always, I will continue to communicate during the coming weeks about the progress being made to complete a successful session.  In the meantime, if there is specific legislation of interest to you, please feel free to contact my office with your thoughts, opinions, suggestions, and recommendations.

Note:  Senator Stephen Meredith (R-Leitchfield) represents the 5th Senate District, which includes Breckinridge, Edmonson, Grayson, Hart, LaRue, and Meade Counties. He serves as chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Human Resources and vice-chair of the Senate Standing Committees on Health and Welfare and Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection. Senator Meredith also serves as co-chair of the Government Contract Review Committee and Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee. Finally, he is a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Education and Appropriations and Revenue. For a high-resolution .jpeg of Senator Meredith, please visit: https://legislature.ky.gov/Legislators%20Full%20Res%20Images/senate105.jpg

 by Representative Michael Lee Meredith:
Since adjourning the 2021 Regular Session, interim committees met, heard testimony, gathered information, and focused on how to use the knowledge and data gained to craft thoughtful, intentional policies to help address the challenges our state faces.
 
Because we did our homework, we are ready for this legislative session. When we gaveled in on January 4, we hit the ground running because we were well-prepared for the task. We acted on bills that redraw the state’s legislative, congressional, and supreme court districts. Redistricting is required by the United States and Kentucky constitutions to better represent trends in population after each census. The final product must meet constitutional and legal considerations, while ensuring that each person has equal representation.
 
Not one House district remains unchanged, but there were only minor adjustments to our district. The new 19th district will continue to contain all of Edmonson County and portions of northern and eastern Warren County.
 
Redistricting consumed a great deal of our time during the first week, but it is far from the only issue that received our attention. On Friday, we made the historic move of filing a House budget proposal before the Governor’s budget address. The Kentucky Constitution is clear that the budget must begin in the House of Representatives. However, lawmakers have traditionally waited weeks and used the Governor’s budget as a starting place. By filing our own proposal, we have an opportunity to start the process sooner and consider the Governor’s recommendations and work with our colleagues in the Senate. I am pleased that it shows a commitment to meeting our state’s needs without spending every dollar available to us, giving us the opportunity to look at moving forward on reforming our tax code to attract businesses and lower the tax burden on our citizens. Highlights include record funding for education, a continued commitment to the state’s budget reserve trust fund, and resources to provide pay increases for the Kentucky State Police, state employees, social workers, and educators. To be honest, I am impressed with the investments it makes as well as the restraint it showed with money that belongs to you as a taxpayer.
 
K-12 Education Funding

• Increases the Base SEEK guarantee to a record high dollar amount of $4,100 in the first fiscal year and $4,200 in the second fiscal year. Every dollar SEEK is increased translates into an additional investment of $800,000 in public school districts.
• Doubles state funding for full-day kindergarten in both fiscal years to cover the entire cost
• Increases funding to eligible Family Resource and Youth Services Centers (FRYSCS) from approximately $184 to $220, totaling $12 million additional in each year
• Fully funds the state portion of health insurance for retired teachers under the age of 65

Post-secondary Education

• Provides $50 million additional in each year to the performance-based funding model available to the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, Morehead State University, and Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges.
• Funds a new health care workforce initiative at $20 million in each year of the budget
• Provides a total of $350 million in each year of the budget to create asset preservation funds at each public post-secondary institution and KCTCS to maintain buildings and facilities. Funds will be available to these institutions based on the square footage of facilities model established in the performance-based model.
  
• Provides an additional $42 million in each year for anticipated growth in each year for the College Access Program (CAP), Kentucky Tuition Grant Program, and Work Ready Scholarship Program

Health and Family Services

• Provides necessary funding to implement the Public Health Transformation Act (HB 129/2020) to ensure public health departments are financially able to continue serving communities
• Raises the salary and institutes a retention payment for social workers totaling approximately $25.6 million additional funding in the first year and a $61.7 million increase in the second year
• Funds 100 additional social worker positions in each year of the budget for a total of 200 and provides a method of tracking the implementation of increased staffing
• Raises the reimbursement rate of 1915c (Michelle P, Home and Community Based Services) waiver services by 10% in each year of the budget

Justice

• Provides a $15,000 pay increase to Kentucky State Police (KSP) Troopers and Motor Vehicle Inspectors
• Provides an $8,000 pay increase to telecommunicators
• Allocates $28.5 million for a training center at the Department of Criminal Justice Training at Eastern Kentucky University
• Increases the county jail per diem by $4 to $35.34

Transportation/Infrastructure

• Provides $200 million for the required state match for the federal infrastructure package
• Includes $50 million in each year for a special grant to help local governments with road maintenance
• Replaces over $180 million in allocations formerly charged to the road fund with general fund dollars and moves that amount to the Maintenance Account

General Government

• Provides a 6% raise for public employees in the FY 22-23 and requires the Secretary of Personnel to develop a plan to revise the classification and compensation for funding in the second year
• Allocates $350 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding towards clean water and wastewater projects to be allocated to each county by population
• Returns the unemployment insurance fund to pre-pandemic levels by allocating $312 million in ARPA funds
• Funds the operation of the Bowling Green Veterans Nursing Home

Pensions

• Fully funds the actuarial required contribution for the Kentucky Retirement System at $1.2 billion per year
  
• Fully funds the actuarial required contribution for the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System at an estimated $1.067 billion in the first year and $1.084 billion in the second year. ($629 million in the first year and $646 million more in the second year)
  
• Provides $215 million to the Kentucky State Police Retirement Fund to reduce the employer contribution rate from 141% to 100%.
  

We also filed legislation during our first week, HB 5, aimed at addressing some of the needs generated by the deadly storms that destroyed so many homes and businesses in Kentucky. We acted swiftly on this and another measure during our second week to help those impacted by the December tornadoes in Kentucky. Not a single vote was cast against HB 5, which creates a fund and allocates $200 million towards education services, temporary housing, the rebuilding of public buildings, and the reimbursement of costs incurred by local governments and utilities for their response. While some of this funding may be reimbursed to the state through FEMA or insurance, these communities need access to resources immediately. This is the first step in what will no doubt be a long march towards rebuilding these communities. We also voted unanimously to approve HJR 29, which extends only the executive orders necessary to recovery and rebuilding efforts in the region.

In addition to our legislative work, I was also extremely pleased to see the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) halt the Biden administration’s attempt to mandate privately owned businesses require employees vaccinate. I appreciate the Court’s consideration of this issue. We should continue talking about how to best provide the tools that individuals, businesses, churches, and other organizations need to address Covid just like all challenges they face. 

As always, I can be reached here at home anytime, or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. Feel free to contact me via email at [email protected]. If you would like more information, please visit the LRC website www.legislature.ky.gov.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
There are just a few 2022 Edmonson County Feeding America Backpack Food Program Benefit Calendars left, and the creators and organizers of the annual project are hoping to sell them by the weekend.

The brother and sister duo, Paul Blanton and Michelle McCoy along with other family members and volunteers are usually set up somewhere on the weekends peddling the calendars that have grown hugely popular around the area. The project was started back in 2019 by Blanton, who turned his hobbies of enjoying the outdoors and photography into a fundraiser for the backpack program, that feeds hundreds of Edmonson County kids on the weekends.

100% of the proceeds go toward the program, thanks to the additional sponsors of the program that help cover the costs.

McCoy said there are only about 100 of the calendars left but they will likely go fast. At just $10 each, the calendars feature outdoor photography from Edmonson County and the surrounding areas, all taken by Blanton.

"We can deliver, meet you in Edmonson County, Glasgow, Bowling Green and possibly other locations," McCoy said "We hope we can sell the remaining calendars by the week's end." 

To purchase your calendar, pease call Paul Blanton at 270-597-7799 or Michelle McCoy 270-784-2371.  You can also send a message through the EC Calendar Fundraiser Facebook page.

The family and close friends of Porter & Christine Brooks celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on January 2, 2022 with a small private gathering in their Bee Spring home.

The couple was married on December 28, 1951. They have five children and a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Edmonson Voice Report:
The Edmonson County Water District Office has announced that they are closed Monday, January 3, 2022. They sent the following statement to the Edmonson Voice:

"The Edmonson County Water District office is is temporarily closed, due to short staffing due to illness. You can still make payments by either calling the office, online or night deposit box. In case of an emergency call the office at 270-597-2165. We will re-open the office as soon as possible. We are sorry for any inconvenience."