Beshear presents funding for local projects
By TONY FYFFE
BSN Editor
PRESTONSBURG — After helping break ground last week for a new high school in Johnson County, Gov. Andy Beshear was back in the Big Sandy region Monday to present money to local communities.
Beshear was at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg to present more than $8.5 million for infrastructure, cleaner water, law enforcement, nonprofits, tourism and transportation in six counties, including Johnson, Floyd and Martin.
“We promised Eastern Kentucky that we would be there for them until every life and structure is rebuilt,” Beshear said. “Today, with the investments we’re making in local communities, supporting cleaner water, public safety, local nonprofits, tourism and more, we are rebuilding and ensuring prosperity for generations to come.”
Beshear announced $2.3 million in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for the Johnson County Fiscal Court to install over 20,000 feet of sewer line. The project will provide sewer service to 70 homes, four businesses, three commercial properties and a future campground site.
Beshear announced the commitment of $3.6 million in funding from the Cleaner Water Program. Among the recipients were the Paintsville Utilities Commission, which will use $1.3 million to install over 3,000 feet of sewer line and roughly 13,000 feet of waterline to unserved areas of Johnson County; and the Martin County Sanitation District, which will use $685,625 for improvements to the wastewater treatment system.
Beshear also announced that the city of Paintsville will receive $5,886.84, the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office will receive $10,739.34 and the Martin County Sheriff’s Office will receive $9,690 in grant funding through the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security’s Law Enforcement Protection Program (LEPP).
LEPP provides approximately $500,000 annually to the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security to provide grant funds for city, county, university and school law enforcement agencies throughout the commonwealth. Agencies can apply for the program through the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security to acquire essential protective equipment for Kentucky peace officers. Items can include body armor and tasers, as well as body-worn cameras.
The governor also awarded $716,423 to 10 nonprofits in Floyd, Johnson and Knott counties from the Nonprofit Assistance Fund, which is helping organizations across Kentucky recover from the effects of the pandemic. The funding comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
The awards include:
• $100,000 to the Appalachian Artisan Center of Kentucky.
• $100,000 to the Appalachian Research and Defense Fund of Kentucky (AppalRED).
• $100,000 to the Christian Appalachian Project.
• $100,000 to the Hindman Settlement School.
• $100,000 to the Lotts Creek Community School.
• $100,000 to Mountain Comprehensive Care.
• $78,164 to God’s Appalachian Partnership.
• $19,575 to the Wayland Historical Society.
• $10,763 to the Mountain Sports Hall of Fame Foundation.
• $7,921.63 to St. Vincent Mission.