FRANKFORT, KY (6/13/12) - A state legislative committee today approved over $23 million in funding for the Pennyrile area, including over $21 million in federal funds for both workforce investment and financial management and reporting.
 
State Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, a member and former co-chair of the state legislative Government Contract Review Committee that approved the funding, said the bulk of the funds approved by the committee includes $15.6 million in federal Workforce Investment Act funds for employment and training to eligible participants. The funds are to be administered by West Kentucky Workforce Investment in Christian County.
 
The next largest investment made by the committee is $5.8 million in federal funds to be administered by the Pennyrile Area Development District for trade adjustment assistance and management of fiscal transactions through a secure financial management and reporting system.
 
“This funding will help enormously in the economic development of our region, including the preparation of our citizens for the educational and occupational skills they need to participate in today’s labor force,” said Yonts.
 
Also approved by the committee were:
 
• An additional $535,000 in coal severance funds for construction of the Public Works building in Hopkins County, along with a time extension to June 30, 2013 for the project;
• An additional $398,122 in federal funds for nutrition education through Pennyrile Allied Community Services in Hopkinsville;
• $311,081 in coal severance funds to help retire the debt for construction of the new Muhlenberg County Emergency Operations Center;
• $250,000 in coal severance funds for sewer improvements at Paradise Park Regional Industrial Park in Muhlenberg County;
• $151,000 in coal severance funds to provide equipment for the Madisonville Community College Advanced Integrated Technology Program;
• $127,528 in federal funds for substance abuse treatment through Pennyroyal Mental Health in Hopkinsville;
• $75,290 in coal severance funds to provide for FEMA matching funds for fire department grants to be used by the Earlington Volunteer Fire Department in Hopkins County to benefit 16 fire departments in the county;
• $45,000 in coal severance funds to be used by the City of Dawson Springs in Hopkins County as a match for a Community Development Block Grant award for renovation and improvement to the Dawson Springs Museum and Art Center;
• $12,400 in coal severance funds for a streetscape improvement project—including repainting of light posts, signal poles and courthouse benches—administered by Hopkins County Fiscal Court, and;
• $9,215 in coal severance funds to be used by Mortons Gap Volunteer Fire Department in Hopkins County as a match for federal Homeland Security grant dollars.

Project time extensions approved by the committee, besides the time extension for the Public Works construction project in Hopkins County, include: A time extension to June 30, 2013 for an animal control facility project in Hopkins County; a time extension to Dec. 30, 2012 for a project to purchase and install early warning sirens in Christian County; a time extension to June 30, 2013 for an alternative energy education project through Madisonville Community College; a time extension to June 30, 2013 for a technology program through Madisonville Community College; a time extension to June 30, 2013 for use of matching grant funds via Hopkins County Fiscal Court; a time extension to June 30, 2013 for the downtown improvement streetscape project via Hopkins County Fiscal Court, and; a time extension to June 30, 2013 for grant matches for various fire departments in Hopkins County.
 
SurfKY News
Information provided by Rebecca Hanchett

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