Gov. Andy Beshear joined local leaders at the Barren River Area Development District to present more than $10.6 million in state budget and grant funding, primarily benefiting Butler and Warren counties on Monday, September 16.
The awards will support high-speed internet access, public education, cybersecurity, economic development, first responders, flood protection, traffic safety, road resurfacing, tourism and outdoor recreation.
Expanding High-Speed Internet Access in Four Counties
North Central Telephone Cooperative and Warren Rural Electric Cooperative are receiving $9,170,682 to connect 1,767 homes and businesses to high-speed internet in Butler, Edmonson, Grayson and Warren counties. Combined with $3,930,292 in matching funds, this project represents a $13,100,974 investment in this region.
Butler County Awards
Gov. Beshear presented four awards benefiting Butler County:
- Gov. Beshear, in partnership with the General Assembly, secured $7,100,000 in the most recent state budget for building upgrades at Butler County Schools, including HVAC improvements and roof replacements.
- The Governor has selected the city of Morgantown in Butler County to receive $69,000 to construct a new trail at Riverside Park. This funding will also cover restrooms, signage, trash cans and parking lot to make sure visitors have everything they need on site to enjoy a great day outdoors. This grant will come from the Land and Water Conservation Fund and will go to the National Parks Service for final approval.
- He also presented the city of Morgantown with $300,679 from the Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI) to improve roads in the Morgantown Industrial Park.
- The Butler County Fiscal Court had previously received $169,755 to resurface Welcome Road, and the Governor announced that project is now complete.
Warren County Awards
The Governor presented $500,000 to the Inter-Modal Transport Authority for a project that extends utility service to 669 acres in the Kentucky Transpark. The funding comes from the Kentucky Product Development Initiative.
The Governor also presented four awards for the city of Bowling Green:
- Gov. Beshear awarded $250,000 from the Community Development Block Grant program for the City of Bowling Green to construct a new emergency first responder live fire training center. This will help teach firefighters and emergency medical personnel the skills they need to stay safe and saves lives, like fire attack training, search and rescue operations and ventilation training.
- He awarded the city $1,322,000 to replace an undersized culvert under Whispering Hills Boulevard, which has caused flooding after significant rain. This project will also help update the FEMA flood plain map. Two homes that were destroyed during the tornado were not allowed to rebuild due to being in the current floodplain. This funding comes from the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery program.
- He presented $107,595 to the city from the Transportation Alternatives Program to construct pedestrian islands at the intersection of River Drive and College Street, and also at the intersection between Riverview Drive and Center Street. This will help keep walkers and drivers safe by helping traffic flow more smoothly in a heavily traveled area.
- Finally, he presented $328,598 dollars to the city so it could hire a new Cybersecurity System Engineer for at least three years. This role will help enhance cybersecurity protections for the city by identifying and resolving vulnerabilities.
The Governor has selected Warren County to receive $116,391 to add a state-of-the-art playground at Michael O. Buchanon Park. This funding will come from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, and will go to the National Parks Service for final approval.
