Growing trend - Kentucky Association of Counties

Official Publication of the Kentucky Association of Counties | Issue 4 2012
Growing trend
County jails start work farms, plant gardens
to cut costs, free up cell space
KACo Conference information
Options offered to Pension Task Force
well-score
TM
Wellness made easy by Peel & Holland
800.599.8621 | [email protected] | www.peelholland.com
Nuts for Nuts!
Did you know that eating nuts is good for your heart? If eaten as
part of a healthy diet, nuts, which contain unsaturated fatty acids
and other nutrients, can help lower the LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol,
help prevent diabetes, and help with the health of your arteries.
It’s important to remember that nuts contain a lot of fat. Even
though it is a healthy fat, they still contain many calories, so they
should be eaten in moderation. Nuts are a convenient food - they’re
inexpensive, easy to store, and very easy to take on-the-go. But
remember you can cancel out the heart-healthiness of nuts if
they’re covered with chocolate, sugar, or salt!
helpfulTIP
Ways to Eat More Nuts
- Use nut spreads (peanut or
almond butter) instead of
butter or margarine
- Toss cashews or peanuts into
curry
- Put slivered almonds on
vegetables
- Include walnuts in your
cookie and granola recipes
- Top fruit parfaits with
chopped nuts
- Add nuts to your cereal
- Put peanut or almond butter
on a fresh apple slice
What makes nuts so heart healthy?
Not all nuts contain all of these items, but most of them contain at least some
of these heart-healthy substances:
- Unsaturated Fats: the “good” fats contained in nuts, which include
monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, are believed to lower bad
cholesterol
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: a healthy form of fatty acids that help prevent bad
heart rhythms that can cause heart attacks. Nuts are one of the best plant-based
sources of Omega-3s.
- Fiber: all nuts contain fiber, which helps lower cholesterol. It also makes you
feel full, helping you to eat less, and is thought to help prevent diabetes.
- Vitamin E: helps stop the development of plaque, which can narrow arteries,
leading to chest pain, coronary artery disease or heart attack.
- Plant Sterols: contained in some nuts, it can help lower cholesterol. It’s often
added to products like margarine and orange juice, but occurs naturally in nuts.
- L-arginine: This substance may help improve the health of your artery walls
by making them more flexible and less prone to blood clots.
- Enjoy dark chocolate-covered
almonds occasionally as a treat
(dark chocolate is good for you
in moderation)
All information taken from WebMd and the Wellsource Online Wellness Center Library.
Issue 4 | 2012
Line
5
Message from Executive
Director/CEO Denny Nunnelley
6
KACo offers options to General
Assembly Pension Task Force
8
12
Growing
trend
Jails start work farms,
plant gardens to cut costs,
free up cell space
Growing Trend – Jail gardens
Home incarceration saving
money at Clark County jail
14 KACo Conference info
18 Up for debate
Boyle County stands ready to assist when Centre
College hosts 2012 VP candidate event
26
Up & Coming Events
on the Cover: Harlan County jail garden
...serving Kentucky’s counties
County Line is the official magazine of the Kentucky Association of Counties
400 Englewood Drive, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
(800) 264-5226 | FAX (502) 223-1502 | www.kaco.org
Published and printed Lexington Herald-Leader
Layout & design Jason Gregory
To advertise contact Mike Logan at (859) 231-3538 or [email protected]
County LINE | 3
With inmate healthcare, the stakes are high.
We stack the chips in your favor.
Southern Health Partners is a leading provider of medical, dental and
mental health services to inmates in small to medium-sized jail facilities.
When it comes to your budget and reducing liability, all bets are off. We
absorb county liability and ensure accountability by providing on-site
treatment while improving the quality of care to inmates.
By choosing Southern Health Partners you can save money while feeling
protected and secured - even if you are dealt a bad hand.
Contact us today to learn
how we can help stretch
your inmate healthcare
budget. The consultation
is free but the savings
could be invaluable.
1-888-231-2890
Endorsed by
Message from the Executive Director/CEO
OFFICERS
President John Wilson,
Garrard County Judge/Executive
President-Elect Tommy Turner,
LaRue County Judge/Executive
1st Vice President Jerry “Peanuts” Gaines,
Warren County Sheriff
2nd Vice President Buddy Nichols,
Lyon County Magistrate
Immediate Past President Chris Harris,
Pike County Magistrate
Denny Nunnelley,
Executive Director/CEO, KACo
DIRECTORS
Carl Tolliver, Boyd County Commissioner
Ervine Allen, Breathitt County PVA
Ronald Wright, Casey County Judge/Executive
Karen Bushart, Clark County PVA
N. E. Reed, Edmonson County Judge/Executive
Larry Foxworthy, Fleming County Judge/Executive
John Goble, Floyd County Magistrate
Darrell Link, Grant County Judge/Executive
Alex Barnett, Harrison County Judge/Executive
Chuck Korzenborn, Kenton County Sheriff
Dean Johnson, Laurel County Clerk
Mike Miller, Marshall County Judge/Executive
Jim Nickell, Rowan County Judge/Executive
Sue Carole Perry, Shelby County Clerk
Stan Humphries, Trigg County Judge/Executive
Randy Stevens, Trimble County Judge/Executive
John Settles, Washington County Judge/Executive
Jim Townsend, Webster County Judge/Executive
AFFILIATE PRESIDENTS/
REPRESENTATIVES
Circuit Clerks Assn. David Nicholson, Jefferson County
Commonwealth Attorneys Assn. Matthew Leveridge
Coroners Assn. John Goble, Scott County
County Attorneys Assn. Marc Robbins, Madison County
County Clerks Assn. Kay Schwartz, Whitley County
Jailers Assn. Mike Simpson, Oldham County
Judge/Executive Assn. R. T. “Tucker” Daniel, Johnson County
Magistrates & Commissioners Assn.
Stephen Stark, Trimble County
PVA Assn. Ben Brown, Logan County
Sheriffs Assn. Steve Sparrow, Oldham County
Adjunct Members
Ky. Assn. of County Treasurers/Finance Officers,
Kathy Dillow, Lewis County
Ky. Assn. of Regional Mental Health and Mental
Retardation Programs, Inc.,
Steve Shannon, Executive Director
Ky. Emergency Management Assn.,
Doug Tackett, President
Publisher: Denny Nunnelley
Editor: Cathy Hancock
W
hew… it’s been one
long, hot summer.
Kentucky currently has
116 counties designated
as disaster areas due to drought. The
widespread impact of this drought
can be seen in our farmlands and has
affected the thousands of farm famiDenny Nunnelley
lies living in rural counties. Talk to
any farmer across Kentucky and the
top challenge they have faced this year is weather, from
freezes to drought and record heat.
Talk to any county official across Kentucky and their top challenge
would vary from jails and budgets to economic development and road aid.
From keeping our streets safe to serving the elderly to clearing roads after
a snowstorm, our counties are the center.
County officials and employees are what keep county government working, and we are at our strongest when we work together. Networking with
peers and sharing successes with other counties’ leaders at the upcoming
38th Annual KACo Conference & Exposition Nov. 28-30 will make for a
stronger Association and a stronger Kentucky. Once again, KACo staff is
working hard to plan an informative – and enjoyable – conference for you at
the Galt House Hotel in Louisville. We hope you make plans to attend and
take the opportunity to listen to an excellent group of conference speakers
and presenters who will provide vital information to help you meet your
responsibilities and challenges as county leaders.
And we hope to provide some entertainment, too. Thursday night’s
banquet speaker will be Clyde Ray Webber — preacher, politician and
public servant — who uses humor to reflect on life. Mr. Webber serves as
Clerk of Court in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, a post he has held for more
than 40 years. The Friday morning wrap-up session should motivate you as
speaker Bryan Townsend shares his diverse background with us. A professional speaker and writer, Mr. Townsend has done a little bit of everything
– carpenter, radio DJ, commercial fisherman, play-by-play sports announcer,
electrician, news reporter – and he will be sure to entertain and motivate
you as you get set to return to your home counties.
Conference information and a registration form are included in this issue
of COUNTY LINE, and will be in your mailbox in the near future. Hope to
see you there!
We want to congratulate former Trimble County Judge/Executive Randy
Stevens in his new position as Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts executive director. Randy has been a true friend to KACo for many
years. Randy served on the KACo Board of Directors from 2005-2012, and
served on the CoLT Board from 2007-2012. We thank him for his leadership
and dedication to KACo.
Your Colleague,
All county members receive annual subscriptions
to County LINE through payment of county dues.
Postmaster: Send address corrections to KACo,
400 Englewod Dr., Frankfort, KY 40061.
County LINE | 5
LaRue County Judge/Executive Tommy Turner addressed members of the Public Pension Task Force
before a standing-room-only meeting. Turner serves as KACo’s Legislative Chairman and President-Elect.
KACo offers options
to General Assembly
Pension Task Force
Director, CIO of Retirement Systems
meet with Legislative Committee
By Shellie Hampton
KACo Director of Governmental Relations
T
he Public Pension Task Force
held its third meeting of the interim on Aug. 21. The co-chairs,
State Senator Damon Thayer
and State Representative Mike Cherry
had both advised that anyone testifying
in front of the task force should come to
the table with options for consideration
by the task force members.
Representing KACo was LaRue County Judge/
Executive Tommy Turner, KACo’s Legislative
Chairman and President-Elect. Judge Turner gave a
two-part presentation: options for changes in benefits for future hires; and paying down the County
Employees Retirement System (CERS) unfunded
liability. Several other groups spoke during the
marathon 4-hour meeting.
6 | County LINE
Others to testify included employer groups
such as:
• Kentucky Association of Regional Mental
Health/Mental Retardation Programs
• Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
• Kentucky League of Cities
• Kentucky School Boards Association, School
Superintendents and School Administrators.
All of these groups offered options for changes
to future hires’ benefits, and all touched on the
same solution for tackling the CERS unfunded liability: consideration of a pension obligation bond.
KACo, however, was the only group to suggest a
way to pay off the bond.
Judge/Executive Turner acknowledged that
painful choices lay ahead of the policy makers and
members of the system. Here are some of the ideas
and remarks he shared with the task force.
FUTURE HIRES BENEFITS
“…we support the commitment made to current
employees and retirees...”
“We see two sets of issues: future hires and the
benefits they receive, and the unfunded liability that
plagues all systems and, in particular, the Kentucky
Employees Retirement System.”
Turner highlighted two benefit plan options that
included a stacked hybrid system for future hires,
whereby a determined amount of salary would
remain in the defined benefit plan, and any salary
over that amount would be placed in a defined
contribution or 401(k)-style plan. Judge Turner
also mentioned a cash balance system for new
hires. It would provide each new employee with an
individual account, while retirement professionals
at the state system would continue to determine
investment options. Members would be guaranteed
a minimum return on investment, and any gains
over and above the assumed rate of return would
be shared among members. Upon retirement, the
member would receive an annuity.
PAYING DOWN UNFUNDED LIABILITY
OF CERS
“Current estimates (latest figures available are as
of June 30, 2011) put the CERS unfunded liability
at $6.885 billion. If an 80 percent threshold would
be considered an adequately funded amount, a $5.5
billion bond issue, at the historically low bond rates
in today’s market, would place CERS at 80 percent.”
“The fiscal year 2013 CERS employer nonhazardous rate is 19.55 percent. The hazardous duty
rate is 37.6 percent. With the bond issue pushing the
unfunded liability of CERS to the 80 percent threshold, the balance of the employer contribution above
the “normal” cost of retirement rate of 4 percent for
non-hazardous and 7 percent for hazardous duty,
could be used to pay the debt service for the bond,
approximately $40 million monthly. This would also
give long-term rate assurance to struggling local
governments.”
Turner also referenced the state tax exemption
on retirement income. Current law exempts the
first $41,110 annually from state income tax. If that
amount were reduced, for each $1,000 of exempted
income, $25.3 million would be generated annually
to help pay down the debt service. KACo encouraged coupling this provision with a sunset clause to
coincide with retirement of the debt.
SEPARATE BOARD FOR CERS
Turner proposed a separate governing board for
CERS. His full comments were as follows:
“Local governments have been consistent in paying 100 percent of the contribution amount required
of us. We ask that you review the possibility of allowing CERS to be governed by its own board. CERS
can reach the 80 percent funding threshold at a much
faster rate than KERS. The viability of CERS, currently funded at about 63 percent, is not anticipated
to experience the cash flow problem currently projected for KERS. In fact, under the provisions instituted in HB 1, the contribution rates for CERS will
begin to fall in the future for participating agencies.
Under its current makeup, the Kentucky Retirement
System must make investment decisions on behalf of
all five plans based on the cash flow needs of the most
poorly funded program in the system, which is the
Kentucky Employees Retirement. Comparatively, the
other plans in the system are relatively well funded.
With a separate board, CERS would be in a better
position to adjust investment options to a more longterm, higher yielding investment strategy.
The task force has to submit its “findings and
recommendations” to the Legislative Research
Commission by Dec. 7. KACo will continue to report to you on the task force activities, and you can
always access more information on pensions and
retirement on our website, www.kaco.org/legislative-services/2013-regular-session-issues.aspx.
KRS OFFICIALS ATTEND KACo
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
At its August meeting, the KACo Legislative
committee invited Kentucky Retirement Systems
Executive Director Bill Thielen and Chief Investment Officer T.J. Carlson to address the committee’s concerns and answer questions. The complexity of the investments is enormous by any standard
and raise questions on process, options and strategy.
We appreciated Mr. Thielen and Mr. Carlson for
taking the time to join us so our affiliate representatives could hear firsthand the challenges facing the
system and the policies adhered to by the staff and
KERS board of trustees. We also invited the Kentucky League of Cities to join us so that all local
governments would be represented at the meeting.
At that meeting, Chairman Turner encouraged
KACo affiliate representatives to discuss the retirement issue with their members as soon as possible.
Jan. 8, 2013 will gavel in the start of the next Kentucky General Assembly session, so please let your
representative know of any ideas or issues you
have concerning retirement. n
County LINE | 7
Growing trend
Jails start work farms, plant gardens
to cut costs, free up cell space
A
t a recent county officials’ conference,
State Auditor Adam Edelen commented favorably on the Greenup County
work farm as an example of “smart
government.” He said it was time to share “best
practices” and that Judge/Executive Bobby Carpenter should be commended.
Carpenter said that setting up the farm for work release prisoners is “not really rocket science” and makes sense financially.
The Greenup County Jail started its first work farm about four
years ago as part of an alternative sentencing program. The
two-acre county farm helps the county in two ways, according to
Carpenter. It provides an alternative to jail, thus freeing up cell
space in the county lockup that can be used to hold state prisoners, which the county gets paid to house, he explained.
“In lieu of going to jail, some of the county offenders can
come from home and work at the farm, and we can keep state
prisoners in the cells,” Carpenter said.
Also, growing vegetables rather than having to buy them
helps holds down the jail’s food costs, he said.
TOP LEFT Greenup
County Jailer Mike
Worthington inspected
an ear of corn at the
county work farm.
BOTTOM LEFT Broccoli,
tomatoes, beans and
corn grow in the “hobby
garden” in front and
behind the Greenup
County Detention Center.
8 | County LINE
The work farm is a success story, Jailer Mike Worthington
said, holding up a healthy ear of sweet corn. He added that
the day before, inmates brought in 1,232 ears of corn, which
will be shucked, cut and frozen.
“Our inmates eat homegrown vegetables all year round,”
said Worthington. Prisoners grow corn, tomatoes, broccoli,
bell peppers, cucumbers and green beans on three sites in
Greenup County, including a “hobby garden” that flourishes
around the jail building.
Worthington explained that when he first came into office,
there were landscaping shrubs around the detention center
at the end of Laurel Street. Inmates’ family members and
friends would hide contraband in the bushes, “and I got tired
of it.” Worthington said he brought in a backhoe, tore up the
shrubs and hauled them away.
“I said that if we put something out there, we’re going to
be able to eat it!” The small garden has flourished and the
jailer proudly boasted about heads of broccoli “the size of
melons” growing there.
The Greenup County Work Farm has been described as an example of
“smart government.”
Jail gardens
Work farms and vegetable gardening are growing trends
at many county jails across the state. Inmates raise and harvest beans, corn, potatoes and other vegetables to help feed
the jail population all year long. Surplus is frozen, and also
donated to local food pantries, senior citizens centers and
charitable organizations like Helping Hands and the Salvation Army.
Hoping to cut food costs, Adair County Jailer Rick Wilson
established a garden when he became jailer in 2011. “Our
first garden was blessed with abundant rainfall and we had a
bumper crop from our half-acre plot,” he said. As of August
2011, the garden yielded 140 gallons of squash, 130 gallons of
cucumbers, 80 gallons of green beans, 1,577 ears of corn, 60
gallons of tomatoes and 17 gallons of peppers. After the corn
was picked, inmates cut down the stalks and replanted more
beans, kale, mustard greens, squash and cucumbers.
“Chief Cook Judy Derman estimates the costs savings
were at least $2,716,” said Wilson.
Not only does the garden reduce the jail’s food budget,
but the garden project teaches skills, boosts self-esteem and
“encourages everyone to work together,” Wilson pointed out.
Once vegetables are harvested and brought in, kitchen
trustees prepare the raw produce. “Some inmates had never
had the experience of learning to prepare garden food and
seemed pleased to do something productive,” he said.
“The garden has been a positive influence on our staff and
inmates,” Wilson said. “I highly recommend a garden project
because it is a win-win for everyone.”
Hopkins County Jailer Joe Blue credits his staff and inmates for “helping save approximately $10,000 each year on
our food budget.”
Henderson County inmates tend to about six acres, and food reduction
costs are estimated at about $30,000.
In 2011, Harlan County Detention Center reported a staggering 24-ton
potato harvest, saving the county almost $9,000 on potatoes alone.
County LINE | 9
Economics prompted Blue to start the garden program
in 2006, and now Hopkins County inmates plant and harvest
about 1.5 acres of produce. He reported the following production totals for 2006 to 2011:
• Corn – 33,149 ears
• Tomatoes – 21,885 lbs.
• Squash – 15,067 lbs.
• Zucchini – 13,848 lbs.
• Cantaloupe – 3,786 pcs.
• Watermelon – 2,380 melons
“We also donate fresh produce to our local senior citizen
center that provides ‘Meals on Wheels.’ They are funded by
city and county, so this helps offset their costs as well as being able to provide fresh produce they would not be able to
afford,” Blue explained.
Hopkins County was the first county jail to begin the
Master Gardener training certification program last year,
said Blue. The program provides different kinds of job skill
training to inmates. Landscapers, greenhouses and golf
courses pay a higher scale with that certification from the
state agriculture extension agent, he said.
A successful garden is nothing new to Harlan County.
For the past five years, Jailer Curt Stallard’s garden project
for the inmates’ work release program has grown and prospered. According to Stallard, the garden project is saving the
county money and provides fresh produce for the prisoners’
consumption. Stallard also said that prisoners being able to
plant and grow their own food teaches them a responsibility
that will help them when they are released.
Potatoes are king for the Harlan County work release inmates. Over the years, they have tried different techniques to
foster greater productivity. The jail now has its own tractor,
harvesting equipment and food storage facilities, purchased
with profits from the facility’s commissary.
The jail reported instead of inmates harvesting the potato
crop with hoes, which would lead to a loss in productivity
due to careless chopping and splitting of the crop, a “potato
digger” attachment on the tractor scoops the rows out of the
ground with minimal damage. The jail harvested 24 tons of
potatoes last year.
According to the Harlan County Jail report, in the past
it purchased up to one ton of potatoes a month, having to
spend anywhere from $17.25 to $25.56 per 50-pound bag,
depending on rising costs and time of year.
“The Harlan County Detention Center will have saved
Harlan County and its taxpayers almost $9,000 on potatoes
alone,” the report concluded. Also, more than 2,100 gallons
of beans were harvested.
Many other counties have introduced gardening to the
inmate population. For the first time, Whitley County Jail
planted a five-acre garden this spring. Woodford County
10 | County LINE
put in a five-acre garden last year, and it now offers green
beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, cabbage, pumpkins
and watermelons. Jessamine County also followed the lead
of other counties and started a garden to help cut food costs.
Inmates on community-service leave tend the planting and
harvesting, which Jailer Jon Sallee hopes will save taxpayers
thousands of dollars a year. The half-acre farm at the Graves
County Detention Center saves Graves County about $2,500
a year in vegetables, according to Jailer Randy Haley.
Drought affects harvests
This spring and summer’s record heat and resulting
drought affected work farms and gardens in many counties.
Boone County has a two-acre garden which Lt. Phil Sims
estimates saves the county around $5,000 a year in food
costs. “We planted about the same area (as last year) but the
weather kind of hurt our production this year,” said Sims.
In Taylor County, inmates plant cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, corn, cucumbers and squash on a threeacre plot, according to Jailer Hack Marcum.
He reported, “Due to the dry growing conditions, we
have not had harvests that have saved us money on food
costs yet.”
Henderson County Jailer Ron Herrington said, “Based on
the drought this summer, we’ve had a reduction of about 20
percent in harvest.” He noted that they are expecting to harvest 60,000 to 70,000 pounds of vegetables throughout the
garden season. Henderson inmates tend to about six acres,
and food reduction costs are estimated at about $30,000.
Although Adair County inmates increased the jail garden
to three-fourths of an acre this year, “It appears that we will
produce about the same amount of food as last year because
the garden suffered from the drought early in the summer,”
Jailer Wilson noted.
Greenup County Judge Carpenter said that Circuit and
District Court judges support the work farm concept, as does
the fiscal court. “It all works together. It keeps some nonviolent county prisoners out of the jail and allows us to keep
state prisoners. We make money and save money.”
In addition, the gardens provide the opportunity to learn
skills as the inmates work down their sentences, Hopkins
County Jailer Blue said. His goal for inmates is to make
sure “they leave Hopkins County with more than when they
came in.”
From the Harlan County Detention Center web site, its
goal is simple: “Aside from the money saving aspects of the
harvest, we also believe the process of teaching our work release inmates how to tend a garden to be the best investment
we could offer to any person awaiting release and wanting
to build a life in Eastern Kentucky. But until that day comes
when they are released, they may take momentary pride
in the fact that, by their labors, the entire detention center
population was fed, and fed well.” n
KACo now
accepting
filings for the
office of 2nd
Vice President
K
ACo is now accepting Letters of
Intention from candidates seeking the office of Second Vice
President. Candidates must be
a member of the fiscal court, sheriff, jailer,
county clerk, circuit clerk, county attorney,
commonwealth attorney, property valuation administrator, coroner or chief executive officer of a consolidated local government or urban county government of a
county member that has paid its membership dues for the current fiscal year.
No more than one member of the Executive Committee shall be from the same county and no more than
two members of the Executive Committee shall be
members of the same affiliate association. During the
upcoming term, there will be two judge/executives; one
sheriff; and one magistrate returning to the Executive
Committee from Garrard, LaRue, Warren and Lyon
counties. Therefore, this year, candidates must hold an
office other than a judge/executive.
The form on which qualified candidates may file
their Letter of Intention can be printed from the
KACo homepage, www.kaco.org. Letters of Intention
must be received by Oct. 29, 2012.
The newly elected Second Vice President will take
office immediately upon conclusion of the KACo
Conference which will be held Nov. 28–30 at the Galt
House Hotel in Louisville. n
County LINE | 11
Looking at a detailed map of Clark County are, from left, Sheriff Berl Purdue, Deputy and home incarceration supervisor Steve Noble,
KACo Risk Manager Shawn Weir, County Attorney Brian Thomas and Judge/Executive Henry Branham.
I
Home incarceration saving
money at Clark County jail
f three’s a charm, then Clark County officials should expect to see even more
savings as its home incarceration program
enters its third year of operation.
Last year, the Clark County Home Incarceration Program (CCHIP) saved the Fiscal Court over $220,000, according to Deputy Steve Noble, who monitors the program
for the Sheriff’s Office. Three years ago, Clark County
brought the monitoring system in-house, and on the average, 19 to 25 inmates now wear monitors instead of residing
in jail.
The program relies on GPS-powered bracelets to monitor offenders and make sure they follow court orders.
Home incarceration uses an electronic ankle monitoring
devices to track an offender’s location in proximity to his/
her home by global positioning system (GPS) technology.
Law enforcement can monitor the subject’s location on a
computer display.
Offenders are subject to random drug and alcohol tests,
are banned from driving except for work-related purposes
(prior written approval must be obtained), and must consent
12 | County LINE
to random home compliance inspections, which includes
computers, electronic devices, social media profile, cellular
phone and/or other forms of electronic communications,
according to the Home Incarceration Order.
Also, bringing the home incarceration program in house
removes the need to rely on a third party to monitor and
report violations in a timely manner, as Clark County had
experienced with an outside monitoring agency. “We now
have more control of the chain of command,” said Noble.
“There is better communication and response to a violation
is more immediate.”
Incarcerating the inmates in their homes, rather than the
county lock-up, saves the jail $25.65 per day, per prisoner.
The in-house CCHIP system provides the bracelets, collects
the initial $50 fee and all additional fees, does the hook-ups
and monitors those offenders in the program.
The financial burden of operating a jail has frustrated
counties across Kentucky for many years. One specific burden has been medical costs for inmates, according to Clark
County Attorney Brian Thomas. He noted that offenders
who are incarcerated through CCHIP “can get an OK to go
to the doctor,” and save the county jail the costs of provid-
“The home incarceration program saves the county
a fortune – and it really works!”
— Judge Earl-Ray Neal
ing the medical service and the time for transporting the
inmate. This cost savings is in addition to the savings on
daily fees if the offender was housed in the jail.
“This frees up funds which allows us to do more things in
the community,” said Clark County Judge/Executive Henry
Branham. He added that the Clark County Detention Center’s capacity is 165, but the jail population “is hovering
around 200.” Overcrowding increases costs of food, clothing
and other expenses.
Branham said that CCHIP “frees up beds in the jail, allowing us to find paying (state) customers.” He calculates
that securing at least 30 inmates through home incarceration will save $344,000 in annual expenses.
Support from sheriff, judges
The CCHIP works efficiently and effectively, according
to officials. Thomas praised Sheriff Berl Purdue, noting, “His
people are 100 percent behind it. That’s essential for this
program to be as successful as it is.”
Sheriff Purdue credited the “collaborative effort” for
the program’s success. “It all starts at the top, with everyone working together.”
District Court Judge Earl-Ray Neal bought into CCHIP
from its inception. “This is an amazing program,” he said,
crediting the “fail-safe technology” and the immediate notification when defendants fail to abide by all monitoring
requirements.
“The home incarceration program saves the county a
fortune – and it really works!” said Neal.
The county attorney stressed how cooperation among
all the “key players” has cemented the program’s success
as it enters its third year. “The judge works with me, I work
with the sheriff. We are all in the same boat, all rowing in
the same direction,” said Thomas.
“It is so refreshing to see collaboration of constitutional
officers,” said Branham.
“This is a really good program and a way for counties
to cap the cost” of providing jail services, said Thomas. He
noted that Madison County has a similar in-house home
incarceration program, using the CCHIP model. n
Civic Finance Advisors, LLC
in alliance with
Kentucky Association of Counties Financial Advisors, Inc.
is proud to offer a wide range of financial advisory services
to Kentucky’s counties, water and sewer districts, special districts,
institutions of higher education and other political subdivisions.
333 West Vine Street, Suite 1610
Lexington, Kentucky 40507
855.211.1525 | www.civic-finance.com
County LINE | 13
Hotel Accommodations
38th Annual
Conference & Exposition
Galt House Hotel, Louisville | November 28-30, 2012
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Wednesday, November 28
8:00 AM – Noon
Affiliate Meetings
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Registration – 2nd Floor
10:00 AM – 2:00 PMExhibitor Set-up – Grand Ballrooms A & B,
Exhibit Hall, 2nd Floor
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Opening General Session – Grand Ballroom C, 2nd Floor
4:00 PM – 7:30 PMExhibits Open – Grand Ballrooms A & B,
Exhibit Hall, 2nd Floor
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Reception Honoring the Exhibitors & Sponsors –
Ballrooms A & B, Exhibit Hall, 2nd Floor
8:00 PM – ?
Hospitality Suites Open
Thursday, November 29
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Continental Breakfast – Grand Ballrooms A & B,
Exhibit Hall, 2nd Floor
8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Registration – 2nd Floor
8:00 AM – 2:00 PMExhibits Open – Grand Ballrooms A & B,
Exhibit Hall, 2nd Floor
9:00 AM – Noon
General Session – Grand Ballroom C, 2nd Floor
Noon – 1:45 PMStand-up Luncheon – Ballrooms A & B,
Exhibit Hall, 2nd Floor
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
KACo has a block of rooms reserved for
the nights of November 27 – 29, 2012 at
the Galt House Hotel, 140 North Fourth
Street, Louisville, KY 40202. Deadline
to receive the discounted room rate is
November 12.
To reserve a room, call 800-843-4258 or
502-589-5200. To make a reservation online, visit www.kaco.org. Please note that
check-in time is 3:00 p.m. and check-out
time is 11:00 a.m.
Single/double in the Rivue Tower (West)
- $109.00/Night
Single/double in the Suite Tower (East)
- $119.00/Night
There is no charge for parking in the attached, covered garage for registered
guests.
Entertainment
Clyde Ray Webber
has borne the titles
of preacher, politician
and public servant but
he is best known for
the humor he brings
to speaking engagements. If you seek out his serious side,
you’ll find him serving as a Clerk of Court in
Concordia Parish, Louisiana, a post he has
held for more than forty years. His observations about what makes the world go ‘round
are relevant to every audience. Clyde Ray
offers his reflection on a lifetime of experience working in all kinds of organizations:
political, secular, religious and educational.
His career has included work a disk jockey,
TV personality, actor, professional musician
and college professor.
Roundtable Sessions
4:15 PM – 5:15 PMElection of KACo 2nd Vice-President –
Carroll Ford, 2nd Floor
6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
President’s Reception – Exhibit Hall, 2nd Floor
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Banquet and Installation of Officers –
Grand Ballrooms, 2nd Floor
9:00 PM – 1:00 PM
After Dinner Entertainment – Grand Ballrooms, 2nd Floor
9:00 PM – ?
Hospitality Suites Open
Friday, November 30
8:30 AM
Brunch* – Grand Ballroom A, 2nd Floor
9:00 AM – Noon
Wrap-up Session** – Grand Ballroom A, 2nd Floor
14 | County LINE
Ode 2 the Gnu has become one of the
regions favorite variety bands. O2G has a
primary target appeal to baby boomers, and
a growing audience of younger age groups
who have listened to, and grown up with,
classic popular artists. O2G is a seven-piece
band from Louisville that performs classic
rock, blues, and country music with an occasional original composition thrown in. Ode
2 the Gnu members are professional and
seasoned, drawing on a variety of experiences going back many years.
Exhibitor Information
Registration Form
A registration form is required for each attendee. Duplicate this form as needed or register
online at www.kaco.org.
_____________________________________________________________
Attendee Name
If you are interested in participating as a
vendor, please register at www.kaco.org.
_____________________________________________________________
Spouse Program
_____________________________________________________________
The KaLightoscope Attraction returns
bringing with it a massive landscape of
larger-than-life lighted interactive holiday
luminaries with new themed areas for 2012.
Spouses are invited on Thursday, November
29 at 1:00 p.m. to watch as the more than
100 animate animals work to get ready for a
party in the forest. Stroll through the village
and take a peek inside the store windows
to find the holiday mice busy at work. Find
the Snow Fairy Princess and her Castle
inside the Christmas Village and more. It's
so spectacular that Christmas at the Galt
House Hotel was featured on the Travel
Channel's Christmas Crazy Show! You don't
want to miss it. Visit www.kalightoscope.
com for more details. Tickets are required
for admission!
Title
County/Organization
_____________________________________________________________
Address
_____________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip
_____________________________________________________________
Phone
_____________________________________________________________
Email Address of Attendee
_____________________________________________________________
Spouse (if attending)
th
Spouse will participate in the Spouse Program on Thursday, Nov. 29 at 1pm.
Yes
No
Registration fee includes all meals and entry to all functions.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION
LATE REGISTRATION
(Postmarked after November 19, 2012)
(Postmarked after November 19, 2012)
$250 Member Registration
$265 Member Registration
(includes Spouse)
(includes Spouse)
$265 Non-Member Registration
$280 Non-Member Registration
PAYMENT METHOD:
Check Enclosed
Invoice Fiscal Court
Invoice me at the following address:
Information
All meetings and events will be held in the
Galt House Suite Tower. Times listed are
Eastern Standard Time. A $1,000 cash door
prize will be given away during Brunch/
Wrap-up. You must be present to win. The
agenda is subject to change. 11 hours of HB
810 training credit to be requested. Early
Bird Registration will be available Tuesday,
November 27 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
What to Wear
Attire is business casual for all functions.
Contact
For more information, please contact Sonya
Chesser at [email protected]; 502223-7667; or 800-264-5226.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Mastercard
Visa
American Express
Cardholder Name:
Signature:________________________________________________
Account Number:___________________________________________________
Exp. Date: _______ / _______
Cardholder Signature:________________________________________________
Cancellation Policy: KACo will authorize a full refund to conference attendees two weeks
prior to the scheduled conference. Absolutely no refunds will be issued after that time.
Make check payable to: 2012 KACo Conference
Return completed form to: 2012 KACo Conference
Attn: Kris Dunn
400 Englewood Drive
Frankfort, KY 40601
Fax: 502-875-8240
County LINE | 15
Employees of GRADD, Independence Bank, Comfort Keepers and Canteen pose beside an overflowing collection bin following ‘Stop
Senior Hunger’ Shopping Day at Kroger supermarket in Owensboro.
Green River Region Partners to
‘Stop Senior Hunger’
by Woody Maglinger
Community Relations Coordinator
Green River Area Development District
N
early one in nine American senior
citizens is at risk of hunger, and
2,000 older adults die from malnutrition each year, according to the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Green River Area Development District (GRADD)
— serving Daviess, Hancock, Henderson, McLean, Ohio,
Union and Webster counties in western Kentucky —
provides Meals on Wheels home-delivered meals to 567
seniors weekly. However, there are currently almost 700
individuals on the waiting list; and approximately onethird of their clients report having to choose between
food and paying for medical care or utilities.
To combat daunting statistics like these, five agencies
from this region have partnered to sponsor the “Stop Senior Hunger” food drive the past two springs.
GRADD, in-home care provider Comfort Keepers,
Independence Bank, Specialty Foods Group, and food
service supplier Canteen have spearheaded the effort to
help feed over 800 low-income individuals since 2011.
In late 2010, Independence Bank’s Daviess County
president Darrell Higginbotham and local Comfort Keepers owner Levi Reames discussed collaborating to address
16 | County LINE
an unmet community need. Reames suggested a project
building upon his company’s existing national “Stop Senior Hunger” elder malnutrition awareness campaign.
Higginbotham and Reames then enlisted the help of
the region’s area agency on aging — GRADD — which
provides social services to thousands of senior citizens
annually, as well as Specialty Foods Group (a premium
meat producer) and Canteen (specializing in food storage
and transport).
The Green River region’s “Stop Senior Hunger” campaign runs approximately four weeks during the Easter
season. Individuals and community groups are asked to
purchase nonperishable food items and drop them off at
collection points in area supermarkets (Kroger, Hometown IGA and Sureway), senior centers and sponsor locations. Monetary donations are also accepted.
In its inaugural year in 2011, the food drive netted
4,500 food items — fruits and vegetables, grains, boxed
and canned items and a ham — enough to feed 300 seniors for at least a week.
This past spring, GRADD citizens contributed seven
tons of food (valued at $12,000) plus over $5,000 in cash.
Because of this outpouring of generosity, more than 500
area seniors were able to fill their pantries.
“Hunger is a silent crisis among seniors nationwide
and in our local communities,” noted Higginbotham.
Volunteers are able to see this crisis firsthand, as
they deliver bags of groceries at the conclusion of the
campaign each year. Often they are greeted with bare
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a silent crisis
among seniors
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and in our local
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cupboards and near-empty refrigerators as they help
seniors unpack donated food items.
“This project is desperately needed in our area because of the lengthy [Meals on Wheels] waiting list,”
said Jeanette Woodward, GRADD contracts manager.
“Due to limited program funding, people often have to
wait one year or longer for services.”
Local seniors who have an income at 150 percent of
the federal poverty level or who are currently receiving
public assistance are eligible to obtain food through
“Stop Senior Hunger.”
Recently, this initiative has garnered national attention. In July 2012, it was recognized with a prestigious
Aging Achievement Award from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
In an editorial appearing shortly thereafter, the
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer touted the award as “a
deserved national accolade and the kind of acknowledgement that could inspire other cities and counties to
adopt a [similar] effort of their own.”
The regional sponsors are already busy planning
for next year’s campaign, set to launch in March 2013;
and organizers hope to exceed the lofty results already
achieved.
GRADD’s executive director Jiten Shah believes
the momentum of “Stop Senior Hunger” will only continue to build.
“The uncertainty of government funding poses serious challenges to the delivery of vital services, and
public-private partnerships like this are key to meeting
community needs — particularly those affecting the
most vulnerable in our society,” said Shah.
For more details on this initiative, visit www.
GRADD.com/StopSeniorHunger. n
Picture taken in Ohio County, KY
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This new weathering steel
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County LINE | 17
A worker puts up a sign announcing the Vice Presidential Debate to be held in Newlin Hall in the Norton Center for the Performing Arts on
Centre College’s campus on 10-11-12.
Up for debate
Boyle County stands ready to
assist when Centre College hosts
2012 VP candidate event
L
ights…Cameras…Action.
When the television and production crews
ready their equipment for the live broadcast of
the Vice Presidential Debate Oct. 11 at Centre
College, Boyle County government leaders and service providers will be ready to assist.
“We stand ready to help,” said Judge/Executive Harold
McKinney. “We will do whatever we are called upon to do.”
McKinney explained, “Boyle County is here to assist but
this is Centre’s time to shine.”
The vice presidential debate will take place in Newlin
Hall in the Norton Center for the Arts, the same venue as
the debate Centre College hosted in 2000. In a news release
announcing the host sites, the Commission on Presidential
Debates Executive Director Janet Brown said that Centre’s
selection was based on several factors.
“First, Centre did an outstanding job of hosting the 2000
Vice Presidential debate. Second, Centre’s principal players
from that debate are still at the College, and we value that
experience. Finally, Centre’s facilities, as good as they were in
2000, are vastly improved now,” she said.
“We are thrilled for Centre,” said McKinney, a Centre
alumnus.
18 | County LINE
McKinney pointed out that “this is not a vacation” for the
individuals who will be flying or driving in to Boyle County to
facilitate the VP debate. “This is a working situation and those
who are involved are focused on getting the message out.”
McKinney said that many of the hotels and restaurants
in the area will benefit from the crowd that is expected to
gather for the 2012 VP debate. He added that Danville is a
wet community, so restaurants, bars and liquor stores can sell
alcohol, and “visitors won’t have to go to Lexington now.”
However, the judge/executive stressed, “Everyone is so
intense, so focused” during the debate, adding that most TV
crews and the candidates will fly or drive in, then fly or drive
out as soon as the event concludes.
Local government is pitching in by blacktopping the road
from Stuart Powell Field Airport. Many of the debate participants will use that public airfield before and after the debate.
The debate will be between VP hopefuls Joe Biden and
Paul Ryan, and will be moderated by Martha Raddatz, ABC
News’ Chief Foreign Correspondent. The 90-minute debate
begins at 9 p.m. Eastern time.
Debate Festival
And if you can’t secure tickets to the live VP debate, the
public can still join others on Centre College’s main lawn
starting that afternoon for a free festival to celebrate the
spirit of the debate.
Festival attendees can watch the debate as it happens via
a live televised broadcast on the lawn in front of Old Centre.
In addition, there will be entertainment and performances.
Scheduled to appear are southern rock’s Marshall Tucker
Band, the Danville Children’s Choir, Centre’s Brass Ensemble, the Kentucky Ensemble, Mercer County’s country pop
duo Aly’An and Kentucky cellist and singer Ben Sollee. n
RIGHT A
fire truck showered campers during one hot summer afternoon.
County Sheriff Stan Hudson worked with some of the
campers on a craft project.
BELOW Caldwell
ABOVE Adair
County boy campers posed for a group shot.
County girl campers posed for a group shot.
LEFT Hopkins
Sheriffs’ Boys and Girls Ranch
wraps up 37th camping season
T
he Kentucky Sheriffs’ Boys and
Girls Ranch, which has benefited
more than 35,000 Kentucky children
from at-risk, low-income homes
since 1975, recently wrapped up its 37th
camping season July 27.
The camp, located in Gilbertsville in western Kentucky,
is set on 33 acres, complete with wooded areas, rolling
hills, a small pond, athletic fields, swimming pool, basketball court, gymnasium, four dormitories, a kitchen and
mess hall.
The camp is supported by Kentucky sheriffs, members
and contributors, which allows it to be offered free of
charge to the campers.
The camp provides campers with a secure, education
and fun environment to help build their self-esteem, moral character, and teach them to respect themselves, others
and law enforcement professionals. n
County LINE | 19
Circuit court clerks participate in
2012 Circuit Court Clerks
Summer College
C
ircuit court clerks from across
the commonwealth participated in the 2012 Kentucky Association of Circuit Court Clerks
Summer College that took place June
12-13 in Frankfort. The KACCC hosted
the college and the Kentucky Association
of Counties sponsored the event. The college included 6.25 hours of continuing
education credit for the circuit clerks.
“The college was an opportunity for circuit clerks
to get fresh insights about the day-to-day operations of their offices,” said Loretta Crady, Hardin
County circuit court clerk and newly elected president of the KACCC. “We also discussed how some
upcoming distance learning can provide continuing
education for us without all the travel and how the
circuit clerks’ new SharePoint site will make it easier
to share information and ideas. Using technology
means we can do more with less in spite of ongoing
budget reductions.”
Circuit court clerks and Administrative Office of
the Courts personnel served as presenters for the
college, which included sessions on handling jury
trials and domestic violence reports, records management, accounts receivable and personnel matters.
The circuit clerks also received updates on driver
licensing, the Judicial Branch budget, legislation and
the Trust for Life program. The KACCC sponsors
Trust for Life to promote organ and tissue donation
through driver licensing and the Kentucky Organ
Donor registry.
By county, circuit court clerks who participated in the college include:
Adair County, Dennis Loy
Allen County, Todd B. Calvert
Anderson County, Jan Rogers
Ballard County, Holly Oldham Dunker
Barren County, Krissie Coe Fields
Bath County, Claudette Faudere
Bell County, Colby Slusher
Boone County, Dianne Murray
Bourbon County, Beverly Smits
Boyle County, Joni H. Terry
Breathitt County, Patsy C. Williams
Breckinridge County, Connie W. Brumfield
Calloway County, Linda Avery
Carroll County, Laman L. Stark
Clark County, Paula S. Joslin
Daviess County, Susan W. Tierney
Fleming County, Pam Lowe
Garrard County, Dana Hensley
20 | county LINE
Grant County, Shirley Wilson
Grayson County, Elois Downs
Hardin County, Loretta Crady
Harrison County, Kathy Kearns
Hart County, Rita Doyle
Henderson County, Ruth London
Hopkins County, Karen L. McKnight
Jefferson County, David Nicholson
Kenton County, John C. Middleton
LaRue County, Larry C. Bell
Laurel County, Roger L. Schott
Lawrence County, Jodi L. Parsley
Livingston County, Debbie Harp Knoth
Lyon County, Rebecca Howard
Magoffin County, Tonya Arnett Ward
Mason County, Kirk Tolle
McCracken County, Glenda Ransom
Mercer County, Beth Neal
Metcalfe County, Tommy A. Garrett
Monroe County, Joyce Emberton
Montgomery County, Tanya P. Terry
Morgan County, Donna Pelfrey
Muhlenberg County, Janet Hearld Brown
Nicholas County, Sandye Watkins
Ohio County, Gaynell Allen
Oldham County, Linda G. Mason
Owsley County, A. Michael Mays
Pike County, David Deskins
Powell County, Patricia Darlene Drake
Robertson County, Martha Workman
Shelby County, Lowry S. Miller
Taylor County, Rodney Burress
Trigg County, Pam W. Perry
Union County, Sue W. Beaven
Webster County, Amy Villines
Wolfe County, Debra Sparks
Woodford County, Tricia Kittinger
New KRADD officers sworn in
At the recent Kentucky River Area Development District annual meeting, new officers were sworn in by KIPDA
Director Jack Couch (left). Taking the oath of office were, from left, Wolfe County Judge/Executive Dennis Brooks,
parliamentarian; Pippa Passes Mayor Scott Cornett, treasurer; Owsley County Citizen Member Dale Bishop, Secretary;
Letcher County Judge/Executive Jim Ward, vice chairman; and Whitesburg Mayor James Craft; chairman. KRADD
serves Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Owsley, Perry and Wolfe counties. Photo by Sue Porter
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county LINE | 21
KACo
at NACo
Delegates from Kentucky attended NACo’s 77th Annual Conference and Exposition in Pittsburgh/Allegheny County earlier
this summer, where they attended
workshops and general sessions,
visited the exhibit hall, heard from
featured speakers, participated in
conference-wide events and were
honored at awards ceremonies.
Photos by Scott Martin
From left, NACo Immediate Past President Judge Glen Whitley,
guest speaker W. Dennis Epps from the University of Georgia Carl
Vinson Institute of Government, Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne
T. Rutherford, Martin County Judge/Executive Kelly Callaham, NACO
President Lenny Eliason and NACo Second Vice President Linda
Langston shared the stage as Pike and Martin counties were honored with
an Achievement Award for their joint Big Branch Water Project.
Taking a break while visiting the many vendors in the exhibit hall were, from left,
Michelle Terry and her husband Carlisle County Judge/Executive Greg Terry;
Martin County Judge/Executive Kelly Callaham and his wife Donna; and Pat
Rutherford and her husband Pike County Judge/Executive Wayne T. Rutherford.
P
Jefferson County Circuit Clerk David
Nicholson, left, and KACo Executive
Director/CEO Denny Nunnelley,
right, talked with the newly appointed
NACo Executive Director Matthew D.
Chase. Chase assumes the national
role Sept. 17, succeeding 21-year
veteran Larry Naake.
Pike receives five
NACo Achievement Awards;
Shares one with Martin County
for water project
ike County was honored with five National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards at its 77th
annual convention in Pittsburgh July 14. The programs and projects that garnered awards were the Scholar
House, a partnership among the county, the City of Pikeville and the University of Pikeville; Girls in Technology, a fine arts program through the extension office administered through the Artists Collaborative Theatre; the
Big Branch Water Project, which provided sanitary drinking water to Pike County residents through a partnership with
Martin County; the Elk Creek Road Project, a partnership between two states and two counties to build a road and railroad crossing at Argo; and the Tire Amnesty Program, which is an effort to clean up waste tires around Pike County. n
22 | county LINE
State’s Newest Wildlife
Recreation Area dedicated
in Scott County
N
early 2,500 acres for public hunting,
fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing
is now open to the public in Scott
County.
The state’s newest wildlife recreation area was officially
dedicated July 16. The Veterans Memorial Wildlife Management Area, named in honor of veterans, will be managed by
the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
and will offer hunting opportunities for deer, turkeys and
small game, such as squirrels.
“This land is a unique wildlife area because of its size,
location, and convenience to about a third of the state’s population,” said Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson, who was joined by
federal, state and local leaders at the dedication ceremony. “I
applaud everyone involved with this project for working together to establish a sustainable wildlife-related area in this
part of the Commonwealth.”
Abramson was joined by U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Marcheta Sparrow, Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jonathan Gassett, and
Scott County Judge/Executive George Lusby.
The Veterans Memorial WMA encompasses nearly 2,500
acres consisting of 74 percent forest area with a small pond
and several streams. The property has a variety of habitat
types for game species and declining migratory birds, reptiles
and amphibians, including hardwood forests, shrublands
and grasslands. The trails throughout the Veterans Memorial WMA consist of mowed grassy lanes and old farm road
paths made by the previous owner.
The Veterans Memorial WMA is located approximately
3 miles north of Georgetown and 2 miles south of Sadieville,
adjacent to I-75 between Exit 129 south and Exit 136 north.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife completed a decade-long effort to acquire the 2,500-acre property
near Georgetown in December 2011.
The department used $3.25 million from Kentucky’s Wetlands and Stream Mitigation Fund – which is managed by the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Kentucky
Division of Water – for some of the land purchase and to
pay for the restoration of 19 miles of streams and associated
headwaters.
The department also added $3 million in federal grant
money specifically designated for fish and wildlife land acquisition. No state tax revenues or Kentucky Fish and Game
Fund dollars were used. n
county LINE | 23
LCADD promotes
philanthropy,
forms Foundation
By Donna Diaz
Executive Director, LCADD
E
arlier this year, the Lake Cumberland
Area Development District put the
wheel in motion to establish the Lake
Area Foundation (LAF), a new community foundation.
A community foundation provides services for three distinct constituencies: charitable donors, organization and the
community at large.
Community foundations provide grants, networking connections, workshops and access to knowledge about the charitable needs and opportunities within its specific service area;
but perhaps the most important function is the formation and
preservation of charitable capital.
It is the responsibility of LAF to insure that some of the
net worth of each generation is set aside for the current and
future needs of the communities we serve.
What is the Lake Area Foundation?
• Helps individuals, businesses and organizations create
permanent endowment funds for the benefit of the community.
• Is set up to administer many separate charitable funds.
• Makes charitable giving easy, flexible, effective, economical
and powerful.
• Permits people to pool their resources for increased impact.
• Gives donors the maximum charitable tax advantages
(LAF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public charity)
• Allows donors to make permanent gifts in memory or in
honor of someone.
• Establishes donor-named funds for as little as $10,000 with
an option of building a fund over a five-year period; unrestricted funds may be established with a gift of $5,000.
• Manages scholarship and grant programs for individuals,
families, alumni groups, organizations and businesses.
• Is set up to provide support to the many non-profit organizations within the 10-county region, scholarship awards, as
well as special projects which benefit the region.
• Benefits from the volunteer leadership of a 15-member
volunteer board subject to term limits; the work of dozens
of volunteer committee members; and is staffed by professionals who are employees of Lake Cumberland Area
Development District.
• Is one of more than 700 community foundations that belong to the Council of Foundations.
• Accepts donations in any amount which are invested in
the fund of the donor’s choice; these permanent gifts will
generate income for good, forever.
In March, LCADD received a $10,000 Appalachian Rural
Development Philanthropy Initiative mini-grant through
The Center for Rural Development. These funds will be used
to pay for capacity-building activities to form and organize
advisory committees throughout nine LCADD counties to
promote community philanthropy.
Serving as members of a working committee for the foundation are Adair County Judge/Executive Ann Melton, Yevette Haskins of Taylor County, and Janet Clark of Russell
County. n
Good-bye and
Good Luck, Doug!
KACo recently said good-bye to Computer Programmer/
Developer Doug Dearinger. Doug started at KACo Oct. 1,
2004, having retired from state government. He had worked
17 years in Unemployment Insurance and nine years at the
Labor Cabinet.
An avid outdoorsman, Doug’s plans for retirement include catching up on work on his farm and restoring an old
barn. “I plan to enjoy much more fishing and hunting,” he
added.
The Frankfort native said he also hopes to schedule more
fishing trips to Land Between the Lakes and jaunts to the
Great Smoky Mountains with his wife of 31 years, Amy. n
24 | County LINE
MEET THE STAFF
Pamela Bollinger
Shawn Weir
Pamela Bollinger has been at KACo for 12 years and is
the Administrative Assistant for Member Services. She assists in all functions for the department: the KACo Training
Institute, Associate Membership, and exhibiting and sponsorship for the annual KACo Conference and Exposition.
Recently, she has been assigned the duty of reserving and
scheduling for KACo’s training facility.
Before joining the staff at KACo in 2000, Pamela worked
for two pediatric practices and at the Garrard/Mercer county health departments. Her attention to detail and working
with the public are valuable assets for Member Services.
Pamela lives on a farm in a rural community near Springfield, in Washington County, and has farming in her roots.
“I used to work on the farm with my dad and granddad,
setting, stripping and hanging tobacco, hauling hay, raising
some baby calves,” she said.
A graduate of Washington County High School, Pamela
attended Lexington Community College and Campbellsville College (now Campbellsville University). She and her
husband, Rob, have two sons, Wesley, 9, and Aaron, 6, as
well as two dogs, Sarge and Taz.
She attends Bethel Baptist Church in Mercer County. “I
sing at church and love my church family,” said Pamela. “I
enjoy gardening, four wheeling, photography and spending
time shooting basketball with my boys.”
Pamela’s roots are deep in local government. “My
great-grandfather on my dad’s side was a county magistrate
in Washington County and my great-grandfather on my
mom’s side was Deputy Sheriff Frank Bowman, who was
killed in the line of duty in Bell County.”
Pamela enjoys attending KACo functions and events. “I
just love meeting all the county officials and putting names
with faces.”
Got a question about training? Pamela’s the one to call!
Risk Manager Shawn Weir has been involved in risk
management for over 30 years. He began at KACo as
a risk management consultant in 2001 and assumed responsibilities as risk manager in 2007.
“In this position, I am fortunate to work with a team
of four accomplished Safety and Loss Control representatives who are located in one of our four loss control
regions,” said Shawn. He pointed out that their primary
objectives and purposes are to provide loss control services to the KACo All Lines Fund (KALF) and Workers
Compensation membership, and to provide asset protection to both programs by recognizing, reducing or avoiding loss exposures that might have a negative financial
impact on the program.
“The Risk Management Department works diligently
to assess, identify and develop ways to avoid loss exposures for our member insureds. These efforts can often
translate into significant savings for KACo, as well as the
members we serve,” said Shawn.
Shawn is involved with many professional risk management associations including the Kentuckiana Chapter
of the Risk and Management Society (RIMS), having
served as its president and as a program chairman. He
has also served on the National RIMS level as audit
committee chair, and has been coupled with the Public
Risk Management Association on the national level as a
member of the education committee.
“One of the benefits I have enjoyed through my connection with KACo is the elected officials I have had
the privilege of getting to know and work with over the
years. Seeing the hard work and dedication that goes
into county government has given me a deep appreciation for their efforts,” said Shawn.
“I value my involvement in the process and admire
the level of proficiency which goes into both the KALF
and COMP program. Watching both programs advance
in many areas has been a very rewarding experience.
COUNTY LINE launched this column to introduce the KACo staff
that provides services to Kentucky counties and county officials
every day. These profiles will allow readers to place a face with
that “voice on the phone” and become acquainted with the
dedicated employees who serve you.
See WEIR on page 26
County LINE | 25
Names in the News
Up & coming
Events
September 17-21
Gov. Steve Beshear made the following appointments:
• Jerry L. Powell as Trimble County Judge/Executive. Powell, who was the
county clerk, replaces Randy K. Stevens, who resigned.
• John Patrick Collins as Lewis County Judge/Executive. The office was
vacated by Thomas Massie, who resigned effective June 30. Collins will
serve in this position until the November election.
Kentucky Sheriff’s Association
Annual Conference
• Bill Dyehouse as Magistrate for Lincoln County’s Second District. He
replaces Dexter Todd, who is deceased.
Galt House Hotel, Louisville
• Charlene King as Magistrate for Clinton County’s Fifth District. She replaces Charlotte Bernard, who resigned.
Contact: Jerry Wagner, Executive Director,
at 606-267-6161
October 30-November 2
Kentucky PVA Fall Conference
Seelbach Hotel, Louisville
Contact: Stacey Ewalt at 502-564-8338
November 4
Daylight Savings Time Ends
November 6
General Election Day
November 11-14
Kentucky County Clerks
Fall Conference
Marriott Griffin Gate, Lexington
Contact: Bill May, Executive Director,
at 502-227-2922
November 28-30
KACo 38th Annual
Conference & Exposition
Galt House Hotel, Louisville
Contact: Sonya Chesser
at 800-264-5226
26 | county LINE
• Creasa E. Reed as County Commissioner for Fayette County’s District B.
She replaces Jim Ballard, who resigned.
• Delbert Stephens as Magistrate for Harlan County’s Fifth District. He
replaces Delzinna Baker, who resigned.
• Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney Christopher T. Cohron to the
Kentucky State Corrections Commission to serve for a term expiring Feb.
17, 2015. He represents commonwealth’s attorneys.
The governor reappointed the following members to the Kentucky Emergency Response Commission to serve for terms expiring April 17, 2014:
• Pendleton County Judge/Executive Henry W. Bertram; Daviess County
Emergency Management Director Richard K. Payne; and DanvilleBoyle County Emergency Management Director Leonard Wayne
Shepperson Sr. They all represent local government.
Kentucky Emergency Management Director John Heltzel announced the
transfer of Vicki Martin as Regional Response Manager (RRM) for KYEM
Region Five. Martin will take over as the RRM for KYEM Region Five, which
includes Anderson, Boyle, Franklin, Henry, Marion, Mercer, Oldham, Shelby,
Spencer, Trimble and Washington counties.
Martin previously was the KYEM Region Two Manager, located in western
Kentucky, and replaces John Bastin, who retired.
Garrard County Clerk Stacy May retired Sept. 1. She worked in the clerk’s
office for 32 years and had been county clerk since 2003.
WEir
From page 25
Knowing that much of this growth and achievement has been accomplished
under a team effort approach has been remarkable and I am honored to be
a part of the team.
A native of Detroit, Mich., Shawn’s family moved to northern Kentucky
in the late 1960s. He graduated from Lloyd High School in Kenton County
and earned degrees in accounting and business management from the University of Kentucky. He and his wife, Danita have four children (Shawn,
Josh, Sarah and Mathew) and three grandchildren (Isaac, Isaiah and Josephine).
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Michael E. Caudill
Former Warren County Attorney Michael E. Caudill
died July 14, 2012 in Louisville. He was 64.
He was a graduate of Bowling Green High School,
Western Kentucky University and the University of Louisville School of Law. Upon graduation from law school,
he was selected to serve as a clerk to the Chief Justice
of the Kentucky Supreme Court, John Palmore. In
1974, he was appointed first assistant to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office in Bowling Green. In 1977 he
was elected as the Warren County Attorney, becoming
the youngest constitutional office-holder in the state’s
history. He served as county attorney until his retirement in 2004.
Mr. Caudill had served on the Kentucky Crime Commission and as the chairman of the Warren County
Regional Jail Corporation. He was past president of the
Warren County Justice Center Corporation and past
chairman of the Warren County Long Range Planning
Commission. He had been appointed to the Board of
Trustees at the University of Louisville and served as
president of the U of L Alumni Association in Warren
County. He was a past member of the Kentucky County
Attorney’s Association.
Nelson County District Judge Robert “Bob” Heaton
died July 16, 2012 at Flaget Memorial Hospital in Bardstown. He was 65.
Judge Heaton was elected Nelson District Court
judge in 1998. Before that, he had been an attorney in
private practice and served for 19 years as Bardstown’s
city attorney. He was president of the Kentucky District Judges Association and a member of the Judicial
Review Board. He was a graduate of St. Louis University
and the University of Kentucky Law School and was a
veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard.
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On the road
to safety
Candidates
Messages from Governor
for Kentucky
Program assi
sts
in saving lives counties
on roadways
alsO inside
:
Partnering with KACo
pays off for counties:
Workers Comp Fund declares
$2 million dividend
Leasing Trust gives back $1.8 million
Profile of a
Pres
John Wilsonident
KMCA – Cele
brating 60 years
Tornados: Devastation and loss in Kentucky counties
To advertise
call Michael Logan
at 859-231-1435
or email at mlogan@
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County LINE | 27
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LEXINGTON KY
PERMIT #605
...serving Kentucky’s counties
400 Englewood Drive
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
(800) 264-5226 FAX (502) 223-1502
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