Ending hunger in Kentucky - Kentucky Association of Counties

Official Publication of the Kentucky Association of Counties | Issue 5 2012
Ending
hunger in
Kentucky
Food banks, ag community
support relief efforts
in counties
KACo’s Safety & Loss Control:
Managing risks, protecting counties
and their employees
Legislative Committee offers points
toward resolving pension crisis
well-score
TM
Wellness made easy by Peel & Holland
800.599.8621 | [email protected] | www.peelholland.com
Beating Holiday Stress
While the holidays can make some merry and bright, others find
them unbearably stressful. Check out these stress-easing tips from
the pros to help make your holidays much more blissful!
Strategy: Cut Yourself Some Slack
Psychologist Alice Domar, author of Self-Nurture, and director of the
Mind/Body Center for Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School:
- Tip 1 - Shop so you don’t drop: take a personal day off work in
the first week of December. It’s amazing how much you can
accomplish! Take advantage of catalogs and websites so you can
finish shopping without leaving home.
- Tip 2 - Treat yourself: make time for regular exercise and a date, or some other relaxing activity.
- Tip 3 - Skip the nutcracker: don’t drag your family from event to event. Think quality, not quantity.
Strategy: Eat to Stave Off Tension and Hunger
Nutritional biochemist Judith Wurtman of MIT and author of Managing Your Mind & Mood Through Food:
- Tip 1 - Carbo-charge your body: choose carbs with low or no fat (such as pretzels) or a few Tootsie
Rolls or jelly beans if you need something sweet. Carbs can help the body feel calmer.
- Tip 2 - Eat mini-meals: the effects of stress-reducing foods last up to three hours. Try eating several
small meals or snacks instead of a couple of big ones, while carefully controlling your calorie intake.
- Tip 3 - Zero in on stress points and fix them: plan ahead, rely on your family to help you with things
you need to do, and give yourself 10 guilt-free minutes of time-out to relax each day.
Strategy: Put What’s Stressing You in Perspective
Robert Sapolsky, professor of biological sciences and neurology at Stanford University and author of Why
Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: An Updated Guide to Stress, Stress-Related Disease and Coping:
- Tip 1 - Ratchet down stress by lowering expectations: expect some irritations and imperfections,
then relax and have a good time in spite of them.
- Tip 2 - Don’t go it alone: get proactive by connecting with family and friends.
- Tip 3 - Remember the reason for the season: take time to reaffirm what the season really means to
you, whether that is family, community, or religion.
All information from WebMd and the Wellsource Online Wellness Center Library.
Ending
hunger in
Kentucky
Food banks, ag community
support relief efforts
in counties
Issue 5 | 2012
Line
5
Message from Executive
Director/CEO Denny Nunnelley
7
Legislative Committee addresses
pension crisis
10
14
Ending hunger in Kentucky
Safety Loss & Control
Managing risks, protecting counties
and their employees
19
Rowan, Calloway sheriffs’ departments
receive prestigious certification
22
Emergency Management
presents awards
26
Up & Coming Events
on the Cover: A
youngster loaded her arms with
fresh produce at the Mason County Food Pantry.
Photo provided by Feeding America
...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
To advertise contact Mike Logan at (859) 231-3538 or [email protected]
County LINE | 3
Too Much haT, NoT ENough cowboy?
a
fter enjoying steady growth of our
business in Kentucky, we’re ready to
fill that hat for you. Southern Health
Partners has been providing comprehensive
health services to Kentucky County Jails
for more than 10 years.
By joining them, you’ll take advantage of our:
• Top quality, experienced health professionals
• Low-cost pricing policy
• Can-do attitude that won’t leave you feeling
half empty.
wE gET iT doNE.
Call now, find out for yourself.
1-888-231-2890
We can help you.
Scan this code with your
smartphone, or visit:
www.southernhealthpartners.com
Message from the Executive Director/CEO
OFFICERS
G
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
Denny Nunnelley
reetings of the season! As Thanksgiving
approaches, we wish
to express our appreciation for your friendship and
goodwill during the past year. We
are grateful for your dedication to
Kentucky’s counties, and your association with KACo.
With the recent time change, there
seems to be less time to accomplish so much more! Calendars are
quickly filling up with end-of-the-year meetings, inclement weather
planning sessions, building dedications and yes, holiday get-togethers.
But, whatever you do, make sure you make plans to attend the
38th Annual KACo Conference & Exposition at the Galt House in
Louisville November 28-30.
Once again, the KACo staff has worked hard to plan an informative
and enjoyable conference for you. There is a lineup of excellent conference speakers and presenters who will provide vital information to
help you meet your responsibilities and challenges as county leaders.
Roundtable sessions are planned that will focus on helping counties
with FEMA recoveries; updates from the Department for Local Government; preparing for the next disaster declaration; and information
on rural and municipal aid.
Probably one of the most important presentations at this year’s conference is Thursday’s panel discussion on public pensions. Retirement
is a rallying point for state government and county officials, and promises to be a main concentration for the 2013 General Assembly. KACo
Legislative Chairman Tommy Turner, LaRue County judge/executive,
will participate on a panel with Sen. Damon Thayer and Rep. Mike
Cherry, Public Pensions Task Force co-chairmen, and Bill Thielen,
Kentucky Retirement System executive director. Your attendance at
this discussion is essential to help you understand the pension issue
and be better prepared to voice your opinions through your affiliate
associations before and during the upcoming legislative session.
But it’s not all work and no play at the KACo conference! Thursday
night’s banquet speaker, Clyde Ray Webber, will have you chuckling
as he uses humor to reflect on life. Mr. Webber has “been there, done
that” as a preacher, politician and public servant, serving as Clerk of
Court in Concordia Parish, Louisiana for more than 40 years. >>
Publisher: Denny Nunnelley
Editor: Cathy Hancock
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
Message from the Executive Director/CEO
Friday morning’s wrap-up session will have you saying
“WOW” as Rob Bell, Certified Speaking Professional,
energizes us all with his fun, upbeat and positive messages
about effective leadership, communication and service
strategies. Mr. Bell draws on 25 years of experience in
leadership roles and customer service, and his presentation promises to “fire us up” as he shares techniques we
need to meet and exceed goals and expectations.
And, once again, we will be drawing for a $1,000 cash
door prize to be given away during the wrap-up session.
Imagine the holiday shopping you can do with that! You
must be present to win!
You should have received conference information and
a registration form in your mailbox. Or you can register
online at www.kaco.org.
We are looking forward to seeing our old friends and
making new ones later this month. Have a safe trip and
we’ll see you in Louisville.
The KACo Board of Directors and staff join in saying
Thank You and wishing you a Happy Holiday and Joyous
New Year.
Your Colleague,
In recognition of service to KACo, CoLT
Former Trimble County Judge/Executive Randy Stevens, second from left, was recently honored for his service to
KACo and the KACo Leasing Trust (CoLT) program. Stevens, who served on the CoLT Board from 2007 to 2012, and the
KACo Board from 2005 to 2012, is the new executive director of the Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts.
From left are Grant Satterly, KACo Director of Financial Services; Stevens; KACo President and Garrard County
Judge/Executive John Wilson; CoLT Board Chairwoman and Shelby County Clerk Sue Carole Perry; and KACo Executive Director/CEO Denny Nunnelley.
6 | County LINE
Below is a copy of the letter sent to all KACo members,
affiliate executive directors, the Governor’s Office and all
General Assembly members. The next two pages are the
“Pension Facts” worksheet that was also included.
October 25, 2012
Dear Governor Beshear:
is the most important
Addressing the crisis in Kentucky's public employee retirement systems
pension issue will only
the
on
act
to
Failure
issue facing the 2013 session of the General Assembly.
to other CERS employout
g
reachin
are
staff
and
rs
make a very bad situation worse. KACo membe
on which to judge the
themes
nt
importa
as
value
we
what
er and employee groups to let them know
session.
2013
the
in
filed
be
might
that
on
legislati
recommendations and any pension
Director Denny NunnelAt the October meeting of the KACo Legislative Committee, Executive
Kentucky Retirement
the
ting
confron
crisis
ley made a special presentation outlining the funding
(KERS), the
System
ent
Retirem
ee
Employ
y
Kentuck
Systems (KRS). KRS is comprised of the
(SPRS).
System
ent
Retirem
Police
State
the
and
(CERS)
County Employee Retirement System
ously agreed upon four
After a thorough discussion of the issue, the Legislative Committee unanim
to resolve the pensolution
any
of
part
as
red
major points, which the members feel must be conside
sion crisis.
to current retirees and ac• Insist that the Commonwealth continue to honor the promises made
tive employees.
(including the consider• Urge the General Assembly to address the unfunded liability of KRS
is adequately funded at
plan
ation of a bond issue) and to statutorily recognize that a retirement
80%, with an ultimate goal of 100% full funding.
nce of CERS from KRS and
• Encourage the General Assembly to consider separating the governa
creating an independent CERS governing board.
pension crisis, before con• Urge the General Assembly to exhaust all possibilities to remedy the
hires.
new
of
benefits
ent
retirem
the
affect
sidering measures that would
governing board is
We have included a fact sheet for your review. It highlights why a separate
bond that will also stabilize
needed, as well as steps to pay the debt service on a pension obligation
when crafting a budget. It
ents
employer contribution rates. That is of great concern to local governm
give careful considerwill
you
hope
would give relief where it is needed with no cost to the state. We
again.
once
funded
ely
ation to these suggestions to help CERS to become adequat
related to the pension
KACo has spent an extensive amount of time researching the many issues
Pension Task Force,
Public
system predicament. We are steadfastly committed to working with the
to resolve this imlders
stakeho
members of the General Assembly, the Governor's office and other
minent crisis.
position on the pension
If you have any comments or questions, particularly as it relates to KACo's
systems, please do not hesitate to contact Denny at (502) 223-7667.
Sincerely,
Tommy Turner
LaRue County Judge/Executive
Chair, KACo Legislative Committee
County LINE | 7
Pension Facts
"The Unsustainable: Public Pension Systems
A primer and analysis of Kentucky's state-administered plans"
“State pension fund in worse shape despite reforms”
“Kentucky’s Pension Challenges:
“Government pensions | Rate of return doubted by some
Opportunities for Real Reform”
Troubled plans in Kentucky may earn less than expected”
There’s been an enormous amount of information reported on the troubles plaguing every state’s public pension fund over the last
year in particular. Here are the facts as reported by the Kentucky Retirement System Audit for FY2011. KACo proposes that a bond be
issued to reach an acceptable funding level for CERS. An explanation of where the bond payments will come from is included. We also
highlight some of the reasons for a separate CERS governing board.
Note the following acronyms:
KRS: Kentucky Retirement Systems. It oversees the state employees, county and city employees, State Police employees and all their
respective retirees’ benefits.
KERS: Kentucky Employees Retirement System.
CERS: County Employees Retirement System.
KSP: Kentucky State Police Retirement System, or “SPRS” in Pension speak.
KTRS: Kentucky Teachers Retirement System.
Cash Flow Issues
CERS
KSP
KERS
Retirement
System
Total
Took In $822 Million
Paid Out $881 Million
Took In $26 Million
Paid Out $59 Million
Took In $471 Million
Paid Out $1.086 Billion
Took In $1.318 Billion
Paid Out $2.028 Billion
Who Owes The $30 Billion Unfunded Liability
Why Establish A Separate CERS Governing Board?
•
A SEPARATE GOVERNING BOARD WOULD ENABLE
CERS TO MAKE INVESTMENT DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST
OF THOSE IN THE COUNTY SYSTEM.
•
A CERS BOARD WOULD BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE ACTUAL MEMBERS IN ITS SYSTEM. CURRENTLY, THE
KRS BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS ONLY 2 OF ITS 9 MEMBERS
REPRESENTING CERS. YET CERS MEMBERS COMPRISE 60% OF
TOTAL SYSTEM MEMBERSHIP.
CERS, $6.885
Billion
KTRS, $11.1
Billion
KSP, $664
Million
•
KRS REPORTS 27% OF FUNDS ARE INVESTED IN
LOWER-YIELDING SHORT-TERM BONDS. THIS IS DUE IN NO
SMALL PART TO THE URGENT NEED FOR LIQUIDITY IN ORDER
TO MEET MONTHLY BENEFIT PAYOUTS IN THE KERS SYSTEM.
THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR THESE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS?
5-7%.
KERS, $11.7
Billion
•
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT KENTUCKY CURRENTLY
HAS “TOO RICH” OF A PUBLIC RETIREMENT BENEFIT. CERS
NON-HAZARDOUS RETIREES HAVE AN AVERAGE MONTHLY PENSION BENEFIT OF $906.92. CERS HAZARDOUS
RETIREES AVERAGE $2,056.25 PER MONTH
WHO ARE THE CERS ACTIVE MEMBERS?
COUNTIES: 26%
CITIES: 9%
8 | County LINE
SCHOOLS: 51%
SPECIAL DISTRICTS: 5%
OTHER: 9%
Addressing The
CERS Unfunded
Liability
“Funding level” refers to the percentage of funding available to pay out all benefits owed to both active and retired members. As
of June 30, 2011, CERS could pay 58% of the benefits due, KERS could pay 30%. IF as part of retirement legislation, the General
Assembly were to include language that denotes an 80% funding level is adequate, while still building toward 100% full funding,
CERS can reach 80% quickly with a pension obligation bond.
“How Will the Bond Be Paid?”
If an 80% funding level could be considered an adequately funded retirement system, the bond would work as follows:
$16.49 BILLION TOTAL CERS LIABILITIES X 80% FUNDING LEVEL =
-
$13.192 BILLION
$ 9.614 BILLION TOTAL ASSETS
$ 3.578 BILLION NET UNFUNDED LIABILITY
ISSUE A BOND FOR THE NET UNFUNDED LIABILITY AMOUNT OF $3.578 BILLION
-A 2.5% BOND RATE OVER 15 YEARS = $23.858 MILLION MONTHLY DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT DUE.
CERS NON-HAZARDOUS PAYROLL: $189.8 MILLION PER MONTH
CERS NON-HAZARDOUS EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION RATE IS 19.55%:
•
9.31% OF THAT CONTRIBUTION IS THE COST OF RETIREMENT (“normal cost” in Pension speak)
•
10.24% OF THAT CONTRIBUTION CURRENTLY ALLOTTED TO HELP PAY DOWN OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY - THIS 10.24%
(IN DOLLARS: $19,430,400) WOULD BE ALLOTTED MONTHLY TO HELP RETIRE THE BOND
CERS HAZARDOUS DUTY PAYROLL: $38.9 MILLION PER MONTH
CERS HAZARDOUS EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTION RATE IS 37.60%:
•
18.92% OF THAT CONTRIBUTION IS THE COST OF RETIREMENT (“normal cost” in Pension speak)
•
18.68% OF THAT CONTRIBUTION CURRENTLY ALLOTTED TO HELP PAY DOWN OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY –THIS 18.68%
(IN DOLLARS: $7,269,633) WOULD ALSO BE ALLOTTED MONTHLY TO HELP RETIRE THE BOND
$19,430,400
+ $ 7,269,633
CERS NON-HAZARDOUS MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION TO UNFUNDED LIABILITY
CERS HAZARDOUS MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION TO UNFUNDED LIABILITY
$26,700,033 AVAILABLE MONTHLY TO MAKE A $23.858 MILLION PER MONTH DEBT SERVICE PAYMENT.
AGAIN, THESE FIGURES ARE BASED ON THE RETIREMENT
SYSTEM’S AUDIT FOR FY2011 AND WILL BE ADJUSTED ONCE THE
RETIREMENT SYSTEM’S AUDIT FOR FY2012 IS RELEASED IN
DECEMBER.
For More Information
http://www.kaco.org/en/legislative-services/2013-regular-session-issues.aspx
http://www.kentucky.com/2011/11/18/1963357/state-pension-fund-in-worse-shape.html
http://www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/PCS_Assets/2012/Pew_Kentucky_Pension_Challenges.pdf
http://www.kentuckygazette.com/media/photos/Pensions%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Kentucky%20Gazette%200712.
pdf
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20121007/NEWS01/310070053/Government-pensions-Rate-return-doubtedby-some?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Home
http://www.milliman.com/expertise/employee-benefits/products-tools/public-pension-funding-study/index.php?utm_
source=milliman&utm_medium=web&utm_content=ppfs&utm_campaign=Employee-Benefits&utm_terms=product
County LINE | 9
Ending
hunger
in Kentucky
Food banks, ag
community support
relief efforts in counties
By Tamara Sandberg, Executive Director
Kentucky Association of Food Banks
O
ur Bluegrass state has been
blessed with abundant natural resources, a rich cultural and artistic
heritage, and some of the finest
people on the planet. So how can it be, then,
that over 750,000 Kentuckians don’t always
know where their next meal will come from?
How is it that one in four of our children and
one in six of our senior citizens lack consistent access to enough food necessary for a
healthy, active lifestyle? Or that 34 percent of
food bank clients report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities
or heating fuel?
Hunger in Kentucky is not simply an urban issue. It’s
not simply an Appalachian issue. Food insecurity, the of-
10 | County LINE
ficial name for hunger, exists in every county in Kentucky.
The county with the lowest rate, 11 percent, is Oldham.
The county with the highest rate of food insecurity is Magoffin, at 25.1 percent.
It goes against American values — against Kentucky
values — to let our most vulnerable neighbors go hungry. But there are other reasons why it’s in the Commonwealth’s best interest to be sure all its citizens have
enough food to eat. Hungry students can’t learn as well as
their peers with full bellies. Hungry workers have a tougher time doing their jobs effectively. Ignoring hunger now
will result in increased expenses for the Commonwealth
down the road. Food insecurity and poor nutrition reduce
health and educational outcomes, decrease workforce
productivity, and increase education and health care costs.
The seven members of the Kentucky Association of
Food Banks work to end hunger by soliciting, collecting,
storing and re-packaging food for distribution to struggling
individuals. Association members include the following:
• Dare to Care Food Bank.
• Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland.
• Freestore Foodbank.
• God’s Pantry Food Bank.
• Huntington Area Food Bank.
• Purchase Area Development District.
• Tri-State Food Bank.
The facts
about food
insecurity
are staggering:
• Demand for emergency food assistance in
Kentucky has increased 84 percent since
2006.
• Over 750,000 Kentuckians do not always
know where their next meal will come from.
• 29 percent of households served in Kentucky
had to choose between paying for food and
paying for medicine or medical care.
• 34 percent of households served in Kentucky
had to choose between paying for food and
paying for utilities or heating fuel.
• 1 in 4 of Kentucky’s children lack consistent
access to an adequate diet.
• Kentucky food banks reach 1 in 7 Kentuckians each year.
In partnership with a network of more than 1,000 local
charitable feeding agencies such as pantries, soup kitchens and shelters, our members distributed 52.6 million
pounds of food and grocery products last year. This is the
equivalent of 40 million meals. We feed an estimated one
in seven Kentuckians in all 120 counties each year.
The food distributed by our members comes from a
number of sources, both private and public:
TOP Graves County producer Jerry Barber washed sweet potatoes before delivery to Purchase Area Development District.
MIDDLE Farms to Food Banks produce was distributed at Flemingsburg Baptist Church in Fleming County.
ABOVE State Sen. Paul Hornback, left, and Shelbyville Mayor
Tom Hardesty helped with distribution at the Multi-Purpose
Community Action Agency in Shelby County.
• Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization.
• Purchases made with private donations and with
grants from foundations and state agencies.
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity
Supplemental Food Program and Emergency Food
Assistance Program (TEFAP).
• Local processors, manufacturers and retailers.
• National food industry donors.
• Farmers.
County LINE | 11
While we are grateful for all sources of food for distribution, the healthy and nutritious foods provided through
TEFAP are the backbone of the charitable food system.
TEFAP provides a third of all the food that flows through
our food bank network. It seems that currently a popular
sentiment is to push for getting “the government” out
of hunger relief efforts and believing we can rely on the
nonprofit and religious sectors to take care of it. But Kentucky’s food banks and our network partners could not
provide even the current levels of food assistance without
support from TEFAP, nor could we meet added demand
if the funding levels and structure of the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp
Program) and other federal nutrition programs are eroded,
as has been proposed by Congress.
This is cause for concern, as demand for emergency
food provided by food banks has been skyrocketing. The
number of people served by our food banks has increased
84 percent since 2006. Not only will our food banks be
12 | County LINE
unable to meet the increased demand for food assistance
if the proposed cuts to federal nutrition programs go
through, we will have to reduce current levels of support
for existing clients.
Ag community pitches in
Thankfully, Kentucky has its own resources to draw
upon in the fight against hunger. Kentucky’s farmers, growers, and producers have long been some of the most important partners in the fight against hunger. In recognition of
this, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture James Comer
proclaimed September 2012 Farmers and Food Banks
Fighting Hunger Month. Two of our most important partnerships with Kentucky’s agricultural community include:
• The Farms to Food Banks program, through which we
purchase surplus and No. 2 grade produce at cost and
distribute it through the food bank network. Farmers
are provided with a market for products that would
It goes against American values — against Kentucky values —
to let our most vulnerable neighbors go hungry.
otherwise go unsold, helping them recoup loses.
The amount of wasted food in Kentucky is reduced,
and access to fresh, healthy food for disadvantaged
Kentuckians is increased. Funding for Farms to Food
Banks has come primarily from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, the Walmart Foundation,
and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant program.
• Beef Counts KY, a program established and endorsed
by the Kentucky Beef Council, through which cattle
ranchers and stockyards work to provide a consistent
supply of nutrient-rich beef for people facing hunger
in Kentucky. Participating farmers have the option
of donating cash or donating proceeds from the sale
of beef animals to the Beef Counts KY program.
Fourteen livestock markets across the state are participating by forwarding proceeds from donated beef
animals to the program. All donations are used by
members of the Kentucky Association of Food Banks
to supply nutritious beef to struggling Kentuckians.
Commissioner Comer noted, “The contributions Farms
to Food Banks and Beef Counts KY provide are beyond
value to so many Kentuckians. These organizations bring
healthy food to the tables of less fortunate families. They
also supply much-needed, well-paying, service-level jobs
and additional markets for Kentucky’s farmers to sell quality products. Perhaps most important, they encourage a
spirit of charity, helping struggling families in a unique yet
practical manner.”
According to Clay Black, Commodities and Food Bank
Coordinator for the Purchase Area Development District,
“Programs like Farms to Food Banks and Beef Counts KY
are needed now more than ever to help ease the financial
burden placed upon our pantries by federal cutbacks. They
have budgets that were already stretched thin and with the
numbers they serve growing every day, it’s getting harder
and harder to meet the demand for emergency food assistance.”
General Assembly’s role
In many other states, the General Assembly helps fund
such programs. We were hoping 2012 would be the year
that Kentucky joined the ranks of 38 other states that
provide support from the General Fund for food banks.
Language regarding $300,000/fiscal year was included
in the state budget bill that passed last spring. However,
because the General Assembly did not appropriate additional funds to finance it, it was one of the provisions of
the state budget vetoed by Gov. Steve Beshear. Though we
are disappointed with the final outcome, we are grateful
to Sen. Paul Hornback, Sen. Joey Pendleton, Rep. Royce
Adams, Rep. Tom McKee, former Rep. Fred Nesler, Rep.
Wilson Stone and Rep. Tommy Turner for their leadership
and hard work on our behalf. They prove that hunger is not
a partisan issue.
One bright spot for hunger relief from the 2012 General
Assembly was House Bill 419, which passed unanimously
in the House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Beshear in April 2012. It will allow taxpayers to
make voluntary contributions to the Farms to Food Banks
Trust Fund starting in the 2013 tax season. The bill was
sponsored by former Representative Fred Nesler and cosponsored by Reps. Adams, Jeff Greer, McKee, Turner and
Susan Westrom. We are thrilled to have this opportunity
to increase the amount of private funds supporting hunger
relief efforts in Kentucky.
Another positive development for hunger relief from
the 2012 session was the passage of House Resolution 208,
which urges Kentucky’s jailers to utilize appropriate prison
labor for community service-related projects. The Hardin
County Detention Center in Elizabethtown provides such
labor to Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland. According to the food bank’s Executive Director Don Fulford,
“The inmates are the helping hands that support the processing and shipping of more than 10,000,000 pounds of
food annually. In particular, they help with set-up and prep
work for our BackPack program, which provides more
than 24,000 bags of food monthly to the underprivileged
children of western Kentucky. The inmates are a consistent
resource that supports our mission while they gain the experience needed to find jobs after their incarceration.”
All of us have a part to play in ending hunger in Kentucky: private citizens, corporations, foundations, nonprofits, the faith community, and all branches of the government including federal, state and local. Now that the holidays are upon us, it’s a perfect time for remembering those
who are less fortunate and joining the fight against hunger.
Tens of thousands of Kentucky’s families will turn to
food banks to help put holiday food on the table. Monetary
contributions benefit food banks the most. We can leverage
donations to maximum effect by using our buying power to
purchase in bulk the items that are most needed. In other
words, a donation of $1 can be multiplied into much more
food than a donated can of food worth $1.
Volunteering at your local food pantry is another great
way to get involved, and it is truly wonderful how many of
Kentucky’s elected officials are already volunteering. Visit
www.kafb.org to learn more about how you can help end
hunger in Kentucky. n
County LINE | 13
KACo Risk Management
Safety &
Loss Control
Managing risks,
protecting counties and
their employees
S
afety is no accident – and it costs less!
Preventing accidents and injuries is
more efficient and cost effective than
reacting to them.
According to the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, risk management is defined as:
“The process of making and implementing decisions that
will minimize the adverse effects of accidental losses to an
organization.” That boils down to: “If you have an exposure
to risk, it needs to be managed.”
We would all love to have zero claims, zero loss exposures and zero liability, but that is not a reality. There are too
many inherent risks in county government, transits, community action agencies, health departments and other political
subsidiaries. That’s why KACo’s insurance programs exist:
for you to transfer the risk for a premium. A sound risk
management program, which is a system for planning, organizing, leading and controlling the resources and activities
that an organization needs to protect itself from the adverse
effects of accidental losses, is good business for both the
member insured and KACo.
The purpose of model safety and risk management goals
are to send employees home safe; minimize liability; and
make your organization more defensible in regards to litigation. The by-product of managing risks is tenfold: improved
employee morale, increased production, lower premiums
over time, and potential safety and loss control discounts,
financial savings, etc.
KACo is proud to offer numerous safety and loss control
services as part of our insurance programs to improve your
risk management performance. The KACo Safety & Loss
Control Team is committed to assisting all members of the
KACo All Lines Fund (KALF) and the KACo Workers
14 | County LINE
Compensation Fund in partnering efforts to identify, address and correct adverse loss exposures to personal injuries, liability exposures and property losses.
The knowledge and expertise necessary to identify
and control risks are not normally a component of county
government’s (or political subdivision of a county government’s) core ability. KACo, KALF and the KACo Workers
Compensation Fund provide a reliable and efficient alternative to in-house resources for safety and loss control management. The services offered through the Safety & Loss
Control program were developed to make communities
safer, and save counties money by limiting losses and lowering premium dollars.
These services include, but are not limited to: Loss Exposure Surveys (LES); Defensive Driving Courses including
the KLEC credit approved Defensive Driving and Pursuit
Decision Making seminar for law enforcement; Fleet Safety
Programs; Safety and Health Programs; Firearms Simulator
(MILO); My Community Workplace (on-line employment
practices training); Draft Administrative Code (including
a personnel section); Certified Drug-Free Workplace; Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR); and sample Policies
and Procedures for Law Enforcement & Corrections. Also,
other resources can be provided based on individual loss
exposures such as safety and health training, safety committee kick-offs, and loss history analysis to identify trends, and
loss frequency and severity.
KACo’s Safety & Loss Control loss exposure survey
(LES) will aid in the risk management process to identify
and measure loss exposures and hazards in every facet of operations including facilities/property inspections to address
fire, electrical, security, employee and public safety and other areas of liability such as slip, trip and fall hazards. Recommendations will be provided, in a prioritized list, which will
address deficiencies through industry-wide risk management
best practices. Analyzing loss exposures and claim history to
measure your exposures is one of the first stages in the risk
management process. History has shown that “If you can’t
measure it, you can’t manage it”!
An example of a deficiency may be the lack of a written
fleet safety program that addresses vehicle safety and overthe-road hazards. The recommendation would be to devel-
Garrard County Courthouse ABOVE Curbs were painted yellow and “high
visibility” sleeves installed at the entrance to the sally port at the Daviess County Judicial Center. The “high visibility” sleeves cover a protective bolster that is
planted by vehicle entry ways to avoid damage to the garage door facing. RIGHT
op and implement a written program that includes: safety
policy statement, condition of vehicle use policy, inspection
and maintenance policy, and driver training, awareness and
accountability program.
Another common area in need of improvement is fire
protection regarding portable extinguishers. This includes
placement, identification, extinguisher type, monthly inspections and employee training. We provide a recommendation that meets Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA) standards. The KACo LES also addresses the
development and implementation of emergency evacuation
plans. This includes posting of evacuation routes as well as
training for employees to react properly in the event of an
emergency situation.
KACo’s Safety & Loss Control representatives can provide you with sample programs and other resources that
can be tailored to meet your risks, needs and operations.
Safety Committees
Organizations that create safety committees often have
better accident records, lower operating costs, fewer lost
workdays and lower workers’ comp claims:
Safety committees can perform a number of essential
functions:
• Accident investigation
• Safety inspections and audits
• Hazard identification, including job hazard analysis
• Reporting safety problems to management and recommending corrective action
• Communicating safety and health policies to employees
• Assisting in safety training and selecting training materials
• Helping to develop and manage safety incentive programs and suggestion systems
• Serving as role models for safe attitudes and practices.
Garrard County is one of our member insureds that
have shown a noticeable commitment to their loss control
and risk management efforts. This commitment includes
the creation of a functioning Safety Committee, conducting
a KACo loss exposure survey, reviewing employees Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) and participating in defensive
driving training. KACo Risk Manager Shawn Weir noted,
“We recognize the safety culture set in Garrard County as
successful in identifying exposures to loss, treating that exposure to the best of their ability and realizing positive improvements. These positives are set to achieve reductions in
employee injury or loss of life, better management of liability incidents and controlling exposures to property damage.
All of these changes toward implementing safety and loss
control elements factor in positively to the savings available
to Garrard County.”
Garrard County Judge/Executive John Wilson explained
that the Safety Committee was originally set up in the county road department.
“We wanted to show some structure to our employees
indicating that we, as an organization, want a safe workplace
for our employees. By building a safety conscious environment, they will know that it is important to us for them to
avoid injury or accidents,” said the Garrard County judge/
executive.
Wilson is optimistic that the Garrard County community
members will recognize that the foundation of the increase
in safety awareness is to “provide a safe employment for our
community and, hopefully, reduced accident and claim activity for Garrard County.”
KACo’s Safety and Loss Control representatives can
assist our insured members in the development and successful launch of a safety committee. Having the right tools
and discipline to establish a safety committee will assist the
members in addressing their losses and applying corrective
action. Often the committee itself participates in selecting
its key activities. A primary function of any safety committee is to review and assess loss history in an effort to provide
corrective measures for the future where possible.
The ultimate goal of the committee is a safe, healthy
work environment. And, although, the overall goals of all
safety committees are accident and cost reduction, there
are frequently such desirable side effects as increased job
satisfaction and morale, and decreased absenteeism and
grievances.
County LINE | 15
Loss Exposure Survey
Loss exposure surveys identify loss exposures and hazards in every facet of operations in counties. Departments
reviewed can include the road department, sheriff’s office, jail,
animal shelter, sanitation landfill, emergency management and
EMS, fire, pools, parks and recreation, and water distribution.
Loss Control Surveys are conducted to allow:
• An on-site review of the operational and physical plant
of the member insured’s exposure to risk.
• A roster outlining the risk identification, along with recommendations to reduce the exposure to loss.
After KACo Loss Control Specialist Corey McIlvoy conducted a loss exposure survey in Hart County, Judge/Executive Terry
Martin and the Hart County Fiscal Court went one step further
by requesting that a “friendly audit” be completed by OSHA.
“Hart County went beyond KACos’ LES to better facilitate
county funds and employee efforts to address loss exposures
and make improvements,” said Weir. “They took a proactive
approach first by allowing KACo to conduct the LES, and then
added to this by requesting OSHA to conduct their audit as
well. Both of these were to reduce potential accidents and onthe-job injuries in an effort to reduce insurance claims,” said
Weir. Addressing exposures prior to a claim is an effective strategy and are a fundamental component in preventing losses.”
These two audits (KACo LES and OSHA Audit) “opened
our eyes to safety,” said Hart County 911 Manager Brian
Weber. “Potential risks were identified, and we got to work
correcting them.” Weber noted that Hart County Road Department got to work cleaning, installing fireproof cabinets and
TOP ROW shows photos of the Hart County Road Department
garage before its extensive cleaning and reorganization.
BOTTOM ROW shows “after” photos as workers hang electrical
receptacles and a metal grating is fitted over an open pit.
BEFORE
electrical receptacles, putting up proper signage and emergency
lights, laying a grate over an open pit and thoroughly reorganizing the county garage. The county made sure that there were
adequate harnesses, hard hats, safety goggles and reflective
vests (Personal Protective Equipment or PPE) for workers.
Preventative measures sometimes are viewed as costly expenses, Weir pointed out. But the cost of safety improvements
is actually an investment disguised as an expense, he said.
Hart County invested about $30,000 into the recent safety
and loss control efforts – and the investment could prove
priceless in comparison to not only the insured cost, but also
the in-direct loss in productivity, replacement of an injured
worker, legal issues, medical expenses, wages, equipment and
worker’s compensation premiums, according to Weir. These
are known as in-direct loss costs.
Avoiding the cost of an accident can have hidden, but
significant, savings. Loss avoidance can reduce or eliminate
not only the direct cost of a loss, but also the in-direct cost of
losses, which oftentimes are much more expensive to member
insureds than the direct loss cost. In most instances, in-direct
costs are not recoverable in an insurance claim. A conservative estimate is that for every $1 of direct accident costs, there
is $3 of indirect costs, and some studies indicate the hidden
costs can be 4 to 10 times the insured costs”.
“We appreciate the cooperation of the fiscal court and the
hard work of county employees,” said KACo field representative McIlvoy. “Partnering in this undertaking reflects positively on our member insured and is rewarding to the KACo
Safety and Loss Control Team to see these promising results!”
The pictures included in this article are from the Hart
County Road Barn. These show the condition of the road
barn prior to the KACo LES and the much improved location after the KACo recommendations were implemented.
In the broader scope of things, employee morale and job
satisfaction may also be seeing an improvement as a result of
the working condition changes that were implemented in the
name of safety and loss control.
BEFORE
BEFORE
LEFT Daviess County officials instrumental in promoting safety awareness include, from left, Joe Paul Bicker, Jenny Hardesty and Judge/
Executive Al Mattingly. ABOVE Hart County Fiscal Court listened to a
report on its successful safety and loss control efforts.
Safety = Savings
Has your county developed a culture of safety? Are there
opportunities for improvement that could lower risk, possibly
save lives and save money on your county’s insurance?
Some 26 KACo member insured’s receive a Safety and
Loss Control discount credit (a sum total in excess of $400,000
for the 2012-2013 policy year) based on their involvement in
meeting safety and loss control recommendations made by
the KACo Risk Manager and Safety & Loss Control representatives. A shining example is Daviess County Fiscal Court, which
encouraged its staff and employees to be more aware of safety
and possible risks within their work environment.
“This fiscal court brought safety to a new, higher level,”
explained Daviess County Judge/Executive Al Mattingly.
“Safety is a big deal around here.”
Daviess County Fiscal Court has created a safety committee, which meets quarterly, and is comprised of department
heads and County Commissioner George Wathen, according
to Mattingly. This committee investigates what caused incidents, as well as “near misses.” (A near miss is an incident that
almost had the potential to cause injury or damage to people,
environment or machinery.)
“A lot of time we implement policies based on near-misses,” the Judge/Executive noted.
There is also an Employee Council, which also meets once
a quarter, and will go over accident reports, Mattingly added.
Commissioner Jim Lambert sits on that council.
Mattingly gives much of the credit to Joe Paul Bicker,
buildings and grounds supervisor, and Jenny Hardesty, Human Resources generalist.
“I have total confidence in Joe Paul. He is top notch in
what he does,” said Mattingly. Bicker keeps a log book for
every building, noting when maintenance is performed, when
an elevator is serviced, contractors and other operational information.
“It helps to have a Judge/Executive who understands what
goes on out in the field,” said Bicker. Prior to entering public
service, Mattingly worked for many years in the private sector
as a plumbing/heating/cooling contractor.
When KACo Safety & Loss Control specialist Jeff
Thompson conducted the loss exposure survey in Daviess
County, he said that Bicker was “right there behind me,
ready to make the corrections.”
Although there were no major problems, Bicker said it
was good to have “new eyes” like Thompson checking out
facilities, equipment and personnel.
Hardesty stressed that a “safe work environment makes
a better worker.” She was instrumental in finding the
“tools” available to “incorporate safety into everything,”
said Mattingly.
Hardesty arranged to have local fire fighters teach CPR
to employees and the Kentucky Transportation Center
(KTC) provided special topic workshops and a series of
training courses, including proper road flagging techniques
for road workers. She also secured videos from the KTC to
share with county government departments, and arranged
health fairs for the 205 full-time Daviess County employees.
Hardesty scheduled KACo to teach a defensive driving
class and uses the online My Community Workplace program. This on-line employment practices training is provided at no cost to KACo member insureds. My Community
Workplace addresses the prevention of workplace sexual
harassment and discrimination as well as wrongful termination, ethical behavior and child safe environments. This is
an interactive, self-administered loss control tool provided
and supported by KALF re-insurance carrier, Munich Reinsurance America, Inc.
In addition, Hardesty said that Judge Mattingly is “very
hands on.” The county official said he tries to visit every job
foreman once a week.
“Quality, skilled labor is hard to come by,” said Mattingly. He explained that keeping workers safe allows them to
do their jobs and perform county services for the taxpayers.
“In the long run, it makes the taxpayers happy and county
money goes to the services,” not paying for production lost
by replacing workers, legal issues or higher insurance costs.
The Risk Management and Safety & Loss Control Team
is very pleased with the results we are seeing with many of
our member insureds with respect to recognizing the need
and benefits of the application of the various components of
a sound risk management program. We are hopeful as more
members take advantage of this valuable resource, they too
will realize the effectiveness of the KACo risk management
and loss control benefits. n
County LINE | 17
KACo Risk Management Department
Loss Control Region #1
Loss Control Region #2
Jeff Thompson
Corey McIlvoy
Cell: 270-493-2711
Cell: 502-489-4887
Fax: 502-234-5049
Fax: 502-234-5045
E-mail: [email protected]: [email protected]
Purchase ADD
N. KY ADD
Pennyrile ADD
KIPDA
Green River ADD
Barren River ADD
Lincoln Trail ADD
Loss Control Region #3
Loss Control Region #4
Dwayne Litton
Steve Clary
Cell: 859-948-1706
Cell: 502-229-0991
Fax: 502-234-5043
Fax: 502-234-5047
E-mail: [email protected]: [email protected]
Bluegrass ADD
Buffalo Trace ADD
Lake Cumberland ADD
FIVCO ADD
Cumberland Valley ADD
Big Sandy ADD
Gateway ADD
Kentucky River ADD
18 | County LINE
No Sheriff Stands Alone
Rowan, Calloway
sheriffs’ departments receive
prestigious certification
T
wo Kentucky sheriff’s departments join the ranks of agencies to receive accreditation from the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police (KACP). The
Rowan Country Sheriff’s Department recently became the eighth agency
and the Calloway County Sheriff’s Department became the ninth in the state
to receive this prestigious certification.
This was the first time for both departments. The awards were given to the agencies at the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police (KACP) conference in Bowling Green.
Rowan County Chief Deputy Joe Cline said it had been a three-year process getting to this stage. “The
department truly worked as a team to obtain this accomplishment. It speaks volumes for their commitment
to the department.”
The KACP accreditation is a rigorous and thorough evaluation of the entire agency. Law enforcement
agencies that receive the accreditation demonstrate that they meet best practices, conform to high risk and
high liability standards for effective operations and demonstrate a high degree of integrity.
“The KACP is a nationally recognized program,” said Mike Bischoff, executive director of the KACP. “We
have assisted with implementation of our model in many other states including Texas, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Alaska.”
The accreditation saves the taxpayers 5 percent a year. “The county receives a 5 percent discount on law
enforcement insurance with this accreditation,” Cline said. “That is a $1,332.50 savings per year for the next
five years.”
Calloway County Sheriff Bill Marcum said the process is based largely on guidelines set by the KACP,
which also works with the Kentucky Association of Counties and the Kentucky League of Cities to issue the
accreditations.
Some of the many factors that go into accreditation are training and evidence collection. Marcum said the
KACP wants to make sure all evidence and law enforcement records are properly stored and secured. There
are also standards for how guns and narcotics are stored, he said.
Marcum said achieving accreditation for the agency had been a goal since he was elected sheriff in 2006.
The accreditation process takes place every five years. Sheriffs’ departments are required to maintain the
standards during that period, and then go through the same rigorous review for reaccreditation.
Bischoff listed the following sheriff’s offices which have received KACP accreditation:
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office: 3rd five-year certification
Boone County Sheriff’s Office: 2nd five-year certification
Kenton County Sheriff’s Office: 2nd five-year certification
Pendleton County Sheriff’s Office: 1st five-year certification
Oldham County Sheriff’s Office: 1st five-year certification
Menifee County Sheriff’s Office: 1st five-year certification
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office: 1st five-year certification
Rowan County Sheriff’s Office: 1st five-year certification
Calloway County Sheriff’s Office: 1st five-year certification
County LINE | 19
No Sheriff Stands Alone
2012 Kentucky Sheriffs’
Association Award Recipients
Sheriffs of the Year – Carroll County Sheriff Jamie Kinman and Muhlenberg County Sheriff Curtis McGehee
Deputy Sheriffs of the Year – Ohio County Deputy Brandon S. Boone and Menifee County Deputy James Botts
Medal of Honor recipients – Muhlenberg County Sheriff Curtis McGehee and Deputies Troy Gibson and Terry
Vick; and Boone County Deputy Greg Tanner
Medal of Valor – Lawrence County Deputy Mark T. Wheeler
Medal for Life Saving Award – Daviess County Deputies Duane Harper and John King
Civilian Support Award – Anderson County Attorney Bobbie Jo Lewis
KACP Law Enforcement
Accreditation Program
By Michael Bischoff
Executive Director, KACP
M
any of the phone calls I receive can be broken down into two categories:
What is Accreditation; and What are the Benefits?
Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven way of helping institutions evaluate and
improve their overall performance. The cornerstone of this strategy lies in the promulgation of
standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating administrators then conduct a
thorough analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of independent professionals is assigned to verify that all applicable standards have
been successfully implemented. The process culminates with a decision by an authoritative body that the institution is worthy of accreditation.
The Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Accreditation Program is one of the most
valuable and cost effective ways presently available to departments that wish to enhance overall agency effectiveness and professionalism. Accredited departments benefit from the use of consistent and proven procedures,
clearly outlined policies, and efficient practices. In addition, accreditation serves to create a feeling of confidence
among your residents that their police/sheriff department recognizes the importance of establishing and maintaining as high a degree of effectiveness and professionalism as possible.
Accreditation:
n Provides a means of independent evaluation of agency operations.
n Provides a basis to correct deficiencies in the agency’s operations before they become public problems.
n Requires that agencies commit policies and procedures to writing.
n Provides a norm for an agency to judge its performance.
n Has the potential to reduce liability insurance costs.
n Promotes accountability among agency personnel and the evenhanded application of policies. >>
20 | county LINE
n Enhances the reputation of the agency,
thereby helping to attract the most qualified
candidates for employment.
n Minimizes an agency’s exposure to liability,
reducing vicarious liability suits.
n Builds a stronger defense against lawsuits
and citizen complaints.
n Increases the community’s confidence in its
police/sheriff department.
n Recognizes agencies for meeting standards
of excellence.
Questions should be directed to Bischoff at
(859) 781-1099 or email to [email protected].
Picture taken in Ohio County, KY
Sales Rep
B.D. Wilson
859-585-3686
County sheriffs
train at annual
conference
Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton, right,
demonstrates how a hand-held heat sensor can
be used by law enforcement to detect possible
body heat. County sheriffs attended training sessions and other events at the 83rd Annual Kentucky Sheriffs’ Association Annual Conference
Sept. 17-21 in Louisville.
Marty Hon
812-797-5117
Dave Anderson
812-797-1299
Greg Emmons
812-797-8377
Shop Number
812-277-8343
- Durable
- Skid Resistant
- Maintenance Free
This new weathering steel
beam uses a metal grid deck
with A-588 weathering steel
which requires no painting.
In many cases, these
materials will lighten the
dead load and permit higher
load limits of existing truss
and bridges.
- Quick & Easy to Install
- Economical
Pre Engineered and Manufactured by
county LINE | 21
Emergency
Management
Association
presents
awards
Proven Performance with
Kenwood Public Safety Radios.
Available on Kentucky State
Contract Pricing.
Call Today.
Advanced Radio Technology
an HEC Electronics Company
6170 Interstate Circle, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
OH (513) 489-5575 / KY (502) 867-0521
FAX (513) 489-2760 • www.aradiotech.com
T
he Kentucky Emergency Management Association at is annual conference recognized several individuals
and teams for emergency response
and commitment to community. Awards were
presented and remarks were made by KEMA
President and Pike County Director of Emergency Management Doug Tackett:
sO i t On
n uc y a
Of he K
bli a i n
Of i al P
O f c a Pu
l cat On
011
s | s ue 4
f c un i
f i i l P b i a On O th Ke t cK as O i t On
f i i l P bl at On
s | ss e
O i t On O cO nt
f t e K ntuc y as
f c u t es
i s e6
f i i l ub i a On
O the
2
f he K n
uc y a s
c a i n Of
cOu t es
ss e 2 20
2
0 1
ent cKy s Oc t
On
f cO
On the road
to safety
Program assis
ts counties
in saving lives
on oadways
Me
alsO ns de:
Profile of a P
KMCA – Ce
John Wils
ebra ing 60
years
of excel ence
Partn ring wi h KACo
pays off for coun ies
s
Wo k rs C mp Fu d de lar
$2 m l on i de d
1 8 m l on
L as g T ust ves back
Tornados Devas ation and
oss n Ken u ky coun ies
To advertise call Michael Logan at 859-231-1435 or
email at [email protected]
22 | county LINE
County Judge/Executive of the Year was presented to
Morgan County Judge/Executive Tim Conley for “putting
his personal needs aside and exemplifying the term ‘public
servant’ to lead his community into recovery. Earlier this
year, Morgan County experienced devastation as two tornados, about 48 hours apart, ripped through the heart of the
community, taking six lives and destroying numerous properties. The Judge’s passion and love for the community set
the tone early for a recovery that will take years.”
Emergency Manager of the Year was Hayden Johnson
of Marion County whose “drive to go above and beyond
has made a positive impact in the community and across the
state.”
This year’s Catalyst Award was given to Pendleton County Emergency Management, which includes Judge/Executive
Henry Bertram, 911 Director Mike Moore and IT Director Michele Hamilton. “The individuals from Pendleton
County are both innovative and enthusiastic about making
improvements to the field of emergency management.”
Most Improved Program award was presented to Don
Gilliam in Lincoln County.
A Special Award was given to Charlie O’Neal, assistant
director at the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management and former Anderson County EM Director. “This
individual has sacrificed countless personal hours for the
betterment of our communities and this state….”
Inducted into the Emergency Management Hall of
Fame were: Charlie Frazee, Shelby County; Larry Dixon,
Morehead/Rowan County; and Lennie Shepperson, Boyle
County. n
‘Nationwide:
A most trusted company
for privacy’
N
ationwide didn’t say that. The
Ponemon Institute said that
about Nationwide.
The Ponemon Institute is an organization dedicated to advancing responsible information
and privacy management practices in business and
government.
The Institute regularly conducts surveys about consumer concerns about data privacy and security. For
the fifth time in the past seven years, Nationwide has
been named by Ponemon as one of most Trusted Companies for Privacy.
Citing its survey’s findings this year, Ponemon says:1
• Consumers feel they are losing control of personal information.
• Identity theft is top of mind.
• Privacy “features” contributed to consumer trust.
One of the reasons the National Association of
Counties selected Nationwide as provider of the
NACo Deferred Compensation Plan is because of the
importance county employees place on their ability
to trust the people they work with when planning and
investing for retirement. Nationwide is part of the
TRUSTe Privacy Program, a program designed ensure
that the privacy of personal information is protected
by its members. 2
From encryption software and firewalls, to passwords and safety certification, to ongoing training in
PC security and identity theft prevention, Nationwide’s On Your Side® commitment to privacy extends
well beyond the e-world. So when county employees
are managing their retirement accounts, county employers can be sure there are people on your side
working to protect their identity and data.
No one is immune to threats to their privacy. Not
even us. But you can rest assured that Nationwide puts
security first. For you. For your plan. For your participants. Read more about Nationwide’s Privacy Policy
at www.nationwide.com/other/privacy.jsp.
For additional information about the NACo Deferred Compensation Program, please contact Lisa
Cole with the NACo by email at [email protected] or
phone at 202-942-4270 or contact Louie Watson with
Nationwide by e-mail at [email protected]
or phone at 614-854-8895. n
Visit the Nationwide booth at KACo’s 38th Annual Conference
Sources:
1. “Ponemon Survey Names Twenty Most Trusted Companies for Privacy”, Media Release, February 26, 2010.
2. “Nationwide Insurance named a top company for privacy”, Media Release, March 4, 2010.
NRM-4940AO-NX.1 (03/2011)
©2011, Nationwide Retirement Solutions. Nationwide, the Nationwide Framemark and On Your Side are service marks of
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
Nationwide Retirement Solutions (Nationwide) makes payments to the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the NACo
Financial Services Center Partnership (FSC) for services and endorsements that NACo provides for all its members generally
related to Nationwide’s products and services sold exclusively in public sector retirement markets. More detail about these
payments is available at www.nrsforu.com.
county LINE | 23
Officials unveil National Trail of Tears
sign in Hickman County
Over the past three years, local officials, Mississippi River Parkway Commission representatives and Purchase Area ADD staff
have worked to have Columbus-Belmont State Park in Hickman County designated as a National Park Service certified site
on the Benge Route of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. This effort culminated with Kentucky Tourism, Arts & Heritage
Secretary Marcheta Sparrow, along with Native American representatives, unveiling a National Trail of Tears Benge Route sign
at Columbus Belmont State Park. From left are Elaine Wilson of Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet; Carlisle County Judge/
Executive Greg Terry; Alice Murphree of the Kentucky Chapter of Trail of Tears; Tourism, Arts & Heritage Cabinet Secretary
Marcheta Sparrow; Hickman County Judge/Executive Greg Pruitt; Fulton County Judge/Executive David Gallagher; Ballard
County Judge/Executive Vicki Vin­iard; Norma Pruitt of KY Great River Road Organization; Cindy Lynch of Columbus-Belmont
State Park; and Carla Hilde­brand of Wickliffe Mounds State Park. Photo by Mary Anne Medlock
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
24 | County LINE
MEET THE STAFF
Macy Thompson
Shirley Bryan
Macy Thompson appreciates the kindness and helpfulness of the county officials she interacts with on a
daily basis as a KACo Customer Service Representative.
“They have made my job very enjoyable and their
sense of humor never makes for a boring work day!”
she said.
Since July 2010, Macy has provided services to both
agents and members by handling inquiries for the
KACo All Lines Fund (KALF), Workers Compensation Fund and the Emergency Services Insurance Program. On a daily basis, she receives and enters policy
change requests, prepares certificate of insurance as
requested for KALF, and tracks receipts and input renewal information.
“I have a great deal of interaction with our members,
which I enjoy,” she said. “I communicate frequently with
county treasurers, and they are great people to work
with!”
A Franklin County native, Macy attended Franklin
County High School and Jefferson Community College.
She and her husband, David, reside in the farming community of Peaks Mill, where David runs the family farm
“along with our beloved German Shepherd, Roxy.”
Macy and David are new parents to 5-month-old
son Samuel Lane whom “we absolutely adore and have
forgotten what we used to do for entertainment before
he was here!”
Spending time with family, photography, scrapbooking and being outdoors are Macy’s hobbies, but “my
most valuable time is spent being a mother, which I
love!”
“There is nothing like it when I witness Samuel discover new things and watch his little mind take in everything. It is very rewarding to me.”
When Shirley Bryan first became receptionist 11
years ago, former McLean County Judge/Executive
Larry Whitaker tagged her as the “Voice of KACo.”
After eight years in that position, Shirley took a
medical leave to undergo a stem cell transplant in Little
Rock, Ark., for multiple myeloma.
“During this period, I realized how my KACo family
felt about me through the cards, calls and other support
they gave while I was away. The same was true for the
county officials and members,” said Shirley. She returned
to part-time work as assistant to Executive Assistant Sonya Chesser, and “I love it! What a great place to work.”
During her years at KACo, Shirley has been a “jack
of all trades,” doing a little bit of everything including
answering phones, performing clerical duties and arranging staff functions. “I’m very happy waking up in
the morning and being able to make each day a good
day, and to do what I can do to make someone else’s day
a good day,” she noted.
Before joining the KACo staff, she owned and operated “Secrets by Shirl,” a perfume shop in the heart of
downtown Frankfort.
A Franklin County High School graduate, Shirley attended Texas Tech University. She spends her spare time
with her husband, J.W. Bryan, and their “junkyard dog”
Abby, a playful border collie. She enjoys vacationing at
Edisto Beach in South Carolina and spending time as a
“beach bum.”
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.
County LINE | 25
Names in the News
Gov. Steve Beshear appointed the following:
Up & coming
Events
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
December 11-13
Governor’s Emergency Management
Workshop “Systems and Solutions”
Galt House Hotel, Louisville
Contact: Dora Nancy Price, Kentucky
Emergency Management, at 502-330-0663
December 24-January 2, 2013
KACo offices closed
January 8, 2013
• Delbert S. Stephens as Harlan County Fifth District Magistrate. He was director
of parks and recreation for the Harlan County Fiscal Court. He replaces Delzinna
S. Belcher, who resigned.
• Edmonson County Judge/Executive N.E. Reed and Gateway Area Development
District Executive Director Gail K. Wright to the State Advisory Committee for the
Land and Water Conservation Fund to serve for terms expiring March 8, 2014.
• Garrard County EMS Director Charles R. “Chuck” O’Neal, of Berea, to the
Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services. He represents paramedics and
replaces Michael E. Poynter, who resigned. O’Neal’s term ends Sept. 19, 2014.
• Whitley County Judge/Executive Pat White to the Juvenile Justice Advisory
Board. White represents the Kentucky County Judge/Executive Association. Also,
21st Judicial Circuit Judge Beth Lewis Maze, who represents the Kentucky Circuit Judges Association. Both will serve until Sept. 15, 2016.
State Librarian and Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives Commissioner Wayne Onkst has been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award
by the Kentucky Library Association (KLA). The award is given to an individual who
has shown continuous, sustained support of the library profession through his or
her life.
During his tenure as state librarian, public library use across the Commonwealth has increased, with a record 20 million visits recorded last year. In addition,
for the first time in the state’s history, every county in Kentucky has public library
service.
Onkst began his 40-year library career as a shelver at the Laurel County Public
Library in 1972. After completing a bachelor’s degree in history from the University
of Kentucky and a master’s degree in library science from the UK School of Library
and Information Science, he became the adult reference librarian at Kenton County
Public Library in 1979. Onkst worked his way up at Kenton County Public Library
and eventually became director of the library in 1999. Onkst was appointed to the
position of state librarian by former Gov. Ernie Fletcher in 2006.
In 2010, he was awarded the UK Library School Outstanding Alumnus Award.
He has also received the Mary Ann Mongan Literacy Award, the KLA Outstanding
Public Library Service Award, the American Library Association Sullivan Award for
Director’s Support of Children’s Service and the Children Inc. Award for Innovative
Services to Children.
2013 General Assembly begins
Will last 30 legislative days
February 6-8, 2013
KCJEA Annual Conference
Griffin Gate Marriott, Lexington
February 21, 2013
County Officials Legislative
Reception
Convention Center, Frankfort
26 | county LINE
County Liaison Logsdon retires
Jean Logsdon recently retired from KACo and is
following the sun to beautiful Florida.
Before joining the KACo staff in January 2007, Jean
served as Clark County treasurer for 22 years. After
retiring, she came on board at KACo as county liaison.
She worked primarily with county treasurers as well as
assisting with office responsibilities.
Jean and her husband, Ed, will now split their free
time between their home in Winchester and Naples,
Fla.
We will miss you, Jean, but Congratulations! Enjoy!
In memoriam…
Paul David Cowden
Paul David Cowden, former Montgomery County
Attorney, died Sept. 23, 2012 at his residence in Mount
Sterling. He was 67.
Mr. Cowden was county attorney for 28 years until
his retirement in 2006. He served as president of the
Kentucky County Attorneys Association from 1993 to
1995, and served more than 10 years on the Board of
Directors of the National District Attorneys Association. He was twice named Kentucky County Attorney
of the Year.
A graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts,
Mr. Cowden earned his Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt
Law School.
He was past president of the Mount Sterling Rotary
Club and was honored as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.
He was named to the Community Trust Bank’s Board
of Directors and the Mary Chiles Hospital Board of
Directors. He was legal counsel of the Mount Sterling/
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and a
member of Ascension Episcopal Church.
Contributions may be made to the National Multiple
Sclerosis Society.
INVESTMENT BANKING • FINANCIAL ADVISORY
PUBLIC FINANCE • BROKERAGE SERVICES
RSA wou d like to thank all of ou
Kentucky Municipal Clients
for making us
K entucky’s #1
Municipal Financial Advisor
for the first half of 2012!
Sou heast Midyear Review
Kentucky: Bond Sales
Connect Your Dispatch System to
Firm
New Radio Technologies
Bond Sales
Ross Sinc ai e & Associ es LC
With Zetron’s® iRIM (Intelligent Radio Interface Module), you can
integrate your existing console with new radios. This is a cost-effective
way to extend your console’s capabilities and bridge the gap between it
and newer radio technologies.
Zetron’s iRIM supports:
• Kenwood NEXEDGE® • Kenwood FleetSync™
• APCO Project 25 (P25) • Motorola ASTRO
• Motorola SMARTNET/SmartZone • Trident PassPort • EFJohnson LTR
Advanced Radio Technology
an HEC Electronics Company
6170 Interstate Circle, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
OH (513) 489-5575 / KY (502) 867-0521
FAX (513) 489-2760
www.aradiotech.com
$ 09 3
J.J.B. Hilliard W.L. Lyons, LLC
$351.5
Ponder Securities, Inc.
$271.3
First Southwest
$111.3
First Kentucky
$79.5
Source
o
o
e
rs uly 0 2
For more complete information please contact:
l c t On
O f ci l Pu
f ic al ub
ca On O
th Ke t
cK as Oci
t On
e 4 2 11
nt s | ss
t On Of O
t cK assOc
f t e Ke
O f c a Pu l c t
c a i n Of c u t es
O the e tu Ky ss
O f c a Pu l c t On
n Of he
en u Ky
ss c a On O cO n i s | s ue 6
O f c l P bl a i
n Of he K n u Ky
a s c a iOn Of
i su 5 20
f c un es |
i su 2
012
01
Ou
On the road
to safety
P ogram assis
ts counties
in saving ives
on roadways
Me
lsO i sid :
Profi e of a Pr
KMCA – Celeb
John Wi s
at ng 60 ears
of exce l nce
Pa tne ing w
pa s o f for count es
a es
Wor e s Comp und ec
$2 m l on d v d nd
$1 8 m l on
Le sing r st g es b ck
Lexington Office:
325 W Main St • Suite 300 • Lexington, KY 40507
Local: 859.977.6600 • Toll Free: 800.255.0795
Fax: 859.381.1357
ornados Devasta ion and
loss n Kentucky count es
To advertise call Michael Logan at 859-231-1435 or
email at [email protected]
Member FINRA and SIPC.
Investment products not FDIC Insured.
No Bank Guarantee. May lose value.
www.rsanet.com
County LINE | 27
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
LEXINGTON KY
PERMIT #605
...serving Kentucky’s counties
400 Englewood Drive
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
(800) 264-5226 FAX (502) 223-1502
www.kaco.org