Gov. Beshear presents millions in federal funds for western Kentucky

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – It was a day Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear calls “game-changing” for several western Kentucky communities with millions of dollars in federal funds awarded for projects in Webster, Henderson and Union counties. The money comes from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), a federal-state partnership. Henderson Community College received $450,000 for their industrial maintenance training program.

“This grant will be the next logical step for that,” says Henderson Community College President Jason Warren, “to ramp up production, focus on production line workers and increase the pipelines.”

Webster County received funding for two separate projects from the DRA, with $150,000 going to the fiscal court’s comprehensive economic plan, and just over $326,000 awarded to Webster County School District’s manufacturing program.

“This will be able to reach out to every city, all kinds of groups to where we collaboratively come together to make plans on how to take Webster County forward,” says Webster County Judge Executive Steve Henry. “One of the things that drives us,” adds Webster County Schools Superintendent Aaron Harrell, “is providing opportunities for our students, providing experiences for our students, and this fits squarely into that.”

The City of Sturgis received the largest DRA award at just over $2 Million to repair their water treatment system. “You’ve made a difference for the citizens of Sturgis,” says Sturgis Mayor Billy Adams, “and I truly appreciate that and they do too.” Governor Beshear adds, “That type of investment helps a smaller community that provides water to a wider region be able to do the repairs and replacements they need without all the rate payers, which are our families, bearing all those costs.”

The governor focused on bi-partisan cooperation on these projects, thanking republican State Senator Robby Mills, as well as representatives from Senator Mitch McConnell’s office, who were also in attendance.

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