Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman made a trio of western Kentucky stops Thursday to announce more than $15 million dollars in funding for education, infrastructure and tourism efforts in the region.
The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Cleaner Water Program (CWP), the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) and the Better Schools Program. Coleman said in a statement that investments like these “provide Kentucky a solid foundation for building tomorrow’s economy, today.”
Coleman detailed the funding at stops in Calloway, Graves and Marshall counties.
The Cleaner Water Program funding will help to connect some Calloway residents to public water and refurbish, repair and improve water tanks and treatment plants across the Purchase Area.
Rep. Mary Beth called the announcement “monumental.”
“I take great pride in the fact that the legislature has worked tirelessly to ensure funding opportunities like this are in place to benefit communities like ours,” said Imes, who represents Calloway County and part of Trigg County.
Tourism efforts in Calloway, Graves and Mayfield all got boosts as well, with the funding intended to help agencies overcome a dip in visitors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau executive director Elena Blevins said the funding their group received will help start the next chapter of tourism for Marshall County and Kentucky Lake.
“We are very grateful for the collaboration and effort among our state's leadership to choose to make such a tremendous investment into Kentucky's tourism industry, especially here in Marshall County,” Blevins said. “We are blessed to be located by such a beautiful piece of the commonwealth poised with so much potential for growth and development.”
The funding allocations are as follows:
Calloway County
- $755,000 for the Dexter-Almo Heights Water District to provide clean drinking water for 85 households and replace 760 water meters
- $158,002 for the Murray Convention & Visitors Bureau to boost tourism and the economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic
Graves County
- $963,116 for the Graves County Water District for improvements to the Hickory and Fancy Farm water tanks
- $963,116 for the Mayfield Electric & Water Systems to rehabilitate the Mayfield water treatment plant
- $150,000 for the Symsonia Water District to refurbish a water tank
- $150,000 for the City of Wingo to rehabilitate the Austin Drive water tank
- $66,431 for the Mayfield Tourism Commission to boost tourism and the economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic
Marshall County
- $9,590,200 for Marshall County Schools to expand and renovate the Marshall County High School Technical Center
- $527,158 for the Marshall County Fiscal Court to create safe traffic and access points in the industrial park development connecting to U.S. Highway 641
- $480,779 for the North Marshall Water District to replacing approximately three miles of water mains that were damaged in the December 2021 tornado
- $480,779 for the Calvert City to improve the water treatment plant
- $480,779 for the City of Hardin to be used for the next phase of its water treatment plant rehabilitation
- $163,199 for the Marshall County Tourism Commission to boost tourism and the economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.