4/23/10- Ground was officially broken on the new Breckinridge County Justice Center being built in downtown Hardinsburg.  The new center will house the local court offices and rooms as well as the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.  The new center is located at 111 West Second St. in Hardinsburg and will be across the street from the current courthouse. The building will be approximately 33,000 square feet and will cost approximately $11.48 million which was allocated by the Kentucky State General Assembly. 

3/23/10-  On Tuesday, March 30 voters in the city of Hardinsburg voted to allow the limited sale of alcohol in restaurants by a slim margin of just thirty-two votes.  The final tally was three hundred and sixty-five for and three hundred and thirty-three against.  Restaurants seating at least fifty people will now have the option to serve alcohol in conjuction with meal.  The Hardinsburg City Council will now work on the necessary ordinances that will pertain to the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurant that opt to serve. 

2/22/10:   Leadership Breckinridge County recently traveled to Frankfort to meet with local legislators and to learn about state government.  During their trip the group met with Governor Steve Beshear, Senator Carroll Gibson and State Representative Dwight Butler.  The group also attended the House and Senate legislative sessions and toured the capitol.   Leadership Breckinridge County is a program coordinated and sponsored by BCU Economic Development.  The inaugural class of Leadership includes Susan Basham, Nick Carter, Alison Chaney, Rebecca Davis, Donna French, Jaynette Mondie, Alicia Popham, Darrin Powell, Ray Powers, and Gabe Van Lahr.  The program was established to identify future leaders in the community and to prepare them to take on future leadership roles that will help the area progress.

A petition for a local option election to allow alcohol to be served at some restaurants in the City of Hardinsburg has been submitted to the Breckinridge County Clerk. The petition requests an election be held in Hardinsburg precincts One and Two to determine that alcoholic beverages can be served in restaurants that seat 50 or more patrons, and derives 70% of its income from the sale of food.

County Clerk Jill Irwin says 260 valid signatures are required for a petition to be considered, and the petition presented Wednesday had over 260 signatures. If the clerk determines that the required number of signatures is valid, the petition will be sent to the County Judge Executive for an election date to be set. State statutes require the Judge to act on the petition not earlier than 60 days, or more than 90 days after the valid petition is submitted. State law also requires a special local option election to be held no less than 30 days before or after a regular election.

12/8/09:   Breckinridge County United is pleased to announce that Clover Creek Brick Company will be hiring a total of thirty employees beginning immediately. The company will first call back prior employees but will be accepting job inquiries immediately.   “We have recently secured a large contract that will enable us to hire more employees and expand production,” said, Gabe Powers, owner of Clover Creek Brick Company.   Clover Creek Brick has been located in the former American Olean Facility in Cloverport since 1999 and continues to manufacture high quality tumbled brick products.  The company is looking for skilled production workers but will also accept unskilled persons as well.  “We are extremely excited to get this new contract and we will be looking for workers who are willing to be trained and who will be good employees,” said Shawna Henderson, administrative assistant for Clover Creek Brick.  Interested persons should contact Clover Creek Brick Company, located at 2200 Old Stephensport Road Cloverport, Kentucky 40111.  Office: (270) 788-3535
Fax: (270) 788-3763 http://www.clovercreekbrickcompany.com/

BCU Economic Development is the local economic development organization serving Breckinridge County.  BCU Economic Development is a partnership between the Breckinridge County Chamber of Commerce, Breckinridge County Development Corporation, The Breckinridge County Industrial Authority, Breckinridge County Tourism, Breckinridge County Fiscal Court, Breckinridge County Schools,  and Cloverport Schools.

Breckinridge Health selects Interim CEO

John Monnahan who served as CEO at Breckinridge Health, Inc. for the past 2 1/2 years left to pursue other opportunities in the healthcare field. Mike Cooper of Bedford, IN has been appointed interim CEO.  Mr. Cooper is married and has 2 sons.In 1988 he received his Bachelor of Science in business management from Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, IN.  In 1991 he received his Master of Arts in Health Care Management from Webster University, St. Louis, MO.  Mr. Cooper served as CEO of Dunn Memorial Hospital in Bedford, IN from 2005-2008 and St. Benedicts Family Medical Center in Jerome, Idaho from 2001– 2005.  The Breckinridge Health, Inc. Board of Trustees is currently in the process of searching for a new CEO.  This process could take 3 to 6 months especially since the holiday season is here.

On September 25th, BCU hosted its quarterly luncheon for existing manufacturing businesses in the county.  The featured speakers was Patty Lockart who a business development liason from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.  She spoke to the group about the new incentive programs offered by the state and how local businesses can apply for them.  Also in attendance was Martin Cecil who works with the Bluegrass State Skills Corporation.  Bluegrass State Skills Corporation is a program to help businesses with training expenses.  The meeting was held in Hardinsburg at Miguel's El Gallo Restaurant.  The next existing business luncheon will be scheduled for December.

The inaugural class of Leadership Breckinridge County is set and the program will soon be getting underway.  Leadership Breckinridge County is a program which will educate the participants about the various elements that go into making Breckinridge County and the surrounding area function as a whole.  “We have a great first class of participants for our first year of what promises to be an outstanding community program,” stated Jonathan Boyd, President/COO of BCU Economic Development.  The program is part of the community development effort that BCU is currently involved in.  The program will consist of a session each month where a particular topic in the community will be addressed.  Some of the topics that will be included in the program are the economy, healthcare, tourism, government, as well as many others.  “This is not going to be a program where the class just sits and listens to speakers,” Boyd said.  “The class will get real hands on experience in the topic areas that we address.”  Boyd said that the goal of the program is to develop leaders for the present and future of Breckinridge County.  By educating people about what goes into making the community function, they will hopefully learn and take part in what it takes to make positive difference in the community.  The program will begin in September and culminate with a final class session and graduation in May of 2010.  

On Wednesday, May 6th BCU Economic Development sponsored a luncheon for area businesses and manufacturers.  The purpose of the luncheon was to express appreciation to the businesses in the county as well as to provide information regarding a topic of interest.  The guest speaker for the event was Bobbi Carlton with the Kentucky Procurement Assistance Branch of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.  She discussed government contracting and how the process works.  Many of the local businesses in the community already work with the government in some form or another.  "Existing Businesses and Small Businesses are the heart and soul of this county as well as our country and we want to do everything we can to help them," stated BCU President/COO Jonathan Boyd.  Jonathan Boyd said that the meeting was a way of providing information to our exisiting businesses to help them continue their business in the county.  More meetings similar to this one will follow with topics and speakers geared toward helping  existing businesses in the community.  "Statistics show that 80% of new job growth will come from our businesses that are already here in the community so we are doing everything we can to make sure they are taken care of," stated Boyd.  For more information on the Kentucky Procurment Assistance Branch please click on the following link or open one of the following documents:

Website: Kentucky Procurment Assistance Branch

Files:

Kentucky Procurement Presentation

Kentucky Guide to Government Contracting

Hardinsburg, KY, March 30, 2009:  Local officials representing Breckinridge United Economic Development, The Greater Breckinridge County Chamber of Commerce, and the Breckinridge County Library recently met with Tommy Wheatley with the Kentucky Office of Employment of Training.   The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the growing need for employment and unemployment services in the county.   According to Tommy Wheatley it is currently not possible to staff an office in Breckinridge County due to the lack of sufficient funding and staff.  According to Mr. Wheatley the Kentucky Department of Employment and Training Services maintains a website which individuals can log onto to deal with employment issues.  The group discussed and went through the process of navigating the website.   “It is very easy navigate and anyone with internet access can log onto the website and look for unemployment and employment services,“ stated Jonathan Boyd, president of Breckinridge United.    The group discussed equipping the Breckinridge County Library with more computers and information for individuals to have access to the website.   While the Library will serve as a location for using the system it is still currently not an unemployment/ career services center.  “What we are providing is the necessary equipment and information at the library for anyone to long onto the employment website and to get into the system,” stated David Schoenbachler president of the Greater Breckinridge County Chamber of Commerce.    The library is currently available for anyone needing computer access in order to access the website. The website addresses are as follows:

Unemployment Insurance: www.kewes.ky.gov

Work Registration and Job Information: www.oet.ky.gov

Mr. Wheatley told the group that the nearest career center for Breckinridge County residents if they opt not to use the online services would probably be the Leitchfield Office.  Officials in the county will continually be working to see that needs of Breckinridge County are met.

On Tuesday February 15th an event entitled " A World of Change" took place in the Breckinridge County High School auditorium.  Participants enjoyed food prepared by Breckinridge County students and then got to watch a video entitled "Did you Know?"  Following the presentation, the fifty or so attendees participated in a discussion dealing with world change and how  this change applies to Breckinridge County.  The night was a fun and relaxed atmosphere that allowed anyone who wanted to contribute their "two cents" to have that opportunity.  More events like this will be planned with the hopes that more people will become involved in the community. 

     The BCU Board of Directors held its regular monthly meeting on January 15th.  Many important topics were discussed during the meeting.  President/COO Jonathan Boyd gave the group his regular report.  In his report, Boyd told the group that he had been in contact with various local businesses and that they were all "holding their own."  Boyd also reported that the website is continuing to receive a large number of page views.  Jonathan told the group that he had been in contact with Miller Trailways who is attempting to establish a bus line which would travel through the county.  In other items Boyd told the group that he was working with Breckinridge County GEAR Up to plan a program entitled " A World of Change."  The event will consist of a short video followed by a community discussion on the future of Breckinridge County and how it fits into world change.  Boyd told the group that light food would be prepared by Breckinridge County students and that attendees would be elgibile to win door prizes.  Jonathan also gave an update on the marketing activities.  He said that the website was continuing to be changed and that potential industrial sites were now being evaluated and looked at.  A quality of life piece which will showcase what Breckinridge County has to offer is also being created.  One big project that was discussed is the creation and implementation of a leadership program.  Boyd told the group that he was in the beginning stages os planning a leadership program for the community.  He said that selected participants would take part in the program which would educate them on the community while at the same time teaching them the qualities of leadership.  Jonathan told the group that he hoped the program would inspired people to make a difference in the community. 

      The BCU board of directors held their regular monthly meeting on December 17 in the Breckinridge County Courhouse Annex.  In his presidential report, Boyd told the group that he had begun working with local educational leaders to improve the academics of the local school systems as well as to help better prepare students for the workforce.  Boyd also reported that he had been in contact with the marketing firm hired to work for BCU.  He told the group that improvements were being made to the website and that he and the firm were now looking at marketing industrial sites.  Boyd also told the group that he has recently attend the Oklahoma University Economic Development Institute first session in Indianapolis, IN.  In other reports Drew Hawley with the Breckinridge Chamber of Commerce told the group that the Chamber was currently working on its "Shop at Home" campaign.  He told the group that the campaign was going well and encouraged everyone to shop in the local community for the holiday season.  In his report Ray Powers informed the group that the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife along with Breckinridge Fiscal Court have partnered in purchasing a large tract of land near Holt with the goal of making it a wildlife management area.  Powers told the group that the development would provide an economic boost to the area.  Officer elections were also held at the December meeting.  The new officers elected were Chairman Kerry Kasey, Vice Chairman David Hayes, and Secretary/Treasurer Ray Powers.  In other business the board voted to amend the by-laws to add the two representatives from the local school systems as voting board members.  President/COO Boyd then gave a marketing update and told the board that the marketing plan that he had discussed earlier was moving forward.