Lt. Gov. Coleman Presents More Than $620,000 To Benefit Hart County
MUNFORDVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 11, 2023)?? Today, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman announced $620,733 in funding for safer roads, nonprofits and tourism in Hart County.
?Investments in our communities provide Kentucky a solid foundation for building tomorrow?s economy,??Lt. Gov. Coleman?said. ?Opportunity is coming to all corners of the commonwealth. As a mom, and as lieutenant governor, it is exciting to be a part of building a better Kentucky for everyone.?
?These investments will foster new opportunities for our citizens, improve our infrastructure and support some great organizations,? said Hart County Judge/Executive Joe Choate. ?When we invest in our people, we see amazing things happen. We appreciate the state support, and we?ll continue working to move Hart County forward.?
Transportation
Lt. Gov. Coleman announced $225,000 in funding from Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The funding will be used to resurface Glen Lily East Road and Jericho Church Road.
Nonprofit Assistance Fund
Lt. Gov. Coleman announced $119,369 in funding to three Hart County nonprofits from the Nonprofit Assistance Fund, which helps organizations across Kentucky recover from the effects of the pandemic. The funding comes from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and Gov. Beshear supported the allocation of funds by the 2022 General Assembly. This fund will provide one-time direct relief payments to support the mission and long-term sustainability of each eligible nonprofit. The awards include:
- $100,000 to the American Cave Conservation Association;
- $18,302 to the Hart County Historical Society; and
- $1,067 to the Salvation Army of Hart County.
?Our organization is having the most successful year since we set up base in Kentucky in 1986,? said David Foster, president/CEO of the American Cave Conservation Association. ?Thank you, Gov. Beshear, for building such a strong economy.?
?Our mission is to preserve and share the history and lifeways of Hart County through the education of our audience and development of our heritage resources,? said Marcia Lenz, board member of the Hart County Historical Society. ?Through our membership and donations, we strive to create quality programming and to improve our genealogy resources for the community.?
Tourism Marketing Funding
Lt. Governor Coleman awarded $276,364 to support travel marketing and promotion in Hart County. The awards include:
- $100,000 to the Cave County Trails project;
- $100,000 to the SOKY Film Commission;
- $57,272 to the Horse Cave/Hart County Tourist Commission; and
- $19,092 to the Munfordville Tourism Commission.
The awards are part of the $75 million in federal ARPA funding supported by the Governor and allocated by the General Assembly in the 2022 legislative session. The funds are used to boost the state?s tourism industry and economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the pandemic. Funding is distributed by the Kentucky Department of Tourism to eligible tourism organizations throughout the commonwealth.
?We are thrilled to receive?this money. It will help us expand promotion to more areas to help bring tourism into Munfordville. We have a great town, and we are very proud to show it off,? said Coni Shepperd, executive director of the Munfordville Tourism Commission and president of the SOKY Film Commission. ?This money will also help the state when we bring in more filming of movies to the area with the economic?impact that they spend locally.?
?Horse Cave/Hart County Tourism is grateful for ARPA funds that have been used to transform our outdated website into a modern, fresh promotional tool,? said Sandra Wilson, executive director of the Horse Cave/Hart County Tourist Commission. ?It has also funded the creation of exciting new content for digital marketing that will allow us to better promote our tourism businesses year-round to an expanded area and to continue to grow the local economy.?
?With hundreds of miles of hiking, biking, horseback riding, cycling, cave and paddling trails in the six-county Cave Country Trails area, this infusion of money will allow us to reach the trail user through innovative, impactful, digital?avenues,? said Rachelle Wright, Cave Country Trails project director. ?We anticipate that this enhanced trail user experience?will increase the economic impact in our trail towns and?gateway park communities.?
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