Groundbreaking comes weeks after groundbreaking of new fire station

MAYFIELD, KY - On October 3, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear joined federal, state and local leaders to break ground on a new city hall and police station in the city of Mayfield. The old city hall and police station were destroyed by the Western Kentucky tornado outbreak in 2021.

“We made a promise to the people of Western Kentucky that we’d be here until every structure, home and life is rebuilt,” said Gov. Beshear. “Today, we’re taking a big step in making good on that promise. We’re not going anywhere.”

“This December will mark the third anniversary since the deadliest tornadoes in recent history hit Western Kentucky,” said U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell. “I was honored to join Mayor Kathy O’Nan, community leaders and other state and local officials to break ground on Mayfield’s new City Hall building and Police Department. This is a big step forward, but we still have more work to do to help Mayfield and other communities devastated by this storm. As I’ve said from the onset, I will stand with Western Kentucky for as long as it takes to recover and rebuild – and I will continue to ensure Kentucky always has a seat at the table for national disaster relief.”

“While the tragic disaster that swept through the western half of our commonwealth nearly three years ago brought great devastation and loss, it did not break the spirit and resiliency of these communities, and today’s groundbreaking is a testament to not only the strength of Mayfield, but also the power of Kentuckians coming together to support each other in times of need,” said U.S. Sen. Rand Paul. “From day one, my staff and I worked to assist the community in any way we could, whether it was connecting private sector businesses to relief organizations or helping Kentuckians navigate the federal recovery process to ensure access to needed funds and resources, and I’ve been so pleased to hear the success stories of rebuilding and recovery. As I said back in December 2021 after meeting with the mayor and local officials on the ground, ‘we will come back stronger than ever,’ and today is proof that we have.”

“Today’s groundbreaking ceremony celebrating a new city hall and police station marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Mayfield community and Graves County,” said U.S. Congressman James Comer. “The damage sustained during this relentless storm was unimaginable, and our prayers are still with the families who lost loved ones. Kentuckians across the commonwealth, including local, state and federal leaders, immediately came together to offer help, provide support and deliver aid. The road to a full recovery is long, but local servant leaders and Graves County citizens are working tirelessly to rebuild.”

“Today marks 1,028 days since winds of the December 2021 tornado destroyed every municipal building of the city of Mayfield,” said Mayfield Mayor Kathy O’Nan. “This groundbreaking today on our city hall and Mayfield Police Department marks a milestone achieved through the efforts of our national, state and local governments to rebuild the heart of our city government and exhibits the determination and resiliency of the people of our beloved city.”

The Kentucky General Assembly appropriated $48.2 million in West Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (SAFE) funds to build a new city hall and police station, renovate Mayfield Electric and Water Systems buildings and build a new fire station.

On September 23, the city of Mayfield broke ground on the city’s new fire station.

“When the winter storms of 2021 hit Western Kentucky, our communities faced immense challenges—physically, personally and financially,” said Sen. Jason Howell, whose district includes Graves County. “But like all strong communities, we came together, weathered the storm, and started the process of rebuilding our lives. It was a unanimous, bipartisan decision by your state legislators to allocate $48 million to support Mayfield in that recovery. I want to extend my gratitude to everyone in this community for their unwavering commitment to ensuring the restoration of our city’s essential infrastructure.”

“This is what happens when everyone comes together and works for the common good,” said Rep. Richard Heath from Mayfield. “Now we know what the building is going to look like. It’s time for a groundbreaking.”

Kentucky’s federal representatives helped secure $123 million in federal funding to help Kentucky rebuild from the natural disasters of 2021.

In June, Gov. Beshear announced a joint effort between Kentucky’s Department for Local Government (DLG) and the Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) to use a portion of those funds to help build 953 affordable rental units in Western Kentucky. This is the largest single housing announcement in the history of DLG or KHC.

One hundred twenty-two affordable rental units will be built in Mayfield.

Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund
More than $21.6 million has been committed from the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund to construct or repair 300 homes. To date, more than 200 homes have been built, are under construction or have been approved for construction to begin. Over 100 of those are located in Graves County. Launched just days after the tornadoes struck in December 2021, the fund has raised over $52.3 million, with donations from over 150,000 individuals and businesses. In addition to building homes, the money raised helped pay funeral expenses for the families of those killed by the tornadoes and provided assistance to survivors and local farmers.