Funding will be used to resurface roads, connect Kentuckians to the internet and improve public transportation

FLEMINGSBURG/MAYSVILLE, KY - On Oct. 30, 2024, Gov. Andy Beshear made multiple stops in northeastern Kentucky to celebrate the opening of the new Fleming County Senior Center, the commencement of work on the Hayswood Brownfield Cleanup Project and a ribbon cutting for the new J. Ugrin Medical Center. The Governor also presented $9,792,286 in funding for additional projects in the region.

“Today, we celebrated three projects that are game changers for this region,” said Gov. Beshear. “We are continuing to invest in our people in every single community. We’re fighting for a brighter future for all of Kentucky.”

Fleming County
In Flemingsburg, Gov. Beshear joined state and local leaders to celebrate the opening of the new Fleming County Senior Center. The senior center received more than $2 million in funding through Kentucky’s Department for Local Government. It serves meals to Kentuckians from across the Buffalo Trace region, which includes Bracken, Fleming, Lewis, Mason and Robertson counties.

While in Flemingsburg, Gov. Beshear also announced over $7.6 million in funding for projects in Fleming County. Those projects are listed below:

- $6,769,997 to Charter Communications to connect 1,504 homes and businesses in Fleming County to high-speed internet. When combined with matching funds, the total investment in the community is $15.3 million.
- $412,173 from a Federal Transit Administration grant to the Licking Valley Community Action Program to purchase new minivans to help citizens in need of accessible transportation.
- $366,570 from the state’s job-ready, site-ready, Kentucky Product Development Initiative to make improvements to the Industrial Park in Fleming County.
- $147,178 in transportation funding to resurface:
    -- Emmons Lane;
    -- Pat Price Alley;
    -- Dudley Street;
    -- North Parkwood; and
    -- Make bridge repairs on Branch Brothers Road.

“Today, we celebrated a brand-new facility to serve our seniors,” said Fleming County Judge/Executive John Sims, Jr. “We also announced more funding coming to our community that will benefit our people for years to come. Today is the result of years of work, and we will keep working toward that brighter future for the citizens of Fleming County.”

“This is a great day for the senior citizens of Flemingsburg and all of Fleming County,” said Flemingsburg Mayor Van Alexander. “We have so much to celebrate, and so many great things on our horizon. We will continue our work to have more days like today in our future.”

“Charter is grateful to the Beshear administration for its steadfast effort to connect every Kentuckian to reliable, high-quality broadband,” said Marva Brown Johnson, group vice president, state government affairs. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with state legislative, county and local leaders through this multi-million-dollar investment in Fleming County, which exemplifies both Charter’s and the commonwealth’s commitment to helping expand access to high-speed internet for rural Kentucky homes and businesses.”

Mason County
In Maysville, Gov. Beshear joined state and local leaders and Frontier Housing Inc. to celebrate the commencement of work on the Hayswood Brownfield Cleanup Project. Last year, the Governor announced that Frontier Housing plans to use $1,999,900 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean and assess the former Hayswood Hospital building in Maysville of known contamination and prepare it for redevelopment. Frontier Housing, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing, plans to renovate the building into a residential space.

“The former Hayswood Hospital has sat vacant since 1983, and over the last several decades, there have been several attempts to redevelop this historic site,” Gov. Beshear said. “This is a project years in the making, and we’re the ones getting it done. Today, Frontier Housing begins turning this site into safe and affordable housing!”

The Governor also joined local leaders and company executives for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the expansion of services at the newly renovated PrimaryPlus medical building, the J. Ugrin Medical Center, in downtown Maysville.

This facility will house PrimaryPlus–Medical Specialties and Counseling Services, as well as additional medical offices.

It is the first Federally Qualified Health Center in Kentucky that includes a family medicine residency program. It is also the only rural health care residency program in America not associated with a major university. The program welcomed its first class of four physicians this summer.

“Dr. Stack and I were proud to assist with the certifications and approval on this residency program,” Gov. Beshear said. “Folks, I believe health care is a human right. And when we can recruit more primary care doctors to Eastern Kentucky from the very beginning of their careers, it helps us make sure every family can have a doctor they trust close to home.”

While in Mason County, the Governor also presented over $2 million in funding to improve transportation in the region. Those projects are listed below:

- $55,237 from a Federal Transit Administration grant to the Maysville Transit System to purchase a new shuttle bus, enhancing public transportation in the city.
- $1,864,881 from the Transportation Alternatives Program to the city of Maysville to construct new sidewalks and better connect West and East Second Street with Limestone Landing and the Maysville River Park – allowing more opportunity for residents to safely walk and bike in this area.
- $176,250 in discretionary transportation funding to the city of Maysville to resurface four roads:

- Lakeview Glen Drive;
- Glenbrook Circle;
- Glenbrook Drive; and
- Glen Drive.

“Tourism is one of our economic engines and having safe walkability throughout the city is a critical component of growing the local tourism industry,” said Maysville Mayor Debra Cotterill. “In addition to visitors, we want to do all we can to protect our citizens that utilize city business and industry daily, to ensure those businesses and industries are supported with adequate infrastructure. As we work to ensure fiscal responsibility while providing the services needed for our citizens, Gov. Beshear, Department of Local Government, Buffalo Trace ADD, Sen. Steve West and Rep. William Lawrence have worked diligently to support our city team with these efforts.”