Gov. Andy Beshear was at the Grayson County Technology Center Monday morning to present over $10 million to support career and technical education, tourism marketing and 11 local nonprofits.
Beshear presented $10 million to Grayson County Public Schools to support career and technical education (CTE) at the Grayson County Technology Center. The funding will support a major renovation of the entire facility, including interior renovations; reconfiguration of program spaces; accessibility upgrades; new plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems; new finishes, equipment, doors, hardware and windows; the construction of a new administration office; a machine tool lab and classroom, two allied health labs, a marketing lab, a business lab and a computer lab.
“My administration will always put education first, and that includes helping our students discover technical fields where they can get hands-on experience, serve others and find great jobs that can support a family,” Beshear said. “That’s why we’re awarding $10 million to support career and technical education here in Grayson County, and we’re also providing funding to promote tourism and help local nonprofits.”
Grayson County Schools Superintendent Doug Robinson said the money will propel the tech center to the “next level.”
“We are so appreciative of the governor and our legislature recognizing the vital importance that CTE classes and hands-on training provide for the future of our county and of the commonwealth,” Robinson said. “We are excited for this opportunity and the doors it will open for our students, for our staff and for our community. Great things are happening right here and right now at the Grayson County Technology Center. This funding will help us take our programs, our training, our facilities and our equipment to the next level. Special thanks go out to our legislators for their always-diligent efforts on behalf of our kids, our schools and the future of our community. It’s a big day for Grayson County.”
State Rep. Samara Heavrins, R-Leitchfield, said the funding decision will allow the tech center to continue to provide a road map to success for the students who learn key skills at the center.
“We invested each dollar with an eye toward how it will make life better for the people we serve,” Heavrin said. “Funding … (for) local tourism, when we know it drives our local economy, (was a) common sense decision that will provide immediate results. The legacy of this vocational school will go on for generations as students realize they can build a life with the skills they learn here.”
Tourism funding
Beshear awarded $75,580 to the Grayson County Tourism Commission and $25,193 to the city of Leitchfield Tourism and Convention Commission to support travel marketing and promotion.
“The additional funding support received through the Kentucky Department of Tourism will immensely help in our efforts to boost tourism in the area,” said Ilsa Johnson, executive director of the Leitchfield Tourism and Convention Commission. “Leitchfield Tourism can utilize this funding to participate in advertising campaigns that we would not normally be able to and reach markets that we have been unable to reach in the past. The decline brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic left most of us in the industry feeling unsure of the future. We want to thank Gov. Beshear, everyone at the Tourism Cabinet and our local legislators for remembering the importance of tourism on the economy and investing in our future.”
Executive Director of the Grayson County Tourism Commission, Tiffany Decker, also expressed an appreciation for the financial infusion.
“The Grayson County Tourism Commission would like to thank Gov. Beshear and the Kentucky Tourism Cabinet for remembering Kentucky’s tourism industry, especially Grayson County, for this ARPA funding,” Decker said. “This money allows us to do things we didn’t have funding for in the past. We want Grayson County to be a tourist destination everyone loves to visit, and this funding will make that possible.”
The funding is part of the $75 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding announced by the governor in July and allocated by the General Assembly in the 2022 legislative session to boost the state’s tourism industry and economy following the decline in visitors brought on by the pandemic.
The funds were distributed by the Kentucky Department of Tourism to eligible tourism organizations throughout the commonwealth.
(Headline photo: Gov. Andy Beshear presenting a $10 million check to the Grayson County Technology Center)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
