Jan. 20, 2012
For Immediate Release

By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson led in cutting the ribbon for the Heartland Commerce and Technology Park (HCTP) Jan. 19 on New Columbia Road.

He also spoke at Campbellsville University where he told Taylor County School Superintendent Roger Cook he “wouldn't forget” about Taylor County Elementary School as Cook talked about the school's age, number of students and mold problems.

The ribbon cutting was for a road into the HCTP for $250,000 in a grant given to Taylor County Fiscal Court and paid for the blacktopping of the entrance road into the HCTP, which is owned by the Campbellsville-Taylor County Economic Development Authority.

Mark Johnson gives Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson a Penn's Country Ham for being a part of the ribbon cutting. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)

Mark Johnson, chair of the Campbellsville-Taylor County Economic Development Authority and chief executive officers of Citizens Bank & Trust Co., said the new access road is a “fine asset” to Campbellsville and Taylor County, and he was humbled and honored to be at the landmark event.

Abramson said he always feels at home in Campbellsville, and it was good to see the open acres in the park where it can be an economic engine for the area. He said he can't wait to have a groundbreaking for more industry at the park.

Carrie Noe, city clerk, represented Campbellsville Mayor Tony Young (who has been ill) at the ribbon cutting and read a letter from him saying the ribbon cutting marks a “milestone in the development of the Heartland Commerce and Technology Park.”

“We are a hard-working community, with a willing workforce, and we're ready for industries to make their home in THE best community in Kentucky - Campbellsville, Ky.,” Noe read.

Ron McMahan, executive director of the Campbellsville-Taylor County Economic Development Authority spoke on behalf of Taylor County Judge/Executive Eddie Rogers who had a previously scheduled out-of-state trip.

He said Rogers thanked Abramson for Campbellsville partnering with the Commonwealth to get the access road and spoke on behalf of state Sen. Bam Carney and Sen. Jimmy Higdon.

While on campus, Abramson was interviewed by John Chowning, vice president for church and external relations and executive assistant to the president at CU, and addressed a group of Campbellsville/Taylor County governments and civic group members, as well as the Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Authority and CU leaders, at a luncheon in his honor.

He also cut a station ID for WLCU 88.7 FM radio station.

Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson completes a station ID for WLCU 88.7 FM, CU's radio station, with Jim Wooley, director of broadcast services. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)

Abramson, in a question and answer session at the luncheon, heard Cook say Taylor County Elementary School is the largest in the Commonwealth with 1,300 students. He said the building is a 1939 structure with mold and mildew, and he told Abramson the school system has bought some 120 acres on which to build some new schools.

A total of $100 million has been placed in the budget to build new schools, and Cook said he hoped Taylor County would be considered.

“I won't forget that,” Abramson said when the discussion centered on how important it is to educate young people.

Abramson said he appreciates what Campbellsville University is doing in educating young people, and especially realized how small classes and personal attention are good for students as he has taught at Bellarmine University in Louisville.

“You all play a part in the education of our citizenry and the education of the workforce,” he said. “You play future roles in the lives of Kentucky.”

Abramson said the Kentucky budget has been cut 8.4 percent in order to balance it; and it has been balanced 10 times. Abramson said balancing the budget is “really tough to say the least.”

He said Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed him to a chair a task force on tax reform. He said the Kentucky road fund has a lot of money at the moment due to the tax from the high cost of gasoline.

“If you need roads or bridges, now is the time to ask for them,” he said.

Abramson said Kentuckians need to make a decision on what taxes they pay for services or what they will accept in services. “We as a citizenry have to decide what we want to do.”

He said among the budget items that have been funded are the construction of a new Veterans Home in Radcliff,

Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson spoke with community members at a CU luncheon. Dr. Frank Cheatham, vice president for academic affairs, is at left. (Campbellsville University Photo by Joan C. McKinney)

more children will be able to attend kindergarten and first grade with funds for early childhood education, and about 5,000 more people will be able to have colonoscopy screenings.

Chowning thanked Abramson and the administration for the new blacktop into the HCTP and for prior water and sewer there. He also praised the administration for no cuts in the KEES, CAP and KTG state financial aid programs.

Chowning also invited Beshear or Abramson to participate in a legislative discussion at the annual statewide conference of the Kentucky Political Science Association (of which Chowning is president) March 3 on campus. He also invited either the governor or him to be the annual Chamber of Commerce speaker in late April.

Dr. Frank Cheatham, vice president for academic affairs, quoted Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically… Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”

Cheatham said that is the mission of Campbellsville University.

He told Abramson it was “refreshing” to hear him share what he thinks.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 3,500 students offering 63 undergraduate options, 17 master's degrees, five postgraduate areas and eight pre-professional programs. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.