Officials Break Ground on Thompson Road Project
By Mary Music, Staff Writer, Appalachian News-Express
October 4, 2006

Gov. Ernie Fletcher handed out $7.5 million and promised a "personal commitment" to several Pike County projects yesterday.

During two back-to-back appearances in Pikeville, Fletcher participated in a ground-breaking ceremony for the Thompson Road project, which he fully supports, and he toured the Pikeville Medical Center, where he promised his personal commitment to help with the development of a research facility.

Fletcher presented two checks - more than $4.4 million in state construction funds and more than $300,000 in federal funds - for the Thompson Road project, the "brain child" of Pikeville Mayor Frank Justice, which is aimed at promoting safety on U.S. 23 and expanding the city boundaries economically and physically by opening up about 650 acres of developable property in Big Shoal for new businesses and employment opportunities.

During his speech, Fletcher emphasized the deficit he faced when he first came into office, and how his administration decided to dig the state out of debt by building roads that lead to jobs.

"We've been building more roads in the past three years than ever in the history of the Commonwealth," Fletcher said, "and those roads are leading to jobs."

Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert, who has worked closely with area representatives on gaining funds for the Thompson Road project by getting it adopted into the state's six-year plan, said the project reflects a statement Fletcher made when he was first hired.

"He said we need to quit thinking in the state about being Democrats and Republicans and we need to start thinking about being Kentuckians," Nighbert said. "Today shows us what putting away partisan titles can do for an area."

Though the six-year road plan is under-funded, Nighbert said Fletcher stressed the importance of including the Thompson Road project into the six-year plan because "it means so much to Pikeville."

"We are the gateway to the mountains," Justice said, telling the crowd at the groundbreaking ceremony that three four-lane highways will provide access to the community.

In addition to the Thompson Road funding, Fletcher announced $100,000 in Transportation Enhancement funding for the Bob Amos Park multi-use trail, $500,000 in Transportation Cabinet bond funding for road resurfacing projects in Pike County, and $15,000 in Transportation Cabinet bond funding to resurface streets in Elkhorn City.

Fletcher also announced the disbursement of collected coal mining fees totaling $1.3 million, with most of those funds coming from the Abandoned Mine Land program for the extension of water lines to about 165 households in the Ferrell's Creek area, where groundwater has been affected by coal mining. More than $155,000 was also announced as being Pike County's share, as mandated by law, of mine permit and acreage fees that were collected by the Department of National Resources.

UNITE and WestCare Kentucky representatives also received a ceremonial $750,000 check for their Ashcamp facility, which opened last year to help adult males addicted to alcohol and drugs. The Pike County Detention Center will also be expanding their substance abuse program, with more than $30,000 in ODCP funds.

After the ceremony, Fletcher toured the Pikeville Medical Center, where he spoke with the Board of Directors and met employees.

Telling PMC board members that a community needs good health care facilities in order to be economically strong, Fletcher promised to support the hospital's plan to develop a research facility. Earlier this year, Fletcher vetoed a request for $1.5 million in coal severance funds for the project.

He also discussed his Medicare reform plans and the "Get Healthy Kentucky" initiative.

If the state improved health care and raised math and science scores, the Commonwealth would "leap-frog" other states and increase the availability of labor, productivity while decreasing health care costs, he said.

Nighbert said the Commonwealth won't get healthy until social issues like substance abuse and disproportionate aging are addressed. The state, he said, will be 14th in the nation by 2025 in the number of elderly residents.

Fletcher recognized hurricane Katrina volunteers Director Walter May, CEO Joann Anderson, and PMC employees James Nyberg, Cheryl Hickman, Randy Jones, Kelly Bentley, Dr. Kevin Brinker, Willena Moore, Dr. Donald Morando and Mike Wright as Kentucky Colonels.

Before leaving the hospital, he had a private meeting with May.