Incentive

Brandon Huss will do just about anything to get a child to read, including dying his hair. Last Friday the school psychologist at Warner Elementary School showed up at a morning assembly with half of his hair blue and the other half pink. "That's what we promised if the kids reach their goal of reading 350,000 minutes in two weeks in March," he said. Char Williams, the principal at Warner, who also dyed her hair, said that the students went above and beyond their goal for the month.

The Winchester Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a multi-million dollar tax incentive package in efforts to recruit a Michigan development firm that is considering building a $300 million sports and entertainment facility in Winchester. Commissioners unanimously supported the 29-page agreement that offers up to $37 million in tax incremental financing (TIF) incentives over a 20-year period if the project locates here. The joint city and county deal will go before the Clark County Fiscal Court today.

Dear Editor: Isn't it funny how the word "incentive" has become one of the most popular words used in the English language? The big oil companies used incentives on select congressmen by putting megabucks in their campaign war chests. The congressmen passed those incentives off to the auto manufacturers who were having sluggish sales by giving them tax breaks and other incentives. The auto manufacturers passed those incentives off to the American consumer by offering cash back, no interest and no payments due until a certain time and like lambs being led to slaughter, the American consumer bought up the latest trend in gas-guzzling vehicles.

City commissioners were accused of splitting hairs over a pre-existing incentive agreement between the city and a newly recruited company during Tuesday's regular meeting. The Economic Development Partnership's president, Jody Lassiter, and chairman John Stigall asked for the $1,300 utility bill received by Perfection Component on Corporate Drive be waived as the original letter of incentive, written by former mayor John W.D. Bowling, specified. Lassiter said the company not only received the $1,300 bill for time and materials associated with a tap-on, but also a delinquent notice.

Danville City Commission unanimously voted Tuesday to approve a letter of welcome to Corning Inc., but only four out of five commissioners voted in favor of a resolution supporting the Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership. No public comments were accepted during Tuesday's special meeting, which Commissioner Paul Smiley called in hope of addressing some recent public controversies between Mayor Bernie Hunstad and EDP President and Chief Executive Officer Jody Lassiter.

Dear Editor: Common Cause of Kentucky is right on the button about state spending. If government shutdown would be the result if no budget was passed by our legislators, it would certainly be an incentive for those who draw their salary to come up with a budget. Congratulations to Common Cause! Tommy Ellis Liberty

Dear Editor, "Cash for clunkers": Our brilliant federal government under-funded this one program. The "cash for clunkers" incentive was meant to run through October but ran out of cash in four days. Do we really want these same people controlling our entire health care system? I do not. Everyone should contact their elected officials today. Don't delay. This is too important. Kim KingHarrodsburg

The city of Nicholasville could be looking for loose change in its pockets after the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that the municipality is responsible for paying years of lost overtime to its firefighters. An Aug. 25 court decision ruled against the city of Nicholasville and 11 other agencies and in favor of the Kentucky Labor Cabinet. The case was an appeal of a Franklin Circuit Court ruling that said the agencies were not immune from paying retroactive overtime after an overtime calculation was changed in 2009.

A complaint has been filed with the Kentucky Labor Cabinet on behalf of Danville firefighters regarding overtime on state-provided incentive pay. City Manager Paul Stansbury confirmed that representatives of Danville firefighters lodged the complaint last week. "We haven't received any paperwork on that," said Stansbury. "All we've gotten was a call saying it has been filed. " Stansbury said the city has been advised by legal counsel not to discuss the issue and to act only through its hired law firm, Sturgill, Turner, Barker & Moloney of Lexington.

While some cities, including Harrodsburg, have already paid out back overtime pay to firefighters, Danville is taking a wait-and-see approach and keeping an eye on the new legislative session. Each year, Kentucky firefighters receive $3,100 in education incentive pay from the state to complete required training. The money is disbursed by the state to the city fire departments, and cities divide the amount among firefighters over the year. According to the Kentucky League of Cities, the incentive funds had been disbursed at an hourly rate over the course of a year by dividing the $3,100 by 2,912 - the number of scheduled hours worked in year on a 24-hours on, 48-hours off work schedule.

Danville City Commission unanimously voted Tuesday to approve a letter of welcome to Corning Inc., but only four out of five commissioners voted in favor of a resolution supporting the Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership. No public comments were accepted during Tuesday's special meeting, which Commissioner Paul Smiley called in hope of addressing some recent public controversies between Mayor Bernie Hunstad and EDP President and Chief Executive Officer Jody Lassiter.

Danville City Commission will hold a special meeting Tuesday to further discuss its working relationship with the Danville-Boyle County Economic Development Partnership. First-term Commissioner Paul Smiley spearheaded the idea to hold the special meeting after discussions last week on the topic turned unpleasant.  Last Tuesday, the EDP and affiliated agencies such as the Heart of Danville visited city hall for a special meeting and gave a presentation. But near the end of the meeting the environment visibly deteriorated as Mayor Bernie Hunstad and EDP president Jody Lassiter had several heated verbal exchanges.

The Freeman Corporation, located at 415 Magnolia St., will be receiving a tax incentive of $500,000 and will expand in the coming months. The hardwood veneer manufacturing company, which has been operating in Winchester for nearly 100 years, is planning a $3.4 million expansion, said Todd Denham, Winchester-Clark County's Economic Development Director. He also said the expansion would add 32 jobs to the workforce which will pay an average $17 per hour with benefits. The incentive was approved Thursday by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority board.

If Corning Inc. does not bring 40 new jobs to Boyle County by July, the company will be required to remit the lost payroll tax revenue as well as pay a modest penalty. During its meeting Tuesday, Boyle Fiscal Court unanimously approved a $187,500 remediation and redevelopment incentive for the company. Corning also is receiving $312,500 from Danville City Commission as well as $7 million in state incentives. Boyle Judge-Executive Harold McKinney said the city and county incentives will be repaid through payroll tax revenues.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority board approved tax incentives today for companies across the state, including one in Clark County. J&T Munitions of Winchester was approved for $200,000 to expand its manufacturing of firearm parts and accessories. This will add 15 to 20 jobs that will pay, on average, $15 per hour with benefits, according to published reports. The expansion for the company is estimated to cost $3.62 million. Todd Denham, executive director of the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Development Authority, said that by working together with the community and the state, the tax incentive was approved for their need to expand, create jobs, and to further their success.

The battle for raises for the road department continues in Clark County Fiscal Court. In previous meetings, Road Department Supervisor Kevin Wilson told the court that workers in his department should be given raises. On the agenda for the court's meeting Wednesday, a firefighter and a deputy jailer were granted status changes and pay raises while Wilson's workers remain at their beginning salaries. During the Fiscal Court's Feb. 27 meeting, Wilson said the Road Department has had more personnel turnover in the past year - which includes the loss of four employees - than he has had in the past six years combined.

The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority approved a proposal Thursday that would give $10.25 million in Kentucky business incentives to a subsidiary of Amazon.com, should it choose to open a $20-million customer support center in Winchester. To receive the full tax credit from the state, the company, AMZN.wacs Inc, would have to create 550 full-time jobs and 600 part-time and seasonal jobs, said Todd Denham, executive director of the Winchester-Clark County Industrial Authority.

The state House of Representatives voted last week to extend by one week this year's campaign-filing deadline for Kentucky's six congressional seats as work continued to resolve a House-Senate impasse on a plan to redraw those electoral districts. House Bill 2, as amended and enacted, contained no actual congressional redistricting plan, and only extended this year's filing deadline from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7  for congressional races. With the help of U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, and U.S. Rep. Ben Chandler, the House and Senate worked out a compromise (HB 302)

SMC, LLC, located at 400 Enterprise Drive, received a tax incentive for $1.5 million from the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, Jessamine County Economic Authority Director Wayne Foster said. SMC, which purchased Custom Wiring last spring, manufactures circuit boards for the electronic industry. Foster said it will be affiliated with Custom Wiring and will operate out of the same building of more than 22,000 square feet. “They're up and running,” Foster said during a phone interview last week.