Following Monday’s roundtable discussion at the Annual Pennyrile Area Development District Christmas Luncheon and Legislative Update in Dawson Springs, one thing is clear.
Much is weighing on the minds of local lawmakers, and much remains to be done as the 2026 biennium budget cycle opens this coming January.
Using constituent-submitted questions, PeADD Executive Director Jason Vincent probed leaders on their thoughts about the state’s embattled senior home-delivered meals program, the viability of regional jails and driver’s license offices, third-party Freedom of Information requests, the importance of Medicaid and affordable healthcare, and other key priorities for the Commonwealth.
District 8 Representative Walker Thomas noted he would be an advocate for the additional senior home-delivered meals expenditures, especially after visiting with several people while on meal routes in Trigg County.
District 2 Senator Danny Carroll, who sat in on this summer’s Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee on the matters, confirmed that it was personnel, and the people, of the Pennyrile that brought the issue to attention in Frankfort.
Incarceration of local and regional criminals, as well as ICE detainees, brings a measure of sense and sensibility to communities, but also comes at a massive cost of the taxpayer and Kentucky’s bottom line.
District 1 Senator Jason Howell said some tougher, perhaps unpopular discussions need to be held on the matter — and that their organization and affordability should be under the microscope, because there is no one “easy solution.”
Carroll said it hasn’t been implemented yet, but if traction continues in the right direction, there could be movement to allow driver’s license issuance to continue at regional offices only, but renewals permitted at local county clerk offices.
Citing issues in Hopkinsville, Crittenden County and other parts of the state, Senator Craig Richardson said that the freedom of information “doesn’t come without the freedom of consequence,” and noted that third-party FOIA’s — while important for transparency — sometimes don’t outweigh their financial price tag if the results aren’t used as agents of change.
District 12 Representative Jim Gooch confirmed that nearly 30% of Kentuckians rely on Medicaid for health services.
Those reparations, he added, are important and needed, but are provided mostly through subsidy, and as such, something else needed to be done in order to bring about affordable healthcare alongside KYNECT and former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act.
Energy creation and consumption also have Carroll’s full attention, and he believes nuclear power in the Commonwealth could be the answer.
PeADD has a rather large legislative base in Frankfort, which includes:
— District 1 Senator Jason Howell, for Crittenden, Lyon and Trigg
— District 2 Senator Danny Carroll, for Livingston
— District 3 Senator Craig Richardson for Caldwell, Christian and Muhlenberg
— District 4 Senator Robby Mills for Hopkins
— and District 32 Senator Mike Wilson for Todd
— District 3 Representative Randy Bridges, for Livingston
— District 4 Representative Wade Williams, for Hopkins
— District 5 Representative Mary Beth Imes, for part of Trigg
— District 6 Representative Chris Freeland, for Lyon
— District 8 Representative Walker Thomas, for Caldwell, part of Trigg and part of Christian
— District 9 Representative Myron Dossett, for part of Christian
— District 12 Representative Jim Gooch, for Crittenden
— District 15 Representative Rebecca Raymer, for Muhlenberg
— and District 16 Representative Jason Petrie, for part of Christian, and Todd
In other PeADD news:
+ According to regional needs rankings, the top four water projects heading into 2026 are Phase III water system expansion in Livingston County, Phase II plant expansion in Livingston County, water system improvements and a new administrative office in Hopkins County, and a tank rehabilitation project in Caldwell County.
+ The top four sewer projects are Phase II failure emergency construction at the Eddyville Wastewater Treatment Plant, an improvements project in Greenville, a Phase V rehabilitation project in Kuttawa and Ledbetter wastewater regionalization in Smithland.
+ As of December 1, more than 200 people are now on the waiting list for home-delivered senior meals, more than 300 are waiting on homemaking services and more than 60 are in need of home personal care. Of those needing meals, Christian County leads the way at 59.
FULL PRESENATION
