Five county comparison
By The Staff Friday, April 2, 2010 at 7:00 pmHardin County’s Vision Project has come to a successful conclusion. The project, which was first announced in July 2009, involved dozens of community leaders representing various constituencies from across Hardin County.
Press Release
Contact:
The Honorable Harry L. Berry
Hardin County Judge/Executive
270.765.2350
Luke B. Schmidt
President, L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC
502.292.2898
For Immediate Release
Hardin County Vision Project Identifies Several Key Community Goals for the Future
Project Involved Community Leaders from Across Hardin County
Elizabethtown, Kentucky (April 1, 2010) – Hardin County’s Vision Project has come to a successful conclusion. The project, which was first announced in July 2009, involved dozens of community leaders representing various constituencies from across Hardin County.
The purpose of the project was to build upon the positive momentum that has been created by the BRAC transformation at Fort Knox and to begin developing a vision for what the County might look like in the future. The project was designed to build upon Hardin County’s strengths and current growth opportunities, identify weaknesses, maximize efficiencies and establish strategic community goals.
“The Vision Project identified many areas which when addressed will make Hardin County an even better place to live, work and grow business opportunities,” said Hardin County Judge/Executive Harry Berry. “Hardin County has always been one of the Commonwealth’s leading counties,” Berry continued, “we need to capitalize on what BRAC is bringing to the community and further position the County for future growth and new jobs.”
Louisville-based consulting firm, L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC, conducted the project on behalf of Hardin County Government. The project’s methodology included the following key activities:
County Strategic Assessment
The consulting firm identified key issues and conducted an assessment of the County’s strengths and weaknesses. This was accomplished by interviewing a number of groups and agencies in the County. In addition, a 30 page confidential key stakeholder survey was conducted. Over 70 community leaders representing the agriculture, business, education, government, health care, industrial, military, and tourism sectors returned surveys.
The project also analyzed benchmark (or peer) counties that align with Hardin County demographically in order to determine how these counties approach various issues, such as community and economic development. The benchmark counties included:
- Daviess County, Kentucky (Owensboro area)
- Lee County, Mississippi (Tupelo area)
- Lowndes County, Mississippi (Columbus area)
- Montgomery County, Tennessee (Clarksville area)
- Warren County, Kentucky (Bowling Green area)
Community Leadership Forum
Two community leadership forums were held which included participants in the key stakeholder survey process. Survey findings were announced and a presentation on the benchmark counties was given.
Project consultant Luke Schmidt stated, “This project enjoyed the support of the community and its leaders. From start to finish, the participants in the project provided key input and engaged in significant discussion on a multitude of issues. There is no question that the participants have developed a vision for the County’s future which will enhance the quality of life and make Hardin County even more competitive when it comes to new business investment and the creation of new jobs.”
Key Findings
Community leaders participating in the vision process in Hardin County reached consensus on a number of broad areas, including:
- Strong support for education at all levels
- A desire to unify the community in order to leverage its size to improve the efficiency of the delivery of services
- A desire to speak with one community voice in order to improve the community’s standing and stature in Frankfort and Washington, D.C., as has been successfully illustrated with One Knox
- A desire to eliminate duplication when and where possible by combining groups and organizations in order to improve efficiency and more efficiently market and promote the community
- A desire to improve the existing quality of place/quality of life by improving the visual appearance in urban areas, changing existing alcoholic beverage laws in order to foster the development of new restaurants, pubs and other new dining experiences, and, to develop new retail opportunities
- A desire to re-develop Downtown Elizabethtown to include new retail, entertainment and residential opportunities which will be unique to the County and will serve as a magnet for young professionals
A number of specific goals were also adopted by the project’s participants (a complete list of the goals is attached to this release). Some of these key goals, identified by area, include:
- Education – develop “leading edge” educational platform in the community, beginning with Kindergarten and extending through post-secondary education
- Community Unification – facilitate study of merged government structures in other communities and develop recommendations for Hardin County
- Community Development – create new “powerhouse” entity which will promote all facets of the community (business and retail development, business and retail advocacy, industrial development, education, work force training and tourism) for the combined purposes of representing businesses, promoting the community and creating new jobs
- Quality of Place/Quality of Life – adopt new practices which will eliminate visual clutter and improve streetscapes, develop new retail opportunities to mirror those commonly found in larger urban areas, develop a community YMCA, and, change existing alcoholic beverage laws to achieve full “wet” status for the community’s urban areas,
- Downtown Elizabethtown – create new retail, entertainment and residential district in Downtown Elizabethtown and identify new funding mechanisms which will facilitate this process
- Health Care – obtain Trauma Center certification at Hardin Memorial Hospital
Community Forum
A public forum will be held on Thursday, April 29, 2010, beginning at 4:00 PM at the Hardin County Performing Arts Center (John Hardin High School, 384 W.A. Jenkins Road, Elizabethtown) to which the public is invited. A detailed presentation on the Vision Project will be given which will include a more specific examination of the issues and strategic goals.
“There are many opportunities in front of us which will take the County to the next level,” said Berry, “By working together, I’m convinced that the best is yet to come.”
Hardin County is the sixth largest county (by population) in Kentucky and is governed by the three Commissioners of Hardin County Fiscal Court and Hardin County Judge/Executive Harry Berry (www.hcky.org).
L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC is a Louisville-based consulting firm which specializes in strategic planning, organizational development, public affairs, economic development and marketing/communications projects (www.lbschmidt.com).
ELIZABETHTOWN — Representatives from an airline that may start a commuter service at the local airport visited town earlier this month. That brings to four the number of carriers considering flying jets out of Elizabethtown Regional Airport.
Article originally posted by The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise directed to: http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/four-carriers-show-interest-local-airport
Four carriers show interest in local airport
By John Friedlein
Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 7:00 pm
By JOHN FRIEDLEIN
jfriedlein@thenewsenterprise.com
ELIZABETHTOWN — Representatives from an airline that may start a commuter service at the local airport visited town earlier this month.
That brings to four the number of carriers considering flying jets out of Elizabethtown Regional Airport.
Senior managers of the most recent company to become involved are “very interested in the marketplace,” Airport Board consultant Luke B. Schmidt said. Because of ongoing negotiations, he would not name the carriers that may restart commuter service here.
An initiative to build a Partnership for Central Kentucky Airline Service Travel Bank — for potential passengers who pledge money up-front for tickets — has been put on hold while airport representatives work with the latest carrier, Schmidt said.
“We’ve had a good response to the travel bank so far,” he said. The initiative would reward an airline with guaranteed revenue.
This has been a tough time for recruitment. Carriers during the past year and a half have tended to cut back instead of expand. They have been faced with challenges such as a poor economy and high fuel prices, Schmidt said.
Earlier this month an airline announced it is pulling out of Somerset because a federal subsidy is coming to an end.
Local airport promoters want to bring in a regional airline that is associated with a large carrier and will serve a major hub.
Elizabethtown had commuter flights in the ‘80s.
Bowling Green, which also is seeking a commuter service, last week found out it won a $500,000 grant from the competitive Small Community Air Service Development Program.
Elizabethtown has applied for the grant before but did not receive it. Schmidt said this is a subsidy to offset operating costs. With the travel bank, on the other hand, the money comes from customers who will pay for the service and fill a commuter jet’s seats.
John Friedlein can be reached at (270) 505-1746
A statewide coalition of grocery stores will again seek state approval to sell wine, and it hopes new lobbying efforts help sway legislators’ minds.
Article originally posted by the (Northern Kentucky) Kentucky Enquirer directed to: https://secure.pqarchiver.com/enquirer/access/1871745501.html?FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Oct+5%2C+2009&author=Amanda+Van+Benschoten&pub=Cincinnati+Enquirer&edition=&startpage=n%2Fa&desc=Stores+try+again+to+win+wine+sales
By Amanda Van Benschoten
A statewide coalition of grocery stores will again seek state approval to sell wine, and it hopes new lobbying efforts help sway legislators’ minds.
The Food with Wine Coalition has backed the issue since 2007, with little success.
Kentucky is among 16 states that ban the sale of wine in grocery stores. Neighboring Indiana and Ohio allow it.
“It’s an antiquated law, and it’s time to change it,” said coalition spokesman Luke Schmidt. “It’s time for Kentucky to step up and be more progressive in the way that it approaches this.”
The coalition has launched an online petition drive in advance of the legislative session that begins in January.
Through Thanksgiving, customers age 21 and over in more than 100 grocery stores across the state will be asked to visit the group’s Web site and sign the petition. That generates a form letter, which is sent to the individual’s state representative and senator.
It’s a more targeted approach than the group’s in-store petition drive last year, when more than 56,000 people signed it.
The coalition says unscientific polls by media outlets show more than 90 percent of voters support selling wine in grocery stores, but the measure has not yet gained any traction in the legislature.
House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, D-Louisville, filed a bill in 2008 that never made it out of committee.
Through a spokeswoman, Clark said he would support a measure that provides floor space to promote and sell Kentucky-made wine.
Rep. Adam Koenig, R-Erlanger, sought to file a bill again last spring, but couldn’t get Democratic support.
The coalition’s goal in 2010 is to at least get a hearing in the House. For that to happen, the measure will need the support of Democratic leaders.
“I hope it gets somewhere, because it’s an opportunity to raise money without raising taxes – and we need to take as many of those opportunities as we can find in this economic climate,” Koenig said.
The coalition says selling wine in the stores would raise $83.5 million in new tax revenue over five years.
And, Schmidt said, it would aid the state’s growing wine industry by creating between 300 and 400 new sales outlets for Kentucky-made wine.
Erlanger-based Remke Markets already carries about 200 Kentucky-made products in its seven stores, and it plans to stock Kentucky-made wine if the measure is approved.
Tom Litzler, director of business and government relations for Remke, said wine is, by far, the most-requested item by customers.
“If you’re allowed to sell beer, we don’t see any logic to why you’re not allowed to sell wine,” he said. “It’s because of a law that goes back to the days of Prohibition.”
The liquor store industry has opposed the bill, but supporters believe more competition will help, not hurt, the industry and customers.
“This is pro-consumer, any way you look at it. It expands choice in the marketplace, and it expands competition. And we believe that competition is good for the overall marketplace,” Schmidt said.
The owners of Party Source and Cork & Bottle, Northern Kentucky’s largest liquor stores, did not respond to messages seeking comment.
The coalition’s proposal – and its lobbying efforts – only affect “wet” counties, or those that allow alcohol sales.
“Legislators, in our view, can feel comfortable in passing this bill, knowing that it’s not going to alter the lifestyle in a dry county, but the dry county will clearly benefit from the revenue flow,” Schmidt said.
The group’s Web site is foodwithwine.org.
A group of Kentucky grocers is surging forward with its effort to bring wine to shelves in grocery stores by early next year. The Food with Wine Coalition launched an online petition last month and is hoping to introduce a bill to the General Assembly in January that would allow the sale of wine in all the state’s grocery stores. The legislation would only affect counties where alcohol is already sold.
A group of Kentucky grocers is surging forward with its effort to bring wine to shelves in grocery stores by early next year.
The Food with Wine Coalition launched an online petition last month and is hoping to introduce a bill to the General Assembly in January that would allow the sale of wine in all the state’s grocery stores. The legislation would only affect counties where alcohol is already sold.
“We fully respect people’s decision to drink or not to drink, that’s not what this is about,” said Luke Schmidt, president of L.B. Schmidt & Associates, which is representing the Coalition. “It’s about making the sale of wine more competitive.”
Wine is now the second fastest growing product category in food stores behind bottled water, according to a news release from the Food with Wine Coalition. The group has received support from the Kentucky Grocers Association and 56,000 signatures were collected on a petition in 2007.
Kentucky is one of just 16 states in the nation that doesn’t allow the sale of wine in grocery stores. Information provided to the General Assembly two years ago show the planted acreage at vineyards across the state increased from 68 acres in 1999 to 706 in 2007. The number of wineries also grew from five to 44 over the same time period.
The Coalition estimates state wine sales would grow by nearly 6 percent and at least $38.5 million in tax revenue would be generated — similar to figures in other states that approved wine sales.
Schmidt said the legislation also could have a significant impact on the revenue during the FEI World Equestrian Games, which will be held in Lexington next year. The group is expecting around 700,000 visitors from around the world during the two-week event.
Kevin Hoffman can be reached at 270-887-3240 or khoffman@kentuckynewera.com.
A coalition of grocers and producers has formed to change state statutes to allow sales of wine in Kentucky grocery stores. Luke B. Schmidt represents the Food with Wine Coalition.
Article originally posted by The Paducah Sun directed to: http://www.paducahsun.com/component/content/article/183-archive/42506
By Alan Reed
Saturday, October 03 2009
By Alan Reed areed@paducahsun.com
Luke B. Schmidt represents the Food with Wine Coalition. “This meets the needs of consumers who have for the last several years asked why they cannot buy wine with their food for dinner,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt said 34 other states, including six of seven bordering Kentucky allow for wine sales in groceries. He added that wine was the second fastest growth product in grocery stores behind bottled water.
“This is pro-consumer because it expands competition by allowing other businesses to sell wine other than liquor stores who have had a monopoly since prohibition” Schmidt said.
Schmidt said a grocery study indicates wine sales would increase by 50 percent in the first two years before leveling to industry standards. Convenience would factor into that pattern. He added the growth would create $84 million of revenue through tax collection.
“Last time I checked, the state was looking for every dollar it could find and this is an easy $84 million,” Schmidt said.
Citing a non-scientific poll conducted by his group, Schmidt said 90 percent of responders favored wine sales in grocery stores. He said primary opposition came from liquor store operators.
“It’s good for farms,” Schmidt said. “We have 50 wineries that would like to grow, and their only sales outlets now are their tasting rooms and liquor stores.”
Schmidt added that most McCracken County grocers should benefit from the measure. Dry counties would also benefit by receiving state funds collected through taxes and distributed to local programs.
At least one liquor store owner opposes the plan. Kenny Roof, co-owner of Roof Brothers Wine and Spirits, said a grocery store environment is less regulated than a liquor store.
“Obviously I’m not really in favor of more competition,” Roof said. “But the state (Alcohol Beverage Control Board) holds liquor stores highly accountable for sales. I don’t think they ever conduct undercover stings on grocery stores. Grocery stores also have a lot of underage help. Liquor stores have no underage help.
Burton Banks, owner of Banks Grocery Company that operates SuperValu Foods, said he does not sell any alcoholic beverages.
“We don’t even sell beer,” Banks said. “We started out that way 80 years ago and don’t want the hassle with the stuff with age limits and other problems. I don’t know why we could sell beer but not wine, but if I was in the wine business I would not want groceries to sell it. It’s easier not to handle it, and I don’t have much to say.”
June Dossey of Paducah’s Purple Toad Winery said she supports the measure. “I think it will be great for us in the long run, but right now, we don’t have enough product for grocery stores,” Dossey said. “When we bump our volume up, we may want to sell in grocery stores down the line.
“If someone doesn’t want it, they can always pass by the aisle. It doesn’t hurt to be in the store.”
To learn more, or to participate in an online petition conducted by the Food with Wine coalition, visit www.foodwithwine.org. Petitioners will have a letter sent to their state representative and senator expressing support for wine sales in groceries.
Alan Reed, a Paducah Sun staff writer, can be contacted at 270-575-8658
Wandering through the grocery store, you pick up your steak and your potatoes, your sour cream and your seasonings. Now all you need is that special bottle of wine to make it all complete.
ASHLAND, Ky. (WSAZ) — In 34 states, including West Virginia, grocery store wine sales are the norm. In Kentucky, however, it’s the exception.
Article originally posted by the WSAZ-TV (Huntington/Ashland) Web site with accompanying video news story directed to:http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/62995612.html
ASHLAND, Ky. (WSAZ) — In 34 states, including West Virginia, grocery store wine sales are the norm. In Kentucky, however, it’s the exception.
Now, the industry push is fully uncorked to allow Bluegrass State grocery stores to sell wine. WSAZ.com’s Randy Yohe looked inside this issue, explaining what it will take — and what stores say all will gain — by selling wine with food.
At the Krogergrocery store location in Barboursville, W.Va., store managers say their expansive well-maintained wine department is a driving force in food sales. Shoppers such as Randy Wilson say — like a good restaurant — it makes sense to buy wine with your food.
“I buy wine for my meals,” he said. “It’s just like buying milk.”
But at the Kroger store in Ashland there’s a big sign next to the beer aisle asking rhetorically, “Where’s the wine?” Kentucky’s food store industry has formed the Food and Wine Coalition, a nonprofit lobby group urging Kentuckians to go online and petition their state representatives to allow wine sales in grocery stores.
According to Luke Schmidt with the Food and Wine Coalition, the issue would have to be passed by the state General Assembly since Kentucky has no voter referendum option.
At the Ashland Kroger, managers say people — mostly out-of-town residents — are always asking, “Where’s the wine?”
“It would be a win-win,” assistant store manager Jeff Johnson said. “We would gain profits, and customers would have more choices to buy wine.”
Coalition officials say the benefits would be bountiful — first, that wine with groceries would expand consumer choices in the marketplace and compete with liquor stores that have had a monopoly since prohibition.
Secondly, the commonwealth would collect more taxes — the coalition estimates $84 million in five years. Third, the added products would promote the growing Kentucky wine industry.
The coalition says the law would only take effect in already wet communities; dry areas would stay dry. The coalition also says wine is the second fastest growing product category — after bottled water — being sold in American food stores.
Ashland — Grocers make a point of knowing what their customers want to buy and are hoping state lawmakers will help them respond to people who want a glass of wine with their dinner.
Article originally posted by the Ashland Daily Independent directed to: http://dailyindependent.com/local/x546117517/Grocers-seek-wine-option
Grocers seek wine option
Spokesman: State lawmakers are expected to take up issue next year
Ashland — Grocers make a point of knowing what their customers want to buy and are hoping state lawmakers will help them respond to people who want a glass of wine with their dinner.
“The grocery industry decided it is time to push this forward,” said Luke Schmidt, a spokesman for the Food With Wine Coalition. The coalition is a nonprofit agency formed by Kentucky’s grocers to seek a change in state law allowing grocery stores to sell wine, instead of limiting wine to the shelves of liquor stores.
“There are three reasons why this is compelling,” he said, explaining the idea would benefit consumers and promote competition, increase state tax revenues without enacting any new taxes, and lend support to Kentucky’s emerging wine industry as well as farmers who’ve switched from tobacco to grapes as an alternate cash crop.
State legislators weren’t able to discuss the proposal during their most recent short session in Frankfort, Schmidt said, although they are expected to study the idea in January.
In the meantime, the state’s grocers are urging consumers to let their state representatives know what they want. Store displays will guide wine lovers to a Web site where they are asked to take roughly 30 seconds to complete a petition and generate a letter to the appropriate elected officials.
“We’ve only been promoting it for about two weeks and it has already generated several thousand letters,” Schmidt said.
The coalition proposal would not have any effect on “dry” counties, Schmidt stressed, and would leave the sale of wine at grocery stores in the hands of store managers and owners.
“This does not mandate they sell wine. This is not a mandatory thing at all,” he said. “But we believe most will want to supply their customers with what they have been asking for.”
The coalition has provided information about the effort to Ashland area grocery stores, including Kroger, with displays that ask, “Where’s the wine?” and detailed information at checkout counters.
The idea does have some enemies, Schmidt said.
“The only opposition we know of is from liquor stores. They’ll tell you we are going to put them out of business,” Schmidt said, adding the proposal “is not a prelude to distilled spirits in grocery stores.”
Schmidt asks consumers who support the sale of wine at grocery stores to visit foodwithwine.org and click on the “Sign the Petition” link. The coalition is also represented on social networking sites including Facebook and Twitter.
TIM PRESTON can be reached at tpreston@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2651.
ASHLAND, KY — The Food and Wine Coalition is pushing for wine to be sold in grocery stores in Kentucky.
Members of the coalition gathered in Ashland Tuesday to announce the launching of an online petition. They want to change the existing state law to allow grocery stores to sell wine in counties that also allow the sale of alcoholic beverages by the package.
Updated Tuesday, September 29, 2009; 06:45 PM
Those who want to sign the petition can go to www.foodwithwine.org.
By Latasha Hughes ASHLAND, KY — The Food and Wine Coalition is pushing for wine to be sold in grocery stores in Kentucky. Members of the coalition gathered in Ashland Tuesday to announce the launching of an online petition. They want to change the existing state law to allow grocery stores to sell wine in counties that also allow the sale of alcoholic beverages by the package. “It expands the choice for the consumer in the market place. It expands competition, said Luke Schmidt, Food with Wine Coalition member. “It increases tax revenue for the state to the tune of $84 million over the first 5 years and it will benefit Kentucky’s growing wine industry because it will give those wineries 400 new sales outlets.” Kentuckians can visit www.foodwithwine.org and click on the Sign the Petition link to sign the petition.
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