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Hardin County United Launches New Logo and Web Site (Press Release)

HCU logo_3Press 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

 

Hardin County United Launches New Logo and Web Site

Web Site Will Provide Platform for Community to Follow Progress

 

Elizabethtown, Kentucky (January 28, 2011) – Hardin County United (HCU) today unveiled its new logo and Web site.

The logo, designed by Heartland Communications Consultants of Elizabethtown, features a stylized map of Hardin County, surrounded by an arrow, indicating a county and its citizens which are working together to address new opportunities.  The subtle green color is also intended to convey the strong partnership that the county enjoys with Fort Knox.

The Web site (www.hcu.lbschmidt.com), also designed by Heartland, is designed to serve as a platform for the Greater Hardin County community to follow the progress of various projects undertaken by HCU.  As projects proceed, postings to the Web site will be made from time to time which will allow those who are interested to stay up to date on issues related to the projects.  Interested parties will also be able to sign up for electronic updates and submit comments and questions to HCU via the Web site portal and also through linked HCU Facebook and Twitter sites.

“HCU is delighted to provide the community with this opportunity to follow our progress,” said Hardin County Judge/Executive Harry L. Berry, Chairperson of HCU’s Steering Committee.  “Each of our three subcommittees are actively engaged in projects related to the strategic goals which were established by the Hardin County Vision Project last year.  Our three subcommittee chairpersons will periodically provide updates and/or solicit feedback from the general public regarding these projects through this Web site.”

The Web site features the usual “About” page which provides a brief overview of HCU and also the recently concluded Hardin County Vision Project.  Each HCU committee and subcommittee also has a page, making it easy for visitors to find information that they are most interested in.  HCU will also post information through its “News” and “Blog” pages. The News page will feature news articles and press releases related to HCU projects and issues.  The “Blog” page will feature news as well as columns and comments written by HCU personnel.  The “Blog” page may feature guest postings from time to time.

Finally, the site also features a “Community Profile” page as well as links to virtually every key organization in Greater Hardin County.

“Even though HCU is a young organization, the site already contains a robust amount of content,” said Luke Schmidt, President of L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC and consultant to HCU.  “The site is intended to be a work in progress and it will be updated periodically.  In fact, we will be posting a major report from the Education Subcommittee within the next week and we encourage visitors to come back and check this out.”

“Not to be overlooked is the link between the HCU Web site and HCU’s Facebook and Twitter sites.  There are an estimated 60,000 Facebook users in the Greater Hardin County area and we want to reach as many people as we can,” stated Schmidt.

The Web site is now live.

(Note: members of the media that would like a JPEG file of the new HCU logo may request a copy by contacting Luke Schmidt: 502.292.2898; lbschmidt@lbschmidt.com)

Hardin County United (www.hcu.lbschmidt.com) was established for the purpose of examining the various strategic goals which were established by the Hardin County Vision Project in 2010.  The intent of Hardin County United (HCU) is to prioritize the goals and to develop implementation strategies.  HCU’s leadership team includes Hardin County Judge/Executive Harry L. Berry who chairs the Steering Committee; One Knox Executive Director Brad Richardson, who chairs the Community Development Subcommittee; North Central Education Foundation President/CEO Al Rider, who chairs the Education Subcommittee; and Hardin Circuit Court Judge Ken Howard who chairs the Governance Subcommittee.  Luke Schmidt, President of L.B. Schmidt & Associates, LLC, provides management and consulting services to HCU.

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Hardin County United unveils logo, website The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise

 

Article originally posted by The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise directed to:http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/hardin-county-united-unveils-logo-website

Hardin County United unveils logo, website

HCU logo_3Site will serve as web portal, directly link users through social networks
By Marty Finley

Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 10:00 pm (Updated: January 31, 4:32 pm)

Hardin County United wants to be your Facebook friend.

The organization formed out of the Hardin County Vision Project announced its expansion into the online world Friday with the launch of its official Web site, which will directly link users to the latest news and happening surrounding the groups aimed at fleshing out the 24 strategic goals identified through the visioning process.

The site, located at www.hcu.lbschmidt.com, provides a modern look with subtle color flourishes and an easily accessible format. It was designed by Heartland Communications Consultants of Elizabethtown, which also created the One Knox website.

A number of dropdown boxes gives users the option of learning about Hardin County United and the Hardin County Vision project in detail, while another area provides more in-depth information on the subcommittees — community development, education and governance — and the primary steering committee chaired by Hardin County Judge-Executive Harry Berry.

“HCU is delighted to provide the community with this opportunity to follow our progress,” Berry said in a news release. “Each of our three subcommittees (is) actively engaged in projects related to the strategic goals which were established by the Hardin County Vision Project last year. Our three subcommittee chairpersons will periodically provide updates and/or solicit feedback from the general public regarding these projects through this website.”

Luke B. Schmidt, a consultant for HCU, said the site will be an interactive portal for residents of Hardin County to use to follow projects as they proceed, with a blog and news function built into the site to provide those updates.

Schmidt in an interview also said HCU will use the site to publish reports from the committees and attempt to capitalize on the successes of Twitter and Facebook by linking the website with those social networking functions. On Facebook alone, it is projected there are around 60,000 users in Hardin County, Schmidt said.

To stay informed, website users also can sign up for electronic updates.

The site, too, provides a touchstone to the county through a community profile option, giving visitors a synopsis of the Hardin County area.

And a links function has been designed to bring other local agencies and organizations together through the site.

“Even though HCU is a young organization, the site already contains a robust amount of content,” Schmidt said in the news release. “The site is intended to be a work in progress.”

A major report from the education subcommittee is expected to be released this week and will be published on the site shortly thereafter, Schmidt added.

HCU on Friday also unveiled its new logo, designed by Heartland Communications Consultants. It includes the organization’s name and a “stylized map” of the county surrounded by a circular arrow.

Berry said the arrow represents the unity the county is working toward with the project and the uniform-sized dots on the map further that notion.

Also, the touches of green within the logo, Berry added, are a nod to the county’s link with the military and Fort Knox.

Marty Finley can be reached at (270) 505-1762              (270) 505-1762      or mfinley@thenewsenterprise.com.

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Hardin United to study consolidated government potential The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise

Article originally posted by The (Elizabethtown) News-Enterprise directed to:http://www.thenewsenterprise.com/content/hardin-united-study-consolidated-government-potential

 

By Jeff D’Alessio

Thursday, November 11, 2010 at 10:17 pm (Updated: November 13, 8:43 pm)

The first formal project by Hardin County United (HCU) will include a study of consolidated government and its potential for the Greater Hardin County community.
“It reached a point that it became more than a group of volunteers could do,’’ said Ken Howard, HCU Governance Subcommittee chairman. “We needed the staff and assistance to get all the work to get done.’’
Working through a contract with Lincoln Trail Area Development District, Louisville-based  consulting firm L.B. Schmidt and Associates has been retained to conduct the study. The study is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Economic Adjustment.  Luke Schmidt will serve as the project’s consultant. He also served as a consultant for the Hardin County Vision Project on behalf of Hardin County government and is  working with the Elizabethtown Airport Board to secure passenger airline service at the Elizabethtown Regional Airport

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The study of consolidated government options for Hardin County follows-up on a principal theme from the previously concluded Hardin County Vision Project which calls for a unification of purpose for the community by streamlining areas where duplication now exists and speak ing with one voice, according to a news release.   The study is expected to be presented to the community in the spring of 2011. Howard called that timetable “reasonably optimistic.’’
“You can study these things forever,’’ he said. “With Luke on board to do the leg work, the ground work, we can start making recommendations.’’
Hardin County United Chairman and Judge-Executive Harry Berry said in the release, “The results of the Vision Project clearly indicate a preference for exploring opportunities to consolidate various facets of the community for the purpose of improving the efficiency of the delivery of government services. The success of One Knox in securing state funds to facilitate the expansion of the community’s infrastructure to accommodate the growth at Fort Knox shows how important it is for the Hardin County community to speak with one voice. This study will illustrate how this concept might be formalized to the benefit of the entire community.”
The Vision Project began in July with the selection of Schmidt to coordinate research and analysis, followed by brainstorming sessions and a 30-page survey completed by 70 community leaders and stakeholders.
The project will begin with an examination of existing government structures in Hardin County – including county government and the six municipal governments. This examination will provide a baseline.
Howard said other consolidated government communities would be examined, such as Athens/
Clarke County, Georgia; Augusta/Richmond County, Georgia;Columbus/Muscogee County, Ga.; Lexington/Fayette County; Louisville Metro; and, Nashville/Davidson County, Tenn.
Howard said public forums also would be held.  “We’re not going to have forums until we have something to report to them,’’ he said. “We don’t simply want to have a public forum and ask the question about whether you are in favor or not of a consolidated government. We want them (the public) to see some work that was done so they can see what it could possibly look like.’’
“As this project moves forward, we will not lose sight of the good work that is being done every day in the existing government jurisdictions,” Schmidt said in the release. “The question is how can we improve upon the existing structure?”
Jeff D’Alessio can be reached at (270) 505-1757