Call to Order and Roll Call
The 1st meeting of the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee was held on Tuesday, January 12, 2016, upon adjournment of both Chambers in Room 129 of the Capitol Annex. Representative Wilson Stone, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator C.B. Embry Jr., Co-Chair; Representative Wilson Stone, Co-Chair; Senators Paul Hornback, Dennis Parrett; Representatives Mike Denham, Tom McKee, Terry Mills, and Jonathan Shell.
Guests: Representative James Tipton; Bill McCloskey, Director of Financial Services, Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy and Luther Hughes, Project Manager, Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy.
LRC Staff: Lowell Atchley, Kelly Ludwig, Sara Saxson-Lyle, Marielle Manning and Susan Spoonamore, Committee Assistant.
Upon motion made by Senator Parrett and seconded by Senator Embry, the December 2, 2015 minutes were approved, upon voice vote and without objection.
Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy
Mr. Bill McCloskey, Director of Financial Services, and Mr. Luther Hughes, Project Manager, Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, presented the projects receiving Agricultural Development Board approval at the December 2015 meeting. Those included County Agricultural Improvement, Deceased Farm Animal Disposal Assistance, and Shared-use programs, and major statewide or regional projects.
The GOAP representatives responded to committee members’ questions about the Deceased Farm Animal and Shared-use funding commitments.
The committee received reports on two regional projects – Woodford County Fair Association, approved by the board for $40,000 in Woodford County tobacco settlement funds to build and equip a livestock and agricultural pavilion at the Woodford County fairgrounds, and the Marion Tourism Commission, approved for $5,000 in state tobacco settlement funds to build a farmers’ market facility.
The GOAP officials responded to committee members’ questions about the Woodford County project, such as the type of pavilion planned and the scope of local input.
They provided additional details on the Marion project, primarily the funding arrangement.
Responding to Representative McKee, the GOAP officials discussed the growth throughout the state of farmers’ markets. According to Mr. McCloskey, the board has been receptive to farmers’ market funding applications.
The GOAP representatives described one funding denial, Bracken County Conservation District, turned down for $10,000 in tobacco funds to help finance a local garbage disposal program. Hay wraps were mentioned as being problematic trash items. Representative Denham expressed his concerns about the denial, pointing out the county has no regular trash pickup and that hay wraps are a nuisance.
It was mentioned in the discussion that a board review committee recommended denial due to lack of agricultural impact and interests. Mr. McCloskey said the county had received tobacco settlement funds in the past, particularly for a biomass study.
Documents distributed during the meeting are available with meeting materials in the LRC Library. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.