Call to Order and Roll Call
The 8th meeting of the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee was held on Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at 10:00 AM, in Room 149 of the Capitol Annex. Representative Myron Dossett, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator C.B. Embry Jr., Co-Chair; Representative Myron Dossett, Co-Chair; Senators Stephen Meredith, Dennis Parrett, and Whitney Westerfield; Representatives Kim King, Phillip Pratt, Rick Rand, Brandon Reed, and Dean Schamore.
Guests: Warren Beeler, Executive Director, Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy (GOAP); Bill McCloskey, Deputy Executive Director, GOAP; Van Ingram, Executive Director, Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy (KODCP); Heather Wainscott, Branch Manager, KODCP; and Amy Andrews, Program Manager, Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy (KY-ASAP).
LRC Staff: Tanya Monsanto, Nathan Smith, and Rachel Hartley.
The September 6, 2017, minutes were approved by unanimous voice vote.
Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy Report
Warren Beeler discussed his schedule for the month of September.
In response to a question from Senator Meredith, Mr. Beeler stated Kentucky will be the host state of the Sunbelt Agriculture Exposition next year.
In response to a question from Representative Schamore, Mr. Beeler stated the largest check received from Hopkinsville Elevator Company Inc. was for $245,000. The cooperative has 4,000 farmers located in 63 counties.
Bill McCloskey described the Agricultural Development Board’s projects for September under the program. Mr. McCloskey highlighted programs including the County Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP), Deceased Farm Animal Removal Program, and On-Farm Energy Program.
Requested Program Amendments include:
· Whitley County Cattlemen’s Association Inc. requested an additional $11,000 for CAIP. The board recommends approval which would bring program total to $42,000.
· Muhlenberg County Cattlemen’s Association, Inc. requested an additional $4,507 for CAIP. The board recommends approval which would bring program total to $39, 938.
· Meade County Cattleman Association Corporation requested an additional $4,772 for CAIP. The board recommends approval which would bring program total to $45,640.
· Henry County Cattlemen’s Association, Inc. requested an additional $25,000 for CAIP. The board recommends approval which would bring the program total to $180,000.
· Anderson County Farm Bureau, Inc. requested an additional $12,031 for CAIP. The board recommends approval which would bring the program total to $144, 394.
· Harrison County Beef Cattle Association, Inc. requested an additional $31,121 for CAIP. The board recommends approval which would bring the program total to $239,885.
Projects discussed include:
· Marksbury Farm Foods, LLC was approved for up to $63,100 in state and multiple county funds as a cost-reimbursement grant/loan for the expansion of its poultry processing operation in Garrard County.
· Lyon County Board of Education was approved for $20,000 in Lyon County funds to build a greenhouse for the Lyon County School System.
· Westwind Power, Inc. was denied for $385,000 in State funds for an organic farm that uses hydroponics and greenhouses. The board denied the request due to limited farmer impact, undeveloped business plan, and lack of expertise for greenhouse production.
Presentation of the Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy
Van Ingram stated KY-ASAP was established in the late 1990s to form anti-drug activities and provide seed money to local communities. There are 79 local boards that cover 118 counties, and each county was provided $15,500. Heather Wainscott stated local boards have autonomy to decide how funds are spent. The local boards also leverage supplemental funds.
Ms. Wainscott said there are two websites where you can locate a prescription drug disposal site. There is also a contact page for constituents. In November, KY-ASAP launched the Kentucky Stop Overdoses website, which is also a Naloxone/Narcan locator. There are currently 437 pharmacies that carry the medication and 24 needle exchange locations. Both can be found utilizing the website. There are also materials on how to react to an overdose, Casey’s Law, and the Good Samaritan Law.
KY-ASAP has entered into a partnership with Kentucky Broadcasting Association to form the Public Education Program. This program provides an opportunity for media outreach. KY-ASAP is an alliance member with Drug Free America that allows $3,000,000 for professional Public Service Announcements (PSA).
Amy Andrews stated KY-ASAP supports local boards to meet individual county needs. Local boards, with the assistance of community partners, created programs and policy initiatives. Some of the programs include tobacco free policy, drug court staff training, DUI checkpoints, and support for school resource officers. The local boards utilize surveys plus law enforcement data to enhance their strategic plans to support their communities.
KY-ASAP collaborates with the Drug Enforcement Administration for the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. There are 68 agencies signed up to participate in this event.
In response to Representative King, Mr. Ingram stated there was a $10,000,000 federal grant awarded to the Division of Behavior Health.
In response to Senator Westerfield, Mr. Ingram stated Governor Bevin appeared in their first PSA. It’s important to reduce the stigma of substance abuse, and the website will be used to educate the public.
In response to Representative Dossett, Ms. Wainscott stated KY-ASAP was founded in 2000. Harlan and Elliot County are not participating, and KY-ASAP has reached out to increase participation.
The next meeting of the Tobacco Agreement Oversight Committee is tentatively scheduled for November 1, 2017. Documents distributed during the meeting are available in the LRC Library.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.