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Historical Reality
West Kentucky is failing the 21st Century. Too many problems left over from the 20th century pose a real threat to how the 32 counties west of I-65 will survive the future. These problems include:
(1) massive job loss as the traditional manufacturing base is shut down
(2) mis use of water resources toward heavy dirty industry instead of protecting the traditional water based tourism economy of West Kentucky and
(3) the implosion of small communities as Main Street becomes Ghost Town Street when retail trade disappears and is replaced by vacant buildings and empty lots.
Frankfort’s status quo politics and leadership over the past 20 years has left the counties of Western Kentucky at risk to the challenges of the future.
Central Kentucky workers think that West Kentucky starts in Elizabethtown and ends in Owensboro or Bowling Green. The area beyond these reference points seems like map makers of old who often label the unknown lands with “that there be dragons here” warnings to travelers. Yet, this is exactly the frame of mind for centrally located decision makers who fear only trouble and pain for travelers from Frankfort.
Platform for Strategic Planning and Regional Change
Forward in West Kentucky is a federal 527 Organization to create a common voice and planning process. This effort will be designed to engage political leaders in Kentucky to support a regional strategic plan for West Kentucky. This strategic plan will be based upon a vision of how West Kentucky should be developed for the year 2018.
This West Kentucky Vision 2018 planning process shall be conducted along fourteen broad issue areas. A committee will be formed for each issue area with citizens and experts from West Kentucky. We look to form these committees:
( 1) Economic Development
( 2) Environmental Quality of Life
( 3) Transportation
( 4) Legislative Agenda
( 5) Kentucky State Government Agenda
( 6) Education
( 7) Energy
( 8) Governance (cost of government)
( 9) Health Care
(10) Climate Change Costs and Impacts
(11) Tourism
(12) Cultural Heritage
(13) Taxation
(14) Small town Central Business Districts
Community Town Hall meetings and broad public education campaigns will provide the needed citizen input to forge a workable common sense approach in West Kentucky of dealing with future shock.
The Forward in West Kentucky envisions creating a digital community of 1,000 plus interested citizens who will forge a new leadership to implement the Vision 2018 strategic plan for West Kentucky.