Buffalo Trace Champion Community

Lead Entity: Buffalo Trace Area Development District/Buffalo Trace Champion  Community

Demographics

State:  Kentucky        

Counties (Census Tracts):  Lewis (9901, 9902, 9904), Fleming (9801, 9803, 9804), Mason (9605), Robertson (9701)
Community Population:   23,070
Poverty Rate:   29.7%

Net Land Area:  819.3 square miles
 

Background: 

• Unemployment rate:  Lewis County 17.3% (average 3 census tracts), Fleming County 10.3% (average 3 census tracts),  Mason County 3.1% ( 1 census tract),  Robertson County 5.7% ( 1 census tract)

• Median Household Income:  Range from $15,775 to $20,582  (1989 income reported in the April 1990 Decennial Census)

• Per Capita Income:  Range from $7,477 to $9,888 (Based on 1990 US Census Data)

• Education:  The average of the 8 census tracts indicates that 50.4% of the 23,070 do not have a high school diploma or equivalent.

Community Overview:

The Buffalo Trace Champion Community includes eight census tracts in four counties in the same general area.  The Buffalo Trace area has a history of being a close-knit community.  Many successful projects have been accomplished as a regional endeavor, not a single county endeavor.

The area contains a population of 23,070.  There are 6,854 persons (30%) considered to be poverty stricken.  This area is comprised mostly of tobacco farmers with little industrial employment available.

Strategic Plan Highlights:  

With the implementation of its strategic plan, the Buffalo Trace Champion Community seeks to achieve a balance in economic and community development.

• Education--(1) Have the ability to readily and efficiently train or retrain the present workforce; (2) To allow all credit hours earned at the Maysville Community College to transfer to a state university when the student pursues a four (4) year degree.

• Community/Youth/Family Resources--Promote the expansion of Social Services' Programs and the creation of new service programs to assist the residents of the area to achieve maximum efficiency in meeting the needs of the residents.

• Capacity Building--To create a truly regional planning commission.

• Business Development/Job Training--(1) To get four (4) active chambers of commerce (one per county in the Champion Community Area); (2) To obtain a good overall knowledge of area businesses and their needs; (3) Stimulate the agricultural economy of the area.

• Health Care--To make available the most competitive insurance rates possible.

• Public Infrastructure--(1) To include needed highway improvements in the six-year plan; (2) Promote the efficient use of the area's natural resources in an environmentally sound fashion; (3) Access to a safe supply of water for every resident.

Partnerships

The Champion Community has partnered with the Buffalo Trace Area Development District Board of Directors, utility systems, school boards, chambers of commerce, state, federal and local agencies, etc.

Leveraging

One example of leveraging was the funding of the "Southern Lewis County" waterline extension project.  The project will provide potable drinking water to approximately 400 new customers in the remote areas of Lewis County.  The funding package includes funds from USDA Rural Development, Appalachian Regional Commission, and the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority along with local tap fees to be collected.

Community Involvement:

The communities represented in the Champion Community have participated in various types of meetings ranging from the Smart Growth Initiative to regional planning activities hosted by the Buffalo Trace Area Development District. Public participation has been provided at the public meetings in the various areas for projects and for general community improvements.  Another example of Community Participation was the assistance that Fleming and Mason County provided to Lewis County as they were re-establishing their Chamber of Commerce.

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