Paying housing fees continuously to other counties as a long term plan benefits noone but the other counties getting paid for our inmates. I assert that in the long haul, and looking at this catastrophe over time, that it's not beneficial to those doing the transporting, to those getting transported, or to the tax payers.
The next fiscal court meeting is this coming Monday, 24 March, at 0900 at the PADD office. You're invited.
Important Read for Voters in Graves County:
There have reportedly been hundreds of emails sent from Graves County citizens (as well as from individuals from other counties and districts) to legislators expressing support of Kim Holloway, District 2 Kentucky State Representative's recent submission of a new House Bill 727, requesting funding assistance for our Graves County Jail and Restricted Custody Center rebuild.
Currently, the appropriations committee chair, Representative Jason Petrie, is reportedly unwilling to discuss this bill, which would prevent a vote from even taking place on the House floor. It's no secret that Representative Petrie and Senator Jason Howell hope to implement a pet project of a regional jail system, which would ultimately remove control from the counties over their own offenders/inmates.
Senator Howell should be representing our County by speaking up for our residents' needs, even if that means speaking up against other legislators like Representative Petrie who has expressed his lack of support to help Graves County rebuild our county jail.
I strongly encourage you to immediately contact
Senator Jason Howell
►jason.howell@kylegislature.gov
Appropriations Committee Chair
Representative Jason Petrie
►jason.petrie@kylegislature.gov
Appropriations Committee Co-Chair
Representative Josh Bray
►josh.bray@kylegislature.gov
Graves County residents, are you ready to build a jail?
Kim Holloway, District 2 Kentucky State Representative filed House Bills ►727 and ►730 today on behalf of Graves County. Kim explains that "House Bill 727 would make an appropriation from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund to the WKSAFE Fund to REBUILD GRAVES COUNTY JAIL."
She further explains below that "House Bill 730 would enable [Graves County] to build a Jail Operations Center with unrestricted FEMA funds obtained due to the destruction of the American Legion building." Read her post below for more specifics on this.
Currently, Graves County Jail and Restricted Custody Center is forced to house our own Graves County inmates all over western Kentucky, resulting in millions of Graves County dollars paid in inmate housing fees. There are also numerous risks to deputies and offenders associated with transporting inmates long distances.
What can YOU do to voice your support of these bills? Email the legislators on the committee who will first be reviewing these bills. You can also email the leadership group who will take an interest.
I am including all of the names and email addresses for the committee as well as all of names and email addresses for those legislators in leadership. They need to hear from all of us. You can copy and paste the email addresses, and you are welcome to use my own email I am sending. (Just copy and paste that, too
Committee: Jason Petrie, Adam Bowling, Josh Bray, Kim Banta, Tina Bojanowski, Randy Bridges, George Brown, Stephanie Dietz, Ken Fleming, Chris Freeland, Chris Fugate, Al Gentry, Mark Hart, Matt Lockett, Shawn McPherson, Steve Riley, Pamela Stevenson, Walker Thomas, Timmy Truett, Ken Upchurch, Wade Williams.
House Leadership includes: David Osborne, David Meade, Steven Rudy, Suzanne Miles, Jason Nemes, Pamela Stevenson (also on committee), Lindsey Burke, Al Gentry (also on committee).
"To" Email Addresses separated by semicolon
jason.petrie@kylegislature.gov; adam.bowling@kylegislature.gov; josh.bray@kylegislature.gov; kim.banta@kylegislature.gov; tina.bojanowski@kylegislature.gov; randy.bridges@kylegislature.gov; george.brown@kylegislature.gov; stephanie.dietz@kylegislature.gov; ken.fleming@kylegislature.gov; chris.freeland@kylegislature.gov; chris.fugate@kylegislature.gov; al.gentry@kylegislature.gov; mark.hart@kylegislature.gov; matt.lockett@kylegislature.gov; shawn.mcpherson@kylegislature.gov; steve.riley@kylegislature.gov; pamela.stevenson@kylegislature.gov; walker.thomas@kylegislature.gov; timmy.truett@kylegislature.gov; ken.upchurch@kylegislature.gov; wade.williams@kylegislature.gov; david.osborne@kylegislature.gov; david.meade@kylegislature.gov; steven.rudy@kylegislature.gov; suzanne.miles@kylegislature.gov; jason.nemes@kylegislature.gov; lindsey.burke@kylegislature.gov
**If the above "To" email addresses, separated by semicolon, don't work,
try using the addresses below that are separated by comma.
"To" Email Addresses separated by comma
jason.petrie@kylegislature.gov, adam.bowling@kylegislature.gov, josh.bray@kylegislature.gov, kim.banta@kylegislature.gov, tina.bojanowski@kylegislature.gov, randy.bridges@kylegislature.gov, george.brown@kylegislature.gov, stephanie.dietz@kylegislature.gov, ken.fleming@kylegislature.gov, chris.freeland@kylegislature.gov, chris.fugate@kylegislature.gov, al.gentry@kylegislature.gov, mark.hart@kylegislature.gov, matt.lockett@kylegislature.gov, shawn.mcpherson@kylegislature.gov, steve.riley@kylegislature.gov, pamela.stevenson@kylegislature.gov, walker.thomas@kylegislature.gov, timmy.truett@kylegislature.gov, ken.upchurch@kylegislature.gov, wade.williams@kylegislature.gov, david.osborne@kylegislature.gov, david.meade@kylegislature.gov, steven.rudy@kylegislature.gov, suzanne.miles@kylegislature.gov, jason.nemes@kylegislature.gov, lindsey.burke@kylegislature.gov
Subject Line:
Please Help Graves County Rebuild Our Jail
Email Body Content
I live in Graves County, KY. I am asking that you support HB 727, which would provide the funding we desperately need to continue recovering from the devastating 2021 tornado. I am grateful for the assistance provided to our community that is helping to replace other government buildings. Rebuilding our jail is a critical function of public safety to the entire Commonwealth. Please help us in this dire recovery effort.