The plan called for 20 percent of the $8,040 annual cost to be paid by three or four area entities, including the Industrial Board/Economic Development group. Split three ways, the EDC’s contribution would be $536. To split the cost of the $1,608 cost four ways would cost $402. The City of Cadiz, Economic Development, Tourism Commission and Chamber of Commerce have been asked to contribute. The board said that the Chamber of Commerce might not have funding to contribute to the effort.
New Industrial Commissioner David Sutton said, “I’ve heard that 80 percent of the business to the antique shops downtown come from the one sign on I-24. If that sign came down, the stores would close in three months.”
State tourism will match the local 20 percent with the 80 percent balance of the sign.
Commissioner Jim Wallace said that as a former resident of the area now known as the Land Between the Lakes, he had been invited to participate in planning sessions for new bridges over the lakes.
Judge/Executive Stan Humphries said that the state had placed greater emphasis on bridges in Covington and Louisville, but had made a county contribution for seed money to form a lobbying group with other area institutions to facilitate construction.
“This is urgent,” said Wallace. “It’s probably a traffic issue in Louisville, but here, this is a safety issue.” He added that construction could begin in 2009, if “fast tracked,” or 2010 if the current pace continued. He understood the completion date to be estimated to fall within 2012 or 2013.
For the rest of this story, read this week's Cadiz Record.
