Christian County has had its fair share of severe weather events this year, and Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam says relief opportunities are available for residents.
FEMA is still in town to specifically help those residents who suffered damage and losses during April’s historic flooding—Judge Gilliam says they’re out at the Murray State University Hopkinsville campus and they’re ready to help anyone who suffered any amount of damage from that weather event.
As for the severe weather on May 15 that resulted in an EF-2 tornado tracking from Newstead Road over through the Sheffield Downs subdivision Judge Gilliam says luckily, damage wasn’t as bad as it could have been. He says he has not issued an emergency declaration for that event, because there wasn’t enough damage to meet the required threshold for FEMA.
An EF-2 tornado also tracked through the Allegre area of Todd County on May 15, resulting in more substantial damage there.
Judge Gilliam says he recently went on an advocacy trip to Washington D.C. with other judge-executives from the region, in an effort to push for transportation needs in western Kentucky. He says while the focus remains on I-69 for many, he pushed for the expansion of I-24.
He has proposed several capital projects in his recent budget proposal, which has already been approved once by magistrates and now has the okay from the state. Gilliam says there are several buildings that have much needed renovations due, with the old Treasurer’s Office slated for demolition.
That budget includes a four percent raise for county employees, and now heads back to Christian Fiscal Court for second-reading and possible approval.