By Jeff Noble

Editor

The Breathitt County Health Department came one step closer to getting their Christmas wish on Wednesday morning- they received a check from Governor Fletcher worth $500,000 dollars, which will help go towards the building of a new facility for them in the future. Word came from an official at the Health Departrment, who told the Voice in a telephone interview, “This will help us.”

The Department’s Director Dr. Sheila Sharpe , and her assistant, Joene Noble, made the trip to Corbin to pick up the check from Fletcher and Health Secretary Mark Birdwhistell. The money was given to the two at a ceremony that was held at the Whitley County Health Department.

“The Health Department has been operating out of a 92-year-old building. It’s time for a new building,” said State Senator Johnny Ray Turner, who helped to get the funding. Turner, who represents Breathitt County in his district, then added, “This funding will help build out-of-date health departments in the Commonwealth.” Breathitt County was one of 24 counties across the state that were in the greatest need to receive the funding.

The County Health Department wants to move from their present location on Broadway (the former Post Office and Federal Court Courthouse) and move to a new location, preferably on Lakeside at the present industrial site.

The money was the result of legislation passed by the General Assembly earlier this year, which set up a Health Department Infrastructure Pool. This pool was established for construction and renovation needs in county and district health departments such as Breathitt County’s.

A public hearing on getting a federal grant to build the new facility for the Health Department was scheduled for today (Thursday) at 2 p.m. at City Hall. The City of Jackson intends to apply for a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) through the Governor’s Office for Local Development, and wanted to get the public’s comments at the hearing.