Daviess County officials are sending a message to Congress that they wish to join the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) alongside Hancock and Ohio counties, saying the move would help promote economic development.
County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a resolution of support at Thursday’s meeting, though Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen said that does not guarantee acceptance to the DRA.
According to its website, the DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint federal-state collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River region and Alabama Black Belt. The authority serves over 250 counties and parishes throughout that region.
“DRA collaborates with local, state, and federal leaders to make investments into projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development,” the website reads. “In addition, DRA works with a number of federal partners on programs designed to promote development and growth in economically distressed communities.”
Much of Kentucky’s western region is in the authority, including Henderson, McLean, Muhlenberg, and Todd counties.
Castlen said Daviess, Hancock, and Ohio joining would be beneficial for the entire area, saying there is support from the surrounding counties. The idea arose at a GRADD meeting with other judge-executives from the surrounding counties.
Congress would have to approve entry to the DRA. Castlen said they have been in contact with Representative Brett Guthrie, and Castlen recalled Guthrie was “open to that.”
Being a part of the DRA will open the county up for a new source of grants, Castlen said.
“It would be beneficial from that standpoint, whether it’s an economic grant or other grants,” he said. “When new opportunities come up, we can benefit from them, and we can pursue those opportunities because right now when they come up, we’re not even eligible to apply. Some of them will be economic development, but not all of them.”
