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State releases annual unemployment rates for Kentucky counties

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Increases in unemployment as well as increases in the number of people working were seen across the Lincoln Trail District in 2024.

The Kentucky Center for Statistics says annual unemployment rates increased in all 120 of Kentucky’s counties in 2024.

The statewide annual unemployment rate for Kentucky in 2024 was 5.1 percent. That was also the reported annual average for the Lincoln Trail District, and four of the eight counties in the district had annual rates lower than the statewide rate.

Breckinridge and Grayson counties had the highest annual unemployment rates in the district at 5.8 percent. Washington County had the lowest rate in the district, and tied for the third-lowest in the state, at 4.2 percent.

Hardin County’s annual unemployment rate for 2024 was 5.2 percent. That’s up from 2023’s annual rate of 4.3 percent.

The Center for Statistics says: “The increased unemployment rates across Kentucky’s counties were often due to people entering the labor force rather than people losing jobs. While the annual unemployment rate increased in all counties, the number of people employed increased in 91 counties.” This was the case in all of the Lincoln Trail counties except for Grayson, which saw a decrease of 55 workers.

Learn more about unemployment and other labor market information at kystats.ky.gov.

Furever Friends #345

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This week we get to meet Barton, a 10 year old tri-color beagle, and Roscoe, a 5 ½ year old White shepherd mix, two dogs looking for new Furever homes. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to the shelter at 270-769-3428, visit their Facebook page at Hardin County Animal Shelter – Elizabethtown or stop by in person at 220 Peterson Drive in E-town, Monday to Saturday form 12 noon through 4pm.

The Rabies clinic will be Saturday at 2855 Centennial Avenue from 10 AM to 2 PM. All Dogs must be on a leash. All Cats must be in a carrier.  Furever Friends is brought to you by locally veteran-owned, Pet Supplies Plus, at 209 Towne Drive in Elizabethtown.

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Taul presents Hardin County Fiscal Court budget for 2025-2026

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Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul gave a presentation on his proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year during the Hardin County Fiscal Court’s second meeting of the month Tuesday.

“It’s difficult because it’s trying to balance out the fact that you’re needing to take and consider growth in the county, but at the same time with limited, very limited funds, so how do you balance that out?” Taul said.

Taul proposed a total budget of $60,780,515, up from the previous fiscal year’s budget of $59,615,729. Taul said challenges in the budget include the continued impact of inflation, accounting for a 1.8 percent increase in personnel costs, and necessary commitments such as subsidies for county departments, which Taul noted at $12 million comes in higher than the county’s property tax draw of $11.6 million.

“It kind of gives you an idea, I believe, of what we’re up against here,” Taul said. “All of our property tax is gone, even in excess of that, even before we get to some of our departments and other things that we are trying to do, some of the other services.”

Taul said the net operating budget is balanced with revenues and expenses both estimated at $23,646,154. That revenue includes a 4 percent increase in property taxes and $2.5 million of the annual hospital sale payout funds.

“I’m not saying that we should use all $2.7 million every year for the next 20 years, but we have it available to us as we try to figure out how to continue to grow our services at a very efficient way, but as we try to figure out how to increase revenues to cover all those, right now we have this available to us,” Taul said.

Taul’s budget presentation can be found on the county website. The fiscal court’s finance committee will hold meetings on the budget, with the first reading of the budget ordinance scheduled for the next Hardin County Fiscal Court meeting on May 13.

(Photo Credit: Hardin County Government YouTube Channel)

Hardin County Fiscal Court approves EMS agreement with Bullitt County for West Point

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The Hardin County Fiscal Court met for their second meeting of the month Tuesday.

The court approved an interlocal agreement with Bullitt County, under which Bullitt County Emergency Medical Services will respond to the city of West Point. West Point Mayor Richard Ciresi said that agreement will have a critical impact on the city.

“This will reduce our ambulance response time in West Point from somewhere between 20 and 25 minutes to five to seven minutes,” Ciresi said. “That’s huge. That’s life and death.”

Hardin County Sheriff John Ward reported that his office made 258 arrests, issued 405 citations, and served 234 warrants in February and March. Sheriff’s Office CFO Teri Benentt said county residents have paid about $95.8 million of the more than $97 million the sheriff’s office is charged with collecting, a collection rate of more than 99 percent.

Hardin County Clerk Brian D. Smith presented area high school student Karsten Ingalls with a special honor.

“Karsten, who is not yet old enough to vote, has three times won the Secretary of State’s Statewide Essay Award, bringing honor and recognition to our community, and so I felt that was worthy of special recognition, and so Karsten, we we going to give you the honorary title of Hardin County Election Ambassador,” Smith said.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet May 13. The next Hardin County Town Hall Forum will be held in the fiscal courtroom at 5:30 p.m. on April 28.