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Funds to help pay for HVAC and roof renovations at Morgantown Elementary, Butler County Middle School, Butler County High School, and the Butler County ATC

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As the 2024 Legislative Session came into view, Frankfort was abuzz with excitement and discussions about the next two years of our State Budget.  Legislators were tasked with developing a budget which reflected the immense work they have accomplished recently in restructuring the tax code, creating a record breaking rainy day fund, increasing tax revenue, all the while lowering taxes for the public but doing so in a viable and sustainable fashion.  It is during this time that our local representatives in Frankfort must sort through a wave of entities, professions, and groups all looking to increase funding for their worthy cause.  

At the forefront of the 2024 Budget talks was educational funding and the decisions surrounding what future funding would be reflective of inflationary issues, growth, accountability, and the overall need to fund public education in a manner that both recognized need but supported sustainability and growth as well.  Within these discussions, legislators stepped out of their offices and meetings in Frankfort and visited our schools to see firsthand the value of public education as well as the need and to gather knowledge of the day to day operations of a public school.   In Butler County, Representative Rebecca Raymer was invited to be Superintendent for the Day in Butler County by Butler County Superintendent Robert Tuck.  Representative Raymer joined Mr. Tuck for a day long exploration of every aspect of PreK-12 and Adult Education to gain knowledge about the successes of and the needs facing school districts across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mr. Tuck and Representative Raymer visited all grade levels in Butler County and explored the issues facing our school district as well as many of the innovations and growth initiatives occurring in the hallways of the school buildings.  Mr. Tuck and Representative Raymer explored PreK-12 funding as well, with Mr. Tuck breaking down how funding impacts Butler County, the need for increased funding at the base level, Tier 1 Actualization, as well as the deterioration and need of the actual school buildings here.   Butler County Schools faces the same issue that more than half of all the school buildings in the United States face with aging infrastructure and outdated HVAC, Plumbing, and Electrical systems in desperate need of replacement or renovation in order to provide a comfortable and consistent learning environment for our students.  Mr. Tuck and Representative Raymer dove into this aspect of Butler County Schools and discussed the aging facilities within the district and the lack of bonding available for Butler County Schools to fix the issue.  Limited local tax revenues combined with end of life infrastructure placed Butler County Schools in a high need position for funding in order to fix these facility issues and to put the district back on a financial pathway leading toward continued growth and success.  

After the visit and tour of Butler County Schools, Representative Raymer reached out to Senator Steve Merideth to discuss the need in Butler County and to see what could be done to support the district in finding a path to remedying the facility issues impacting the district.  As the Senate 5th District Representative of Butler County, Senator Merideth had been in the district multiple times and he too had seen firsthand the need and deteriorating infrastructure in the schools.  Senator Merideth as well has had conversations with Superintendent Tuck about the needs of the school system and knew the benefit which financial support would provide to the district.  Through his attendance and support of various groups and programs across the county, Senator Merideth had a great deal of knowledge about the impact Butler County Schools has on the community, the support it provides, and the seemingly integral part that the district plays in the future growth of Butler County.  Due to this extensive knowledge, years of communication, and understanding of need Senator Merideth was fully supportive of finding needed funding for BCS and placing it has his foremost priority in the 2024 Legislative Session.

Together, Senator Merideth and Representative Raymer began discussions about how to best support the school district.  It was agreed by both that the funding needed would be their priority and securing funding would take a team effort between both.  As Representative Raymer and Senator Merideth returned to their respective chambers in Frankfort, both placed priority funding for Butler County Schools as top priorities and continued discussions with their fellow representatives as the 2024 Legislative Session continued.  Both Senator Merideth and Representative Raymer were active throughout the session creating and molding the policy and law but never losing sight of their top priority of the needed funding for Butler County Schools.

When the final budget was announced, Senator Merideth and Representative Raymer, through a collaborative effort in both the House and Senate in Frankfort, were able to successfully obtain a $7 million special appropriation for Butler County Schools to help pay for HVAC and roof renovations at Morgantown Elementary, Butler County Middle School, Butler County High School, and the Butler County ATC.  This funding would be divided over two years, with Butler County receiving $3.5 million a year in each Budget.  

Senator Merideth stated  “The appropriation never would been made possible without the continuing conversations we have had over the past two years about the needs, priorities and financial status of the school district, and these conversations continuing throughout the legislative session.  I sincerely appreciate the relationship Butler County Schools Superintendent Tuck and I have developed in our mutual efforts to advance Butler County.” Senator Merideth went on to say “Secondly, I would note the appropriation never would have been possible without having a trusted, reliable partner in the House of Representative, Representative Rebecca Raymer, to work in tandem to advocate for the appropriation in both the Senate and the House.  It takes a true team effort to successfully compete among hundreds of budget appropriation requests presented for consideration.  I appreciate the strong working relationship I have with Representative Raymer.”

Representative Raymer also noted the importance of this funding for Butler County Schools.  “I recognize the importance education plays in our community and state.  This allocation will allow the school system to concentrate on putting funds towards other vital areas to meet students’ and teachers’ needs.  I’m honored to be in a position where I can advocate for the needs of this district.”

Butler County Superintendent Robert Tuck expressed his gratitude to both Senator Merideth and Representative Raymer.  “Words cannot express the impact this funding will have upon our district.  For many years we have battled increasing inflational cost, aging infrastructure, and untimely equipment failure while trying to maintain a learning environment conducive for student success.  Many of our systems in our schools are at the end of life and we are forced to pay constant repair bills from our general fund that erode funding for needed programs and new innovative practices.  The communication and collaboration we have had with Senator Merideth and Representative Raymer demonstrates their desire to help our school and community to grow.  This funding puts our school system on a new financial footing that will positively impact our school district, teachers, staff, and students for decades to come.  This funding truly has a generational impact and will help Butler County Schools to continue to grow and find success.” 

Butler County Schools will receive the first installment of $3.5 million when the July 1 budget cycle begins.  Mr. Tuck, Director of Facilities Ryan Emmick, and District Technology and Energy Manager Jimmy Felty have already begun the planning process to streamline the renovation and replacement of equipment across the district.  This project looks to span the next two years and will most likely be divided into three phases as to limit disruptions to the day to day operations of the schools.