Dear Friends,

It’s a great pleasure to share with you our first newsletter. In the following columns you will find updates on our work over the course of 2020, what we have planned for the coming year, and how you can get involved.

I moved to Clark County from Nicholas County in 1971. I’ve worked as a farmer, a banker, in special services at East Kentucky Power Co-op and as a businessman, having founded FedCrop Insurance Services in 1978. In that time, I’ve been blessed to meet and build relationships with so many members of this wonderful community.

While I’m still engaged in my insurance business, these days I spend most of my time as a full-time granddad to 10 beautiful grandkids. One of my deepest concerns is for the community that we leave to them.

Clark County has many special attributes. Our historic downtown is one of the most unique business districts in the state, or the country for that matter. Our neighborhoods are vibrant and welcoming. And of course, our stunning and productive Bluegrass landscape is the foundation for an agricultural sector which employs nearly 1 in 10 local workers and contributes almost $200 million to our local economy annually. Taken together, these assets distinguish Winchester-Clark County. They are key to attracting the 21st Century workforce that is fundamental to our continued economic vitality.

My interest in planning and the future of our community is deeply rooted. I was honored to serve as the chairman of Winchester-Clark County’s most recent Comprehensive Plan Committee in 2018. However, land-use planning isn’t just something we do every 5 years in the Comprehensive Plan. To ensure that our community realizes its potential, we must strive to enact the very best policies that support smart growth and sustainable economic development—and importantly, in a transparent manner at government that engages all of us. This work requires constant vigilance and diligent implementation. That’s why Clark Coalition is so important: to support the community and its citizens through advocacy, education and research initiatives.

Whether you’ve lived in Clark County for years or moved here recently, I’m sure you will agree that Clark County enjoys an unparalleled quality of life. We are extraordinarily grateful to you, our supporters, who make the work to keep it special possible.

With gratitude,
Eddie Gilkison
Chairman, Clark Coalition

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