Owen County Judge-Executive Billy O’Banion got the chance to put two Owen County projects in front of Gov. Ernie Fletcher last week, when the governor made a stop in Grant County.
O’Banion lobbied Fletcher for funding for a gas line in the county and for money earmarked to upgrade Hwy. 22 from Falmouth to Owenton.
“One of the ways we feel we can get competitive is to have that route upgraded. We talk about bringing companies, but you have to have access in and out of your county,” he said.
O’Banion encouraged Fletcher to support the project in the state’s six-year road plan.
Fletcher’s visit was arranged through the Chambers of Commerce in Grant, Owen, Pendleton, Gallatin and Carroll counties. Only chamber members and some students at Grant County High School were invited to the forum.
Fletcher met earlier in the day at Mazak in Florence and discussed regional projects in Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties. His visit there was organized through the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to the meeting in the GCHS auditorium, Fletcher met in closed session with industry representatives from the five southern counties.
“He basically wanted to discuss issues pertaining to those five communities,” said Wade Gutman, executive director of the Grant County Chamber of Commerce.
Among those topics, the governor mentioned right to work and repealing the prevailing wage laws.
Fletcher supports Kentucky becoming a right to work state.
During his one-hour address to the chamber members and students, Fletcher spoke briefly on the need to repeal the state’s prevailing wage laws which impact public construction projects. This law requires that all contractors who bid on a public project, such as a school or courthouse, must pay union wages to their employees.
Opponents contend this drives the price considerably higher on public projects.
Rep. Royce Adams, D-Dry Ridge, supported Kentucky’s current prevailing wage law.
Adams was unable to attend the Jan. 30 meeting because he was in Frankfort in a committee meeting.
“In some instances prevailing wage may add cost to a project, but it didn’t for either high school project in Owen or Grant counties,” Adams said.
“We are required, by law, on school and public construction to take the low bid and without prevailing wage a contractor could come in with inferior materials which would end up costing more in the long run because it would cost more to maintain the building,” he said.
“From the private sector this is not an issue because a factory is built at a competitive bidding process,” said Gutman. “They pay different wages depending on union and non-union expenses.”
Adams said he believed everyone was entitled to earn a decent wage, which is good for a community’s economy.
“With prevailing wage, you are assured you’ll get quality projects,” he said. “I want jobs for Kentucky but I want jobs that are going to pay a good wage. We should encourage growth but make sure it’s good growth.”

Click Here to Go Back to Front