Woodford County applies for $2.75 million state grant to cut local share of flood buyouts; budget amendment read

Woodford County officials on Wednesday moved to expand buyout funding for homeowners damaged by recent floods, voting unanimously to file a Cabinet for Economic Development (CED) grant application worth $2,754,839.45 that would reduce the county's local cost share on federally funded buyouts.

The action came after Drew Chandler, the county's director of emergency management, told the fiscal court that the emergency buyout project previously had a federal cost-share agreement in which the U.S. Department of Agriculture would cover about 75 cents of every dollar. Chandler said the CED grant would lower the county's local share "from 25% to 5%, which makes our local dollar in the project go much further." Chandler added that the county had assembled required documents and planned to seek placement on the cabinet's November agenda.

The court adopted a resolution identified in the meeting as "resolution 2025-09" authorizing the filing of the CED grant application. Judge Executive moved the resolution and, after a second, members voted "aye"; the judge noted the motion carried unanimously.

Why it matters: If approved by the cabinet, the award would reduce how much local government must contribute to acquire and demolish eligible flood-damaged properties, enabling the county to extend limited local matching funds farther and to complete more buyouts for affected homeowners.

The court also approved a separate memorandum of agreement with the Commonwealth to implement FEMA Public Assistance related to DR-4864, the program that helps reimburse eligible emergency response, equipment and personnel costs. Chandler described that agreement as the vehicle for state and federal reimbursement for public assistance expenses the county has already incurred.

At the same meeting the county attorney read the second reading of budget amendment ordinance 25-13, which amends the fiscal year budget to reflect receipt of federal USDA flood recovery funds. In the courtroom reading the attorney pronounced the incoming amount as the phrase "9,000,000, $395,452.44." The number as read in the meeting transcript was unclear; county staff told the court that the ordinance must be published within 30 days. The court voted to approve the second reading of the amendment unanimously.

No action was taken on changing property-owner obligations; Chandler said the grant would not change the effect of the buyouts on property owners themselves, but would allow the county to undertake more projects if the CED award is granted.

The judge and members of the court commended the treasurer and emergency-management staff for positioning the county to apply and for preparing the required documentation.

Ending: The court directed staff to submit the CED application and to continue work with federal and state partners on FEMA reimbursement and project scoring. The judge said the county expects to receive word from the cabinet following its application review process.