InTouch with Southern Kentucky June 2020 | Page 30

Several of its 2020 accomplishments
may feel like they took place a
lifetime ago: The press conference
formally introducing Horse Soldier
Bourbon to the community, the call
for submissions for SPEDA’s minigrant
initiative, the announcement
it will form a Tax Increment
Financing (TIF) District to revitalize
undeveloped or blighted lands into
productive areas.
Then, the coronavirus pandemic
became a very real threat to our
area. Governor Andy Beshear
began the process of shutting
down schools and non-essential
businesses – many of those
small businesses – and suddenly
“economic development” was put
on the back burner.
But, according to Girdler, not
forgotten about completely. Girdler
admits SPEDA may have slowed
down a bit, but not to a standstill.
“It’s allowed us to catch our
breath and evaluate our practices,”
Girdler said of the slowdown. He
likened it to going from 100 miles
per hour down to 85.
Changes included stepping up the
awarding of the mini-grants, from
the original June date to April.
Girdler said that SPEDA went out
of its way to be available during the
pandemic shutdown, from Girdler
himself being in the office full time,
to being there to answer questions
and share information with business
and community members, to
coordinating between elected
officials, businesses and the Lake
Cumberland Regional Hospital.
Anyway they could jump in and
help, Girdler said, they did.
SPEDA also recognized the need to
help once the economic slowdown
was over. Girdler said that he paid
attention to a proposal by Somerset
Mayor Alan Keck, urging the
governor to allow childcare facilities
to open.
Beshear’s original plan did not
give a date for when childcare
‘There have been pandemics since the
beginning of time and as history shows us,
we do rise again. I am confident our public
health efforts will prevail in helping us
do so. This is merely another speed bump
in our nation’s history. There is always a
silver lining if one looks hard enough.’
could reopen, but did allow for
the reopening of several types of
business that were labeled nonessential.
Keck and others pointed out that
with parents returning to work, they
would need childcare in order to be
able to work at their best.
SPEDA took the reins in that
aspect by purchasing 1,000 masks
which it then donated to stateregistered
childcare centers.
“We saw purchasing and donating
PPE as a way to help protect our
children, our childcare workers,
and give parents peace of mind as
we slowly and safely re-open the
economy,” Girdler said.
Additionally, SPEDA helped other
business owners by keeping them
informed about other sources
in Somerset and Pulaski County
where other masks and personal
protective equipment could be
bought.
As the state slowly opens back
up from the near-total shutdown,
Girdler said he wasn’t sure what
the future held for local businesses,
Chris Girdler
SPEDA President and CEO
or what the full impact from the
pandemic would be. In fact, he
expected that we would feel the
fallout from it for at least the next
three months.
However, he said he felt like
Somerset and Pulaski County were
moving in the right direction and
would continue to move forward.
“There have been pandemics
since the beginning of time and
as history shows us, we do rise
again,” Girdler said. “I am confident
our public health efforts will
prevail in helping us do so. This
is merely another speed bump
in our nation’s history. There is
always a silver lining if one looks
hard enough. Within the business
community there will be creative
innovation, entrepreneurship,
and a repurposing and refocusing
on one’s life. With that refocus,
there will be blessings of more
family time, a recognition of the
importance of parental involvement
in a child’s daily life, and a reminder
of how time in itself is a precious
commodity.”
30 • In Touch with Southern Kentucky June 2020