Name, age, family:
Colby Kirk, 28, married to Cori Fitch Kirk of Turkey Creek. I am the son of Elmer Kirk, Jr. and Lisa Crum Kirk. My wife Cori is the daughter of Eddie Fitch and Donna Mills Fitch.
Education/work experience:
• 2011 Graduate of Sheldon Clark High School (Class President and Valedictorian)
• 2015 Graduate of University of Kentucky (Summa Cum Laude) — Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance (Winner of the Maurice A. Clay award for outstanding graduate of the Gatton College of Business & Economics)
• 2015-2017 Teach for America-placement at Sheldon Clark High School teaching Algebra and Geometry
• 2017-2018 One East Kentucky — Project manager for the 9-county regional industrial development organization. Created and maintained comprehensive project files for all industrial projects while developing appropriate marketing and branding material for prospects, existing projects, and advertising campaigns, in addition to grant writing and administration.
• 2018-2021 Harlan County Economic Development Authority — Executive Director responsible for local economic development operations in Harlan County, Kentucky. Secured and implemented $1.3 million in funding for site development of 140-acre Harlan County Business Park, certified as southeastern Kentucky’s first Build Ready Site by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, applied for and received grant funding from multiple sources to develop and administer a local grant-making program providing more than $128,000 to local Harlan County businesses.
• 2021-2022 Martin County Deputy Judge — Managed day-to-day operations of the Martin County Fiscal Court, including economic development, tourism and solid waste activities.
• 2022-Present Martin County Judge/Executive — Appointed to fulfill the term of the late Judge/Executive Victor Slone. Appropriate county funds to invest in infrastructure, industrial development, and tourism development. Oversee Road & Bridge, Emergency Management, Solid Waste, Animal Control, and Finance departments.
To what extent have you been a part of the local government in Martin County?
I’ve worked with the Martin County Fiscal Court since July 2021. In this time, I have served as the Deputy Judge and County Judge/Executive. In my previous position with One East Kentucky, I helped organize a presentation to the Martin County Fiscal Court in hopes of establishing a Martin County Tourism & Recreation Commission. The effort was successful and the organization continues to grow as they help sponsor events like Christmas in the Mountains and oversee the renovation and preservation of the Historic Martin County Courthouse.
In my time working in the Judge’s office, I have applied for several grant projects related to economic development, tourism development, and solid waste. Nearly $200,000 in grants have been announced to date for projects like the Wilds of Emily Creek, an effort to revitalize the former Caney Mine Shaft site for tourism, and to clean up a massive illegal dump on Trace Ridge Road.
As we continue to work on projects, I’m confident more grant funds will be coming to Martin County.
Also, in my time working for the Martin County Fiscal Court, I have worked with county-appointed boards, such as the Martin County Economic Development Authority, Martin County Tourism & Recreation Commission, and others to bring them into compliance with state reporting and auditing requirements.
I’ve also looked for every opportunity to reduce wasteful spending and ensure the county’s money is put to the best use. Recently I had an energy audit done on the Martin County Business Center, which discovered an overpayment of $10,000 in sales tax that will be refunded to the county.
What is your vision for the future of Martin County?
My vision for a future Martin County is one where jobs are available in the area, and young people don’t have to move away from here to find a better way of life. To achieve this vision, we need to continue to make investments in water, sewer, broadband, and transportation infrastructure in the hopes of luring manufacturers to the area and improving opportunities for tourism. Luring outside dollars in from manufacturers and tourists will help build a more robust local economy with businesses in our downtowns.
What do you believe to be the top three issues affecting Martin County?
I believe the top three issues affecting Martin County are:
1) Aging/failing infrastructure which has led to ongoing issues with the Martin County Water and Sewer Districts, bridge collapses and decaying road conditions, and unreliable broadband access throughout the county.
My goal is to apply for grant funding opportunities to help our county overcome these obstacles. Since I’ve been in office, Governor Andy Beshear has announced more than $400,000 and Congressman Hal Rogers has announced $1.5 million to assist the Martin County Water District with needed improvements.
2) Outmigration of people from our community. Martin County has lost more than 10% of its population from the 2010 census to the 2020 census.
We have to maintain the same levels of infrastructure with fewer people around. This puts a strain on the county financially as our tax base is smaller, and the needs of our aging infrastructure are greater every year.
I think the solution to this problem is jobs.
Our county needs more opportunities for young people to stay home and work and for people who have moved away for jobs to be able to come back home. I left Martin County in the past because there wasn’t a good job opportunity here for me. My goal is to promote assets like the Eastern Kentucky Business Park and the Martin County Business center as opportunities for manufacturers and other job-creating projects.
3) The ongoing opioid epidemic which has cost the lives of hundreds of Martin Countians and impacted nearly every family in our community. There is no silver bullet solution for this issue, but many groups are working locally to get drugs off our streets and get our loved ones who are using drugs/alcohol into treatment. I will do my part as Judge/Executive to connect partners and resources with one another with the goal of reducing overdose deaths and drug-related crime in our community.
What changes/goals would you advocate and why?
I will continue to advocate for grant funding to improve our infrastructure. We will use local tax dollars responsibly to match state and federal dollars whenever possible to improve water, sewer, roads, bridges, and broadband. I will advocate for more job-creating projects in Martin County and leverage my existing relationships with partners at One East Kentucky and the Cabinet for Economic Development.
It is my hope as job opportunities are available that people who have had to move away for work will have the opportunity to return home and our population can once again trend upward.
In no more than 500 words, tell us why voters should choose you for this office?
Martin County is at a crossroads. The decisions we make today will impact our community for years to come. I am confident I have the education, skills, and experience to make decisions that will lead to a more prosperous future for our county.
I have a proven, unmatched ability to find and secure grant funding and the know-how to manage the county’s budget, as I have written and administered multi-million-dollar grants and budgets throughout my career.
Additionally, I will pledge to build coalitions and work together with other elected officials. I will build trust with both elected officials and the public as we work to bring more funding and jobs to our community.
I will put Martin County’s best interest above all else in the decisions I make, and I look forward to working for the people of Martin County.