Last week, the Mountain Citizen erroneously stated in the editorial space that State Representative Bobby McCool chose to “abstain from voting” on Gov. Andy Beshear’s $12 million budget allocation for water projects in Martin County.

The following article corrects the use of the terms “abstain” and “abstention” by stating Representative McCool was “absent from the voting, saying he could not change a previously scheduled appointment,” and “Absence from a vote is a lost opportunity to advocate for the most essential need of Martin County’s people.”

The Mountain Citizen apologizes for the error.

The rest of the brief commentary remains the same:

The need for intervention and support to fix the Martin County water system has been glaringly clear for decades. Martin County residents endure extended periods with no running water or help from our state legislators.

Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty has pledged to address the issue head-on, a commitment that Governor Andy Beshear acknowledged by proposing a $12 million allocation for water projects in Martin County within his budget.

However, the realization of this proposal hinged on the support of state legislators, a support that was absent when needed most.

It is particularly disappointing to note that State Representative Bobby McCool, elected to represent the interests of Martin County, was absent from the voting on this crucial funding, saying he could not change a previously scheduled appointment.

Absence from a vote is a lost opportunity to advocate for the most essential need of Martin County’s people.

This lack of action is discouraging and raises concerns about the level of commitment to Martin County.