BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Disaster relief funding, insight into Senator Mitch McConnell’s values and the Martin County water crisis were among the topics two featured speakers brought to the Kiwanis Club luncheon Thursday at Shufflin Café in Inez.

Donna McClure, senior field representative for 24 counties in the 5th Congressional District for U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, and Eric Ratliff, Big Sandy Area Development District executive director, filled in when the scheduled speaker had to cancel due to illness. The two were in town to meet with Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty about the county’s water system crisis.

McClure said she was traveling to Inez when John R. Triplett called to ask if she could speak at the luncheon.

“Our office policy is that we have to have preapproved comments before we can speak. I told John R. ‘yes’ before I had my comments,” said McClure, adding that she managed to get her talking points from Washington and attend the luncheon “to let you all know what the senator wanted you to know.”

McClure was a college student when she became McConnell’s first intern in the 1980s. She recalled traveling with Janie Catron for her first visit to Inez.

“Our first stops were to meet with Mike Duncan and John R. Triplett across the street here,” said McClure, who just finished her 18th year with McConnell.

“It’s been my honor and pleasure to be able to help Eastern Kentucky. And I’ve visited this Kiwanis over the past 18 years many times as John R.’s guest. I’d like to acknowledge Regena  [Jones] here. We’ve worked together on many projects. She represents Senator Paul.”

Senator McConnell visited Northern Kentucky the previous day, unveiling a plan to provide federal money for the $2.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge replacement and renovation.

“So I’ll let you all know what the senator wanted me to share with you all today,” remarked McClure. “Yesterday, he was there to announce the bridge from northern Kentucky into Cincinnati. For many of us, growing up, we had families that went off from our region to northern Kentucky to work, and they traveled back and forth. That bridge is one of the most heavily traveled bridges in America, as far as commerce, and even for this area, getting our food and supplies that we need into this region. It will really benefit Kentucky.”

McClure said the senator would continue working to strengthen the nation and improve families’ lives.

“This week, he was recognized as the longest-serving senate leader in the history of the United States,” said the field representative. “Being from a small state in the middle of the country, that’s something to be very proud of. All of the other leaders in the last Congress were either from New York or California.”

According to McClure, the senator is concerned about “our open borders crisis and spiking deaths from drug overdose.” She added, “There seems to be a surging violence from coast to coast with crime, and he thinks we need a solution.”

The topic turned to the Senate.

“He wanted you all to know, because there are a lot of new faces coming into the Senate, that these new Republican senators are excellent,” said McClure. “He feels like they will just add to our outstanding returning members in the Senate. The Senate Republican Conference is brimming with energy, ideas and enthusiasm to fight for the millions of Americans who helped to support and vote for the Republican and conservative values.

McClure conveyed that McConnell stands for “pro-work, pro-family and pro-growth ideas that he feels are best for the economy and working people.” She said he stands for a strong modern military and believes America’s leadership in the world is important.

Finally, McClure pointed out that McConnell had secured “robust funding” for disaster relief programs in this year’s government funding bill.

“The key important thing to know is these communities have to apply for the grant funding,” she emphasized. “And once they apply, our office will work diligently with letters of support, phone calls, whatever we can do to help them.”

McClure recognized and introduced Ratliff.

“This afternoon, Eric and I are meeting with your newly elected county judge on the water issue in Martin County,” said McClure. “We want to be there as an asset for you in all things.

Ratliff talks water

Ratliff started working at Big Sandy ADD in 1989.

“June 5, to be exact,” Ratliff said. “I’ve come and gone a few times, been in a few different things, but I’m back now. I started back in August as the executive director.”

One of Ratliff’s first projects at Big Sandy was the sewer system in Martin County.

“I have a history with Martin County,” said Ratliff. “I’ve been over here a lot. I almost changed my mailing address at one time. I got to know where everybody lived. You could ask me, ‘Where does so-and-so live?’ and I’d be like, ‘Oh yeah, I can tell you that.’

Ratliff has done “a lot” of homeowner rehab projects at Big Sandy ADD. “I think it was 2,000, the owners of Dempsey Housing did a bond recapture, they refinanced it, and some of the proceeds from the refinance came back to Martin County because Martin County was the bondholder. I don’t remember how many hundreds of thousands of dollars came back to Martin County.”

Triplett told Ratliff it was $400,000.

“I believe it was, John,” said Ratliff. “So some of it is still there. We used a lot of it to do homeowner rehab projects, new siding, new floors, insulation, things like that, and there’s still some there that we need to try to use at some point.”

Ratliff said one of the things he wanted to talk to Judge Lafferty about was Riverside.

“Riverside needs some work,” he added. “I had talked to Colby Kirk right before he went out about that project. We can use that money and combine it with other dollars and try to fix that complex up. That’s a hope and a dream. It may not come to fruition.”

Ratliff got around to talking about the water crisis in Martin County.

“This is probably a touchy situation, but I was involved a lot in the water system when I was over here,” remarked Ratliff. “I know a lot about that water system and your utilities, so I’m just hoping, as I’m back now, that I can get freed up and spend some time over here. I’ll do as much as I can to assist Martin County, try to obtain some more money to fix up this utility system.”

Maurice Mills told Ratliff that the date he remembers is July 15, 1992.

“First day I stepped my foot in the water district,” Mills said. “And you were a big help.”

Ratliff recalled Niles Cumbo ran the water system in 1992.

“I go way back with that system,” said Ratliff. “And we’ll try to get it back to where it should be.”

Mills approved of the idea.

“A lot of work needs to be done,” said Mills.