BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
JOB — Martin County will use a $125,000 brownfield grant to remediate the former Grassy School of asbestos and lead-based paint. The Cleaner Commonwealth Fund grant is one of two awards announced Friday by Gov. Andy Beshear. Martin and Shelby counties each received $125,000. Shelby County will remediate the former Shelbyville jail of asbestos and lead-based paint.
The Cleaner Commonwealth Fund, administered through the Kentucky Brownfield Program, supports communities in the remediation and redevelopment of contaminated sites.
“These funds are going directly to communities to help clean up abandoned properties, once thought to be unusable, and to breathe new life into underserved areas,” Gov. Beshear said. “We’ve seen this program revitalize communities, bring tourism and economic development opportunities to our towns, and restore historic properties.”
Rebecca Goodman, secretary of the Energy and Environment Cabinet, which administers the Brownfield Program statewide, said the revitalization of vacant properties benefits more than just the communities where they reside.
“We are honored to work with Martin and Shelby fiscal courts to help restore these abandoned, blighted buildings and to find exciting, new purposes that will ultimately benefit the community and our commonwealth,” Secretary Goodman said.
Constructed in 1961, Grassy School operated for 41 years. In 2002, it consolidated with Tomahawk Elementary to form Eden Elementary School in a new building. Martin County Fiscal Court eventually acquired the property to create Grassy Park.
With the roof completely collapsed and the floors covered in soil and foliage in 2023, residents began voicing concerns about the safety of the dilapidated structure. They pointed to its potential to attract and endanger children.
Martin County Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty announced in September 2023 that Deputy Judge/Executive Carolea Mills applied for the funding.
“It’s a snake den and a place the county should have cleaned up long ago,” Lafferty stated.
After an assessment confirmed asbestos and lead-based paint contamination, the fiscal court awarded Pikeville-based J&M Monitoring the remediation and demolition job.
“Once cleared, we hope to build a community center as the next phase at Grassy Park,” remarked Lafferty. “That’s our plan.”