What are the assets of this community and the region?
The people - they are faith-based, hard working and committed to Harlan County
We have one of the highest proportions of college graduates in our population
Education (graduation rates)
Our youth (2)
Our children
People (5)
The people of Harlan County are our strength
Concerned citizens
We are hungry, ready for some action
People's dedication to the area
Retirees who left are coming back
The strength of our community (Lynch KY) is very weak. We are mostly a community of retirees with a small percentage of young people. But there is hope for us. I'm retired but I try hard to support our community
Ethnic diversity
Diversity
Appalachian people are self reliant and resources
Our people are self-sustaining
Strong people
Self-sustaining with craftsmen and bartering
Resourceful creative young people
Determined people
Faith based community (2)
I believe that one of our greatest strengths are our morals. A majority of our region is in the bible belt and the whole region is riddled with churches
Large numbers of churches
Togetherness
Closeness of the community
Good communication between counties
Everybody knows everybody
The people always try to come together and help each other
Caring people wanting to work together
Friendly - willing to lend a helping hand
Generosity - All are willing to share
Everyone is willing to help someone in need. There are a lot of "I'll give you the shirt off my back" type of people. I spend a lot of time in both Bell and Knox counties and I feel like they also share of lot of these qualities
Determined and motivated people trying to better the community
Volunteers (2)
Not a lot of industrial resources but fellowship and neighbors
Entrepreneurs (2)
Innovative and uncharted ideas
Profitable ideas
Our people have great ideas
Deep cultural values
Culture (3)
Regional subculture
Appalachian subculture
Rich history and heritage
Mountain culture
We are a hub for bluegrass music
Regional foods
Artistic people (2)
Artisans
Creativity of the people (2)
Many talents of the people
Many talents – artists, musicians, storytellers, quilters, artisans
Talented people
Community artists
The arts are trying to be expanded
There are some artistic people trying to open the county up to something other than hunting and fishing (Robert Gipe, Artist Attic)
\Work ethic (4)
Great work ethic, just need training opportunities
Hard-workers - our labor force
Willing to do what other will not (hard labor)
Desire to do a good job
Healthy "work age" people
Peoples' willingness to work
The people are here with knowledge and strength, we're just waiting. Just waiting
Strong will for success
Large family networks
Family oriented (2)
Skilled crafts-based labor force
Craftsmen
Serious workforce
A young technical workforce
Availability of a workforce
Natural environment (2)
Beauty of the county (2)
Beautiful landscape
Scenery (2)
Beauty of environment (2)
Beautiful scenery
Regional beauty
The mountains are a great asset
Mountains (4)
Lakes
We have some of the most pristine drinking water in the country, but the coal companies that surface mine are destroying our drinking water
Water (2)
A willingness to move to alternate fuels
Natural resources - coal, timber, natural
Natural resources (2)
Our natural resources are our biggest asset
Resources
Coal
Coal was our best resource
Coal mines
Coal, natural gas
Natural gas (2)
Flat land
Infrastructure
City water (2)
98% city water is also a large asset
Airport
Hospital
ARH
Nursing home
Medical clinic
Ambulance services
The infrastructure to push for the local health care provider (ARH) to provide substance abuse treatment here in Harlan County. There are also a lot of areas where residential treatment could continue long after discharge, many large houses/buildings that are empty
Red Bird Volunteer Fire and Rescue Services (2)
Have a functioning railroad
Our rail road system is an asset
Tourism
We have tourist attractions such as the zip line
Tourism opportunities
Tourist attractions
Our assets are mostly tourism, but this is a work in progress and the complete answer.
Growing tourism attractions - hiking, fishing, camping, zip line
Some tourism destinations already in place
The tourism that has been bringing in people so far. I know Bell is having some luck but I'm not sure if the other counties have tourism
4 wheeling park - Bell County has a park separate from ours
Black Mountain Recreation Park in Bell County
Several tour destinations including Black Mountain
Off roading
Street bike riding
Mine tours
Zipline
Working together
Our relationship with Bell County and its ATV Park
Close knit community
Active community organizations
Strong nonprofit organizations
Good organizations
A large number of active churches
We have a good web of social networks
Support from UK and SE CTC
We gain the skills and knowledge of mission workers throughout the year
Red Bird Mission (3)
Red Bird Mission Work Camp
Experienced nonprofit leadership
Active local community organizations
Large presence of UK
Chamber
Main Street
Mission groups
Cumberland Hope Center
We have a solid education system with high graduation rates
We have some of the highest high school graduation rates in the region. Only second to Pike County in college graduation figures. High 20s according to the 2010 census
Affordable educational opportunities
Affordable education
Our youth post high scores in the state performance tests
Consolidated school systems
Potential for education
College system
We have SE Community and Technical College here
We have a strong technical and college system
Some education institutions
Community college (4)
Educational institutions (community college) all neighboring counties (e.g., Harlan Independent, Harlan County, Southeast community college is shared by other counties in the region
Higher education
Harlan County high school
Good schools and tech centers for vocational training
$500K grant could be leveraged to $1-$3 million
Political strength
Availability of day care for working/college moms or dads
Low crime rate
People talked about great communication in our counties but I disagree with this tremendously. Our county politicians care only about coal
There isn't any strengths. Why? Because those that got their's block any that come in here
What are the challenges this county and the region face?
Young talented and skilled people are leaving due to limited opportunities here
Holding and retrieving our educated young people
Recruiting our youth to come back and work
People leave here and don't come back - nothing here for them
Work force is slowly leaving to find work elsewhere
Retention of potential employers and productive community members is key
Outmigration and an aging population
Nothing to keep our youth here in Appalachia
Geographic isolation
Our geographic location is not always best for large industries
The biggest challenge is our geographic limitation. We really don't have good roads to come in and counties lying close to the interstate are thriving
We are at the end of the earth - takes a while to get anywhere - isolated
Access to rural communities
The need for better roads (3)
Poor road access and so we need to finish building the connector road to US 23
We need to have a 4 lane road within 2 miles of any factory that locates here
Roads (4)
Need better roads (2)
Access
Transportation system is lacking
Need better roads to develop industry
Lack of economic diversity
Industries are limited to a few types and are controlled by a limited number of industries/companies
No economic diversity
Lack of a history of economic diversity
We need more economic development
No economic growth
The largest challenge is economic growth - no jobs, no tax base
Loss of coal jobs
Moving away from coal to alternate fuels
Something to support the economy, new ways of employment. Coal is up and down and tourism will NEVER sustain the economy
Jobs are the biggest challenge for Harlan and surrounding counties
Lack of jobs (5)
Loss of jobs (3)
No job opportunities
No jobs (2)
No jobs for people who want to work
Not enough job opportunities
No enough employment opportunity for general laborers
Our county is in need of jobs
No factories in the area
We need factories
Factories
We need factories, factories bring employment, employment brings money, money brings economic strength!
Limited entrepreneurial capacity
We don't support our entrepreneurs
Need to support our entrepreneurs
Employment with adequate pay
Well paying jobs
Sustainable jobs
Making enough money to support my child without taking precious time away from her
Finding and keeping businesses in the area
Create small businesses
Few local business supporters
Rent is too high at the mall so we can't keep businesses in there
Getting funds to start any type of program
No available small business credit
No low interest loans for businesses
Economic monopoly
We don't have a trained certified economic developer or recruiter
We have not organized the unemployed to be volunteers for the larger community
State regulations on natural gas and who can sell it (must be a public utility) have hampered the development of our natural resource
State and federal governments are killing our county and Eastern KY with regulations on coal and other natural resources
The biggest challenge is Obama shutting down the mines. That is what our county is known for. Take it away and we will be a ghost town
No government support from the federal and state levels to replace the industry they have practically closed with intense regulation
Absentee landowners
Company control of resources
High cost of living
High gas prices. Gas pricing in Harlan County should be more investigated. Any eye can see this. I want you to drive any county, any direction, any highway in Harlan, one mile past the Harlan line, the gas prices are extremely lower! Why?
High cost of gas
Gas is more expensive here because they have further to bring it (or so they say)
Gas prices
High tax rates (3)
Old housing stock leading to high electric bills and usage
Don't have homes - need more living classes
The drug problem (4)
Crime related to drugs
The impact of the drug problem on families
The drug problem is intergenerational
Bad social services. Children being left in homes when they should be taken away from parents who are addicted to drugs
The drug problem overloads our court system
Harlan County high school is a gateway drug area
Our county faces a big drug problem which is pretty much everywhere though
Drugs are our biggest challenge and the counties around us as well
Prescription drug use
Our county faces a big drug problem which is pretty much everywhere though
Drugs are our biggest challenge and the counties around us as well
Prescription drug use
Drug epidemic
Finding a solution to the drug problem
Drug problem(s) (2)
Drugs (4)
Drug abuse
More people feed off the government rather than work, which normally means they are either drug users or sellers. It's too easy to get prescription drugs. I would love to see things change in the hospitals. If less people get drugs they don't need, they would be harder to get
Politics
We need to have the views of all people in the county
We need unity with everyone and every organization focusing on the whole county
We have not encouraged the development of new organizations to help build the community
We need to open up political races
Good ole boy system - rigged elections, no room for new candidates
Running for office -- small town -- same people -- no room for new ideas
Repeatedly electing the same officials
Same people in office every year - nothing changes
Politics - must have a unified view
Politics - need to work for the whole county not just section. One fails we all fail
Ethics
Corruption in government, ie, county audit
Lack of planning and zoning
Unity (3)
Unity - Stop sitting on our rears and letting everything die
We operate in subsections of the county. We never work as a whole county. Decision-making is our biggest challenge. We operate as tribes instead of a county
Organizations working toward a piece of the program
Our county needs to pull together as one
Too many cities and other duplicated entities
We need new visions and organizations most have been at it in the region for 30 years or more
Hard to unify county leaders
Hard to unify parts of the county -- selfish motives - the small holds priority over the whole
Territoriality in projects
We can't work together for a cause
Infrastructure (2)
Basic infrastructure
Poor infrastructure - water, electricity
Failing infrastructure
Lack of infrastructure
Lack reliable and affordable high speed broadband Internet
Poor quality, inconsistent and expensive cell phone service
Poor digital capacity
Poor cell phone service
Poor cell phone service and internet service
Limited internet access
Need better Internet
Poor phone service
No high speed internet
Cell phone and internet access
Police and paramedic response time
Poor communications for fire, rescue and law enforcement
Lack consistent and reliable communications for police and first responders in isolated areas
Communications among first responders often not reliable once they go into the rural parts of the county
Fire, rescue, police communications
Access to health care - when you leave this area you take your money with you
We have a good education system but it is not competitive with those in urban areas
Life skills classes are not included/required in the high school curriculum
More living classes. Education is based too much on testing and we are not learning how to live on our own, how to get a home, a job or provide for a family. Cooking, building, driving, common sense things are lost to teach the content for state testing
No common sense classes in schools
Still lag in educational attainment
Uneducated school board members -- need doctors and lawyers
Education
Quality education?
Substandard schools
More training opportunities for low income persons
Make it easier for people to go back to school
People living in county for cheap taxes and sending kids to city schools without paying their way
Little early childhood education
There are not enough places for the youth to hang out and keep them off the streets and into bad habits
Re-connecting to our youth. Give them something to do before they get on the streets
Trustworthy child care
Not enough things for our youth to do. We have a few places they can go but the capacity of these buildings is an issue
No places to go and have a good time
We need leadership training to expand the pool of community leaders
We need training on team work
We need to get people to work together for example, on collaborative grant-writing
Attitudes
Loss of hope (3)
Restoring hope in all citizens
People don't believe in the possibility of change
Fear of leaving to see what is out there. Not everyone will stay here
Resistance to change (2)
Close mindedness
Environmental degradation
Environmental destruction
County only moist not fully wet
"dry" counties - no alcohol sales
County moist
Lack of diversity
What is your vision for the future of this community and the region?
In 20 years I'd want Harlan County to be flourishing with plenty of job opportunities
Small town atmosphere with unemployment rate around 2-3%
Unemployment rate cut in half
Sustainable economy
Greater tax base
A place where our children can come back and live. Where there is opportunity.
More job growth so our young people don’t have to leave our area
Jobs for our people so the young people don’t have to leave
More jobs/opportunities for youth
More jobs so the young generations won't have to leave this area
Booming businesses where our kids can live
More job opportunities for our young people as they graduate from school. Hope that they would be able to come back and find jobs in this area
More jobs that require higher education
I would love for more job opportunities to be available
Coal mining diminished
I would like to have more jobs in this region, more opportunity to be here. Most people want to leave because they can't get a job or can only get a job making minimum wage.
Job growth
Jobs are our biggest need at the moment
More jobs (5)
Plenty of jobs
The more jobs we can produce in Harlan, the more money will flow.
We would have more entrepreneurs
Filled with small high tech service businesses
Tech jobs
Technology based economy
Some type of industry where people can stay here and make a living
Small factories that are beyond coal
Manufacturing and fabrication businesses
Small scale factories
Four wheeling factory
Factories of any kind
Vehicle factories
Vehicle plants
Vehicle parts factory
ATV factory for parts
Komatsu plant
Sherwin Williams Paint factory
Utilize CSX railroad to move products for new industries
I would like to see factories and places to work
In 20 years I would like this region to be a place where I can work and live and raise my kids. But now you have to move your families because many are out of work. I would want this county to be different by getting bigger businesses and other things to do for the children
Better than it is today with jobs so that people don't have to move away for any job that could be done here
Jobs that would provide a good living for families
More good paying jobs
End the brain drain - quit exporting our greatest resource our best and brightest young people by providing equivalent opportunities for employment income
I would like to see our county be able to have jobs to support our people of the county
Not as dependent on public assistance
People affording food and health care without government assistance
Less food stamps, less social security. Make people actually work
We would have a bigger variety of shopping centers and restaurants
We need more businesses
Many small businesses
More restaurants like Outback, Long Horn, Applebees, etc
A few nice restaurants with good food (making a difference with the Portal)
Bars, restaurants for people to gather
Micro-breweries
Connected local economies
Focused, intensive agriculture
There would be more intensive agriculture, some of it using greenhouses
Farmer's markets and CSAs (community supported agriculture)
We will have fully developed our tourism potential
We will have non-seasonal tourism
A growing tourism base attracting people through the seasons and visitors with varied interests
Healthy tourism opportunities
Tourism development
More hotels (2)
Tourism locations closer to one another
A clean beautiful county that offers a variety of outdoor activities that people would come here for with places to stay, arts and crafts and entertainment
Tourism destination that we can share with the world our heritage culture, trails and culinary experiences
Water park like the one at Williamsburg
Hub of tourism
Black bear preserve
Sustainable tourism
Retreat center
We would be a retreat to learn how to live simply and self-sufficiently
We would be emphasizing the arts
Small concert venue - an example is the orange peel in Ashville NC
Arts and theater
Creative class of people who can survive on their art and skills
The arts
More higher education opportunities
Areas of education centers
We need to make it easier for college students to get in the programs that they strive for. If we don't do this, 20 years, 15 years, and even in 10 years, this town will founder
Better ways to afford college
People supporting instead of bashing the county school system
A new education system that doesn't pour everyone into higher learning but that allows an intercommunication between levels of workers
We would have better housing overall
There would be cooperative projects to do energy audits of homes and businesses and then retro-fit them to reduce energy use and save consumer dollars
We would have completed renovations and remodeling of existing buildings and residences
Housing
Renovated housing
Homes that are energy efficient
We would have nice senior retirement facilities
More services for senior citizens – retirement villages, housing
Senior retirement communities
Retirement places
Greatly improved infrastructure - roads, cell, cable
We would have safer roads
We would have better roads and access throughout the county
Better roads for more jobs
Better roads
Roads to be fixed in Harlan County
Safer traveling - roads
Improved road maintenance and access
We would have reliable and affordable cell phone service throughout the county
Public services being able to communicate with each other anywhere in the region
Cell phone service (2)
Community owned energy sources that are renewable and sustainable
Renewable energy in use
Access to appropriate health care
Healthier
Domestic abuse homes
We would be a healthier county with a wellness center
Decrease in the drug problem
Clean up the drug problem
Less drugs
No drugs
Drug free
No more drug problems
Rehab facility in the county
A local substance abuse center
There would be more things for kids to do
Recreation center (2)
New recreation center
A nice recreational center
YMCA for recreation and wellness facilities
Work out facilities
Community centers
We need more activities to do for entertainment
Skating rink inside one of the old school gymnasiums
More activities for all the people
Parks
We want Harlan County to be a place that people not only stay in but return too and be proud of
Retain and increase our population
A place to live that we are proud of and want to return to
Communities where people want to move into instead of out of
Greater influx of people
At least 40% of our population returned to us
People will stay and choose to return because they are proud of the community
People would want to be able to live and work here
Population increased
More second and third generation family members staying in the area
I would like to see my children want to live here
Child care would be available to everyone
Better child care
More affordable child care
I want it to be nicer. Clean-ups needed
Better use of land and empty buildings
Nicer buildings
If older buildings that are falling down cannot be fixed, tear them down for safety and aesthetic reasons
Some renovations - a lot of areas are old and worn. We don't want to be too much of a history lesson
A cleaner area
No trash on the roads and in our rivers
No sewage
County working together
Work together as a whole
A united county
To bring in more jobs, our county needs to work with other counties as a regional infrastructure
I would just like to see my hometown still be here
More trees
What are obstacles the region and your county have to overcome to move forward?
Lower educational levels
We need infrastructure
Lack of advanced technologies
Remote
Geography
Transportation is limited
The need for better roads and easier access
Roads! (3)
No good roads
Bad roads
Need roads
Transportation - no roads bring no people in
Lack of funds
Funding – Harlan County has always been left out by the state and federal government compared to neighboring counties
Find a source of revenue to replace lost coal severance money. Look at natural gas severance tax
Lack of money and resources
Poverty (4)
The drug problem (3)
The drug issue needs to decline
Drugs (8)
Parents destroying their children's lives because of drugs
Sheriff's office doing better job at drug round-ups
Harsher punishment for crimes
The economy (2)
More jobs need to become available
Finding jobs, making jobs
Lack of jobs
Low employment
Coal dependence
Discovering the different occupations we can do here besides coal mining
Move beyond the idea that coal is the only way to make money or that it is all this region can do
Everyone wants to put their eggs in the tourism basket just like they had coal in the past. How can this be an answer for this county? It cannot employ enough people at a decent wage to support families
Coal
Limited financial institutions
Lack of communication- No wi-fi access
Politics
Not working together
We have to learn to work together and eliminate geographical district and county lines. Regionalization is inevitable if we are to compete with the rest of the nation and the world
We need to kick "greed" to the side and release some of this political and capitalized funding to create a better future for us and our children. Look at Pikeville, they did it and they grew!
Change the mindset of our people and our elected officials. Start looking out for the people that put them in office and not just themselves and future elections
Lack of togetherness we have "little cities within the county"
Develop a strong code of ethics for government officials
Government corruption
Just like tonight's meeting, people are put off by not being invited to participate
Lack of public invitation
Need political support from our county
Politics, politics, politics!
The same people in office year after year (no progress being made)
We jave to vote out the old ideas and bring in new resources and not coal's
Loss of hope (2)
Entitlement attitude of people
An "I don't care" attitude among the mountain people
Resistance to change.
Close mindedness
Many areas of "historical significance" everyone wants to keep, but they are broken down shells now. It's time to change
Build better buildings and tear down the eyesores
Keeping people here
Loss of work force and forward thinking people
People moving away
I have a 7 month old son and we are trying to decide if me, my fiancé and son want to stay here
The stereotype of what our county has always been that the people throughout the state and nation envision
Eastern Kentucky does not include us - we are southeastern KY
Our history
It seems like our area is forgotten or written off. Even at the state level, our area is seen as remote and was only recognized in the past because of our coal -- coal severance tax. Now that Is gone and we feel like our voices are heard even less.
Ignorance
Better activities for children and teenagers
