PADD Board of Directors March 2017 Monthly Meeting

​The PADD Board of Directors held their monthly meeting on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the PADD Office in Hopkinsville. In addition to staff reports regarding Community & Economic Development, Pennyrile AAAIL, and West KY Workforce, Federal and State reports were presented by State Representative Walker Thomas, Rachel McCubbin/U.S Senator Rand Paul's Office, and Amelia Wilson, U.S. Congressman James Comer's Office. Mr. Gregory Copley, East KY Regional Office, UK Center of Applied Energy Research, shared information regarding an Energy Savings Performance Program with the Department for Local Government and upcoming High Performance Public Facilities Workshops on March 22nd at Hazard Community & Technical College and on May 24th at Madisonville Community & Technical College. Keynote Speaker Dr. Brian Van Horn, M.P.A., Ed. D., Associate Provost for Murray State Univeristy Regional Academic Outreach (RAO), gave a slide presentation overview about RAO as a regional service unit that provides lifelong learning to virtually anyone, anywhere. RAO has four regional campus locations providing 21 bachelor and master degree programs, 23 online programs, and an Integrated Studies program. Despite challenges such as changing times, budget challenges and peformance funding, Dr. Van Horn expressed his appreciation for making higher education a priority in western Kentucky.