The Elizabethtown Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) continues to rank at the top of economic indicators in the U.S. The MSA as defined by the US Census Bureau consists of Hardin and LaRue Counties. The area also includes most of the Cantonment Area of the Fort Knox Military Reservation. It is one of 366 MSAs in the United States and one of nine in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
# 1 MSA in the U.S. in personal income growth – 2010 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
# 1 MSA in the U.S. for GDP growth – 2010 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
# 4 MSA in the U.S. in personal income growth – 2009 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
# 5 MSA in the U.S. in business establishment growth – 2010 U.S. Census Bureau
# 16 MSA in the U.S. for potential job growth – 2010 New Geography – 2011 Best Cities for Job Growth
# 34 MSA – Forbes list of best small places for business – 2011
# 37 MSA in the U.S. for GDP growth – 2009 U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
First Kentucky MSA to move from recession to recovery – 2009 Moody’s Analytics
The Area Development magazine, one of the nation’s most respected industrial site selection and economic development publications, recently published its annual survey: Leading Locations for 2012: Ranking MSAs for Economic and Job Growth. The Elizabethtown MSA received the following rankings:
Ranked 5th out of the Top 20 Southern Cities for Economic Development and Job Growth
Ranked 7th out the Top 25 U.S. Small Cities for “Recession Busting” Factors
Ranked 9th out of the Top 25 U.S. Small Cities for Prime Workforce Growth
Ranked 17th out of the Top 50 U.S. Small Cities for Economic Development and Job Growth
Ranked 21st out of the Top 25 U.S. Small Cities for Economic Strength Factors
Ranked 45th out of 366 U.S. Metros for Economic Development and Job Growth
From the Office of the Governor and the Department for Local Government, 26 grant awards have been announced. 43 counties were eligible for 2008 Disaster Recovery Funds based on past disaster declarations. The following three jurisdictions in the Lincoln Trail area were among the grantees.
Hardin County Fiscal Court: $126,212 was awarded to Hardin County Water District 1 & 2 for the purchase of emergency generators. A generator will be installed at each of the main facilities.
City of Leitchfield: $145,860 was awarded to the Leitchfield Water Works facility for the purchase and installation of an emergency generator to be laced at the main facility and transfer station.
City of Radcliff: $146,685 was awarded to the City for the purchase of an emergency generator for the Colvin Community Center allowing it to function as a shelter during emergencies and severe weather. These funds will also purchase software to update the emergency outdoor warning system.
As a result of past disaster declarations across the state, mitigation funds have become available. All 120 counties in Kentucky had an opportunity to apply for funds to mitigate the negative impacts of severe weather and natural disasters.In February 2011, FEMA and the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management began making award announcements. The first two projects to be awarded in the Lincoln Trail area are:
Grayson County Fiscal Court: $19,624 was awarded to the Grayson County Fiscal Court for the purchase and installation of an emergency generator to be placed at the Clarkson Fire Department, which serves as an alternate County Emergency Operation Center.
Breckinridge County Fiscal Court: $86,975 was awarded to the Breckinridge County Fiscal Court for the construction of a bridge on West Marks Ridge West Road. The bridge will be constructed to protect against a 100-year flood event and eliminate hazardous conditions and road closures in this area.