♪ ♪ >> Renee: BOONE COUNTY JUBLG EXECUTIVE GARY MOORE IS ONLY THE SECOND KENTUCKIAN TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES.

HIS TERM CONCLUDES IN JULY.

I TALKED TO JUDGE MOORE ABOUT THE ISSUES OF CONCERN AND PROGRESS IN BOON BOONE COUNTY AND HOW HIS RECENT NATIONAL POSITION IS BENEFITING THE COMMONWEALTH.

THAT'S NOW ON CONNECTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON CONNECTIONS TODAY.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES ADVOCATES FOR COUNTY PRIORITIES AND FEDERAL POLICY MAKING WHILE TRYING TO OPTIMIZE COUNTY ADD TAXPAYERS RESOURCES BOONE COUNTY EXECUTIVE GARY MOORE HAS SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE OF THE ORGANIZATION DURING THE PANDEMIC.

BOON COUNTY IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY HAS EXPERIENCED PHENOMENAL GROWTH AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES, THE TIME IN WHICH JUDGE MOORE HAS LED THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

JUDGE MOORE JOINS US TODAY TO DISCUSS THE AREA'S BOOM, THE NATIONAL OFFICE AND HOW HE HAS DEALT WITH ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET, HOUSING AND OPIOID ABUSE.

A LOT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, SIR, AND SOME INFRASTRUCTURE.

I SHOULD HAVE SAID WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, TOO.

GOOD TO SEE YOU, THE HONORABLE MOORE.

>> GREAT TO BE WITH YOU RENEE.

>> Renee: WE'VE HAD YOU ON KENTUCKY TONIGHT THE LAST TIME WE TALKED WITH YOU IT WAS ABOUT COVID-19 AND HOW IT WAS IMPACTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND WE APPRECIATE YOU THEN AND WE ACTUALLY ENJOY ONE ON ONE TIME WITH YOU.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, YOU HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT SINCE JULY OF 2020.

YOUR TERM IS FOR A YEAR.

A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IS THIS AN ORGANIZATION FOR COUNTIES.

WHAT DOES IT DO AND HOW HAS JUDGE MOORE HELPED KENTUCKY?

>> WELL, WE KNOW WE HAVE 120 COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY, BUT THERE IS 3069 COUNTIES, BOROUGHS AND COUNTIES ACROSS AMERICA.

3069 UNITS OF GOVERNMENT.

A COUPLE OF STATES CALL THEM BOROUGHS AND PARISHES IN LOUISIANA.

SAME THING AS COUNTIES.

THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT COUNTIES FROM ALL 50 STATES HAS JUST BEEN A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY.

I RAN FOR THE OFFICE IN 2018 AT THE ANNUAL MEETING IN NASHVILLE AND THERE WERE FOUR CANDIDATES.

AND AFTER THREE BALLOTS WE MADE HISTORY.

WE WENT THREE FULL BALLOTS BEFORE WINNING AND IT WAS THE LAST STATE THAT VOTED THAT PUT ME OVER THE TOP.

SO IT WAS A HISTORIC ELECTION.

BUT WHEN THAT HAPPENED, NO NO ONE COULD FORESEE WHAT KIND OF YEAR IT WAS GOING TO BE AND THAT I WOULD BE SERVING DURING A PANDEMIC.

>> Renee: AND AS I MENTIONED, YOU STARTED IN JULY OF 2020.

YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THEN THE INAUGURATION OF THE NEW PRESIDENT BEGAN AND YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE UNDERNEATH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

SO THAT'S AN INTERESTING UNIQUE SITUATION.

>> UNIQUE THING THAT CAN ONLY HAPPEN EVERY FOUR YEARS, BUT IF A PRESIDENT IS RE-ELECTED, WHICH HAS HAPPENED IN MOST RECENT ADMINISTRATIONS, IT MAY ONLY HAPPEN ONCE EVERY EIGHT YEARS.

SO IT HAS BEEN UNIQUE.

THE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS IS THE OFFICE THAT DEALS WITH STATES, CITIES, COUNTIES AND OTHER TRIBAL TYPE UNITS OF GOVERNMENT.

SO PRESIDENT TRUMP, HIS LEAD WAS DOUG HOLSER, THE I.G.A.

ADMINISTRATOR AND WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS CAME TO OFFICE, JULIE CHAVEZ RODRIGUEZ IS THE NEW I.G.A.

DIRECTOR, BUT THAT ORGANIZATION STRETCHES THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT CABINETS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND IT'S BEEN A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OF SEEING THE TRANSITION AND HOW BOTH OPERATE.

>> Renee: ANY INTERESTING TAKEAWAY THAT YOU CAN COMPARISON THAT YOU CAN MAKE BETWEEN THE TWO?

>> WELL, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, THEIR OUTREACH TO COUNTIES ACROSS AMERICA WAS UNPRECEDENTED.

THEY REGULARLY WOULD INVITE LARGE GROUPS OF COUNTY OFFICIALS TO THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING IN THE WEST WUNG FOR DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATIONS.

NO REPUBLICAN OR REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT HAD ENGAGED WITH COUNTIES AND I THINK CITIES AS WELL, AT THE LEVEL OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DID.

SO ALONG COMES THE ELECTION, A NEW PRESIDENT AND AT NACO, MYSELF AND OUR OTHER LEADERSHIP, WE CHALLENGE THE NEW ADMINISTRATION TO MAINTAIN THAT SAME LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AND I GOT TO SAY THEY'VE DONE IT.

THEY'VE DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF CONTINUING, ALBEIT DURING A PANDEMIC, BUT DIRECTOR CHAVEZ RODRIGUEZ, SHE HAS JUST BEEN AMAZING.

AN EXAMPLE, WHEN THE TREASURY GUIDANCE WAS COMING OUT ON THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN DOLLARS, SOMETHING WE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR FOR WEEKS, SHE CALLS MY CELT PHONE AND CALLS ME GARY.

PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS CALLED ME GARY, BY THE WAY, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS-- THAT'S PRETTY COOL SHE CALLS AND SHE SAYS, GARY, IN 30 MINUTES, THE GUIDANCE IS COMING OUT.

I'M GOING TO SEND YOU A COPY SO THAT YOU CAN BE AHEAD OF THE GAME.

IT'S THAT KIND OF INTERACTION AND, I THINK ACCESS, THAT HAS BEEN AMAZING TO ME.

AND DOING THAT WITH TWO DIFFERENT PRESIDENTS.

>> THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF HIGH LEVEL CONSTITUENT SERVICES, YOU KNOW, AND IN SOME WAYS, THAT'S REALLY NEAT.

TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BAPTISM BY FIRE OF TRYING TO DO THIS AND RUN AN ORGANIZATION ON VIRTUAL PLATFORMS AND ALL THAT THAT IS AND BEING PRESIDENT, SO TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF THAT AND HOW MAYBE IT'S MADE THE ORGANIZATION STRONGER IN MANY WAYS.

>> YES,.

THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, WE COULDN'T TRAVEL.

A NATIONAL PRESIDENT NORMALLY WILL TRAVEL TO TWO TO THREE STATE ASSOCIATIONS PER MONTH.

I WAS PART OF AN EFFORT WHERE MY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TEAM, MY I.T.

TEAM HELPED CONVERT MY OFFICE.

WE ADDED LIGHTING AND SOUND AND BACKDROPS TO BE ABLE TO DO RECORDINGS FROM MY OFFICE BUT ALSO DO A LOT OF VIRTUAL MEETINGS SOME DAYS I WOULD HAVE EIGHT TO 10 VIRTUAL MEETINGS IN ONE DAY.

IN THE PAST, OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH COUNTIES ACROSS AMERICA HAS IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH AND THE MEMBERSHIP, THE NUMBER OF COUNTIES THAT PAY NACO DUES IS RIGHT AROUND 2500.

WE ARE OVER 80% AND THAT'S AN ALL TIME HIGH.

YOU WOULD THINK A PANDEMIC WOULD LIMIT YOU THE OTHER WAY; THAT YOU WOULD LOSE CONTACT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE VIRTUAL WORLD AND HOW EASY AND INEXPENSIVE IT HAS BEEN, WE HAD ONE RECENT WEBINAR WHERE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ALLOCATIONS WE HAD 1600 INDIVIDUAL LOG-S IN AND WE KNOW IN SOME OF THE SETTINGS THEY HAD 8 OR 10 PEOPLE IN ONE ROOM SO WE WOULD NEVER HAVE TOUCHED THAT MANY.

>> Renee: THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY MAINTAINED AS SOME KIND OF HYBRID FORMAT.

MAYBE THERE ARE SOME IN PERSON OPPORTUNITIES BUT STILL KEEPING THAT CONNECTION VIRTUALLY IS SHOWN TO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF BENEFIT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I THINK IT WILL STAY WITH US IN A HYBRID FORM.

PEOPLE STILL WANT THAT ONE ON ONE ENGAGEMENT.

IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I DID GET TO ATTEND A MEETING IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, ONE IN LOUISIANA, AND ONE IN MISSISSIPPI.

THE ONE IN MISSISSIPPI THAT I RETURNED FROM LAST NIGHT, ALL TIME HIGH MEMBERSHIP IN PERSON.

THEY HAD 1600 COUNTY OFFICIALS REGISTER FOR A MEETING IN BILOXI AND THAT WAS A HIGH NUMBER FOR THEM.

SO I DO THINK NOW THAT PEOPLE ARE READY TO GET BACK TO FELLOWSHIPPING AND SEE EACH OTHER IN PERSON, BUT THE VIRTUAL, I THINK, IS ALSO WITH US TO STAY.

>> I DO WANT TO REWIND AND KIND OF ASK A QUESTION ABOUT HOW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

I MEAN THOSE OF US WHO ARE IN THIS KIND OF WORLD OF COVERING A CITY AND LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT, WE UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR IT.

WE UNDERSTAND, TO SOME DEGREE, HOW IT FUNCTIONS AND HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING AND I JUST WONDER, WHAT QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK YOU ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU DO AS JUDGE EXECUTIVE AND ANYTHING EVER SURPRISING THEY ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR JOB.

>> THE QUESTION I GET MOST OF THE TIME IS WHERE DID YOU GO TO LAW SCHOOL AND JUDGE EXECUTIVE IS BASICALLY THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

SO I'M NOT AN ATTORNEY AND I DIDN'T GO TO LAW SCHOOL.

BUT I GET THAT WHEN I RUN FOR REELECTION AT HOME BECAUSE PEOPLE DO SOMETIMES GET CONFUSED WITH THE TITLE OF JUDGE EXECUTIVE.

BUT WHAT I FIND ABOUT COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THERE IS NO TWO COUNTIES ALIKE.

TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IN BOONE COUNTY WE HAVE THREE CITIES, BUT WE THE FOURTH LARGEST COUNTY WITH ABOUT 140,000 PEOPLE.

90,000 OF THAT POPULATION DOES NOT LIVE IN A CITY.

>> Renee: INTERESTING.

UNINCORPORATED BOONE COUNTY, 90,000.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE LARGEST CITIES IN OUR COMMONWEALTH, LOUISVILLE, LEXINGTON.

THE THIRD LARGEST IS BOWLING GREEN WITH 65,000 MAYBE.

90,000.

SO COUNTY GOVERNMENT, IN MY CASE, IS OPERATING LIKE A MUNICIPAL CITY GOVERNMENT BECAUSE I'M THE FRONT LINE OF SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

THE NEXT COUNTY, KENTON COUNTY, THE THIRD LARGEST COUNTY WITH 160,000 HAS 18,000 PEOPLE IN UNINCORPORATED.

90,000, 19,000.

PEOPLE THINK BOONE AND KENTON ARE ALIKE.

>> Renee: WE PUT IT IN A TRIO WITH CAMPBELL KENTON AND BOONE.

>> THEY HAVE 23 CITIES.

COUNTIES CAN BE VERY DIFFERENT WHICH MEANS OUR BUDGETS ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

WHAT WE DO VERY DIFFERENT.

AND REALLY OUR ENTIRE STRUCTURE CAN BE VERY DIFFERENT YET AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE COUNTIES, WE WORK TOGETHER, WE WORK WITH OUR STATE LEGISLATURE ON COUNTY ISSUES.

IT'S A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.

>> Renee: AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF NACO AND KACO, THE KENTUCKY VERSION, IS TO HELP EITHER THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL LEVEL UNDERSTAND WHERE COUNTIES FIT IN AND TO BE PART OF THE CONSIDERATIONS WHEN MAKING POLICY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Renee: AND DO YOU THINK THAT'S IMPROVED; THAT THERE IS A HIGHER-- IT SEEMS TO ME THAT BETWEEN THE LEAGUE OF CITIES AND KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, KACO, THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT EMPHASIS AND SUCCESS IN GETTING COUNTY LEVEL ISSUES TO THE FORE WHEN IT COMES TO THE KENTUCKY STATE LEGISLATURE.

>> I THINK WE ARE AT A HIGH POINT IN THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE, WHETHER YOU ARE IN A CITY OR IN A COUNTY, AND THAT IS YOUR UNIT OF GOVERNMENT, THAT IS YOUR SUPPLIER OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES, THAT THAT HAS THE BEST PULSE.

THAT LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, OF ANY LEVEL.

YES, WE NEED A STRONG COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE WAY THINGS WORK.

BUT THE GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE, I THINK, IS THE BEST.

AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WITH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN SYSTEM THAT IS HAPPENING NOW, COUNTIES OF ALL SIZES, EVERY STATE, IS GETTING DIRECT ALLOCATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS THROUGH ARPA, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN WITH CARES ACT.

>> Renee: AND THESE ARE THE COVID RELIEF EFFORTS.

>> YES, COVID RELIEF.

>> Renee: GIVE US A REFRESHER ON THAT.

>> COVID RELIEF AND ECONOMIC STIMULUS.

>> Renee: COUNTIES ARE GETTING DIRECT ALLOCATION.

I MAY HAVE CUT YOU OFF FROM YOUR THOUGHT THERE AND THAT'S BETTER THAN PERHAPS THE WAY IT MAY HAVE WORKED OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AT ALL.

>> WE THINK, AGAIN, THE GOVERNMENT CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE WHETHER IT BE A COUNTY OR A CITY, KNOWS THE NEEDS OF THAT COMMUNITY BETTER THAN SOMEONE IN FRANKFORT OR SOMEONE IN WASHINGTON, FOR SURE.

SO RATHER THAN SEEING THESE ONE SIZE FIT ALL KINDS OF APPROACHES, WE THINK THAT THIS WILL BE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE.

IN ONE COUNTY, IT MAY BE BROADBAND, ANOTHER COUNTY IT MAY BE WATER.

ANOTHER COUNTY SEWER.

IT MAY BE SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS AND RELIEF-TYPE EFFORTS.

AND IT WILL BE MADE COUNTY BY COUNTY BASED ON THAT COUNTY'S NEEDS.

>> Renee: SO IN BOONE COUNTY, WHAT ARE THE BIG ISSUES AND NEEDS?

>> BROADBAND IS LEADING THE WAY, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY PUBLIC WATER AND A COUPLE SEWER PROJECTS DURING THE PANDEMIC, HIGH SPEED BROADBAND CATAPULTED UP THE PRIORITY LIST.

WE KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS GROWING IN NEED, BUT WATER, SEWER AND ROADS NUMBER ONE ALWAYS.

BUT DURING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN CHILDREN WERE SENT HOME WITH CHROME BOOKS, OUR BOON COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM PROVIDED CHROME BOOKS FOR THE STUDENTS, YOU GET AT HOME AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO CONNECT IT TO, WHAT GOOD IS IT GOING TO DO?

YOU HAVE TO FIND A HOT SPOT AT A LIBRARY OR SOMEWHERE.

SO NON-TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTION, LEARN AT HOME NUMBER ONE.

E-HEALTH VISITS.

ST. ELIZABETH, THEIR PRIMARY CARE AND OTHER PHYSICIANS, THEY WANTED TO SEE YOU VIRTUALLY BEFORE YOU WALKED IN DURING THE PEAK OF THE PANDEMIC.

WORKING FROM HOME.

SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS WERE CALLING US SAYING, I JUST DON'T HAVE ACCESS.

AND THERE IS OTHER REASONS, BUT THOSE THREE BIG REASONS, BROADBAND REALLY MOVED UP THE LIST.

AND WE FOUND OUT THAT THE FCC MAPS, THE FCC MAPS WOULD SAY THAT THE MINIMUM SPEED IS 25-3, 25 MEGABITS DOWNLOAD, 3 UPLOAD.

WITH ALL OF THE THINGS I MENTIONED, THAT DOESN'T GET IT.

THE SYSTEM WAS SLOW, SLUGGISH.

AND SOME OF THAT WAS THROUGH WIFI.

SO WE MADE THE DECISION THAT FIBER TO THE DOOR WAS THE WAY TO GO ONE GIG AVAILABLE TO ANY HOME THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.

>> Renee: IMPRESSIVE.

>> WE WENT THROUGH AN RFP, ANY PARTNER COULD BID.

CINCINNATI BELL WON THE RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE WITH US AND WE ARE IN A CONTRACT AND WE ARE RUNNING OVER $40 MILLION WORTH OF BROADBAND FIBER TO THE DOOR?

>> Renee: THE STATE COULD LEARN A LOT FROM WHAT YOU ARE DOING BECAUSE THE WOES OF BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY THAT, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS WHERE IT HAS BEEN A DIRTH OF SERVICE.

YOUR APPROACH SEEMS TO WORK FAIRLY WELL AND WHEN DO YOU THINK THE ULTIMATE DEPLOYMENT, THE FRUITION OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY EMPHASIZE AND PRESS WITH ANY OF THE BIDDER, WE WANTED THIS SYSTEM BUILT NOW 24 MONTHS IS OUR TIMEFRAME.

>> Renee: 24 MONTHS.

>> OVER 40,000 HOMES WILL BE TOUCHED IN 24 MONTHS.

>> Renee: THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

YEAH, SO DEFINITELY WILL BE KEEPING AN EYE ON THAT DEVELOPMENT.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN A WASHINGTON CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT IS INFRASTRUCTURE AND DOES BROADBAND CLASSIFY AS INFRASTRUCTURE.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THAT IS JUST AS CRUCIAL AS THE ELECTRIC GRID AND WATER AND SEWER LINES THAT MANY PEOPLE VIEW BROADBAND AS A BASIC UTILITY AND BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS SUCH?

>> I DEFINITELY, YES.

BROADBAND IS THE ELECTRICITY OF ITS DAY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE WORLD AROUND US, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT GETTING A TV CHANNEL OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE, IT IS ENTERTAINMENT BUT IT'S THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF BEING ABLE TO BE CONNECTED WITH THE OUTSIDE.

>> Renee: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOOK WHERE YOU ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY.

HAVE YOU SOME COMPETITION ABOVE YOU, YOU KNOW, AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF CONNECTIVITY IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP UP THE BOOMING ECONOMY THAT IS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS THAT YOU'VE BEEN HEADING THE COUNTY THERE IS A SLIDING SCALE FOR MONTHLY FEES IT'S A GRANT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE KENTUCKY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT THAT IF SOMEONE PROVES THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD THE REGULAR RATE, THAT THERE IS A SLIDING SCALE BASED ON INCOME AND AVAILABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GET A MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION.

SO THAT WAS A KEY COMPONENT.

WE ARE DOING PUBLIC PARKS AND OTHER AREAS FOR HOT SPOT WIFI, EVEN TO TAKE A STEP FURTHER.

BUT WE WANT AFFORDABILITY AS WELL AS ACCESSIBILITY.

>> Renee: AND DOUBLING DIGITAL LIT-- LITERACY IS A BIG COMPONENT BUT IF YOU ARE NOT SURE HOW TO USE THE TOOLS, JUDGE MOORE, IS THERE STILL A GAP THAT'S UNANSWERED?

AND UNFILLED?

>> WELL, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH BOONE COUNTY SCHOOLS AND BOONE COUNTY LIBRARIES AND OUR BOONE COUNTY EXTENSION AGENCY TO, THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US FUND A PORTION OF OUR LOCAL OBLIGATION, BUT ALSO THE EDUCATIONAL LITERACY OF HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM AND YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.

BUT WE THINK OUR LIBRARIES AND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WILL BE THE PLACE TO BASE THAT.

>> Renee: AND IS TO TILL HAVE THESE HOT SPOTS AROUND AND I KNOW SO VERY LITTLE ABOUT THIS.

I SAY THESE TERMS LIKE I UNDERSTAND THEM.

BUT TO BE ABLE TO STILL HAVE THAT CONNECTIVITY IS A WONDERFUL THING AND A NECESSITY, AS YOU SAID, THAT THIS IS THE WORLD THAT WE ARE LIVING IN AND EVEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF COVID, THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE PROVING THEMSELVES TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE RELY ON.

TELEHEALTH IN TISCH, YOU KNOW,-- IN PARTICULAR, HAD BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

SEEPED LIKE IT REACHED ITS OPTIMIZATION WITH COVID, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE WELL POSITIONED WITH ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.

IT'S A BENEFIT FOR AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE SERVICES.

>> I WAS ON THE BOARD OF ST. ELIZABETH HEALTHCARE FOR 11 YEARS AND I CHAIRED THE BOARD THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND WE HAD GOALS OF INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF ENGAGEMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGY WITH VIRTUAL VISITS AND I FORGET WHAT OUR EXACT NUMBER WAS FOR OUR TARGET FOR SAY THE YEAR 2020, BUT IF IT WAS 1500 E-HEALTH VISITS, WE DID THAT LIKE IN A WEEK BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY.

SO I THINK THERE WILL BE SOME LONG-TERM POSITIVE IMPACTS OF WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND SOME OF THAT IS THAT PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO USE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY MIGHT OTHERWISE NOT HAVE.

AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE IT, THEY LIKE IT AND THEY FIND THAT IT WORKS JUST FINE.

AND MAYBE SOME CASES IT WILL BE THE PREFERRED METHOD IN THE FUTURE.

SO I THINK IT'S JUST AN ENHANCEMENT OF CUSTOMER SERVICE IN SO MANY WAYS.

>> Renee: TO NOT TAKE-- I HATE TO TAKE A HARD PIVOT TO DISCUSSION WHERE THINGS MAY NOT BE SO POSITIVE.

WE KNOW THAT THE OPIOID PANDEMIC IN MANY WAYS, I REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, HOWEVER MANY YEARS THAT'S BEEN, THAT NORTHERN KENTUCKY WAS CONSIDERED TO BE THE EPICENTER AT THAT TIME AND EASTERN KENTUCKY.

HOW DOES THAT PICTURE LOOK NOW AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW THE PANDEMIC EXACERBATED THE OPIOID PANDEMIC.

IS IT STILL OPIOIDS ARE IS THERE ANOTHER DRUG OF CHOICE TAKING ITS PLACE.

>> THAT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION AND YOU WILL GET DIFFERING OPINIONS DEPENDING WHO YOU WALK WITH.

OUR NORTHERN KENTUCKY DRUG STRIKE FORCE, OUR DIRECTOR, WHEN THE BORDERS WERE CLOSED, DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, TRYING TO CONTROL, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COMING AND GOING AND SPREADING COVID, WE SAW A DECREASE IN THE AVAILABILITY OF SOME OF THE OPIOIDS.

BECAUSE WHERE THEY WOULD COME INTO THE COUNTRY.

SO WITH THAT, WE SAW A SHIFT BACK TO METH AND SOME OTHER DRUGS OF CHOICE.

AND I THINK WHAT IT DOES, IT HIGHLIGHTS THE FACT THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT A PARTICULAR DRUG.

THE PROBLEM IS THE DEPENDENCY AND MENTAL HEALTH.

MENTAL HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE OF THE STRESSES.

STAYING AT HOME, MAYBE LOSING JOBS, NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK, NOT BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH OTHERS AND FELLOWSHIP.

SO WE ARE WATCHING CLOSELY ANY SPIKES THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE IN OVERDOSES AND REALLY IN DRUG MISUSE AND DRUG USE ABUSE IN GENERAL.

SO TO THE QUESTION OF OPIOIDS, WE ARE REACHING A POINT WHERE MANY COUNTIES FILED SUITS AGAINST THE OPIOID DISTRIBUTOR.

AND THOSE SUITS ARE NEARING A SETTLEMENT BECAUSE TRIAL DATES ARE GETTING CLOSER AND WE ARE FINDING THAT THE DISTRIBUTORS DON'T WANT TO GO TO COURT.

SO WE ARE PART OF A NATIONAL GROUP OF LEGAL COUNSEL AND SUITS.

IT'S NOT A CLASS-ACTION BUT WE ARE A PARTY.

AND WE THINK THAT THESE SETTLEMENTS WILL HAPPEN BEFORE THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

SO WHAT YOU SAW IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS SENATE BILL 36, I BELIEVE-- NO, IT WASN'T 36 RNLGT BUT IT WAS THE BILL THAT CREATED THE OPIOID COMMISSION THAT 50% OF THE FUNDS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CAMERON AND LEADERSHIP AND THE LEGISLATURE NEGOTIATED AND I WAS PART OF THAT.

THE 50% OF WHAT COMES THROUGH KENTUCKY WILL GO TO THE STATE FUND THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THE COMMISSION.

THE OTHER 50% WILL BE ALLOCATED DIRECTLY TO COUNTIES.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON THE COUNTY IMPACTS, WHICH WAS THE DATA OF HOW MANY PILLS WENT TO A COUNTY, HOW MANY OVERDOSES IN A COUNTY.

BUT WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE STATE.

PRESIDENT STIVERS JUST SPOKE TO A GROUP THAT I LEFT BEFORE HERE.

AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE STATE AND LOCAL RESOURCES TO REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR CITIZENS.

>> Renee: AND THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'VE TALKED PARTICULARLY TO CHILD PSYCHOLOGISTS WHO WOULD SAY IT COULD BE NINE MONTHS, A YEAR OR LONGER BEFORE WE KNOW THE FULL IMPACT THAT COVID HAS HAD ON OUR CHILDREN AND THAT MAY EXHIBIT ITSELF THROUGH BEHAVIORAL ISSUES WE MAY SEE OR DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES THAT WE MAY SEE.

SO THE FACT THAT MAYBE THERE IS ALREADY SOME RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS BECAUSE OFTEN TIMES THESE THINGS AREN'T IN A SILO.

IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW, IF THERE IS ABUSE,-- WITH SUBSTANCES, THERE IS ALSO PERHAPS DOMESTIC THINGS HAPPENING IN A HOME.

IT REALLY IS ALL INTERWOVEN AND IT'S COMPLICATED TO SORT OUT.

>> SO JUST LIKE WE ARE SEEING-- I AGREE.

LIKE WE ARE SEEING WITH PERMITTED USES OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, THE COVID RELIEF DOLLARS WITH THE SETTLEMENTS, THERE WILL BE SOME PRETTY TIGHT GUARD RAILS ON THE PERMITTED USES OF WHAT THESE FUNDS WILL BE ABLE TO USE FOR.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS IN OUR COUNTY JAIL; ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE NEARING RELEASE, MAYBE IN THE LAST 60 DAYS, 30 DAYS.

BUT PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, AND BASICALLY A SEAMLESS EXIT FROM THE COUNTY JAIL TO WORKFORCE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE KNOW THAT RECIDIVISM GOES THROUGH THE ROOF IF A PERSON IS RELEASED AND THEY DON'T HAVE A JOB OR A PLACE TO DAY STAY.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY'RE GOING HAVE THE SAME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND THUS MANY TIMES RELAPSE WAY TOO OFTEN.

SO I THINK THAT AGAIN, THE TIMING OF THESE FUNDS AND WHAT MAY BE CONNELLING IS VERY, VERY GOOD IN THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN DEVELOP PROGRAMS AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THERE IS MONEY COMING BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO SOLVE THE WHOLE PROBLEM UNLESS WE COLLABORATE AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL AND WE DO IT WISELY.

>> Renee: AND KENTUCKY HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE STATES OUT IN THE FRONT OF THIS TO DEVELOP AN INFRASTRUCTURE, SORRY TO USE THAT TERM AGAIN, TO HELP WITH REENTRY.

EVEN PRIOR TO THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE BEVIN ADMINISTRATION, PRE-APPRENTICE PROGRAMS AND APPRENTICE PROGRAMS AND THE REENTRY PROGRAMS TO DO JOB TRAINING BEHIND BARS SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE WERE RELEASED, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD THE SKILLS AND MAYBE EVEN HAD AN EMPLOYER TO TAKE THEM IN TO KEEP FROM THOSE RECIDIVISM ACTIONS THAT YOU MENTIONED AND SPOKE OF.

>> THERE ARE CERT COMPONENTS OF WHAT WE KNEAD TO DO-- NEED TO DO THAT NEED TO BE DONE BETTER BY THE STATE AND REGIONALLY.

MARKETING CAMPAIGNS.

THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE DONE ON A COUNTY BY COUNTY BASIS.

THAT WOULDN'T BE AS EFFICIENT.

MAYBE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DEVELOPED FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND OTHERS THAT-- SO I THINK THERE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE A ROLE FOR THE STATE AND FOR THE REGIONAL APPROACH.

BUT THEN WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTY, WE HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH QUICK RESPONSE TEAMS.

Q.R.T.s WE CALL THEM.

AND IT'S A POLICE OFFICER, A SOCIAL WORKER, MANY TIMES A FAMILY MEMBER OF SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY OPIOIDS.

AND WHEN THERE IS AN OVERDOSE, WE TRY TO KNOCK ON THEIR DOOR WITHIN 36 HOURS.

ONCE THEY'RE BACK HOME AND MANY TIMES YOU GET A RELATIVE RATHER THAN THE PERSON THEMSELVES WHICH TIMS SOMETIMES IS JUST AS GOOD OR BETTER.

BUT TO REALLY BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSE AND TO EDUCATE AS MAYBE SAVE THEIR LIFE SO THEY DON'T DO IT AGAIN.

>> Renee: WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME, JUDGE MOORE.

WE SAID 28 MINUTES, THAT'S A LOT OF TIME BUT IT NEVER REALLY IS AND THIS HAS BEEN A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION AND WE WILL BE TALKING WITH YOU, I'M SURE, IN THIS FORMAT OR OTHERS AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK HAVE YOU DONE REPRESENTING KENTUCKY WITH NACO AND ALL THE GOOD WORK YOU ARE BOUND TO DO TO COME.

THANK YOU.

>> IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR TO SERVE AND SOMETHING I'LL NEVER FORGET.

>> Renee: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE IN SO MANY WAYS.

AND THANK YOU FOR WATCHING CONNECTIONS TODAY.

WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK.

IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, ON INSTAGRAM, MAKE SURE YOU CAN GO TO OUR PROGRAMS KET ket.org TO SEE WHAT YOU MISSED WHETHER IT'S KENTUCKY TONIGHT, CONNECTIONS, COMMENT OR WHATEVER.

WE ARE THERE FOR YOU.