HC Extension board approves new insurance

At the Hopkins County Extension District Board met Thursday, voting to change their insurance from Farm Bureau to a plan offered by the Kentucky Association of Counties.

Matt Fulkerson, the area extension director, said the quote from KACo includes the current extension building, the cars, the new office, and construction insurance.

"All of the conservation offices, KACo is what they have throughout the state," he said.

Kimberly Faulk, the HC extension office staff assistant, told the board that KACo operates on a fiscal year budget, so from her perspective having everything due at the same time is easier on her.

"They're designed for governmental entities that have a fiscal year," she said. "Currently, we have some that start in March, and we have some that start in April."

Faulk said this is more convenient when paying bills.

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent, Jay Stone, said that from his experience, they will work with a local insurance agent, even though the insurance is not through a local agency.

When you work with KACo, you have a local insurance agent through one of the local companies who services the KACo policies for that county," he said.

Also during the meeting, Stone and Amanda Dame, the Family and Consumer Sciences agent, gave an update on the renovations to the current extension office.

The office had several pipes burst during the extremely cold weather in 2022, and they had to redo the kitchen area and wall connecting the kitchen to other parts of the building.

Stone said the cabinets have been installed along with several appliances. They are waiting for a corner sink before the water-related appliances are connected to the water line.

"All the water-related appliances, the dishwasher, a sink when it gets in, and the ice maker will all be completed at one time," he said. "The water line that feeds the ice maker will have a split on it to feed the ice maker and refrigerator as well."

While updating the water fountain, it was discovered that a hose was not installed correctly, and it broke off during repair.

Dame said they are transitioning the water fountain into a bottle fill station to be more economical.

"That way, we can get rid of the cooler out there, and we won't have that expense," she said.

Dame and Stone updated the board on upcoming activities and events that will take place through the extension office areas. For more information on those, follow areas on Facebook.

The next meeting of the Hopkins County Extension District Board will be at 11:30 a.m. on July 20. They have plans to walk the new extension office site at Mahr Park Arboretum.