Strongest Town 2022, Round 1: Frankfort, KY vs. Middlesboro, KY
Welcome to this first round match-up in the seventh annual Strongest Town Contest! In this round, 16 towns are facing off, and eight will advance to the next segment of the contest based on your votes. We invite you to read answers representatives from these two cities provided to our questions about economic resilience, citizen involvement, community response to the pandemic, and more. Then vote for the strongest at the bottom of this page.
Can’t decide? If you’re looking for inspiration, check out how we describe the Strong Towns approach.
You may vote once per match-up. Round 1 voting closes at noon CT on Thursday, March 3. For rules, and to follow along with the contest, visit the Strongest Town Contest page.
Note: All entries are lightly edited for clarity and readability.
FRANKFORT, KY
Entry submitted by: Layne Wilkerson, Mayor; Laura Hagg, City Manager; Rebecca Hall, Grants Manager; Blair Hecker, Project Specialist.
What is your favorite thing about your town?
Frankfort embodies the essence of everything that makes Kentucky special, from her natural charm and beauty, to her innovation and world-renowned bourbon—making Frankfort truly Kentucky distilled. As the state capital, Frankfort is host to state government, where the rotunda of the Capitol building rises above the city. Being the seat of state government means we’ve got educated citizens with great people skills. It means diversity, including renowned Kentucky State University. It means being close to where all the most important decisions are being made for Kentucky business.
Frankfort is hands-on. You can go to the decision-makers and talk to them on a personal level. Frankfort has its own unique character, too. Water lovers have their pick of two marinas, boat rentals, swimming, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. Parks featuring winding trails are popular with runners, walkers and cyclists. Frankfort is home to two golf courses, a mountain bike course and a wildlife sanctuary. Perhaps no place in Frankfort better represents the city’s balance between the charm of history and innovation than Historic Downtown. In the shadow of the Old State Capitol, historic buildings are home to modern boutique shops, galleries, and restaurants. Red brick streets are filled on Friday and Saturday nights with visitors and residents enjoying live music, special events, good food, and friends. Frankfort is powered by strong character and hard work, as the home to several major bourbon distilling brands, as well as global manufacturers. Frankfort is Capitol halls and bourbon balls, rolling hills and rushing rivers, southern hospitality and global connections. Frankfort is the best of Kentucky.
What is the biggest challenge your town faces, and what are you doing to address it?
Being the seat of Kentucky state government has its merits, but also its challenges. As the Capital city, Frankfort is host to numerous state government-owned properties that do not generate local property tax revenues. Frankfort also hosts a large percentage of state government workers during the work week. The COVID-19 pandemic sent many of those workers to their home communities, creating challenges for the city’s occupational tax revenue. Frankfort also often has a hard time distinguishing itself from state government, its politics, and its policies. While Frankfort enjoys the hands-on accessibility of state government, it has its own unique identity.
To address these issues, the City of Frankfort has several strategic goals to unite state and city leaders to improve and maximize our partnership. Currently, a major downtown redevelopment project is in the works, as a result of a partnership with the state government, where a previously state-owned parcel of land will be privately developed in partnership with the city. City leadership is prioritizing relationships with state government leaders to create more opportunities in the future. The Frankfort community is also focused on incentivizing smart growth and partnering with corporate job creators to attract and retain a diversified workforce, to maximize occupational tax possibilities. Frankfort is working on rebranding itself, as a Kentucky Distilled community, truly embodying the essence of the best of all things Kentucky. The City’s newly adopted Strategic Plan incorporates a priority for the Story of Frankfort, telling the past, present, and future of our own story.
What transportation options exist in your town for people of varying ages, abilities, and means? How easy is it to live in your town without regular access to a car? What transportation investments has your town recently made or is it in the process of making?
The City of Frankfort has many transportation options. The City houses its own transportation department, Frankfort Transit, providing several means of bus transportation. Frankfort Transit provides fixed routes throughout the city; demand response that provides one-way, door-to-door service, depending on the needs of the passengers and if there is not an accessible deviated-fixed route; and Saturday routes specifically to assist residents needing transportation to jobs and medical appointments. Frankfort Transit offers services to anyone in the community and all transit drivers are trained to assist passengers with disabilities.
Outside of public transit, Frankfort has a transportation focused, non-profit organization, Walk Bike Frankfort, that is dedicated to making the capital city the best in the state for pedestrians and cyclists. Walk Bike Frankfort works with the local governments and the community to create and keep updated a Walk Bike Master Plan, providing comprehensive recommendations for improving pedestrian and cycling access throughout Frankfort. The City of Frankfort refers to this plan when making road improvements. The City itself has made several investments recently to improve pedestrian accessibility. In 2021, the City opened a new trail that connects Kentucky State University to downtown Frankfort along a former rail bed. Currently the City is in the middle of a $12 TIGER grant project for one of the main corridors of town, which includes improving access for non vehicular traffic in a heavily traveled area. And, the City is in the process of planning for improvements to another main corridor through a RAISE planning grant.
Tell us about your community's local economy. Who are the key players, big and small, and how do they help your town to be financially strong and resilient? What local businesses are you most proud of?
Kentucky is a manufacturing and industrial state and Frankfort represents the essence of that. Bourbon distilling is the main industry in the state, with 95% of the world's bourbon made in Kentucky, where there are more barrels of bourbon than people. Frankfort is home to several major bourbon distilleries, including an iconic distillery that is the leader among the legendary spirit makers of Kentucky. All of these distillers are some of the main economic players in the community, housing major bottling and shipping operations, bringing in thousands of tourists annually, and contributing to the growth and quality of life in the Frankfort community.
Frankfort also has a thriving small, locally owned business environment. In the downtown business district in 2021, there was over $120 million in planned, ongoing, or completed downtown investment projects. These projects range from bourbon tourism centered business ventures, to local retail shops, boutique hotels, and restaurants and bars. The City of Frankfort has been a key player in this downtown investment initiative, by supplying grant funds through downtown reinvestment grants. The local economy is projected to keep growing, as several of the distilleries are seeing booming growth, and one in particular has a multimillion dollar expansion planned. There is also approximately $15 million of growth planned in small, locally owned businesses coming to or expanding in the city of Frankfort in 2022.
If we took a walking tour through your town, what would we see? How does your community use its land productively to promote long-term financial resilience?
True to its Kentucky Distilled identity, Frankfort represents the city’s balance between the charm of history and the influx of new ideas. Taking a walking tour through the city would show historic architecture that graces government buildings from the current Capitol to the old state Capitol, the Governor’s mansion, the region’s only Frank Lloyd Wright house and Liberty Hall, the home of John Brown, one of Kentucky’s founding fathers. Leslie Morris Park sitting atop Fort Hill offers a glimpse into Frankfort’s role during the Civil War and myriad museums provide insight into everything from Kentucky’s government to its military to the state police.
Frankfort is also home to several historic bridges. Throughout the City of Frankfort, you will see innovative adaptive reuse of historic structures. The City focuses on offering opportunities for business development in existing structures, both in historic downtown and in other areas of the city, to encourage keeping agriculture-based land in areas of Franklin County true to their natural usage. Older, larger retail centers have been repurposed to house smaller-medium size businesses. The City has offered neighborhood reinvestment programs for the South Frankfort neighborhood to rehabilitate existing structures, and has incentivized redevelopment of existing buildings with the downtown reinvestment grant program. Taking a walking tour of Frankfort would also show the city’s commitment to societal elevation through the arts. Frankfort is home to an active art community, with a walking sculpture tour featuring 26 rotating sculptures, and also 12 murals across city buildings. Frankfort also boasts gardens, public landscaping, and numerous art galleries.
How easy is it to become an entrepreneur or a small-scale developer in your town? What kinds of support are available for a resident who wants to open a business or build on a small vacant lot?
Frankfort has several resources for those wishing to pursue investment or opening a business. Kentucky State University houses the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), that any entrepreneur in Frankfort can take advantage of. The SBDC provides one-on-one coaching to existing and potential entrepreneurs and offers a variety of low cost training programs taught by industry experts and qualified coaches. Frankfort also has many established community organizations that exist to attract and support business development in the community. The Frankfort Area Chamber of Commerce provides numerous networking and support opportunities for businesses of all sizes. The Kentucky Capital Development Corporation is a community organization that promotes economic development in Frankfort/Franklin County through the attraction of new business and the retention of existing businesses.
Downtown Frankfort, Incorporated, operates a downtown merchant program that meets monthly to help connect local entrepreneurs to organizations and resources to strengthen their businesses. Frankfort is also home to many private financial institutions, all of which have small business lending programs. The City of Frankfort plays a key role in business development by supporting these community agencies. The city and county governments also house Planning and Zoning departments, whose staff are dedicated to walking developers and entrepreneurs through processes to opening a business. The City has provided many financial incentives to locally owned businesses recently, through small business grants during COVID-19, the implementation of a downtown Entertainment Destination Center, and the facilitation of a Shop Local Frankfort gift card program.
At Strong Towns we believe financial solvency is a prerequisite for long-term prosperity. What do you consider your most potent (existing) tax producing property? Where does your revenue come from? What do you spend it on?
Frankfort has many large-scale franchise businesses, bourbon industry businesses, and small, locally owned businesses. When comparing the value per acre of a big box store located on the outskirts of city limits compared to two locally owned restaurants in the downtown area, the value per acre is 65% higher for the locally owned restaurant. This analysis supports Frankfort’s overall investment in and focus on adaptive reuse and attraction of small businesses.
While chain retail establishments have an important place in the overall community, Frankfort is committed to balancing the development of big business with small enterprise. Our current most potent tax producing properties are locally owned restaurants and bars that feature bourbon tourism, complimenting the tourism draw of our important bourbon distilleries. The City of Frankfort is proving that it can sustain small businesses, even throughout a global pandemic, as most of our small businesses continue to thrive. The City of Frankfort remains committed to these businesses, by continuing to invest money in these businesses when possible. Small business grant programs, COVID assistance, and the introduction of customer-based programs such as the Shop Local Frankfort gift card, remain priorities for the city of Frankfort. Frankfort also supports special events and initiatives in the city that focus on bringing tourism to town, to further support the local economy.
At Strong Towns, we believe that local government is a platform for strong citizens to collaboratively build a prosperous place. How are residents in your town involved in shaping its future? How do residents’ experiences, struggles, and concerns directly inform the projects undertaken by local government? Provide one or more examples.
Community engagement is an area of major focus for the City of Frankfort, and one that has rapidly grown in recent years. Beginning in 2018, Frankfort began future planning that centered on community input with the initiation of several programs. On The Table, a national program that presents an opportunity to gather around a table with friends, neighbors, colleagues and maybe even people we are meeting for the first time to talk about the issues, big and small, that impact our lives and our community, was hosted in Frankfort in March of 2018. Community participants discussed issues such as education, quality of life, local government, transportation and public outreach.
Also in 2018, the City initiated a Downtown Master Plan, which included six months of community meetings and conversations to develop a plan with 10 guiding principles. Feedback from both of these community conversations have been incorporated into work plans and budgets for City staff, and the newly adopted City Strategic Plan gives direction to the community input given in these two arenas to help the city move forward. The City also remains committed to community engagement on a daily basis, utilizing web sites and social media to communicate about local issues and programs, and the use of mobile apps for specific city departments. The City of Frankfort initiated a public engagement hub, Frankly Speaking, in 2019 which houses community input projects and public meetings, to gain resident feedback on an ongoing basis.
MIDDLESBORO, KY
Entry submitted by: Joanie Beaver, Bo Green, David Whitlock, Ellen Partin, Laura Cawood, Donna Smith, Zach Ausmus, Mallory Quinton, and Kim Ray.
What is your favorite thing about your town?
Middlesboro is a town that has seen struggles, but the amazing townspeople have not let it disappear. I have watched people rally around local businesses to help them stay open. I have also watched these people rally around each other to provide support and kindness. I have really never seen a town where caring for each other was so important.
What is the biggest challenge your town faces, and what are you doing to address it?
Middlesboro faced a devastating financial blow when the coal industry left the area. For many people this was the only job they had ever known. When something so important is pulled from a person/town, it can be very hard to get back up and look for a new industry that will work for them. We are addressing this challenge by showing businesses and townspeople that our new industry is tourism. Our location in the Southeastern corner of Kentucky is absolutely filled with natural beauty and resources that travelers are looking for. After the past years of COVID, our area is a haven of peace for people to come and enjoy all that the Appalachian experience has to offer.
What transportation options exist in your town for people of varying ages, abilities, and means? How easy is it to live in your town without regular access to a car? What transportation investments has your town recently made or is it in the process of making?
Middlesboro is very walkable. There is a county service that is available if you do need help getting from place to place.
Right now we are working hard to enhance the walkability of town. We have a canal that runs from the Cumberland Gap National Park into our downtown area, so we are looking at how we can improve that and make it a destination for visitors to our area, plus an enjoyable place for locals to come and enjoy.
Middlesboro does have a small airport that is active daily with personal jets bringing people to work in our town.
Tell us about your community's local economy. Who are the key players, big and small, and how do they help your town to be financially strong and resilient? What local businesses are you most proud of?
As a former coal town, Middlesboro has struggled to recreate its economic identity. Middlesboro Main Street and Bell County Tourism are two local organizations that are working diligently to create Middlesboro as a Tourist Destination location. With the Cumberland Gap National Park, the coming Boone Ridge Wildlife Reserve, and other historical and nature opportunities we have what tourists are looking for.
The only large industry in our town is Smithfield. They are a large employer and are always willing to help sponsor local events.
Our small local businesses are really the heart of our town. How our small businesses work together is really different than I have ever seen. If you go into one business and they don't have what you need, they will suggest another business in town that might be able to help you. I personally am very proud of the businesses in our downtown area. They work together to keep life in our historical downtown.
If we took a walking tour through your town, what would we see? How does your community use its land productively to promote long-term financial resilience?
On a walking tour through Middlesboro you would enjoy seeing smiling faces and warm conversations. Since Middlesboro is located in a meteor crater, you would enjoy a 360 view of the gorgeous Appalachian mountains. You would witness sunrises and sunsets that fill your soul with happiness. In our downtown area, you would witness how our town values their history and strives to keep its historic appearance, but have new and fresh opportunities to excite all ages.
Because of the loss of the coal industry, Middlesboro knows how important natural resources are and how important it is not to destroy them on a whim. Our natural beauty now is a great resource to our tourism industry.
How easy is it to become an entrepreneur or a small-scale developer in your town? What kinds of support are available for a resident who wants to open a business or build on a small vacant lot?
We are always excited to welcome small businesses to our area. We are developing opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn about business, plus providing them opportunities to network and share their ideas. Relationship is key to being successful in business, so that is a focus for us to build and develop these relationships. As an up and coming Tourist Destination, businesses working together will help create an incredible experience for visitors, as well as a healthy place for new businesses to come and flourish.
At Strong Towns we believe financial solvency is a prerequisite for long-term prosperity. What do you consider your most potent (existing) tax producing property? Where does your revenue come from? What do you spend it on?
Unfortunately, right now Middlesboro is not taxing our potential industry. The industry that would provide Middlesboro with tax revenue would be hotel and restaurant tax. Middlesboro is located on 25E right at the border of Tennessee and Virginia. The travel that passes through our town is in the thousands per day. If we could pass a restaurant and hotel tax the revenue that we could receive to make improvements and bring more businesses and events to the area would be a huge benefit to our area.
At Strong Towns, we believe that local government is a platform for strong citizens to collaboratively build a prosperous place. How are residents in your town involved in shaping its future? How do residents’ experiences, struggles, and concerns directly inform the projects undertaken by local government? Provide one or more examples.
Middlesboro has had two large impacts to the economy in the past year. The first was that Middlesboro is now wet. The change in this law has provided a revenue that Middlesboro used to lose to surrounding towns. The funds from this have gone through our ABC office and our law enforcement have received several needed items. With the alcohol law change our local restaurants have benefited. Our events have also been able to benefit from this law change.
Another change has been the City's recreational improvements. We have added two brand new playground areas to under-served areas in the community. They are currently working on improvements to other local parks. These improvements have provided better areas for our children/families to have a place to enjoy.