NEWS RELEASE

After years of planning, construction finally is under way on the new UK-Bell County Cooperative Extension Office Staff. Officials gathered July 21 for a ground-breaking at the site at 10524 U.S. 25 E.

“The project began with a vision for growth and progress for our Extension Office and our community,” said board chair Shelia Key. “We feel that we have a building that will be state of the art and will aide us in being able to provide programs, services and researched based information to all of Bell County.”

Site work on the Extension Office will begin in August and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2023. Once the project is finished, the building will have office spaces, a meeting room and a teaching kitchen and also will be home to the Bell County Soil and Water Conservation District Office.

FCS Agent Rebecca Miller, noted that,

“Currently our office is one of the few left in the state that is still housed in the basement of the courthouse,” said FCS agent Rebecca Miller. “We are excited about this new chapter in the UK Cooperative Extension Service and while we are getting a new facility, our focus remains on the programs AG, FCS and 4-H have to offer our community and the individuals we reach.”

The new facility was designed by Summit Architectural Services and will be constructed by McKnight and Associates.

UK Cooperative Extension delivers information, education and practical education to help people, businesses and communities solve problems and develop professional skills as well as personal life skills.