Gov. Bevin makes appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Matt Bevin has made the following appointments to Kentucky boards and commissions:

David “Oz” Osborne and Katrina Fitzgerald have been appointed as members of the State Board of Elections.

• David “Oz” Osborne, of Owensboro, is a retired county clerk. He will represent the County Clerk’s Association and serve for a term expiring Mar. 19, 2023; and
• Katrina Fitzgerald, of Brandenburg, is a retired county clerk. She will represent the County Clerk’s Association and serve for a term expiring Mar. 19, 2023.

The State Board of Elections is charged with administering the Commonwealth’s election laws, promulgating administrative regulations necessary to properly carry out its duties, supervising the registration and purgation of voters, appointing the political party representatives to the 120 county boards of elections and certifying the official election results. 

Karen L. Staggs has been appointed as City Councilperson for the City of Mount Olivet, Kentucky.

• Karen L. Staggs, of Mount Olivet, is retired. She will serve until the position is filled in accordance with the results of the November 2019 general election.

The City of Mount Olivet is the county seat of Robertson County, with a population of approximately 300 people. 

Kimberly A. Fithian has been appointed as a member of the Early Childhood Advisory Council.

• Kimberly A. Fithian, of Prospect, is a Head Start director. She will represent local Head Start programs and serve for a term expiring Sept. 20, 2021.

The Early Childhood Advisory Council works to develop a unified vision of early childhood development and education and a coherent system of state level management for the provision of services for children prenatal to school entry. The Council advocates for the needs of children and families, promotes accountability of programs in early childhood, and provides research and guidance on issues that affect Kentucky’s children and families. 

William Richardson, James Sizemore, Marcie Venter, Gwynn Henderson, Dwight Cropper, David Pollack, Deanna Jessie, Michael Dunn and Christopher Robinson have been appointed as members of the Native-American Heritage Commission.

• William Richardson, of Lexington, is an ophthalmologist. He will represent the public-at-large and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2022; and
• James Sizemore, of Manchester, is a disabled Vietnam veteran. He will represent the public-at-large and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2022; and
• Marcie Venter, of Murray, is an assistant professor. She will represent institutions for higher learning and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2019; and
• Gwynn Henderson, of Lexington, is an archaeologist. She will represent institutions for higher learning and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2020; and
• Dwight Cropper, of South Portsmouth, is a salesman. He will represent preservation of archeological communities and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2020; and
• David Pollack, of Lexington, is an archaeologist. He will represent preservation of archeological communities and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2021; and
• Deanna Jessie, of Olive Hill, is a community health consultant. She will represent the public-at-large and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2022; and
• Michael Dunn, of Louisville, is a teacher. He will represent the public-at-large and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2022 (Dunn will serve as Vice-Chair of the Commission); and
• Christopher Robinson, of Richmond, is an educational consultant. He will represent institutions of higher learning and serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2022.

The Native-American Heritage Commission promotes awareness of significant Native-American influence within the historical and cultural experiences of Kentucky, as well as educates and communicates the rich diversity and heritage of Native-Americans in Kentucky. The Commission leads and assists individuals, organizations, and communities in understanding the needs and concerns of Kentucky’s Native-American population and advocates Native-American participation within the Commonwealth.

Anthony J. Lucas has been appointed as a member of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council.

• Anthony J. Lucas, of Independence, is a police chief. He will represent chiefs of police and serve for a term expiring July 1, 2020.

The Kentucky Law Enforcement Council governs training for all of the state’s law enforcement. It looks for ways to increase the quality of law enforcement by improving the curriculum used to train law enforcement officials and monitoring the abilities of the instructors who teach the required curriculum. 

Jerry Richard Hodges and Hayden Johnson have been appointed as members of the Consumers’ Advisory Council.

• Jerry Richard Hodges, of Princeton, is retired. He will serve for a term expiring Sept. 8, 2019; and
• Hayden Johnson, of Lebanon, is a part-time court security employee. He will serve for a term expiring Sept. 8, 2019.

The Consumers’ Advisory Council advises consumers on consumer affairs in Kentucky and prepares and publishes an annual report on the state of consumer affairs within the Commonwealth.

David Shane New has been appointed as a member of the Geographic Information Advisory Council.

• David Shane New, of Crab Orchard, is a director of community planning. He will represent the Council of Area Development Districts and serve for a term expiring Sept. 22, 2021.

The Geographic Information Advisory Council advises the executive director of the Commonwealth Office of Technology on issues relating to geographic information and geographic information systems. It also establishes and adopts policies and procedures that assist state and local jurisdictions in developing, deploying, and leveraging geographic information resources and geographic information systems technology for the purpose of improving public administration.

Joseph M. Gomes has been appointed as a member of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board.

• Joseph M. Gomes, of Mt. Sterling, is the CEO of Gateway Children’s Services. He will represent persons operating alternatives to detention programs and serve for a term expiring Sept. 15, 2022.

The Juvenile Justice Advisory Board advises the Governor, policymakers and the public on matters related to improving systems of care, enhancing interagency community collaboration and promoting effective programming necessary to serve the whole child.

Douglas K. Johnson and Aaron D. Goodpaster have been appointed as members of the Animal Control Advisory Board.

• Douglas K. Johnson, of Lawrenceburg, is self-employed. He will represent the Houndsmen Association and serve for a term expiring Feb. 26, 2023; and
• Aaron D. Goodpaster, of Lawrenceburg, is a veterinarian. He will represent the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association and serve for a term expiring Feb. 26, 2023.

The Animal Control Advisory Board makes recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture relating to animal control issues, evaluates applications for disbursement of animal care and control funds, establishes shelter standards and creates training programs.

Dale U. Kite has been appointed as a member of the Statewide Independent Living Council.

• Dale U. Kite, of Florence, is retired. She will represent individuals with disabilities and serve for a term expiring May 20, 2019.

The Statewide Independent Living Council develops, monitors and reviews a state plan that addresses the independent needs of the state, develops and supports a statewide network of Independent Living Centers and coordinates activities with the State Rehabilitation Council.

Catherine A. Lester, Kelsey E. Richey, Jeffrey Howard, Elizabeth Schumacher, and Holly LaFavers have been appointed as members of the Kentucky Early Intervention System Interagency Coordinating Council.

• Catherine A. Lester, of Louisville, is a social worker. She will represent the Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs and serve for a term expiring April 20, 2022; and
• Kelsey E. Richey, of Alvaton, is a mother and homemaker. She will represent parents of children with disabilities and serve for a term expiring April 20, 2021; and
• Jeffrey Howard, of Frankfort, is the Commissioner for the Department of Public Health. He will represent the Department for Public Health and serve for a term expiring April 20, 2022; and
• Elizabeth Schumacher, of Louisville, is a psychologist. She will represent public and private providers of early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and serve for a term expiring April 20, 2019; and
• Holly LaFavers, of Lexington, is a project coordinator at the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood. She will represent parents of children with disabilities and serve for a term expiring April 20, 2020.

The Kentucky Early Intervention System Interagency Coordinating Council advises the Cabinet for Health and Family Services on the development and implementation of the Kentucky Early Intervention System with the goal of maximizing the potential of infants and toddlers with developmental delays. The Council develops and implements a comprehensive statewide system and provides services as soon as it is possible to identify the problems.

Traci Downs-Bouchard has been appointed as a member of the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board.

• Traci Downs-Bouchard, of Somerset, is a physician. She shall serve for a term expiring Oct. 20, 2021.

The Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board is charged with reducing child sexual abuse and its consequences by encouraging the provision of education, awareness and prevention programs throughout the Commonwealth. The Board oversees the Child Victims Trust Fund (CVTF), a non-profit program that provides local communities with funding for child sexual abuse prevention programs and reimbursement for the portion of child sexual abuse medical exam expenses not covered by Medicaid or private insurance.