News from February 23, 2006 issue



CCEDC finances investigated
Leaders of the Crittenden County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) are telling investors that Kentucky State Police are investigating possible wrongdoing regarding the group's finances between 1999 and 2005.

It appears that the investigation centers on a time frame during which Steve Davidson was chief operating officer and president of the group.

Davidson, contacted at home Monday, said he could not comment on the matter.
Detective Wade Shoemaker of the Kentucky State Police Special Investigations Unit at Bowling Green confirmed that an investigation is indeed going on, but would not elaborate.

The CCEDC is a public/private organization which reported an annual operating budget of $76,175 in 2005. There were 52 private investors during that period, mostly local businesses. The list of private investors is confidential.

Six investors were public agencies which made up $32,650 or 43 percent of the organization's revenue. Those public agencies were Crittenden County Fiscal Court, the City of Marion, Crittenden County Board of Education, Crittenden County Public Library, Crittenden Health Systems and Marion Main Street.

CCEDC Executive Director Lee Conrad said he could not comment on the ongoing investigation.

Conrad, who replaced Davidson as head of the group last summer, would not speculate whether any charges would be filed in regard to the investigation.
"I cannot make any type of public comment on the matter right now," Conrad said. He referred any further questions to the state police.

Gareth Hardin, chairman of the CCEDC's board of directors, also declined to comment at this time.

Some of the investors, who asked to not be identified, said that the investigation has apparently been going on for several weeks and that state police have been looking at expenditure records of the CCEDC.

No one would say how much longer the investigation might take.

The CCEDC was officially organized in February 1996 as a local entity focused on promoting economic development in Crittenden County.

A special meeting of the CCEDC was held Jan. 4. During that meeting, an executive session was held behind closed doors. It appears that the investigation may have started about that time based on information provided by some of the investors.

Marion City Council and the Crittenden Fiscal Court each held private discussions with the current CCEDC director in executive sessions during their meetings earlier this week. Officials would not disclose the nature of the closed-door meetings, but each agency cited the same exclusion to the Kentucky Revised Statute regarding open meetings. They both said it was to discuss potential litigation.

The city and county are among the largest investors in the CCEDC, each at $10,000 annually.


Hatfield, Frazer on MCC board
Bonita Hatfield isn't a product of Kentucky's community college system, but she's a firm believer in it.

Her commitment to shelping western Kentucky high school graduates pursue a college degree is evidenced by her service on the board of trustees at Madisonville Community College, and now she can take that mission a step further as she assumes the board's chairmanship.

Hatfield, a retired Crittenden County science teacher, is also joined on the board by Crittenden County resident Sharie Frazer, a middle school teacher in Union County.
Frazer was appointed last week to fill the unexpired term of Norma Scott of Madisonville.

"I look forward to being a voice for Crittenden County and serving on the board, especially with Mrs. Hatfield," Frazer said.

Hatfield said the board of trustees at Madisonville Community and Technical College is involved in several ongoing projects, including the construction of a new technology building, the further development of two-plus-two programs and the efforts to equalize funding among employees in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS).

"My agenda is to make affordable, accessible education available to people in Crittenden County and to train our workforce, especially training specific to the demands of the region's industries," said Hatfield.

Hatfield is a strong advocate of the two-plus-two program, which is offered through Madisonville and allows students to take basic courses at Madisonville Community College the first two years and then complete the second two years of a bachelor's degree through an agreement with Murray State University. Currently offered for four teaching programs, the agreement between MCC and MSU allows students to take all the classes required for a bachelor's degree on Madisonville's campus.

"I'm not a product of the community college system but I'm a firm believer in the concept of community colleges and demographics that allow non-traditional students to obtain college degrees," Hatfield said.

W.A. Franklin inducted to Hall of Fame
W.A. Franklin, a standout at Marion High School 1952-56, was inducted into the Marion-Crittenden County Basketball Hall of Fame Tuesday night at halftime of the Rockets' game against Providence.

Franklin becomes the 21st former athlete to be enshrined by the program since it began inducting players in 1998.

Growing up in the Mexico community, Franklin's grandfather used to take him to Frances to watch another Hall of Famer, the late George Hart, play basketball.

Franklin remembers that Hart always used to open every game attempting a jump shot from halfcourt. Little did Franklin know, that a few years down the road he himself would also be destined for greatness in the sport of basketball.

As a player for Marion High School from 1952-55, Franklin became the all-time leading scorer, pouring in 1,256 points.

While excelling in basketball, Franklin also found time to participate in both football and baseball while at Marion High.

"I enjoyed every sport that I played," he said.
As a sophomore in a tight contest against Dixon, Franklin found himself in the spotlight while hitting the winning shot and scoring 16 points, his season-high that year.

"Somehow the ball came to me. I was the hero that night," Franklin recalls fondly.
After the 1952-53 season, Marion High coach Bill Warren departed for a coaching position at Central City. Fred Clayton, who played college football at WKU and was already the Marion High football coach, was asked to pull double duty and accepted the basketball position.

Franklin played for Clayton in both sports his first two years of high school, and remembers him adopting the fast-breaking style after legendary Hilltopper coach Ed Diddle.

After beating county rival Crittenden by a combined 20 points twice during Franklin's sophomore campaign, the two teams met again in the district playoffs.

Unfortunately, the Blue Terrors may have taken things for granted the third time around and were upended by the Rockets.

Over 50 years later, that quick exit from postseason action still smarts, Franklin said. It was among his most disheartening losses as a player.

"We were looking ahead. We forgot we had to win the first one (in the tournament)," he said.

Standing 5-foot-9 during his sophomore year, the Mexico native grew four inches before the start of the following season.

That allowed him to be very versatile. He could play at point guard, off guard, forward or center.

Clayton departed for coaching duties at Caldwell County at the conclusion of the 1953-54 school year, and Franklin would play his final two basketball seasons for Denzel Mefford.

He recalls Mefford having a different coaching style than what he had been accustomed to, preferring a more patient offensive style. Fastbreaks were rare.

However, that did not mean that Franklin's talents were diminished in the least. He scored 609 points his senior season while averaging 21 per contest.

Being a standout quarterback and three-year letterman for the Marion High football team also provided Franklin with several fond memories.

He played under three head coaches during his prep career including Clayton, Don Shubert and Bernie Behrendt.

"If you were going to play football, you had to be tough," he said, recalling his career as a Blue Terror.

Franklin was the starting quarterback both his junior and senior seasons and was offered a scholarship to play at the University of Evansville.

However, he chose to attend Murray State, where he played both basketball and baseball during his freshman year.

Former Marion High baseball teammate Hurtsy Easley, a brother to Marion resident Jack Easley, would also play one season at Murray State with Franklin in 1957.
While playing baseball for Fredonia in the Twin States League for several summers, little did Franklin realize that he was competing against a future Murray State Thoroughbred baseball coach. Johnny Reagan, a native of Louisiana, used to pitch for Grand Rivers in the old Twin States League.

He was named Murray State coach in 1958 and despite never playing for him, Franklin said they have been close friends for many years.

After giving baseball and basketball up after his freshman season at Murray, the Crittenden County native began a very successful career as a member of the Racer rifle squad. He was a three-year letterman, helping the team capture Ohio Valley Conference championships his final three seasons.

Franklin holds the rare distinction of being teammates with a pair of future professional athletes while at Marion High School.

Lynn Bridwell, a pitcher for the Blue Terrors, played college baseball at Murray State. After graduation, he signed a bonus and played pro baseball for one year.

Meanwhile, after playing one year at Murray, Easley signed a professional contract and played one season in the Detroit Tiger organization.

"He was a great hitter." Franklin said about Easley.

After serving in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant from 1961-63, Franklin has had a long and distinguished career in education. He has taught at Western Kentucky University, Knoxville College and the University of Tennessee.

From 1992-2001, he served as superintendent of the Murray Independent School System.

Franklin cherishes his days as a young athlete and is delighted with being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

"It is home and it always will be," Franklin said of Crittenden County.