Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority

City of Somerset Energy Center
306 E. Mt. Vernon St. Suite 316
P.O. Box 409
Somerset, Kentucky 42501 / 42502

Office: 606.425.5409

Chris Girdler
President + CEO
chris@speda.org

Julie Nelson Harris
Vice President of Operations
+ Communications
julie@speda.org

Jessica Carlton
Chief Financial Officer
+ Office Manager
jessica@speda.org

SPEDA Board Meetings

SPEDA’s board of directors meets at 3 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month in the SPEDA board room/office. At times, because of board members’ travel and business schedules, the meeting date and time may change. Please contact the SPEDA office in advance to verify. We welcome anyone to our meetings and are proud of the work we are doing for our community and region. 

SPEDA Open Records Policy

Pursuant to KRS 61.870 to 61.884, the public is notified that, as provided herein, the public records of Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority, herein referred to as SPEDA, an Agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky are open for inspection by any person. SPEDA must respond effectively and efficiently to records requests in a consistent and coordinated manner. Therefore, this Open Records Policy sets forth the standards for all SPEDA employees when a records request is received and ensures compliance with all applicable open records laws. 

Records Custodian 

Application forms for the inspection of the public records of SPEDA will be furnished on request to the official custodian for SPEDA. 

Official custodian of the public records of SPEDA is named as: Chris Girdler; President & CEO 

Whose address is: 306 East Mt. Vernon Street, Suite 316 Somerset, KY 42501 

SPEDA office hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, each week, (except Federal holidays) 

Email: chris@speda.org 

Phone: (606) 425-5409 

Responding to Records Request

All requests for copies or review of public records in the custody of the SPEDA must be made in writing. A request may be sent electronically to the Record Custodian’s email address identified above. Requests may also be mailed to SPEDA at the address identified above, or hand-delivered to SPEDA’s office. 

Applicants for the inspection of public records shall be advised of the availability of the records requested for inspection and shall be notified in writing or by email no later than five (5) working days after receipt of an application for inspection of any reason the records requested are not available for public inspection. 

Notice promptly shall be sent to the requesting party if additional time is needed under KRS Chapter 61. When a response is delayed, the notice shall specifically indicate that additional time is required to process the request and explain the circumstances justifying additional processing time. 

The Records Custodian shall determine whether the requester has reasonably described records within the possession of SPEDA. If no such records are identified, the request may be denied on those grounds. However, if it is reasonably believed that another public agency is in possession of the records described in the request, the Records Custodian shall refer the requester to the appropriate records custodian, providing both their name and contact information. If it is determined that the records are within SPEDA’s possession, the Records Custodian shall gather them for processing. Records that are responsive shall be segregated from nonresponsive records (i.e., records that were not requested). The Records Custodian shall then examine responsive records to determine which records, if any, are exempt from disclosure and make appropriate redactions. 

If the Records Custodian determines that the records request should be denied in whole or in part, the Records Custodian shall notify the requester with an explanation for the decision to withhold any responsive records, citing the specific exemption in statute as the basis for withholding. If any part of a request for records is denied, the Records Custodian shall confer with legal counsel to ensure accuracy in applying the law. 

If the request places an unreasonable burden for producing public records, or if the Records Custodian has reason to believe that repeated requests are intended to disrupt other essential functions of SPEDA, the Records Custodian may refuse to produce the records upon conferring with legal counsel prior to denying the request. 

Record Production and Fees 

Copies of written material in the public records of SPEDA shall be furnished to any person requesting them for a fee of ten ($0.10) cents a page; copies of nonwritten records (photographs, maps, material stored in computer files or libraries, etc.) shall be furnished on request, for a fee equal to the actual cost of producing copies of such records by the most economic process not likely to damage or alter the record. When written materials are to be mailed to the requester, the Records Custodian shall first provide an invoice to the requester for the production and postage. After the invoice is paid, the Records Custodian shall produce the responsive records to the requester. 

If the requester wishes to personally inspect open records at the SPEDA Office, or the location where the records are maintained, the Records Custodian shall facilitate with the requester the scheduling of a convenient time. The Records Custodian, or an employee of SPEDA, shall be present and personally monitor the inspection. 

Open Records Request Form