Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts

History of the Area Development Program

The concept of Area Development Districts (ADDs) originated in Kentucky in the early 1960's with the establishment of Area Development Councils. These Councils were organized in all counties and ultimately became the model for Area Development authorization in landmark federal acts such as the Appalachian Regional Development Act led by Kentuckian John Whisman and the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965. The fifteen Area Development Districts were formed during the period that followed, 1966 to 1972.The mission of the ADDs is basic: To bring local civic and governmental leaders together to accomplish major objectives and take advantage of opportunities which cannot be achieved or realized by those governments acting alone.Further, the ADDs are designed to be the focal point of a necessary Federal-State-Local partnership for improvement of the quality of life in the Commonwealth. Contained in that effort is the elimination of, or certainly lessening of, parochialism; establishment of a forum to discuss and deal with common problems among counties; provision of a professional staff for units of government who individually cannot afford a staff; and to provide a vehicle for the delivery of services in a consistent manner where no other efficient system exists.Each ADD is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of elected officials from the counties and communities within the District, as well as non-elected citizen members representing a cross-section of the region's social and economic institutions.The ADD network has been in operation for almost four decades. The network serves as a model of accountability, through annual, independent financial audits and the regular submission of reports covering various activities and programs.

Two organizations grew out of the ADD network and have enhanced their role in the development of the Commonwealth. The Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts (KCADD) is an organization representing all ADD Board members throughout the state. The Kentucky Association of District Directors (KADD) is an organization of the fifteen ADD Executive Directors. In 1995, KCADD and KADD hired a full-time Information Director and opened an office in Frankfort to coordinate network information flow in the state capital. An Executive Assistant also serves in the State Office. James M. Everett served as the first Information Director from 1995-2000.