Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Senate Bill (Sb) 172: Governance Of Nutrition In Kentucky Public Schools: Implementation Analysis Final Report, Bill Brumbach

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This report is intended to evaluate the implementation of Senate Bill (SB) 172 in Kentucky's public schools. This law requires that all schools in Kentucky implement strict nutrition standards that apply to all foods sold during the school day. This report highlights the different methods used by selected schools in implementing the requirements in SB 172. In performing my analysis, I traveled to different schools in central and southeastern Kentucky to assess how these select schools were meeting the requirements of the law. Site visits allowed me to discuss implementation strategies with school administrators and aided in my understanding of …

Neighborhood Effects Of Public Housing: How The Level Of Public Housing Concentration Influences Neighborhood Crime Levels, Paul Joice

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Public housing is plagued by the well known “not-in-my-backyard” (NIMBY) phenomenon. People may support the existence of public housing, but oppose it in their neighborhood. This is particularly relevant to “scattered site” public housing – which has a much lower density than “traditional” public housing – because, by its very essence, scattered site public housing will be “in more backyards”. Public protests against such programs have made it clear that people don’t care about the positive effects for the public housing tenants nearly as much as they care about perceived negative effects on their neighborhood.

My goal is to …

Do Property Assessors In Kentucky Value Residential Property At Fair Market Value?, Brian Smith

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Assessors are required, as mandated by the Kentucky State Constitution and KRS 132.690, to assess property at 100 percent of fair market value. Fair market value is defined as the price a seller would expect to receive in an open and competitive market. Evidence from data and analysis in this paper indicates that property is under-assessed by approximately 25 percent. Though urban areas assess at a slightly higher rate, this is offset by rural areas, which do a significantly poorer job. This has important implications for local communities in Kentucky that depend on property tax revenue in order to provide …

Public Policy And Market Reality: Analyzing The Unfunded Liability In The Kentucky Non-Hazardous Employees' Retirement System, Kelly Dudley

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In 2006, an issue of serious concern to state legislatures was the long-term security of the defined benefits that state and local public pension plans promise to current and future retirees (Snell, 2006). Public pension systems are growing in terms of members and the benefits they offer to their members. Part of this group includes the estimated 77 million baby-boomers who will be living the next 20 to 30 years in retirement (Wharton, 2006). These dynamic changes are raising the burden public pension plans place on government operating budgets. Expecting a large number of their employees to retire, public administrators …

An Impact Study Of Local Historic District Overlays On Property Values In Fayette County, Ky, Suzann Vogel

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Beginning with Fayette County’s first historic district in 1958, the process of assigning historic zoning status to qualifying neighborhoods was seen as a viable option for preserving local built cultural resources. More than a communicative symbol, H-1 districting limits dramatic exterior changes and the demolition of structures certified as contributing to the unique character of Lexington, KY. Guided by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government’s Division of Historic Preservation and Board of Architectural Review, the program currently encompasses 1,851 buildings over 14 districts.

In order to carry out the goal of preservation, historic districting in Lexington is applied in a blanketing …

Evaluating The Implementation Of The Kentucky Drug Endangered Children Training Network, Ramona Gabbard

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

In late 2004 the Kentucky Drug Endangered Children Alliance was created to bring attention to the methamphetamine problem in Kentucky and coordinate the efforts of many different agencies. The Training Network is part of the Alliance and seeks to educate the various service providers that may come into contact with the child victims of caregiver meth abuse and production. The Training Network estimates it has provided training to almost ten thousand individuals in the three years it has been at work.

My evaluation of the implementation of this training effort focused on the type and number of participants and whether …

Does The Incidence Of Public Official Liability Claims Increase In Years Following A Mayoral Election?, Laurel A. Curtis

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Elected and appointed public officials at every level of government face a growing number of lawsuits relating to countless activities such as zoning, budgets, administration, distributing permits and more. Public official (PO) liability claims alleging failure to promote employees, discrimination, and sexual harassment continue to skyrocket. It is critical to the vitality of American cities to protect officials who have chosen public service so that they can continue to focus on serving their communities.

The Kentucky League of Cities Insurance Services (KLCIS), a member-owned insurance pool of Kentucky municipalities, offers general liability, public official liability, law enforcement liability, automobile coverage …

Process Review Of The Final Acceptance For Federal-Aid Highway Projects In Kentucky, Michael M. Loyselle

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Federal funds for highway construction projects must comply with federal and state regulations. In Kentucky, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) with the assistance of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) administers the federal-aid highway program. FHWA and KYTC ensure quality of highway projects by inspections of activities conforming to plans, specifications and cost estimates; as well as with the testing of materials used in the project.

During the last five years, an emphasis stemming from reports of the US DOT Office of Inspector General (OIG) and US General Accountability Office (GAO) related to the financial processes in place to administer the …

Operation Unite: A Qualitative Analysis Identifying Critical Factors For Implementation, Crystal D. Pryor

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

UNITE is an acronym meaning Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education. It reflects the three-pronged, comprehensive approach deemed necessary to combating substance abuse in Kentucky Fifth Congressional District. Of Kentucky’s 120 counties, 24 of them do not have an organized regional drug task force. Fifteen of these counties with no active drug task force are represented in the Bluegrass Area Development District’s region. Current social and political perceptions across Kentucky recognize Operation UNITE efforts as largely successful. The evaluation responded to the following research questions: What factors lead to success in Kentucky’s Operation UNITE? Are these factors transferable in treating …

Evaluating If The Built Environment Has A Substantial Effect On Obesity In Fayette County, Kentucky, Will Warren

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Background:

Obesity is a major health issue in the United States and Fayette County. As Fayette County has become increasingly obese, it too has had an issue of sprawl within its urban service area and beyond. Relationships between obesity and aspects of the built environment are continuing to be studied.

Objective:

To evaluate the impact certain factors may have on the body mass index of Fayette County residents, in particular whether urban sprawl has an overriding impact on the weight of residents.

Methods:

The study area used was Fayette County, which was broken down into its fourteen zip code areas …

Estimating The Economic Impact Of The New Arena At The Kentucky Horse Park, Alexis R. Bwenge

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

For the first time in its history, the World Equestrian Games (WEG) will be held outside of Europe in 2010. Kentucky has won the bid to host the event at the Kentucky Horse Park (KHP) in Lexington. The games will last two weeks in the fall of2010 and organizers estimate ticket sales of 300,000, and over 1,000 athletes from 50 countries are expected to compete (Commonwealth of Kentucky).

However, for the Horse Park to be a suitable location to host WEG, it must have a climate controlled indoor arena. The current proposal for the arena plans for a 6,000 seats, …

The Effectiveness Of The Dunbar Neighborhood Association: A 79 Month Examination Of Criminal Activity In Lexington, Kentucky, Timothy J. Goobic

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the Dunbar Neighborhood Association’s ability of reducing crime for its residents. In November of 2002, a resident of Dunbar Neighborhood in Lexington, Kentucky established the Dunbar Neighborhood Association (DNA) to counter the perceived growing amount of criminal activity in her community. The DNA held monthly meetings and relayed information about perceived and known criminal activity to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Police Department. The police in turn promised to provide a beat officer who could be contacted by the DNA Chairwoman when she became aware of potential future crimes. The following study …

Financial Efficiency In The Nonprofit Sector: An Analysis Of Factors Affecting Expense Ratios Of Kentucky Nonprofits, Emily A. Lane

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Statement of Problem

Recent events in both the public and private sectors have lead to an environment of mistrust and caution surrounding the way organizations are managed and funds are handled. For the nonprofit sector, this has led to an emergence of charity rating or watchdog organizations and increased scrutiny of finances. Individual donors, charity rating agencies, and funding institutions have begun using expense ratios as a measure of financial efficiency. Decisions on the financial efficiency of organizations are being made without a good understanding of what factors affect these ratios.

Research Questions

The purpose of this paper is to …

An Analysis Of Employing The Circuit Breaker As An Alternative Approach For Targeting Aid To Low-Income Students In Kentucky, William Walton

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Affordability is an essential element of college opportunity. The federal government and the states have acknowledged this belief by adopting policies to ensure that no academically qualified student who desires an education is limited access due to a lack of financial resources. But, many lower-income families today are having trouble paying for college due to a unique set of circumstances. First, the cost of higher education as a percentage of income has been increasing for over a decade, causing families to spend increasingly larger proportions of their incomes to afford postsecondary education. Second, the federal government has shifted its emphasis …

Ky Pharmacists’ Perceptions On Medication Errors (Me): A Tool For Legitimate Discussions With The Kentucky Board Of Pharmacy?, J. D. Hammond

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

No executive summary.

Securing The Commonwealth: Changing Emergency Preparedness In Kentucky: A Study Of The Efforts Of The Department Of Homeland Security In Changing Emergency Preparedness At The County Level, Christopher Cross

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Statement of the Problem

During the first 24 to 72 hours following a terrorist attack, local officials and first responders will be responsible for dealing with the initial aftermath. While most officials—federal, state, and local—have all acknowledged that domestic preparedness must occur at the bottom of the governmental structure, it is unclear if any changes to emergency response planning have actually occurred at the local governmental level.

Research Questions

The intention of this capstone is to answer the following questions:

1. Has change in emergency response planning occurred at the county level?

2. Are there regional differences present in terms of organizational …

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Public Authorities And Determinants Of Aggregate Debt: Kentucky's Municipal Governments, Derek J. Bridges

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Special purpose entities, or Public Authorities, constitute a substantial portion of the public sector. In Kentucky, these entities provide large percentages of the services offered by state and local governments, employ thousands, have immense budgets, and issue large quantities of debt. It is this debt issuance that may be of concern to public administrators.

The purpose of this study was to examine the numbers and types of Authorities operating in a selection of Kentucky municipalities and how these Authorities, combined with other possible determinants, affect the levels of aggregate debt in the jurisdictions. A combination of analytical methods demonstrated that …

Development Forecast: The Fiscal Effects On Property Taxes And Occupational License Fees And The Social Costs And Benefits Of Urban Redevelopment In Lexington-Fayette County, Kentucky, Tony J. Stoeppel

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Real estate development has effects on the publicly recorded property valuation of a parcel. The extent of the relationship in Lexington-Fayette County demands further analysis. Redevelopment also has unintended social costs the public may be forced to bear. This study presents estimates of the fiscal impact a redevelopment project has on the local tax revenues. The study population used for analysis includes redevelopment projects completed within the last six years in the downtown Lexington area. The research attempts to formalize a relationship among the incremental change in the publicly recorded value, the cost of redevelopment, and the distance the project …

Economic Analysis Of Kentucky Being A Part Of The National Lambda Rail, Chithra Perumal

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Electronic connectivity and information network systems form a major part of the overall modern research infrastructure. High capacity networks allow for the sharing vast amounts of data between research laboratories, analysis of complex images, and other demanding computer applications. The major electronic information network that is being established in the USA to improve electronic communication in the research field is the National Lambda Rail (NLR). NLR is a nationwide broad bandwidth computing network used by leading research institutions. NLR provides national scale infrastructure for research and experimentation. Most of the member states of NLR have high ranking in terms of …

Evaluating Awareness Of Community Health And Human Services By The Hispanic Population In Lexington, Kentucky, Pilar Corbellini

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Over the past 10 years, Hispanics, predominately Mexicans, have become a notable component of immigration in Kentucky. At the same time, the city of Lexington has striven to increase and stimulate community efforts to help and support people in need. Over 2000 non-profit organizations exist in the city and surrounding areas that unite community support to assist people seeking help.

Among non-profit agencies, particularly the United Way of the Bluegrass, there is a perceived idea that people in need and seeking help are overwhelmed with information about available community human and health services. Notwithstanding this perception, a different reality seems …

First Responders On The Front Line: Measuring The Effect Of Mobilization On Emergency Services, Kate Pringle

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Statement of Problem

National guardsmen are a unique human resource issue because their association with the guard is frequently part-time with another position, such as a State Trooper, acting as primary employment. When mobilized, the guardsman leaves an opening in their department, which must be available upon return. This can create operational and management stresses, especially if the guardsman has unique skills. Moreover, the loss of personnel can mean critical loss of manpower to small emergency service departments.

Research Question

• What affects the impact of mobilization?

• How are Kentucky’s emergency services affected by military mobilization as opposed to other types …

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An Exploratory Analysis Of The Fayette-County Urban League Senior Community Service Employment Program (Scsep): What Are The Barriers Facing Scsep Participants, Kelly S. Woodall

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Statement of the Problem

The Lexington Fayette County Urban League Senior Community Service Employment Program is a federally funded program designed to assist low-income senior citizens find unsubsidized employment. To accomplish this mission the SCSEP utilizes a number of activities in an effort to address barriers that inhibit successfully finding unsubsidized employment. The Executive Director believes that the extent to which she can successfully address the barriers of those considered hard-to-place will have an impact on how well the program meets future mandates.

Research Methodology

The research is an exploratory analysis of the barriers that current and former (successfully placed) …

When The Safety Net Fails: An Analysis Of Alternative Long-Term Care Services In Kentucky, Suzanne Dale

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The Problem

In early 2003, the Kentucky Cabinet for Health Services, faced with a $450 million Medicaid shortfall, implemented several cost-cutting measures to the Medicaid program. The most visible measure included new stricter medical eligibility requirements for long-term care programs. As a result of these new requirements, approximately 2,813 elderly and disabled Kentuckians were denied services in Kentucky’s Aged/Disabled Home and Community-Based Waiver Program, a Medicaid program that provides long-term care services in people’s homes and in community-settings. The Cabinet for Health Services claimed that those who lost home and community-based Medicaid services could receive care through alternative state programs. …

History Of The King's Daughters Home For Incurables, Louisville, Kentucky, 1909-1948., Clyde H. Van Metre Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study traces the growth and development of The King's Daughters Home for Incurables, Louisville, Kentucky, from its beginning up until the end of 1948 and looks forward to future plans that may seem appropriate. Members of the Board of Directors desired such a study be made as a means of drawing together the past work of their organization. They also looked to the study as being a help in making future plans for the continuation of their work.

A Study Of Child Health Facilities In Kentucky., Jess L. Cusick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study had its beginning in 1944 when the American Academy of Pediatrics passed a resolution "to make available to all mothers and children of the United states all essential preventive, diagnostic and curative services of high quality which used in cooperation with other services for children will make this country an ideal place for children to grow into responsible citizens." They realized that the first requisite to accomplishing their objective was a comprehensive knowledge of available facilities. They initiated a national survey of child health facilities through the various state Academies and Societies of Pediatrics. Dr. W. W. Nicholson, …