THE FAMILY FOUNDATION

When word spread that a strip club was being constructed in rural Graves County, Judge/executive Tony Smith suggested that his fiscal court do something about it. And they did.

"We passed a good law. . . and they haven’t done anything on the building since," Smith said. Judge Smith, like many of his counterparts in local elected office, rarely had to worry about sexually oriented businesses (SOB’s) invading their communities because they were never an issue. Now things are changing as several local governments are taking preemptive action against SOB’s, and it’s paying off.

On Oct. 9, 2004, Michael Green of Muhlenberg County was arrested for operating *Downunders* strip club in violation of a local SOB ordinance – a law that was passed just three months before it opened. Muhlenberg County Judge/executive Rodney Kirtley was pleased they had a law already in place. "If we didn’t have the ordinance before a business like this opened, it would have been a much more lengthy process."

Green, a convicted federal felon, was jailed and paid $1400 in fines. He also agreed to not operate an SOB for at least two years.

"I’ve told other judge/executives that if they didn’t already have an [SOB] ordinance they should pass one," Kirtley said.

Kirtley advised his fiscal court to pass SOB regulations after he had a dialogue with Richard Nelson, a policy analyst for The Family Foundation. Nelson, who has worked with nearly 40 other counties, agreed with Kirtley that every county should have a comprehensive SOB law on their books.

"Every county leader has an obligation to protect the children and families in their communities," Nelson said. "SOB’s endanger children, exploit women and threaten families. They decrease property values, increase crime and are a blight to any community. Failure to pass a law restricting them is like placing a green light for sex businesses at every road that comes into the county."

That was a specter that Warren County Attorney Amy Milliken didn’t want to face. Milliken, who resides in one of the fastest growing counties in Kentucky, worked with Nelson last fall and put together a comprehensive ordinance that bans total nudity and sexual activity in strip clubs. It also limits hours of operations, includes location restrictions, requires licensure and health inspections.

"Because of your help, we didn’t have to reinvent the wheel," said Amy Milliken. "You – The Family Foundation – provided the spokes. . . it saved us lots of work."
Key Family Foundation Contacts: Kent Ostrander , Executive Director Martin Cothran , Senior Associate Policy Analyst

When word spread that a strip club was being constructed in rural Graves County, Judge/executive Tony Smith suggested that his fiscal court do something about it. And they did.

"We passed a good law. . . and they haven’t done anything on the building since," Smith said. Judge Smith, like many of his counterparts in local elected office, rarely had to worry about sexually oriented businesses (SOB’s) invading their communities because they were never an issue. Now things are changing as several local governments are taking preemptive action against SOB’s, and it’s paying off.

On Oct. 9, 2004, Michael Green of Muhlenberg County was arrested for operating Downunders strip club in violation of a local SOB ordinance – a law that was passed just three months before it opened. Muhlenberg County Judge/executive Rodney Kirtley was pleased they had a law already in place. "If we didn’t have the ordinance before a business like this opened, it would have been a much more lengthy process."

Green, a convicted federal felon, was jailed and paid $1400 in fines. He also agreed to not operate an SOB for at least two years.

"I’ve told other judge/executives that if they didn’t already have an [SOB] ordinance they should pass one," Kirtley said.

Kirtley advised his fiscal court to pass SOB regulations after he had a dialogue with Richard Nelson, a policy analyst for The Family Foundation. Nelson, who has worked with nearly 40 other counties, agreed with Kirtley that every county should have a comprehensive SOB law on their books.

"Every county leader has an obligation to protect the children and families in their communities," Nelson said. "SOB’s endanger children, exploit women and threaten families. They decrease property values, increase crime and are a blight to any community. Failure to pass a law restricting them is like placing a green light for sex businesses at every road that comes into the county."

That was a specter that Warren County Attorney Amy Milliken didn’t want to face. Milliken, who resides in one of the fastest growing counties in Kentucky, worked with Nelson last fall and put together a comprehensive ordinance that bans total nudity and sexual activity in strip clubs. It also limits hours of operations, includes location restrictions, requires licensure and health inspections.

"Because of your help, we didn’t have to reinvent the wheel," said Amy Milliken. "You – The Family Foundation – provided the spokes. . . it saved us lots of work."