A Word From Mayor Brian Traugott…

Choose Versailles!  It is a simple slogan asking business owners to consider Versailles for investment.  But it wouldn’t be responsible to rely on a well-designed slogan and logo to convey a message, so please indulge me for a few paragraphs on why I believe you should consider this wonderful city for your business venture.

                Our greatest selling point is quality of life.  Whether you live, work, or visit here – or all of the above – we want to make sure you feel welcome.  We have unique dining options, an energized downtown, and many interesting places to visit – such as Woodford Reserve Distillery, Castle & Key Distillery, the Kentucky Castle, and many beautiful horse farms that serve as home to world famous racehorses. We are very centrally located, which bodes well for moving people and products around the country, and you are only 60 miles to urban Louisville and 10 miles from Lexington.  Bluegrass Airport is less than a 5 minute drive from the heart of Versailles and the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway and Interstate 64 both go through Woodford County.  Our crime rate is very low, we have great police and fire protection, and have a wonderful hospital for a small town.  

                While we can sell quality of life, our people are what make us special.  Employers rely on a workforce, and we have an excellent one.  The labor market where we exist consists of over 870,000 people.  The folks that live in Woodford County are uniquely positioned to have a positive impact for any employer.  Over 90% of households in Woodford County have a computer in their home and 81% have a broadband subscription, compared to 82% and 73% statewide.  Almost 90% of Woodford County population over age 25 has at least a high school diploma and 32.8% have at least a bachelor’s degree.  That is the highest rate in the state of Kentucky.  These successes are due in large part to our world class school system.  Our high school was ranked 12^th best in the state by U.S. News & World Report, and our District was 5^th in the State Accountability Score.  Two of our four elementary schools are National Blue Ribbon Schools.

               We are also proud of our current business environment.  We have a diverse economic base in Versailles with varying industries represented along with various business tenures.  Quad Graphics (formerly Rand McNally) has been a Versailles fixture since 1962 and is still expanding, while More Than a Bakery – which is a family-owned corporation – just opened the doors on their newly constructed plant in 2017.  Also in Versailles is Ruggles Sign Company, which is another local family-owned corporation that makes signs for various commercial enterprises such as Victoria’s Secret.  We are also home to the headquarters for the Kentucky Community & Technical College System – our largest white-collar employer, as well as a branch of Alltech animal feed as well as malt beverage distributor Clark Distributing.  There are also several industrial facilities that help supply Kentucky’s important automobile manufacturing sector.  Our business constituents matter a great deal to us and we are always happy to do what we can to make them successful.  

                If you are interested in paying us a visit or considering making a business investment here, please feel free to call me on my cell at (859) 806-7743.  I’d love to talk to you and answer any questions you might have.