(LEX 18) — With peak flood season approaching in eastern Kentucky, a new license plate is hitting the road with a mission: helping communities recover when disaster strikes.
The Kentucky League of Cities is launching the Cities Drive Kentucky license plate to raise money for communities affected by natural disasters. The plates are expected to arrive at county clerk's offices across the state next month.
Kentucky League of Cities CEO J.D. Chaney said the idea grew from watching Kentuckians rally together during past disasters — most notably in 2021, when an EF-4 tornado touched down in western Kentucky as part of a widespread outbreak.
"We saw people from the far east going far west that weren't even touched," Chaney said.
Chaney said getting local governments back on their feet quickly is essential to helping residents recover.
"Getting the city up and going to be able to respond to the citizens they serve is absolutely critical for individuals to make recovery," Chaney said.
The Kentucky League of Cities also aims to serve as a communication hub during disasters, helping local officials manage the flood of offers of support so they can focus on their communities.
"They've got [300] or 400 other phone calls they need to be doing, and we help on that other side. So, there's one point of contact to facilitate those things," Chaney said.
The need for that kind of support is growing. Research from the organization shows extreme weather caused $22 million in damages in 2025.
Chaney described the license plate program as a safety net for cities across Kentucky.
"It's an insurance policy, for Kentucky cities to know that they have that backing with other communities that have the resources so they can immediately get back and start serving their constituency," Chaney said.
"We hope others also see how important that is," Chaney added.
The Cities Drive Kentucky license plates will be available at county clerk's offices statewide next month.
