Hardin County Fiscal Court approved multiple personnel and budget actions and authorized FEMA-funded road repairs during its Oct. 14 regular voting meeting, while tabling two contracts for further legal review.

The court approved a resolution to add EMS personnel, adopted a midyear budget amendment that includes about $1.2 million for ambulance equipment from Stryker plus road and bridge items, and authorized two FEMA public-works contracts to repair Stovall Road and Hall Road. Two agreements — an occupancy agreement with West Hardin Fire & Rescue and an engineering/GIS services agreement with Lincoln Trail — were tabled after members said the county attorney had not yet reviewed the contracts.

The actions affect county emergency services staffing and equipment, capital repairs funded in part by FEMA, and standing-payment authority for an EMS equipment lease.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 2025-200 (approval of EMS personnel): Passed, yes 6, no 1 (Squire Hicks voted no). The resolution adds EMS staff positions; mover/second not specified in the record.

- Ordinance 344-2, Series 2025 (FY2025–26 budget amendment No. 2): Adopted, yes 7, no 0. The amendment covers roughly $1.2 million primarily for EMS equipment from Stryker and includes bridge replacement and road flex funding.

- Ordinance 345-2, Series 2025 (amendment to standing order for preapproved recurring expenses): Adopted, yes 7, no 0. The change adds authority to process lease payouts for Stryker EMS equipment through the county’s recurring-expense approval mechanism.

- Amended Ordinance 254, Series 2007 (flood damage prevention ordinance, Oct. 2025 amendment): Adopted, yes 7, no 0. This was the second reading and included removal of one sentence as discussed at the first reading; county staff confirmed state/federal processing timelines would be met.

- Resolution 2025-193 (FEMA contract—GSI: Stovall Road repairs): Approved, yes 7, no 0. Total contract work cited at about $353,000; county share about 13% (~$46,000). The item covered four separate contracts for segments of the road.

- Resolution (FEMA contract—GSI: Hall Road repairs): Approved, yes 7, no 0. Total contract cited at about $229,000; county share about 13% (~$29,000).

- Resolution 197 (West Hardin Fire & Rescue, occupancy agreement for White Mills station): Tabled, yes 5, no 2. Several magistrates moved to table until the county attorney reviews the contract; the judge executive and one magistrate voted no on the tabling motion.

- Resolution 2025-202 (Lincoln Trail ad agreement — engineering and GIS services): Tabled, yes 5, no 2. Members said they expected the county attorney’s review before execution; the motion to table passed.

- Consent agenda (claims/transfers, hardware refresh bid for Solacom Guardian, personnel changes for 911/EMS/animal control/ROPE, renewal for IWork software removed and deferred): Approved as amended (item h removed), yes 7, no 0.

Discussion, direction and next steps

Several motions to table contracts were driven by a recurring theme in the meeting: multiple members insisted the county attorney must review contracts before final approval. The occupancy agreement with West Hardin Fire & Rescue would allow Hardin County EMS to base an ambulance at the White Mills fire station, but the court did not vote to place an ambulance there and tabled the agreement pending legal review.

The budget amendment and related ordinance changes were presented as primarily addressing EMS needs (Stryker ambulance equipment and a lease-payout mechanism) and routine road/bridge funding. Court members confirmed the FEMA contracts have been reviewed by county staff and that the county’s share for FEMA projects is approximately 13% of each contract total; the court authorized those contracts to proceed.

The flood damage prevention ordinance was advanced on its second reading after the first-reading changes; staff reported there was sufficient time to transmit required materials to state and federal reviewers.

What the court did not decide

The court did not authorize placement of a county ambulance at White Mills (that would be a subsequent operational decision) and did not sign the Lincoln Trail engineering/GIS agreement pending attorney review.

Ending

The fiscal court concluded the meeting after approving the amended consent agenda and scheduling the next regular session for Oct. 28 at 5:30 p.m.