McCracken County Fiscal Court members opened their Sept. 8 meeting with extended memorial remarks for Steve Doolittle, the county's longtime public servant who died earlier in August. Judge Lamer described Doolittle as someone who "spent his life on building this community" and said Doolittle was recognized statewide as "the guru of local government."

The court's comments emphasized Doolittle's multi-decade service in city and county government, including roles in planning, building inspections, riverfront development, zoning and county administration. Speakers credited him with planning the Greenway Trail concept, contributing to the Carson Four Rivers Center land purchases, initiating the city's geographic information system and leading improvements to jail facilities, 9-1-1 and emergency management.

Why it matters: Court members said Doolittle's work underpinned long-term projects and institutional knowledge that will affect local planning and service delivery for years. Judge Lamer and other speakers framed the remarks as both a personal tribute and a public record of Doolittle's contributions.

Court members noted the abruptness of his death and that court staff learned of the cardiac event during an executive session. The court's county attorney led prayer and the judge urged the record to acknowledge Doolittle's service and legacy.

Speakers contrasted Doolittle's decades-long institutional memory with ordinary personnel turnover: the judge said Doolittle's roles often outlasted the typical four- to five-year tenure for similar positions. The court also recounted Doolittle's return to city work after a brief county departure and his role in smoothing transitions for new administrations.

The court did not take formal action regarding Doolittle's estate or position at the Sept. 8 meeting; the remarks served as an official memorial on the record.