Fiscal Court approves Windstream amendment to address dropped county phone calls after brief debate over late agenda notice

The Hardin County Fiscal Court voted to approve Resolution 66 on April 8 to amend the county’s Windstream agreement and move toward dedicated fiber service to reduce dropped county phone calls.

Judge Hall and county IT staff told the court the county’s existing phone connectivity was “substandard” for voice service and that Windstream already provides fiber into the courthouse. They said the amendment would secure dedicated fiber resources for phone service and allow some cost-sharing for 911 service. The judge said the new Windstream service would cost “about $6,062 a month,” and that switching would ultimately remedy dropped calls experienced by the county clerk’s office, animal control and other departments.

Several magistrates opposed how the item was added to the agenda. Magistrate Hicks and others said the amendment did not go through the usual committee review and that the item was added very late to the published agenda; they asked that major contract or recurring charges be routed through committee in future. The court discussed whether to table the item but proceeded to a roll-call vote after brief debate.

The roll call on Resolution 66 recorded unanimous approval. Magistrates who voted yes in roll call included Clem, Hicks, Muse, Pennington, Saltzman, Thompson, Whitehead, Yates, and Judge Hall.

Why it matters: court leaders said the change will bring more reliable voice service to county offices and reduce operational disruptions tied to dropped calls; magistrates emphasized the importance of committee review for contract-related matters.

Ending: The court removed Resolution 66 from the consent agenda for separate discussion and then approved it by roll call; county staff said implementation would follow and take time to complete.