Commissioners approve voting‑machine upgrades, accept ambulance bid pending board approval and authorize paving bids; several routine motions also passed

Greene County commissioners at their Feb. 18 meeting approved several administrative actions, including a purchase agreement for voting‑machine upgrades, acceptance of an excess ambulance bid pending ambulance board approval, authorization to solicit highway paving bids funded by the wheel tax, and approval of an EMS contractor pay request. The board also approved routine items including minutes, claims and the payroll docket.

Voting‑machine upgrade: The Greene County Clerk presented a purchase agreement for 64 upgraded voting panels, software and related services totaling $179,200. The clerk said the county will pay half of the total now ($89,600) and noted the annual maintenance agreement will increase to $15,000 from $12,000 for the next four years. The clerk said vendor training and on‑election emergency repair services are included. The board approved the agreement; the clerk requested the chairman's signature.

Ambulance vehicle sale: The county received a bid of $3,300 from Kyle and Chelsea Brown for an excess ambulance the ambulance department had put up for bid. The board moved to accept the bid "pending approval by the ambulance board," and approved the motion.

Highway paving bids: Ryan of the Greene County Highway Department presented bid packages for the county's annual wheel‑tax funded paving, chip seal and crack seal projects; bids are due at the county's second meeting in March. The board authorized the county to go out for those bids.

EMS pay request: Commissioners approved Pay Request No. 4 for contractor KWK (an EMS contractor). The request did not arrive in time to be included with other pay requests; the board authorized signatures and payment once all signatures are obtained.

Routine motions: At the start of the meeting the board approved the minutes of the previous meeting, claims and the payroll docket; the meeting then recessed for the public hearing on the owner‑occupied rehab grant (reported separately). The meeting adjourned after the regular agenda.

Why it matters: these actions affect county election equipment, emergency services fleet and construction contracting workflow; the voting‑machine purchase includes upfront capital and higher ongoing maintenance costs that will require council appropriation for the second half of the purchase, the clerk noted.

Details and follow‑up: the clerk asked what would happen if the county council did not appropriate the second half of the money; she said that would create difficulty if the council failed to appropriate remaining funds. The ambulance bid acceptance was conditioned on ambulance board approval. Highway bids will follow the county's procurement timetable; the county auditor/commissioners will sign bid documents before publication.

Sources: remarks and motions recorded at the Feb. 18, 2025 Greene County Board of Commissioners meeting.