Warren County fiscal court approves $1.44 million downtown parcel purchase, designates new county roads and OKs TIF increment

Warren County Fiscal Court on Thursday approved the county's purchase of 1007 State Street in downtown Bowling Green for $1,440,000, adopted an ordinance adding multiple Breckenridge subdivision streets to the county road system and authorized a $93,953 tax-increment financing (TIF) payment to the Warren County Downtown Economic Development Authority.

The purchase of 1007 State Street from Boyce Properties, LLC — described in the meeting as the Charles M. Moore building — was presented at its appraised price, $1,440,000, with estimated closing costs of $5,309.77. The fiscal court voted to authorize Judge Buchanan to sign closing documents. The court recorded the motion for the purchase as moved by Esquire Cummings and seconded by Esquire Aldridge; the roll call recorded unanimous approval by the seven members present.

The court also approved Ordinance 2501 (second and final reading), which designates East Haven Way, Summer Shade Circle, Summer Shade Drive, Autumn Breeze Court and Autumn Breeze Way in the Breckenridge Subdivision as county roads and authorizes county maintenance and speed limits on those streets. That motion was moved by Esquire Cummings and seconded by Esquire Aldridge and passed on a unanimous roll call.

Other fiscal actions approved Thursday included routine financial reports, interfund and budget transfers, and several single-source or emergency procurement authorizations:

- Emergency repair authorizations to Train Inc. for two rooftop jail HVAC items: $5,493 (compressor repair) and $6,444 (fan motor assembly), each approved by unanimous vote. Meeting minutes list these as emergency determinations for the jail.

- A single-source purchase of field conditioner for parks from Sigma Organics for $17,119.20 (semi truckload) was approved as a determination.

- Acceptance of treasurer and quarterly financial reports for several volunteer and rural fire departments and the court's audit report for fiscal year 2024 were placed on the record and approved.

- The court approved an affiliation agreement for the Warren County Technical Rescue Team for 2025 and authorized the judge to sign related documents.

- The court recorded and approved claims presented that day (general fund $2,372; road fund $109,325; jail fund $677,592; stormwater fund $44,817; LGA fund $13,937; E-911 fund $10,828) and moved to pay the bills by unanimous vote.

On economic-development finance, the court voted to make a $93,953 payment representing Warren County's increment to the downtown TIF to the Warren County Downtown Economic Development Authority. The judge noted the TIF increment continues to grow and referenced a recent $4.1 million increment check as an example of the district's rising property-tax growth.

The court's actions were largely procedural and passed unanimously on roll-call votes by Esquire Williams, Esquire McWhorter, Esquire Lawrence, Esquire Aldridge, Esquire Leslie, Esquire Cummings and Esquire Lasley. Several agenda items were brief and carried without extended debate.

The court also paused its business to recognize local youth achievements (Bowling Green junior-high and high-school cheer teams) and offered expressions of condolence for community figures who recently died; those ceremonial remarks were recorded separately from the court's formal actions.

The fiscal court scheduled a special recognition at 1 p.m. the same day for former Sheriff Peanut Gaines and set the next regular meeting for 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 13.

Votes at a glance

- Minutes (Jan. 9, 2024): Motion by Esquire Lawrence; second by Esquire Lasley; outcome: approved (yes: Williams, McWhorter, Lawrence, Aldridge, Leslie, Cummings, Lasley).

- Personnel changes (Warren County): Motion by Esquire McWhorter; second by Esquire Aldridge; outcome: approved (unanimous roll call).

- Road Department work schedule: Motion by Esquire Aldridge; second by Esquire McWhorter; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Ordinance 2501 — county road designation (East Haven Way; Summer Shade Circle; Summer Shade Drive; Autumn Breeze Court; Autumn Breeze Way): Motion by Esquire Cummings; second by Esquire Aldridge; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Purchase of 1007 State Street (Charles M. Moore building) from Boyce Properties, LLC — $1,440,000 (appraised price); closing costs estimated $5,309.77: Motion by Esquire Cummings; second by Esquire Aldridge; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Road crew activity report for 2024 (jail): Motion by Esquire Lawrence; second by Esquire Lasley; outcome: made part of the record (approved).

- Smiths Grove Rural Fire Dept. 2nd-quarter financial report: Motion by Esquire McWhorter; second by Esquire Aldridge; outcome: accepted (approved).

- Emergency determination to Train Inc. — $5,493 (rooftop air unit compressor, jail): Motion by Esquire Aldridge; second by Esquire Cummings; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Emergency determination to Train Inc. — $6,444 (rooftop air unit fan motor assembly, jail): Motion by Esquire Aldridge; second by Esquire McWhorter; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Treasurer's report (Dec. 2024): Motion by Esquire Aldridge; second by Esquire Cummings; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Hadley Volunteer Fire Dept. 2nd-quarter financial report: Motion by Esquire Aldridge; second by Esquire Lasley; outcome: accepted (approved).

- Interfund transfer for Warren County: Motion by Esquire Lawrence; second by Esquire Leslie; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Determination to Sigma Organics — $17,119.20 (spring field conditioner for parks; single-source): Motion by Esquire Lasley; second by Esquire Lawrence; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Audit report FY2024 for Warren County Court of Justice facility: Motion by Esquire Williams; second by Esquire Lawrence; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- 2025 affiliation agreement for Warren County Technical Rescue Team: Motion by Esquire Aldridge; second by Esquire Cummings; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Budget transfers for Warren County: Motion by Esquire Lawrence; second by Esquire Leslie; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Termination/payment to Warren County Downtown Economic Development Authority — $93,953 (Warren County increment to downtown TIF): Motion by Esquire Aldridge; second by Esquire McWhorter; outcome: approved (unanimous).

- Claims approval (amounts listed in body): Motion by Esquire Cummings; second by Esquire McWhorter; outcome: approved (unanimous).

(Where a motion's mover/second was recorded in the meeting, it is shown above; roll-call results listed the seven magistrates as voting yes on the items summarized.)