Warren County Fiscal Court approves multiple road adoptions, vendor contracts and fire‑service expansion; leaders highlight faster emergency response

Warren County Fiscal Court on Thursday, Sept. 11, approved a series of routine and substantive measures including adoptions of newly developed subdivision streets as county roads, multiple vendor contracts and purchases, and authorization to proceed with creating a tenth county fire department.

The approvals included contract awards for generator maintenance, a new countywide emergency notification contract, software enhancements for the fire department’s incident reporting, and the purchase or lease of vehicles and communications gear. County leaders used the meeting to highlight recent emergency response improvements after adding paid staff to support volunteer fire departments and to urge residents to enroll in the county's AlertSense emergency-notification system.

The actions are significant for county operations because they authorize recurring costs and capital spending, clarify county maintenance responsibilities for newly developed streets, and expand emergency‑response capacity. Notable dollar amounts approved at the meeting include $24,220 per year for generator maintenance, $20,995 for the AlertSense annual contract, $11,700 for First Due software enhancements, and a monthly fleet lease not to exceed $1,600 per vehicle for a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado (60 months) for the fire department.

Chief Rechter of the Warren County Fire Department described recent operational gains after adding paid staff to support volunteer companies, saying the new arrangement produced faster on‑scene help. The court read a text from Chief Jason Duncan of the Gotte Fire Department praising the combined paid‑and‑volunteer response: “I cannot express how thankful I am to have those paid trucks on scene to help us. Paid staff and volunteers worked together so well, you could not tell who was volunteer and who was paid.” The court also noted a countywide burn ban is in effect and asked residents to avoid burning brush.

Magistrate Bart Cummings urged wider public enrollment in the county’s emergency alert system after the court approved the AlertSense contract, saying, “It is a terrific… system. If you're not on that, AlertSense … you'll immediately be notified.”

Votes at a glance

- Minutes (Aug. 28, 2025) — approved (roll call). Motion by Magistrate Lawrence; second not specified in the record excerpt. - Personnel changes for Warren County (Item 5) — approved. Motion by Magistrate McWhorter; second by Magistrate Aldridge. - Work schedule for Warren County Road Department (Item 6) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Cummings; second by Magistrate Aldridge. - Orders 25‑10 (second and final reading) and 25‑11 (second and final reading) — establishing streets in McClellan Crossing and Stone Trace subdivisions as county roads and setting speed limits — both approved. Motion for both by Magistrate Cummings; second by Magistrate Aldridge. - Emergency determination $3,560 to Trane Inc. for jail A/C compressor replacement (Item 9) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Aldridge; second by Magistrate Lawrence. - Generator maintenance contract: accept Evapar bid at $24,220 per year (Item 10) — approved after rebid and evaluation; Motion by Magistrate Aldridge; second by Magistrate McWhorter. - Lease with Contractors Licensing Board for 1141 State Street (Item 11) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Lawrence; second by Magistrate Williams. - Payment $3,604.10 to Pie Barker Fire for annual courthouse sprinkler inspection (Item 12) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Lasley; second by Magistrate Lawrence. - $7,500 for ceiling and striping at the Fillmore Park soapbox derby track (Item 13) — approved on state price contract. Motion by Magistrate Cummings; second by Magistrate Aldridge. - Warrant 25‑12 (first reading) establishing streets in South Haven subdivision (Item 14) — approved on first reading. Motion by Magistrate Cummings; second by Magistrate McWhorter. - $11,700 to First Due for software enhancements and additional portal access (Item 15) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Aldridge; second by Magistrate McWhorter. County staff said the upgrade consolidates multiple portals into a single First Due portal and adds inventory, incident‑command and portal access features. - $8,652.97 to Motorola Solutions for a portable radio for the Deputy Fire Chief (single‑source) (Item 16) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Leslie; second by Magistrate Williams. - $20,995 to Connexus for the AlertSense emergency notifications yearly contract (single‑source) (Item 17) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Lasley; second by Magistrate Lawrence. - $3,600 to BGMU Fiber for fiber installation at the sheriff’s office, Sugar Maple Square (Item 18) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Lawrence; second by Magistrate Williams. - Resolution 25‑16: contract with the Barren River Area Development District for Hazard Mitigation Grant administration services (Item 19) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Aldridge; second by Magistrate Lasley. - Lease agreement with Enterprise Fleet for a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado (or similar) for the Warren County Fire Department not to exceed $1,600 per month for 60 months plus one‑time upfit charge up to $7,500 (Item 21) — approved. - Authorization to advertise for roof replacement at the Gotte Fire Department Station No. 1 and the Hadley Fire Department (Items 22–23) — both granted authority to advertise for bids. - Lease with Enterprise Fleet to replace Parks vehicles (four Chevrolet Silverados at up to $880 per month per vehicle for 60 months; one‑time aftermarket packages not to exceed $92 each) (Item 24) — approved. - $7,873 to Power Solutions to replace a damaged 50‑foot wooden light pole at Ed Spear Park (Item 25) — approved (3 quotes solicited; lowest of three). Motion by Magistrate McWhorter; second by Magistrate Cummings. - Judge Executive authorized to execute documents related to creation of a tenth Warren County Fire Department (Item 26) — approved. Motion by Magistrate Aldridge; second by Magistrate Cummings. - Claims and fund report — the court approved claims across funds including the general fund ($1,350,577), road fund ($127,959), jail fund ($510,716), storm water fund ($97,934) and federal forfeiture fund ($8,946). Treasurer reported those totals and the court approved payment of bills.

Discussion vs. formal action

Most agenda items were routine approvals or single‑vendor determinations and were carried by roll call. Extended discussion focused on public‑safety topics: the county’s paid/volunteer hybrid fire staffing, recent response times, and consolidation of the First Due incident‑reporting portal. County staff said the First Due upgrade will consolidate nine portals into one to allow inventory control and an incident‑command platform.

Implementation and next steps

Staff indicated the generator maintenance contract was re‑evaluated after a misprint on the original solicitation and Evapar was judged the best evaluated bidder. The court voted to advertise roof replacement projects for two fire stations and authorized the judge executive to sign documents to create the new fire department; those steps set up future procurements and organizational work.

The court concluded observances for the Sept. 11 anniversary; the judge executive led a remembrance and asked residents to reflect and thank first responders. Magistrates and staff announced community events and noted the next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 25, at 9 a.m. The court adjourned.