Hardin County approves lease and budget items to fund EMS equipment and 911 personnel

Hardin County Fiscal Court on a unanimous roll call on Tuesday approved a seven-year lease with Flex Financial, a division of Stryker Sales LLC, for $881,739.46 to buy EMS equipment and concurrently advanced a $1.2 million budget amendment tied largely to ambulance upgrades.

County Attorney Jenny Old opened the public hearing required by the Kentucky Department for Local Government, saying, “The Department of Local Government requires any purchase, over or lease over $500,000 that we advertised and that we have a hearing to accept public comment. So this concerns the $882,000 lease over 7 years for equipment for EMS.” No members of the public spoke at the hearing.

The lease covers six power-load systems, 10 PowerPro XT cots and five StairPro stair chairs plus maintenance over the lease term. The court voted on resolution 182 to approve the lease; the roll call recorded unanimous yes votes by the magistrates present and Judge Executive Keith Tull.

EMS Director Mark Peterson presented August activity data ahead of the equipment vote, reporting, “We made, we had 1,331 dispatches… 1,322 or 911, 9 transfers, and a 152 cancellations.” He also reported year-to-date dispatches of about 2,700 and said collections were up year over year: “We're up from this time last year at $619,470 increase of about $115,000,” and fiscal year-to-date collections were “at 1.2 and some change up about $256,000 from this time last year.”

911 Director Mike Leo gave the 911 center report, saying the center answered 4,402 calls and handled 6,026 administrative calls in August; ambulance dispatches numbered 1,352 with fire-department dispatches at about 432 for the month.

The court also took several related votes in the same meeting: a first reading of ordinance 344-2 (a $1,200,000 amendment to the FY2025-26 budget described by staff as primarily for EMS ambulance upgrade equipment, plus road flex and bridge replacement funding) passed on a roll call. Resolution 186 approving E-911 personnel also passed, and a consent agenda that included multiple contract renewals and personnel resolutions passed by unanimous vote.

Court members emphasized that the lease and budget amendments are part of ongoing efforts to maintain and upgrade emergency response capacity countywide. County staff and officials did not state additional financing details beyond the lease amount and the budget amendment total at the meeting.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Hardin County fiscal court minutes (September): motion passed by roll call (all present yes). - Resolution 186 (approval of E-911 personnel): passed by roll call (all present yes). - Ordinance 344-2, FY2025-26 budget amendment (Amendment No. 2) — $1,200,000 (primarily EMS ambulance upgrades, plus road flex and bridge replacement): first reading passed by roll call (all present yes). - Resolution 182, lease agreement with Flex Financial (division of Stryker Sales LLC) — $881,739.46 over seven years for six power-load systems, 10 PowerPro XT cots, five StairPro stair chairs and maintenance: passed by roll call (all present yes). - Consent agenda (multiple financial items, contract renewals, personnel items, transfers and committee minutes including IWork renewal $15,500 and Rave renewal $15,000, Time Clock Plus agreement ~ $17,000): approved by roll call (all present yes).

The court also voted to enter a closed session under KRS 61.810(1)(f) for discussions that might lead to appointment, discipline or dismissal of an individual employee; that motion passed on roll call. The court did not announce any final personnel actions in open session after the closed session during the meeting.

The lease hearing, equipment counts and budget amendment are documented in the county record and were discussed in the context of EMS operational data supplied by department directors. No public opposition or formal amendments to the proposed lease or budget amendment were recorded during the meeting.