On Oct. 23 the Warren County Fiscal Court approved an order establishing a fire department executive steering committee and named its initial members, including county fire chief William Rector and committee chair DeAnne Stanley of Alton Fire.

The court recorded the full initial roster during the meeting: County Fire Chief William Rector (county fire chief); Chair DeAnne Stanley (Alton Fire board chair); Co-chair Kevin Bailey (Plano Fire chief); Ex officio member Esquire Eric Aldridge (fiscal court); members Mason Hamilton (Alberton Fire chief), Kenneth Priddy (Smiths Grove Fire chief), Jeff Brown (Barren River Fire board chair), Tim Minnick (Browning Fire board chair), Pat Stewart (Richardsville Fire board chair), Jason Duckett (Gott Fire chief), Bob Skipper (Woodburn Fire chief) and Gary Bobbitt (Hadley Fire board chair).

Chief William Rector told the court the committee is intended to preserve institutional knowledge and provide direct feedback from volunteer fire departments as the county transitions its fire department system. “The establishment of this committee will help us retain that institutional knowledge while also getting the direct feedback, launch communication with the, volunteer fire departments,” Rector said.

The order (item 42) passed by unanimous roll call. Court members said they expect the committee’s recommendations to inform future decisions about county fire services and structure.