Hardin County commissioners approve routine permits, tax abatements, card limit increase and personnel actions

The Hardin County Board of Commissioners met Oct. 1, 2025, and approved a series of routine administrative items, including the day’s agenda and minutes, claims dated 10/01/2025, an increase to a county credit card limit, a utility permit for Midland Power Co‑op, Resolution No. 2025‑27 (abatement of taxes), a tax abatement for ITC Midwest LLC, a community betterment match grant for Jones Furniture & Mattress, and multiple personnel actions in the sheriff’s office and dispatch.

The actions affect county finance and operations but drew little discussion. Commissioners approved raising the county credit card limit for Mackenzie Boone to $5,000 and unanimously approved utility permit UT‑2025‑18, listed in the record with applicant Chad Reinbold of Midland Power Co‑op. Resolution No. 2025‑27, described in the meeting as an abatement of taxes, passed on a roll‑call vote recorded as three ayes. Commissioners also moved to acknowledge and approve a tax abatement for ITC Midwest LLC for tax year 2024 in the city of El Doron; the motion carried.

Commissioners approved a community betterment match grant application for Jones Furniture & Mattress. The meeting record discusses a typical match amount of $500; the motion and approval in the record reflect that matching program amount.

Personnel items approved included a status change for Viviana Fuentes, described in the meeting as moving from a full‑time to a part‑time correctional officer position effective Sept. 22, 2025, at a rate stated as $22.23 per hour; the hiring of Madison Jarks as a correctional officer, listed with a hire date of Sept. 8, 2025 and an hourly rate that the record states as either $20.23 or $22.23; and the hiring of Lindsey Hamm as a permanent part‑time dispatcher at an hourly rate stated in the record as $22.09. The transcript contains the rate ambiguity for Jarks; the article reports both figures as given in the meeting.

Other business included a clarification that tax payments due Oct. 1 are subject to a penalty of 1.5% per month, rounded to the nearest dollar per parcel, and a brief update that Sherman Blacktop is open and has new stop‑sign signage to improve driver attention. There were no public commenters signed up and the board adjourned after completing business.

Votes at a glance

- Approve agenda — moved and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved (record: unanimous "aye"). - Approve minutes (09/17 and 09/19/2025) — moved and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved. - Approve claims (10/01/2025) — moved and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved. - Increase county credit card limit for Mackenzie Boone to $5,000 — moved and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved. - Utility permit UT‑2025‑18 (applicant: Chad Reinbold, Midland Power Co‑op) — moved and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved. - Resolution No. 2025‑27 (abatement of taxes) — motion, roll call recorded as three ayes; outcome: approved. - Tax abatement for ITC Midwest LLC (tax year 2024, city of El Doron) — moved and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved. - Community Betterment match/grant (Jones Furniture & Mattress; typical match $500) — moved and seconded; voice vote; outcome: approved. - Personnel actions (Viviana Fuentes status change; hire Madison Jarks; hire Lindsey Hamm) — moved and seconded; voice votes; outcomes: approved. - Adjourn — moved and seconded; outcome: approved.

Meeting materials in the transcript record provide motion language and the roll call for Resolution No. 2025‑27; no other recorded roll calls or dissenting votes appear in the transcript.