Hickman commission authorizes water-study, audit engagement and several administrative contracts

HICKMAN, Ky. — At its August meeting, the City of Hickman board of commissioners approved a series of resolutions authorizing engineering studies, grant applications and administrative contracts intended to stabilize the city’s water system, update financial oversight and support police staffing.

Commissioners voted to authorize a cross-connection study and contract with a backflow specialist to identify and recommend fixes that will prevent nonpotable sources from mixing with the municipal water supply. The resolution directs the mayor to execute the agreement and asks the contractor to provide recommendations and cost estimates for corrective work.

The meeting also approved a formal resolution authorizing the mayor to submit an application to the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority’s water and wastewater assistance program (WRIS), listing the project in the WRIS system (reference WX21075022). Staff told the commission they will seek funding to repair and upgrade the local package treatment plant; packet materials mention a $9,000,000 funding request to cover capital improvements and related engineering work.

Officials said the WRIS application and related RFQs have tight deadlines: two sets of requests for qualifications are due Aug. 20, and one grant-related submittal is scheduled for Sept. 8. Staff said they may call a special meeting later in August to meet funding deadlines.

On finance matters the commission authorized execution of an engagement with CRLCPA of Dyersburg, Tennessee, to perform reconciliation and audit services for fiscal years 2023 through 2025, setting forth the audit scope, reporting requirements and fees. "We're going to ask for some money to catch up our audits as well," an official said during the discussion.

The board also corrected and approved a contract with United Systems to supply property-tax software and staff training (the draft resolution mistakenly referenced "payroll tax"); the correction was read aloud and the mayor was authorized to sign the agreement.

Personnel and public-safety items included approval of training-and-reimbursement language tied to a state-regulated police academy contract. The packet listed a contract breakdown of $37,942.80 for training costs and described a four-year reimbursement term measured from the officer’s date of graduation. The commission discussed approving the hiring process for a candidate named Todd, who has passed physical and suitability testing and completed ride-alongs.

Police leadership also described grant activity and recent equipment acquisitions. Staff reported preparing a roughly $20,000 grant application to obtain seven "Flock" license-plate cameras to aid investigations and said the department recently received level-5 body-armor plates (10 plates, about $750 per plate).

Other items discussed included short-term repairs at the municipal building after HeliTech raised and leveled sections of the foundation, a proposed municipal order on compensatory-time policy to allow employees to take time off in lieu of overtime pay, and plans to connect a fire-station siren to county dispatch for weather alerts (estimated cost about $2,500).

Votes at a glance: - Cross-connection study authorization (resolution): Adopted. (Resolution text authorized the mayor to execute agreement for a cross-connection/backflow study.) - WRIS funding application (Kentucky water/wastewater assistance): Authorized for submission. (Packet references WRIS WX21075022 and a funding request; staff to serve as project representative.) - CRLCPA audit engagement (2023–2025): Authorized. (Agreement to perform reconciliation/audit work.) - United Systems property-tax software & training agreement: Authorized (draft corrected to reference property tax). - Training/reimbursement contract for police academy attendance: Presented and referenced with a contract breakdown of $37,942.80; related resolution language authorizes mayoral execution.

What it means: The actions move several near-term infrastructure and administrative projects forward: staff can proceed with engineering and grant work for the water plant, contract for audit services to close outstanding fiscal reconciliation, modernize property-tax software, and finalize police training and hiring steps. Most actions were introduced as resolutions authorizing the mayor to execute agreements; staff emphasized the immediacy of grant deadlines in August and September.

Next steps: Staff will prepare the WRIS funding application and RFQs for engineering and will follow up on audit scheduling and software implementation timelines. Commissioners indicated they may hold special meetings to meet grant submittal deadlines.