Warrick County commissioners approve grants, federal road funding, equipment purchases and higher road-bond minimums

Warrick County commissioners on Feb. 2 approved a package of routine development surety extensions, grants, contracts and equipment purchases and signed off on an agreement that will bring federal funds to the Evers Road project.

The board approved one-year extensions of construction sureties for Enclave at Oak Grove (Coal Mine Road LLC, Lance Steven) and Ironwood PUD Section 1 (Mattingly Homes and Development LLC, Jeremy Mattingly), accepted public streets in Chatham Place Subdivision and released corresponding sureties. Commissioners also approved three contracts with Environmental Management Company (EMC) to fulfill required landfill monitoring, inspections and groundwater sampling at Warrick County Landfill No. 2.

In a set of public-safety and health items, commissioners approved a $27,400 opioid-response contract with the Yankee Town Volunteer Fire Department and authorized a $20,000 opioid canine for the Boonville Police Department. Chief Deputy Paul Cruz told the board the sheriff’s office currently has two k9 units in service and expects to add a third. "We have 2 in service right now, and I think we're gonna add a third," Cruz said during discussion.

The coroner's office requested $7,800 to purchase 13 Canon digital cameras, protective cases and memory cards to meet statutory requirements and preserve investigative quality; commissioners approved the purchase. County staff said the county will tag and serial-number units to maintain accountability.

Emergency management presented the annual Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant request. Matt Gable, EMA director, said the county is seeking $9,000 to host a tabletop hazardous-materials exercise involving local law enforcement, fire, EMS, environmental response teams, health departments, hospitals and schools. "This year, it's gonna be a tabletop exercise ... for $9,000," Gable said; commissioners approved pursuing the grant.

On transportation, highway staff reported a successful application for a local roads and bridges CCMG grant of about $580,000 and presented several consultant agreements with Lochner Group for right-of-way and design services. The board approved an amendment to Air Force Road Phase 2 to cover additional parcels and agreed to a proposed $5,000 counteroffer in a settlement discussion regarding a parcel on Edwards Road.

Commissioners voted to raise county road-use bond amounts to reflect higher construction costs, proposing $200,000 per mile for paved roads and $100,000 per mile for gravel roads. The board also ratified a state LPA agreement that will provide federal funds toward the Evers Road construction project; highway staff identified the federal contribution at roughly $8.2 million.

Administrative and budget items carried by voice vote included approval of the clerk’s reports and multiple payroll and voucher disbursements (including a payroll/accounts payable voucher dated Jan. 26, 2026, for $7,140,731.46), acceptance of small animal-control donations, ratification of a $1,050 generator maintenance service and declarations of surplus items (including donation of a 2010 Highlander to Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center and disposal of broken laboratory refrigerators).

Several procurement and personnel items were approved or tabled: commissioners tabled a request by animal control for three communications radios to a later meeting for further information; they approved a beaver-trapping services contract for the county surveyor and approved the traditional surplus of a deputy’s service handgun on retirement.

The meeting included public expressions of appreciation to the highway department, sheriff’s office, coroner’s office and EMA staff for their response to recent severe weather.

What happens next: several items that were tabled or approved pending additional detail — including the animal-control radio purchase and routine follow-ups on settlement negotiations and consultant work on road projects — will return to the board at future meetings. The board did not set specific implementation dates for most contracts beyond those noted in vendor agreements.