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Spencer County approves $43,476 to convert tornado sirens to electric and cites storm response reimbursements
Summary
Spencer County Fiscal Court approved $43,475.82 to convert all tornado sirens to electric with battery backup and heard that two storm‑related road repairs will be reimbursed by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (Masters Lane and Yoder Tipton).
Spencer County Fiscal Court on April 7 approved $43,475.82 to convert the county's tornado sirens to electric models with battery backup, a measure county officials said is intended to improve reliability during severe weather.
Judge Executive Scott Travis and other fiscal court members voted unanimously to fund the conversions after hearing from Mr. Klinglesmith, who briefed the court on recent siren activations and emergency operations. Klinglesmith told the court he had emailed the members a copy of the county's Emergency Operations Plan and defended the timing of siren activations during the recent storm, saying his decisions were made with public safety in mind. The motion to spend $43,475.82 passed on a voice vote (mover: Esq. Stump; second: Esq. Cotton).
The action came as the court also reviewed storm response and reimbursement notices from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Emails in the meeting packet from KYTC staff (Sara Hall, Office of Rural and Secondary Roads) indicate project reimbursements are forthcoming: Masters Lane (Project #18481) had total project costs of $42,200 with the county's 20% share and a net KYTC payment to the county shown as $14,560; the Yoder Tipton slide repair (Project #18482) shows a final reimbursement of $12,790 and that the project is now closed.
Duane Hume of the Floodwall Commission thanked the court for planning and coordination during the weather event, saying, in summary, "Everybody was on the same page. Pumps worked well and they had backups in the event they would be needed." Court members also noted the usefulness of the county's text alert system and the command center investments made in recent years.
The court discussed broader emergency communications and equipment needs, and Judge Travis said further budget planning for related items would continue into the 2026 budget cycle. No changes to the KYTC reimbursements were made by the court; those payments are administrative disbursements originating from the Transportation Cabinet.
