Hardin County magistrates reject hiring full-time GIS coordinator after split vote

Hardin County Fiscal Court rejected a resolution to hire a full-time geographic information systems (GIS) coordinator on Jan. 13, 2026, after a lengthy debate over cost and the county's existing contract with Lincoln Trail Area Development District (ADD). The motion to approve Resolution No. 2026-007 failed on a roll-call vote of 4–5.

County Judge/Executive Keith Taul told the court the county needs an in-house GIS coordinator to address a backlog of mapping projects and routine services for departments including engineering, planning and the sheriff's office. "We have a backlog of projects and availability has been the question from day one," Taul said, arguing the position would provide daily, consistent support rather than piecemeal, project-based contracting.

Opponents pressed cost and redundancy concerns. Squire Chris Yates said he was "surprised to see the resolution back on the agenda" and questioned whether the county could continue using Lincoln Trail ADD, which currently assists the county on engineering work. Squire Fred Clem Jr. said his objection was fiscal: the decision was "not about a person, position, or the Judge/Executive, but about the role as Fiscal Court members to be fiscally responsible." Squire Kenny Saltsman and others said the county annually funds Lincoln Trail ADD and that contract services could be a viable cost-saving alternative.

Supporters including Squire Patsy Whitehead and Squire Kenny Muse said the position had been budgeted and that having a full-time staffer would help the county meet engineering department needs. Whitehead said she viewed the full-time hire as a temporary, budgeted fix and that the judge-executive is responsible for day-to-day county operations.

The resolution referenced an earlier proposal (Resolution 2025-246) that failed on deadlock. Judge/Executive Taul said the county had been relying on a temporary contract arrangement with a maximum annual payment he described as $80,000 while the position remained vacant; transcript text included an inconsistent numeric format for that figure, which is reported here as $80,000. After debate, the vote recorded: Fred Clem Jr. (no), Larry Hicks (yes), Kenny Muse (yes), Aaron Pennington (no), Kenny Saltsman (no), EG Thompson (no), Patsy Whitehead (yes), Chris Yates (no), and County Judge/Executive Keith Taul (yes). The motion failed.

The court did not take an alternate action to expand or modify the contract with Lincoln Trail ADD in the meeting. The debate included repeated references to the upcoming county budget pressures and ambulance funding needs; no formal amendment to Resolution 2026-007 was adopted.

The court proceeded to other agenda items, including consent agenda approvals and other resolutions.