Moving nearly as quickly as a rapid storm, Warren Fiscal Court has approved bids for generators aimed at providing emergency power to five critical facilities and four other shelter facilities in the county, with federal funds covering most of the cost.

Just two weeks after they approved advertising for bids, the magistrates approved in a 6-0 vote Thursday the $219,442 bid of Stewart-Richey Electrical to install generators at these five critical facilities: Warren County Regional Jail, Woodburn Community Center, Plum Springs Community Center, Oakland Community Center and Smiths Grove City Hall.

Also approved was the $523,168 bid of Stewart-Richey to install generators at these four county storm shelters: Buchanon Park, Ephram White Park, Basil Griffin Park and Phil Moore Park.

Stewart-Richey also won the bid for removal and demolition of the old generator at the county jail at a cost of $7,500.

Warren County Emergency Management Director Ronnie Pearson explained that getting the generators installed quickly was a factor in selecting a vendor from among three bidders.

“Stewart-Richey’s shorter install time was one of the determining factors,” Pearson said. “This will allow us to start the process and get the generators ordered.

“Our first priority is to get the jail repaired. The smaller ones could happen in about six weeks. I hope by fall, the start of the second storm season, that they’ll be operational and that we’ll be able to shelter people in any kind of storm that happens.”

A storm in December of 2021 led to Warren County getting the funding for the generators through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Pearson said the county was approved for nearly $1 million in FEMA hazard mitigation grants for the generators because of the damage done by those 2021 tornadoes. The grant funding will cover 90% of the cost of the generators, with the state picking up 4.8% and county government the remaining 5.2%.

“We’re always looking to find those grants,” Pearson said. “We wanted to get our part to help our citizens. I think this will be an asset to the community.”

Pearson said the generators are only part of the FEMA funding flowing to the county in the wake of the horrific tornadoes.

“We have a total of about $30 million worth of projects,” said Pearson, who hopes to procure funding for 11 new outdoor warning sirens and funding to help address drainage issues that will mitigate flooding in the county.

In addition, Warren County Public Schools has been approved for safe rooms at Drakes Creek, Warren East, South Warren and Moss middle schools.

In other action at Thursday’s meeting, the magistrates approved an expenditure of $147,290 to Texas-based IRE Crown Rinks for installation and removal of the seasonal ice rink at the SOKY Marketplace Pavilion for what will be the eighth season for the SOKY Ice Rink.

County Stormwater Management Director Nikki Koller said the new contract will again be for an extended season similar to the past winter’s season. The contract approved Thursday calls for the season to run from Nov. 8 through Feb. 2, 2025.

The 2024-25 ice rink season’s cost is slightly higher than the $142,730 contract for the past season.

Also approved Thursday:

•A resolution consenting to the Inter-Modal Transportation Authority’s sale of 102.37 acres in the Kentucky Transpark industrial park to Delaware-based VM-K LLC. Attorney Gaines Penn, representing the ITA, said he expects the sale to lead to VM-K making a $59 million capital investment and creating more than 50 jobs.

•An expenditure of $5,274 to contractor White Oak for change orders on the second-floor renovation at the county courthouse.

•An emergency expenditure of $44,108 to Arts of Southern Kentucky for reimbursement of the cost of rental and repair of a chiller that is broken at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center.

•An expenditure of $4,185.98 to Stewart-Richey Service Group for emergency plumbing repairs at the county jail.

The next Warren Fiscal Court meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 9 at 9 a.m. at the county courthouse.