Already disrupted by the city of Bowling Green’s $4 million downtown renovation project now underway, the Fountain Square Park area is about to see another infrastructure upgrade that will bring more heavy equipment downtown.

Warren Fiscal Court’s $5.7 million contract with Energy Savings Group to upgrade lighting, heating and cooling in all county buildings is coming to the Capitol Arts Center later this month with a project certain to add to the downtown distractions.

James Marcrum, superintendent of the Warren County Justice Center and a key player in implementing the energy upgrades throughout the county, told Warren Fiscal Court on Friday that installation of new heating and air conditioning at the Capitol Arts Center will begin around April 22.

“The Capitol Arts building is getting all new HVAC equipment,” Marcrum said. “We’ll have to bring in a crane to set the old equipment off the roof and put the new one in place.”

Marcrum said the Capitol Arts Center is in “dire need” of the HVAC upgrade, with its current heating and cooling units dating to around 1980.

Marcrum said the countywide energy upgrade has been progressing well, with “99 percent” of the lighting already upgraded to LED lights. He said HVAC upgrades at the county courthouse have been completed and new equipment will soon be installed at the Warren County Regional Jail and Justice Center.

Fiscal court entered into the contract with ESG in October, and Warren County Treasurer Greg Burrell said at the time that the energy upgrades are expected to pay for themselves through cost savings over the 18-year contract period. Burrell explained that the contract with ESG includes a guaranteed savings amount for each year of the contract. If that amount isn’t reached, ESG will write a check for the difference.

Burrell himself could be busy writing some checks after some actions taken by the magistrates Friday.

The magistrates approved spending $132,103.06 over a five-year period to purchase a 2019 Case Tractor Loader backhoe that both county Road Department Supervisor Jerry Young and Public Works Director Josh Moore said is sorely needed.

Young said the new backhoe will replace a 2000 model that has logged more than 10,000 hours of operation.

“This is a good investment,” Moore said. “That equipment gets used a lot. This new equipment is much more efficient and will be safer.”

Also approved was a $9,222.50 expense for Stewart Richey Construction to make repairs to storm damage at the Ephram White Park gymnasium. County Parks and Recreation Department Director Chris Kummer explained that the repair was needed because the 12-month warranty on the damaged equipment has expired.

Kummer said strong winds from a recent storm blew off much of the ductwork at the gym. He said similar damage occurred last year at Buchanon Park, and he said the repairs will reinforce the ductwork in ways that should prevent future storm damage.

In other action at Friday’s meeting:

• The magistrates approved two expenditures needed at the Warren County Regional Jail ahead of an upcoming Kentucky Department of Corrections inspection: $1,032 to Advanced Systems Technology for a smoke evacuation inspection and $1,800 to Booth Fire & Safety for a fire alarm inspection. First District Magistrate Doug Gorman, owner of Booth Fire & Safety, abstained from the latter vote.
• Purchase of 518 blank memorial stones for the Veterans Memorial Courtyard, at a total cost of $8,250, was approved. The stones are being purchased from Lee Building Products, which Marcrum said was the only vendor offering the type of stone used in the courtyard. Third District Magistrate Tony Payne, who works at Lee Building Products, abstained from the vote.
• The magistrates approved these expenditures for the county parks and recreation department: $1,200 to Bobcat of Bowling Green for servicing a Bobcat skid steer; $2,026.39 to Wright Implement for repairs to a John Deere tractor; $7,258 to Whayne Supply for a hydraulic attachment for a Track Loader machine; $1,342 to Miracle Recreation for 36 replacement trash cans and liners; and $2,473.52 to Whayne Supply to rent a lift to complete ballfield lighting upgrades at Basil Griffin Park.
• The Bowling Green-Warren County Drug Task Force was approved to purchase a 2019 Dodge RAM truck at a cost of $28,609, to be paid for with funds from forfeited vehicle sales.
• The Warren County Regional Jail was approved to purchase two Dodge Durango vehicles at a total cost of $63,562, to be paid for with canteen funds.
• The county Public Works Department was approved for the purchase of 10 Polycom VVX 601 IP phones at a cost of $2,480.40.