Following several prior conversations with the E-911 Board, Christian County Fiscal Court and its magistrates Thursday afternoon unanimously approved for the reimbursement of an off-site E-911 and ECC Backup Call Center — shoring up another fail-safe in the community.
Magistrate Phillip Peterson said E-911 funds would initially pay for the plan, and called it “a need” for the area.
Sarah Dragoo, Christian County’s ECC director, said this would function the same as the primary — but would serve as redundancy with much easier and more professional transitions.
Dragoo said this operation will be at the new fire station on Walton Way, and rather than “be forgotten,” Dragoo confirmed that “at least once a month,” it will be in use for a 24-hour shift — so that equipment can regularly be tested, and so that new and veteran dispatchers understand the functionality of the space.
Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam affirmed that 911 funds come from landline phones, while E-911 funds come from cell phone usage — and have extremely strict parameters that must be met before allocated.
In other fiscal court news:
+ Christian County Emergency Manager Randy Graham said that road conditions were made difficult this week by a weather pattern that changed quickly last weekend. While it was clear that cold temperatures and some form of precipitation would accompany it, amounts and locations shifted.
Specifically, Graham said Christian County received weather patterns in this order: snow, freezing rain, multiple hours of sleet that “got packed in there,” followed by wet snow.
With these temps, everything “froze solid.”
Cold-weather shelters will remain open through this weekend.
+ Magistrates approved a memorandum of understanding for responsibilities between the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Kentucky Department of Parks and fiscal court for the soon-to-be-constructed mountain bike training and skills park at Pennyrile Forest State Park.
Gilliam said this has been in the works “for years,” and is now coming to fruition, while Pennyrile Area Development District’s Lexie Pendleton said this is all being funded through the Recreational Trails Program.
Gilliam also noted this portion could be part of a larger picture.
+ In a combined effort from the Herndon and Lafayette Volunteer Fire Departments, a fish fry fundraiser has been planned for 5-7:30 PM Friday, March 13 at Hopkinsville’s War Memorial Building.
Political candidates will begin speaking at 6 PM and a silent auction will end at 7 PM. Pre-orders are already taking place, and it’s $8 for kids and $15 for adults. It will be $10 and $17, respectively, at the door.
The meal includes fish, fries, white beans, cole slaw, hushpuppies, a drink and a dessert. Tickets can be purchased at either location of the 1st Choice Tire & Fleet.
