Meeting of November 10, 2025

25 Harden County Fiscal Court regular voting meeting. So, let's begin and call this meeting to order. Roll call, please. — Square Clim — here. — Square Hicks — here. — Square Muse — here. — Square Pennington — here. — Square Saltzman — here. — Squire Thompson — here. Square Whitehead — here. — Square Yates — here. — Judge Tall — here. Uh, next we'll have our invocation by Magistrate Hicks and the pledge of allegiance led by Magistrate Pennington. [clears throat] Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we just thank you for uh watching over us and bless us and keep us safe and keep us healthy. We just ask you today to just lead and guide and direct us uh in everything we say and do. And we just pray that you'd bless our county and our state and our country for just give us uh the good watch over us. Keep us safe. We lift all this up to your name in Jesus Christ. Amen. — Amen. — Say pledge with me to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it

stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. — All right. Next, um have a few comments to make today before we really get going. Um start out by uh again thanking all of you uh for being here today. It's great to see all of you and others that um are watching um on TV and appreciate appreciate your interest in what's going on in your county. Uh just take a moment to review what looks like a uh a short um agenda today. Uh we'll we'll go through some our minutes and approve those. Um I do have oneformational item that I've added. I have a proclamation to do today. After that, we have a few presentations and then a time for any citizens concerns or comments on any of the things that we're voting on today. And then we don't have any specific ordinance and resolutions, agreements to vote on, but we do have a short consent

agenda that we'll look at and vote on today and then comments after that. Okay, so that's the agenda. Uh just a couple things to mention. Uh as I uh everyone knows, we're still in a government shutdown. Although I'm I'm hearing on the news a little bit that things may be moving in a good direction today. So um I'm hopeful that that is um going in that direction. Uh the impact especially here um in Harden County and uh with Fort Knox here uh is a very large impact. Uh most people don't really realize the the u the families all the families that specifically are are having trouble making ends meet because they're not getting a paycheck. And um and then the the impact that has on all of us and we all know people that are struggling. Um on the positive side, a lot of organizations in this county stepping up to the plate and helping out including churches and just all kinds of organizations and u so uh I much appreciate that and um hopefully this

thing is going to come to an end very quickly but just need to continue to to remember these folks in our prayers and to reach out and help as much as we can. Uh the another item of course that uh that we need to continue to recognize is the UPS uh plane crash that recently happened. Um, we do need to remember these families and in our prayers, we need to also be thankful and grateful to our first responders. Um, in Jefferson County and surrounding counties, Bullet County, um, Harden County also have has been able to help out whenever it's been requested. Uh, even u we Even Pat Elmore, our coroner, has been there to help out and u and do his part to um help them get through this very difficult uh terrible situation. Uh Joey Scott was able to help with uh um working with our our

firefighters in in in Vine Grove that were able to go and and support some other firefighters that were going onto the scene. So, um I feel like Harden County, we're doing our part to help out and and be a part of that uh and do the best that we can to support uh to support them. So, uh just to to continue to remember them as the some bad news continues to roll in on on some of these families as they find out u what what's happened to their loved ones. In addition to that, um we have uh Veterans Day, which is the reason that we're here today. And I I did want to um have a few comments about Veterans Day as a reminder. Uh since the founding of our a great nation, uh more than 41 41 million men and women have stepped forward to defend the United States of America. and their courage and sacrifice, their unwavering commitment have safeguarded the freedoms we hold dear. So tomorrow we commemorate Veterans Day, a proud tradition that began in 1919

when President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I. It was later renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor all who served. The date itself carries deep meaning. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 marked the formal end of major hostilities in World War I. And today we carry that legacy forward by recognizing every veteran living and deceased who served honorably whether in times of war or peace. So Veterans Day is especially a time to thank our living heroes. It's a moment to acknowledge their contributions to our nation's security, our national security, and to uh show our appreciation for their service and sacrifice. Without them, our freedoms would not exist. In recognition of this sacred day, we've illuminated the sign in front of this building in green. This gesture uh first recognized nationally in 2021 by the National Association of Counties is a symbol to our veterans and our community. You are seen, you are

supported, and you are appreciated. Let us continue to honor our veterans, not just today, but every day with gratitude, respect, and action. God bless our veterans and God bless the United States of America. — Amen. So, uh, if if you are a veteran, uh, if you wouldn't mind just to stand up and let's and we can acknowledge you today. [applause] Thank you. Thank all of you. Appreciate you very much. Okay, at that we'll move on to our next item of business and that is to approve the Harden County Fiscal Court uh October 28th, 2025 minutes. I need a motion to approve. — So move. — Okay, move a second. — Second. — Second. — All right, any discussion? Hearing none, we'll have roll call, please. — Square [clears throat] Clim, — yes. — Square Hicks, — yes. Square Muse, — yes. — Square Pennington, — yes. — Square Saltzman, — yes. — Square Thompson,

— yes. — Square Whitehead, — yes. — Square Yates, — yes. — Judge Tall, — yes. Motion passes. — All right. Next. U just oneformational item today. Uh it was late in coming in, but there was a request that we would um acknowledge some very important uh people that help help us out in our time of need and in uh our healthc care. And so I'd like to read a proclamation today. And uh just uh to acknowledge these folks. Uh there's 231 advanced practice registered nurses who live in Harden County. And uh this week uh we celebrate uh this November 9th through the 15th, 2025 as the uh registered nurse week, NP week here in the Commonwealth. So, in order to do that, um, we weren't with a quick, um, just came in today to do this. So, kind of had to pull this together pretty quickly. And I don't think, uh, there's a actually a registered nurse here today