The Carter County Commission on Monday approved a bid for an outdoor warning siren to be installed east of Ardmore. The $18,980.06 bid from Chickasaw Personal Communications was first considered by the commission earlier this month but a vote was postponed for further evaluation.
The siren will be installed near the intersection of Springdale Road and Dogwood Road. Carter County Emergency Management Director Paul Tucker says the new siren will bring the total number of sirens in the county to 15. There are no other warning sirens within a mile of that location, Tucker said.
The bid was first considered by the commission during their August 5 meeting, but tabled to further investigate the cost that was significantly lower than expected. “We based our original estimate on the quote from Federal Signal…but they [Chickasaw Personal Communications] assured me that their bid is a complete turnkey siren,” Tucker told commissioners. Commissioner Joe McReynolds said after the meeting that complete sirens, including installation, can often cost between $20,000 and $30,000.
Commissioners hope to use grant money to offset the cost to the county. McReynolds said that the amount of grant money available may be less since the bid was lower than expected, and he expressed a desire to possibly acquire two sirens at that cost.
In other business, commissioners:
- transferred $7.9 million from sales tax funds to roads and bridges sales tax;
- approved advertising of bids on four county properties;
- declared a printer and air-operated grease gun as surplus;
- renewed a juvenile detention contract with Pittsburg County Regional Juvenile Detention Center;
- approved two crossing permits for Valero Partners Wynnewood, LLC;
- transferred Sheriff Service Fee funds from Courthouse Security to Personal Services.