Hickman County TN

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

Health, Safety & Properties · Meeting · Nov 2, 2026

Mon, Nov 2, 2026

Advises on public health and safety initiatives, emergency preparedness, and the care and use of county-owned buildings and grounds.

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Health, Safety & Properties heard several consequential public-safety issues, led by a proposed restructuring of county dispatch under the 9-1-1 board, an escalating risk that the Rescue Squad could lose its chief and potentially its fire-district status in December, and a renewed push to address persistent jail overcrowding. The committee also advanced an EMS vehicle surplus request, heard FEMA/winter-storm reimbursement and generator-project updates, and reviewed a growing need for jail camera replacement with a financing option still to be vetted by finance staff.

Other notable threads included EMS run, billing, and collections figures; the 9-1-1 board’s likely future budget impact on the county; fire-service training standards and funding requests tied to insurance ratings; DRMO-acquired emergency equipment for debris management and disaster response; and a sheriff’s vehicle transfer to EMA.

Opening business

Call to Order

  • Opening prayer, roll call, agenda approval, no public comments, and approval of the October 5 minutes were handled without controversy.

Department / Official Reports

Maintenance and Properties

  • No report or action.

Emergency Communications 9-1-1

  • 9-1-1 leadership reported that the City of Centerville has passed a resolution authorizing the 9-1-1 board to begin planning for dispatch to be absorbed under the board rather than remaining under city control.
  • Current structure: the county pays 50% of dispatch costs and the city pays 50%, but county officials do not currently have direct operational authority over dispatch.
  • Rationale offered for the change:
    • all agencies served by dispatch would be represented through the 9-1-1 board structure;
    • disputes over budget, leadership, or service issues could be addressed through a multi-entity board rather than solely through city control;
    • dispatch operations are already in the process of being moved to the 9-1-1 building, with facility remodeling reported at about 80% complete.
  • Questions and cautions raised:
    • county commissioners asked whether the county would still pay its share; answer: yes, but future payments would be allocated by departmental call volume;
    • questions were raised about whether salary and benefits changes under 9-1-1 control could increase county costs in a future budget year; answer: yes, that remains possible;
    • county representatives noted that because the 9-1-1 board is a state board, the county still would not have direct managerial control in the same way some members initially expected.
  • Financial context:
    • the 9-1-1 board currently contributes almost $420,000 annually to dispatch from state funding;
    • no budget has yet been adopted for the change, and that budget was to be discussed at the next 9-1-1 meeting.
  • Timing discussed:
    • planning has been underway since July, with a 2-year target window;
    • leadership estimated that details could be finalized by about July of next year for the following fiscal year, not mid-year in the current budget.
  • Outcome:
    • no formal committee vote on the restructuring;
    • members asked that 9-1-1 board minutes be shared with the committee so commissioners can track budget discussions.

EMS

  • EMS reported 278 runs for the month.
  • Billing and collections:
    • charges totaled $189,376.79;
    • collections totaled $74,982.65;
    • staff said collections were down because Medicare and Medicaid had not been paying during the end-of-year period for the prior two months, but payments had started coming in again.
  • Outcome:
    • financial report approved by roll-call vote.
  • Vehicle surplus request:
    • EMS requested to declare Truck 32, a 2018 Ford ambulance, surplus so it can be sold after replacement by a new ambulance.
    • Justification: the unit had been replaced by a new truck, making the older one excess to EMS needs.
    • Outcome: approved by roll-call vote.
  • Reimbursement request/status:
    • EMS reported that paperwork for $300,000 in ambulance reimbursement had been submitted and was awaiting processing.

EMA

  • EMA clarified that its reported 16 calls were not routine first-response service; those were calls EMA handled because another service was short-staffed or needed extra support.
  • Search operations:
    • EMA assisted with a missing-person search in Lewis County;
    • a second search for another missing man occurred on October 30.
  • Floodplain management plan:
    • EMA remains in the floodplain management planning process;
    • another site visit occurred that day;
    • a public meeting was announced for November 16 at 6 p.m. at Cottonwood Church of Christ, with a request for commissioners to help publicize it.
  • Winter storm / FEMA / TEMA reimbursement:
    • Hickman County and the Town of Centerville are in phase 2 of 20 in the state contract process for reimbursement related to the winter storm;
    • current anticipated combined reimbursement was reported at $1,133,129.40, subject to change as data collection continues.
  • Generator project:
    • a contract was expected from the state for the mayor’s signature;
    • bids were expected to run in the newspaper for 2 weeks;
    • the goal is to get generators installed before severe winter weather.
  • Rescue Squad instability:
    • the EMA director, serving as interim chief, said he will step down in December;
    • at present, no fully qualified successor is lined up;
    • if no chief is appointed, the Rescue Squad could lose its FDID number and no longer function as a fire department, affecting roughly 60% of the county.
  • Consequences discussed in detail:
    • loss of the department would affect not just fire calls but wreck response, extrication, lift assists, and medical support;
    • several commissioners stressed this is a life-and-death issue, not a routine administrative problem;
    • concern was raised about what happens to apparatus and other assets if the department fails; response: the board would still act on equipment disposition, but some charter language suggests assets ultimately revert to the county served.
  • Qualifications and training:
    • the county’s fire-chief standards come from a prior county resolution;
    • a prospective chief can have a 12-month grace period to complete required training after stepping in;
    • two possible candidates had reportedly declined interest.
  • Timeline and response planning:
    • the department board meets in the first week of December, with a broader body vote in the second week;
    • the committee agreed a December Health and Safety meeting is necessary because of the urgency;
    • members asked EMA and the Fire Chiefs Association to bring a contingency coverage plan, even if only preliminary, to the December meeting.
  • Broader explanation offered:
    • leadership attributed the current crisis to many years of poor planning, weak compliance with training expectations, grant pressures, aging equipment, and the difficulty of sustaining an all-volunteer service.
    • It was emphasized that the county has no traditional county fire department; existing departments are nonprofit community-based volunteer agencies supported in part by county funds.
  • No formal vote was taken on the Rescue Squad issue, but the committee treated it as an urgent unresolved matter requiring a December update.

Fire Chiefs Association

  • The association outlined three primary requests and concerns.

  • Training standards / resolution update:

    • the association asked for a clarification or update to Resolution 1815 to better reflect current county firefighter training practices.
    • Explanation:
      • the county previously adopted minimum firefighter training standards even though some Tennessee counties had not;
      • this was presented as a public-safety and liability safeguard so untrained volunteers are not sent into dangerous scenes;
      • current local training delivery has replaced the older reference to an 80-hour TFACA course with a locally delivered sequence that is faster and cheaper while still meeting practical needs.
    • Cost discussion:
      • classes were estimated roughly between $3,000 and $10,000 each depending on course type;
      • per-person training cost was estimated around $2,500.
    • Outcome:
      • no vote taken, but a commissioner said updating the resolution sounded straightforward and offered to work with the fire service on it.

  • Request for earlier notice on development:

    • the association asked for a seat at the table when approved residential or commercial projects are moving forward.
    • Justification:
      • fire departments need notice to plan for hazardous materials, water supply, access, staffing, and pre-incident plans;
      • examples included industrial buildings with hazardous materials that were built without fire-service walkthroughs.
    • Response:
      • Planning and zoning committee members said they could help communicate approved projects to fire leadership.

  • Fire-service funding and ISO concerns:

    • the association said its historical ask had been around $475,000, after a prior paper request of $660,000 was reduced;
    • a possible future ask of about $300,000 this year was described as a compromise driven by rising costs, call volume, medical-response support, and insurance-rating concerns.
    • ISO discussion:
      • ISO ratings were explained as heavily influenced by hydrants, dispatch, and fire-department capability;
      • improving ISO can significantly lower residential and commercial insurance premiums;
      • one example cited a roughly 46% savings difference between a class 10 and class 5 rating;
      • East Hickman was said to be a class 5 currently, while Pleasantville was described as a class 10 due largely to hydrant limitations, not poor departmental performance.
    • Members were reminded that Tennessee requires ambulance and law-enforcement service but does not require a county fire department by law, making volunteer support structures especially important.

  • Outcome:

    • no vote on funding or resolution changes;
    • discussion set up future budget and policy conversations.

Sheriff / Jail / Equipment

  • The sheriff introduced a Tennessee Corrections Institute presentation focused on overcrowding, certification, and jail planning.

New Business / Agenda Items

Jail overcrowding and TCI action plan

  • TCI explained that it inspects county jails against roughly 450-plus standards and serves as a training and risk-management support agency for certified facilities.
  • Current status:
    • Hickman County’s jail remains certified under a plan of action because of overcrowding and related deficiencies;
    • the county must continue showing measurable progress.
  • Key jail figures discussed:
    • rated capacity: 110;
    • population at the time of the original 2024 review: 159;
    • one later reinspection count was around 143;
    • current day count cited in the meeting: 123;
    • August 2024 population was cited at 166, about 150% of capacity.
  • TCI’s diagnosis:
    • the most significant pressure point was an unusually high share of pretrial felons;
    • prior circuit-court scheduling had contributed to backlog concerns, though TCI said the current circuit judge appears to be helping;
    • inmate discipline numbers were low, suggesting the jail is being managed reasonably well despite crowding.
  • Operational details and constraints:
    • jail kitchen, medical area, and program space were all described as limited for any larger population;
    • accreditation and inmate programming were described as tools to reduce recidivism and earn additional state reimbursement, but the facility lacks robust space for that work.
  • Law and compliance:
    • TCI said a new state law effective in July now gives counties up to 5 years to solve overcrowding deficiencies while remaining certified under a plan of action, replacing the prior open-ended pattern in some counties.
  • Recommendation:
    • TCI urged the county to establish or use a county corrections partnership / committee to work through jail operations, population management, and long-term facility planning;
    • TCI strongly recommended a free CTAS needs assessment rather than paying for outside consultants.
  • Cost:
    • the proposed CTAS study would cost the county $0.
  • Outcome:
    • motion approved to move forward with the CTAS jail study;
    • full court action will still be needed;
    • the mayor and sheriff were expected to work on committee structure unless commissioners directed otherwise.
  • Broader implication:
    • TCI said the county likely does not need an entirely new jail, but an expansion may be necessary if population-management measures do not sufficiently reduce demand.

Jail camera system replacement

  • The sheriff presented an updated quote for replacing the jail camera system and said the cost had increased by about $7,000 in roughly 4 months.
  • Reason for increase:
    • mostly higher storage / hard-drive costs, with additional pressure from technology shortages, tariffs, chips, and component pricing.
  • Proposed system features:
    • rewiring from old coax to Cat 6;
    • coverage plan built around about 80 cameras with room to scale to 100;
    • 90-day storage included, with a 180-day option said to add about $2,000;
    • 5-year warranties on cameras and servers, with a possible 10-year option to be priced;
    • local service support instead of the county’s current out-of-state vendor response delays;
    • AI-powered search and event detection, including object searches and automated incident review;
    • case-file creation for evidence and insurance use;
    • integration possibility with panic buttons.
  • Panic button issue:
    • the courthouse panic-button system was discussed as a separate roughly $10,000 addition;
    • members said panic-button compliance is already an issue with the court system.
  • Financing:
    • vendor said 0% financing over 5 years remained available, with no prepayment penalty;
    • a commissioner cautioned that finance staff must confirm whether the county can legally use that structure.
  • Outcome:
    • no vote yet;
    • the committee asked for a clearer cost breakdown by the next meeting and for finance review before any approval.

Sheriff vehicle transfer to EMA

  • The sheriff requested transferring a Ford F-150 from sheriff inventory to EMA rather than surplusing it.
  • Justification:
    • EMA can use the vehicle for its emergency-management work.
  • Outcome:
    • approved by motion and voice vote.

DRMO emergency equipment acquisitions

  • The sheriff and staff described aggressive use of the DRMO surplus program after the winter storm and fire response showed the county was not adequately equipped for debris removal and emergency access.
  • Equipment obtained or pursued:
    • multiple skid steers;
    • a rubber-tire loader;
    • a dump truck;
    • a box truck for moving supplies;
    • two compactors;
    • a lowboy / drop-deck trailer from Tacoma, Washington;
    • potential future acquisition of two tracked SWAT robots valued around $200,000 each.
  • Compactor details:
    • one comparable compactor shown in supporting material was reportedly selling for around $200,000;
    • one acquired county unit had only 291 hours and appeared barely used;
    • each unit was said to weigh about 47,000 pounds.
  • Logistical issues described:
    • the county lacked a suitable trailer and hydraulic setup to retrieve and unload some acquired equipment;
    • Barnhill Excavation loaned a trailer, and a later DRMO lowboy acquisition was described as solving future transport problems.
  • Financial and operational rationale:
    • all major acquisitions were obtained free except transport, fuel, and repair effort;
    • after one year, some DRMO items may be eligible for sale;
    • the sheriff estimated the county now holds roughly $250,000–$300,000 in compactor value and roughly half a million dollars in total acquired equipment;
    • diesel spending has increased, with the sheriff saying he would move internal budget money if needed rather than immediately seek more general-fund support.
  • Benefits cited:
    • stronger disaster response during ice storms, road blockages, and debris events;
    • better landfill debris compaction, extending landfill life and improving debris management;
    • ability to pre-position equipment throughout the county before major weather events.
  • Outcome:
    • no formal vote on the DRMO strategy itself;
    • committee members expressed support and appreciation.

Announcements

  • The committee said it will hold a December Health and Safety meeting because of the Rescue Squad/fire coverage issue.
  • Commissioners were encouraged to attend or monitor fire-association and 9-1-1 meetings as those issues develop.

Adjournment

  • Meeting adjourned by motion.

Key figures and statistics

Figure Type Context / topic
50% Share County share of current dispatch budget
50% Share City share of current dispatch budget
9 Count Number of 9-1-1 board members
2 to 4 years Term length Restructuring period for public 9-1-1 board members
$420,000 Revenue / contribution Annual 9-1-1 board contribution to dispatch from state budget
2 years Time period Planning window discussed for dispatch transition
1.5 years Time period Time already into dispatch change planning
80% Progress Remodeling completion for moving dispatch to the 9-1-1 building
278 Runs EMS monthly call volume
$189,376.79 Billing EMS charges for the month
$74,982.65 Collections EMS collections for the month
2018 Vehicle year Ford ambulance requested for surplus
$300,000 Reimbursement EMS ambulance reimbursement request/status
16 Calls EMA responses where other agencies needed support
October 30 Date Second missing-person search referenced by EMA
November 16 Date Floodplain public meeting date
6 p.m. Time Floodplain public meeting time
2 of 20 Phase State reimbursement process phase for winter-storm funding
$1,133,129.40 Reimbursement estimate Combined Hickman County / Town of Centerville winter-storm reimbursement
2 weeks Time period Generator bids expected to run in the paper
60% Service area Approximate county area affected if Rescue Squad/fire district is lost
12 months Grace period Time for a new chief to complete training after taking the role
2018 Year County resolution year for fire-chief/training requirements discussion
16 hours Training hours Introductory fire training discussed
64 hours Training hours Firefighter training requirement discussed
80 hours Training hours Older TFACA training reference in current resolution
$5,000 Training cost Approximate cost of certain fire training classes
$7,600 Training cost Approximate EMR class cost
$3,000 Training cost Lower end of fire-service class cost range
$10,000 Training cost Upper end of fire-service class cost range
$2,500 Training cost Approximate per-person firefighter training cost
$475,000 Funding request Historical fire-association ask after reduction
$660,000 Funding request Prior paper fire-association request before reduction
$300,000 Funding request Possible current-year fire-association ask
2023 Year University of Tennessee insurance-savings study referenced
1 to 10 Scale ISO fire rating scale
46% Percentage Estimated insurance savings difference between ISO class 10 and class 5
5 ISO rating East Hickman ISO rating reported
10 ISO rating Pleasantville ISO rating reported
4 to 5 months Time period ISO push into Tennessee discussed by fire chief
4 to 5 years Time period Approximate ISO reevaluation frequency discussed
110 Capacity Jail rated capacity
159 Headcount Jail population at original TCI review
143 Headcount Jail population at one reinspection figure discussed
123 Headcount Jail population on the day of this meeting
166 Headcount Jail population in August 2024
150% Occupancy rate Jail population compared with rated capacity
450-plus Standards count Approximate TCI jail standards
125 Count Number of sheriff-operated jails/workhouses in Tennessee
5 Count Number of uncertified jails currently cited in Tennessee
43 Headcount TDOC inmates figure referenced in discussion of backup populations
$54 per day Cost Estimated daily cost to house and feed one inmate
61% Percentage Share of jail population that should not be pretrial felons, as discussed by TCI
2007 Year Year current jail was built
6 Count New hires figure TCI referenced from prior review data
345 per 100,000 Incarceration rate U.S. incarceration comparison figure cited
2024 Year Year TCI gathered the local data discussed
January 29, 2025 Date Date of prior TCI presentation to county commission
85% Occupancy target Preferred operating level for a jail to preserve reserve capacity
2023 Year Jail population year comparison shown by TCI
1,558 Bookings Jail bookings in 2024 cited by TCI
1,423 Releases Jail releases in 2024 cited by TCI
$6 Reimbursement rate Extra per-state-inmate payment for tier-one accreditation
$6 Reimbursement rate Additional per-state-inmate payment for tier-two accreditation
100-plus Program count Inmate programs at Rutherford County Workhouse referenced as comparison
200 Caseload Probation cases on one officer discussed by TCI
850 Count Approximate number of people TCI said could be jailed if all probation cases were violated
172 days Average duration Jail average stay discussed
673 days Time served Long jail stay figure discussed
3.5 years per year Aging factor County-jail wear-and-tear rule of thumb
2000 Year Approximate period referenced for how long current jail has lasted
2035 Year Population projection horizon TCI said should inform jail planning
5 years Compliance period New law’s maximum plan-of-action period for overcrowding fixes
December 9 Date TCI board appearance date referenced
$0 Cost Cost of CTAS jail study to the county
$7,000 Cost increase Increase in jail camera quote over several months
4 months Time period Approximate span over which jail camera price increased
Cat 6 Infrastructure New jail camera wiring standard proposed
80 Camera count Base camera coverage level proposed
100 Camera count Expandable camera count proposed
90 days Retention period Base proposed video storage
180 days Retention period Possible upgraded video storage
$2,000 Upgrade cost Additional cost to move from 90 to 180 days of storage
5 years Warranty Base warranty on cameras and servers
10 years Warranty Optional extended warranty discussed
$10,000 Cost Approximate added cost for panic-button system
0% Financing rate Proposed financing for jail camera project
5 years Financing term Proposed financing period for jail camera project
$350 million Financing capacity Vendor finance company capacity cited
$200,000 Equipment value Comparable compactor value cited
291 Hours Low hours on one acquired compactor
47,000 pounds Weight Approximate weight of retrieved equipment/trailer load discussed
$45,000–$50,000 Resale value Estimated immediate resale value of acquired trailer
$120,000 Value Estimated value of trailer after refurbishment
$250,000–$300,000 Equipment value Estimated combined value of two acquired compactors
Half a million dollars Equipment value Sheriff’s estimate of total acquired equipment value
2 Count Number of tracked SWAT robots sought through DRMO
$200,000 each Equipment value Approximate value of each robot discussed
$500 Budget amount Prior diesel/generator line-item level described
$10,000 Budget amount Increased diesel line-item level described

External vendors, brands, and software

Name Type Context / topic
Medicare Company EMS collections slowdown attributed to delayed payments
Medicaid Company EMS collections slowdown attributed to delayed payments
TFACA Company Firefighter live-burn and historical training reference
University of Tennessee Company Insurance-savings study cited in ISO discussion
TCI Company Tennessee Corrections Institute jail inspection and compliance presentation
TDOC Company State inmate backup and county-jail population discussion
CTAS Software Free jail needs assessment / study recommended by TCI
NVIDIA Brand AI-capable chips discussed in jail camera proposal
Barnhill Excavation Company Loaned trailer to retrieve heavy surplus equipment
Kenworth Brand Semi-truck donated/used in sheriff disaster-response equipment program
ChatGPT Software Example used to explain AI-style search capability in camera system

Personnel changes

Name Role / office Change Context / topic
Pete Tibbs Interim Chief, Hickman County Rescue Squad Resigning from interim appointment Said he will step down in December; no successor confirmed yet, creating risk to Rescue Squad/fire district continuity

Laws and policies

Citation / name Level Type Context / topic
Resolution 1815 County Resolution County fire-service training standards; Fire Chiefs Association requested clarification/update
FDID number requirements State Regulation Discussed as necessary for a department to operate as a fire department and retain standing/funding
HIPAA Federal Law Cited in discussion of the proposed jail camera system being compliant