ARDMORE – County commissioners have signed off on the final part of an overhaul for some facilities, and other action saw firefighting equipment upgrades for four county fire departments. Along with other formal actions, commissioners heard the first preliminary presentation for a county fairground.

Carter County Commissioners on Monday approved a $310,000 contract with MacHill Construction Company for a new county maintenance building in downtown Ardmore. Bids first went out for the project along with several other building upgrades late last year and commissioners in December approved over $2.8 million for three projects. At the time, commissioners rejected three bids for the maintenance building which each topped $500,000.

Read More: County commission approves $2.8 million in upgrades to courthouse, administrative offices (Dec. 5, 2022)

“I think the architect kind of had a bunch of stuff that we didn’t need in there, we cut a bunch of stuff off and redone it,” said Commission Chair Joe David McReynolds on Monday. “It’s going to be a shop, it ain’t going to be an actual office.”

According to the contract approved by commissioners, work is expected to begin next week and should be completed by the end of the year.

The commission also approved over $33,300 for firefighting equipment for four area fire departments in Ardmore, Dickson, Lone Grove and Sneed. McReynolds said the purchases were approved by area fire chiefs last week. Sneed will receive $17,000 worth of protective equipment for structural and woodland firefighting.

In other business, the commission:

• heard a presentation from Zac Allen, representing a small group of area parents, about efforts to establish a county fairground;
• approved the disposal of equipment from Districts 2 and 3;
• approved payroll, requisitions and purchase orders for County Highway, General Government and all cash accounts.