Barry Brown prepares to represent Warren County’s Third District

WARREN COUNTY, Ky. — Barry Brown will bring a focus on responsible growth, infrastructure and transparency to Warren County Fiscal Court after defeating incumbent Rick Williams in the Nov. 3 election.

Brown received 2,933 votes, or 53.2% of the vote, compared with Williams’ 2,577 votes, according to unofficial election results.

The Third Magisterial District is one of six districts that make up Warren County Fiscal Court. Each district elects a magistrate to represent its residents in county government. The districts are separate from Bowling Green’s city commission districts and do not follow city limits exclusively.

Warren County’s magisterial district boundaries were updated in 2023 following the release of census data. County officials said the districts were adjusted to keep their populations relatively equal, with approximately 22,000 residents in each district at the time. Boundaries follow roads, streams and rivers in some areas.

Residents can view the Third District’s boundaries through the City-County Planning Commission’s interactive voting and political boundaries map, available through the Warren County Clerk’s website. The map allows residents to identify their magisterial district by address.

Brown said his decision to run for office began while talking with residents during door-to-door campaigning. He said some people told him they did not participate in local elections because they felt they did not have a choice of candidates.

He said those conversations encouraged him to run and give voters another option.

Brown moved to Warren County 20 years ago for a job opportunity. He brings nearly 40 years of experience in manufacturing, supply chain and procurement. He said his professional background will help him understand county budgets, manage spending and address complex government issues.

Brown said he wants county leaders to be able to explain how taxpayer money is spent and what residents receive in return.

He also outlined four priorities during an interview: growth, roads, infrastructure and transparency.

Brown said decisions made during the next four years could influence Warren County’s development for decades. He believes infrastructure should be in place before additional growth occurs and said county leaders need to address traffic concerns before they become more difficult to manage.

One issue Brown expects to receive continued attention is the potential development of hyperscale data centers in Warren County.

Brown said he is personally opposed to a hyperscale data center coming to the county, citing concerns about water and electricity use, land requirements, stormwater runoff and environmental impacts.

He also questioned whether the number of jobs created by such facilities would justify the resources required.

Brown supports a proposed one-year moratorium on hyperscale data center development to give county officials additional time to study potential impacts and consider stronger regulations. He said projects of that scale should include opportunities for public input before decisions are made.

As he prepares to join Fiscal Court, Brown said he wants to make himself accessible to residents. He plans to hold quarterly town halls, distribute monthly newsletters and provide regular updates about Fiscal Court agendas and decisions.

He said his first 90 days will focus on building relationships with county department heads, other magistrates and Judge-Executive Doug Gorman while learning more about current county projects and spending.

Looking ahead to the end of his first term, Brown said he hopes residents will remember him as someone who represented the district fairly, listened to concerns and held himself accountable.