Committee approves grants, 911 training contract and EMS support for Chatham Fair

Columbia County’s Health and Human Services Committee approved four administrative actions during its April 15, 2025 meeting: authorization to accept a grant, a one‑year extension for a hazard mitigation grant, authorization to contract for 911 training and monitoring following the retirement of the 911 director, and a contract to provide EMS coverage at the Chatham Fair.

The committee voted by voice on each item. Meeting audio records show motions made and seconded and the committee responding “Aye” to each voice vote; individual roll‑call tallies were not provided in the record.

The items approved: authorization to accept an unspecified grant (recorded as “New York State and Houston” in the minutes); authorization to extend a hazard mitigation grant for one year; authorization to contract with a trainer/monitor for the 911 center to support transition after the retirement of 911 Director Rob Loop; and authorization for County EMS (CCEMS) to enter a contract with the County Agricultural Society/Chatham Fair to assist the Chatham Rescue Squad with event coverage.

Meeting discussion noted the 911 training contract is intended to smooth the transition to a new director and that the Chatham Fair contract grew out of a request from Chatham Rescue Squad because the event’s demands had outpaced that single agency’s capacity. The record shows the fair’s organizers and rescue squad are expected to contribute to the cost of coverage under the contract.

Votes at a glance

- Authorization to accept grant (described in meeting as "New York State and Houston"): approved by voice vote; motion text not otherwise specified in the transcript. - Authorization to extend hazard mitigation grant for one year: approved by voice vote; motion text as presented in meeting. - Authorization to contract for training and monitoring for the 911 department (to assist transition after retirement of Director Rob Loop): approved by voice vote; motion text as presented. - Authorization to contract with the County Agricultural Society/Chatham Fair for CCEMS assistance to Chatham Rescue Squad during the fair: approved by voice vote; motion text as presented.

The committee did not provide detailed roll‑call vote counts in the transcript. Where the motion or supporting documents were not read aloud in full, the record lists the agenda item title only. The committee did not attach effective dates, contract amounts, or detailed budgets for these items in the spoken record; those details were not specified in the transcript.