Board approves $300,000 LEAP grant application for countywide EagleView aerial imagery

The Board of Commissioners approved a resolution on Feb. 18 to apply for a $300,000 Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP) grant to purchase EagleView aerial imagery and updated geospatial data; the county would provide a $131,070 cash match if awarded.

County Tax Administrator Terry Prendergast told commissioners the EagleView product (formerly Pictometry) provides high‑resolution oblique and orthogonal aerial imagery and measuring tools used by municipal assessors, emergency management, planning, engineering and others. “We will have unlimited user ability for this program,” Prendergast said, adding the county seeks a five‑year annual flyover to keep parcel-level imagery current for assessors and other departments.

Why it matters: staff said municipalities and municipal assessors already use aerial imagery and that the county typically pays the full program cost from the Board of Taxation trust fund. The LEAP grant would cover $300,000 of a roughly $431,070 five‑year program, reducing the county trust‑fund contribution to $131,070 if the county receives the award. Commissioners asked whether municipalities currently pay and whether the grant would change the trust‑fund outlay; staff said the trust fund typically pays and that the grant would reduce that need if awarded.

Vote: the board approved the LEAP grant application by roll call; commissioners also asked staff to provide details to the Roads & Bridges/shared‑services committee about the expected savings and how municipalities currently use imagery.

Ending: staff said the county will proceed with the application and, if awarded, will work with municipal assessors and GIS users to implement EagleView for countywide use.