Cochise County work session: emergency services budget could shift to general fund if federal grants are cut

At a Cochise County Board of Supervisors work session in the Supervisors' Hearing Room in Melody Lane, Emergency Manager Dan DeShawn outlined a proposed fiscal year 2026 emergency services budget totaling $465,394 and cautioned that federal grant reductions could force the county general fund to pick up more recurring costs.

DeShawn told supervisors the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), which has historically required a roughly 50% local match, is under manual review and that the county is planning for a possible 10% cut this year. "We won't get our actual award until May or June," DeShawn said, adding that the grant program's language emphasizes "these funds are to be used to build capacity, not necessarily maintain that capacity." He said multiple FEMA and Department of Homeland Security reviews are affecting state and local awards.

The budget presentation described a mix of grant-funded and general-fund-supported items. DeShawn said that under the proposal the general fund share would be about 58 percent while…