Commissioners authorize submission of FY2009 Homeland Security grant survey amid concerns about ongoing costs

The St. Mary’s County Board of County Commissioners on March 3 authorized the Department of Public Safety to submit the county’s Federal Fiscal Year 2009 Homeland Security grant application survey to the State of Maryland, a procedural step required for the state to apply for and allocate federal funds to counties.

The request, presented by Department of Public Safety representative Mister Zylak, described a FY2009 grant total of $322,528 and listed several projects staff proposed the county include in the state application: mobile data terminals (MDBs) for nine fire command vehicles, an area remote radiation monitor to reduce first-responder exposure, a marine vessel for sheriff’s operations, and funds to plan and train a CERT (Citizen Emergency Response Team) volunteer program. "This input that we're providing to the state is merely a survey…and that…