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Douglas County adds emergency agenda item to accept $420,378 state obesity-prevention grant
Summary
The Board declared an emergency and approved a state contract awarding the Douglas County Health Department $420,378 to implement obesity-prevention and education activities through May 31, 2026. The contract was presented as an emergency because it arrived with a tight execution deadline; county attorney staff reviewed the contract and the board
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners on June 10 approved an emergency insertion to the agenda and accepted a Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) contract awarding the Douglas County Health Department $420,378 to implement obesity prevention and education activities through May 31, 2026.
Douglas County Health Department Director Lindsey Hughes told the board the contract was delivered to the department on Thursday, June 6 and that state staff required execution by June 11. Hughes said the department held an emergency Board of Health meeting and obtained county attorney review before requesting the commissioners insert the item under the emergency-resolutions process.
Hughes said the award is state grant funding, will be used for obesity-prevention programming focused on physical activity and nutrition, and that it is intended to recoup part of the department's funding lost after recent state budget cuts. She said the contract is a one-year award with five optional one-year renewals, subject to state funding.
County Attorney staff confirmed the contract had been reviewed and recommended the two-step emergency vote: first to declare an emergency under open-meetings rules and then to vote on contract approval and signature. The board voted unanimously 7-0 to declare the emergency and then to approve the contract; both motions passed with voice votes.
Public comment in favor of accepting the funds came from a resident who noted the contract requires no cost-share or local match, and urged commissioners to approve the award to augment local health work.
Ending: The board approved the emergency addition and unanimously approved execution of the $420,378 contract. The grant will fund obesity-prevention programming in Douglas County through May 2026; optional annual renewals would depend on future state funding.
