Committee approves permission to apply for mitigation grant to buy generators, BDAs and switches; county match expected

County emergency management staff asked for and received permission to apply for a federal mitigation grant to bolster backup power and communications at critical county facilities.

The project, described by staff, would purchase a large mobile generator with transfer‑switch capability to serve multiple county buildings (including OIT, the health department and Pauls), install BDAs (bi‑directional amplifiers) to improve in‑building radio coverage at the sheriff's office and the judicial center, and replace aging generators at Milton Tower, the sheriff's CID and narcotics office and the EMS station on Old Salem Highway. Staff presented a total project cost of approximately $1,045,068.86 with a federal share of 75%, a state share of 12.5% and a county share of about 12.5% (county match cited in the meeting as $130,710.85). Staff said the county does not currently have the match budgeted and that if awarded, the budget committee would later need to identify available sources (staff indicated unassigned fund balance as a likely source pending future approvals).

Commissioners asked whether the county would trade in older equipment; staff replied that only the EMS generator would be a direct replacement (age >20 years) while other units were new deployments. Commissioners pressed staff to coordinate with the finance director about how the local match would be funded if the grant is awarded. The committee voted to permit staff to apply; no contract or commitment of local funds was authorized at the meeting.

If awarded, the project would require later committee and commission approvals before the county would commit local matching dollars.