Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Operations Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Uvalde County accepts $2.25 million federal grant to build Emergency Operations Center
Summary
Uvalde County accepted a $2.25 million federal award to renovate the former American Lumber Company building into an Emergency Operations Center; county staff said the local 25% match will be met largely with the building purchase and in‑kind contributions, and the court authorized grant acceptance and related next steps.
Uvalde County Commissioners Court voted to accept a $2,250,000 federal grant to renovate the former American Lumber Company building at 207 South Getty Street into an Emergency Operations Center.
Carl, a county staff member presenting the item, said the county purchased the building for $725,000 using American Rescue Plan Act funds and that the grant includes a required 25% local share of $750,000. "The award letter in the amount of the federal share of $2,250,000 and a local share of 25% or $750,000," Carl said, adding the local match will include the purchase price and $25,000 in in‑kind match and that no additional cash match is required.
Carl described a three‑year performance period running from Sept. 1, 2024, through Aug. 31, 2027, and said the project will enlarge the county's operations footprint and improve technological capabilities to help Uvalde and neighboring counties respond to man‑made and natural disasters. He said staff will solicit qualifications for engineering and architectural services and return to the court with scope and budget recommendations.
Forrest Anderson, the county's emergency management coordinator, told the court the grant will be managed through the Texas Division of Emergency Management and recommended acceptance "wholeheartedly." "We'll be there every day, so we will be right there at the front door of the operation managing that," Anderson said.
By voice vote the court approved accepting the grant. No roll‑call vote was recorded in the transcript; the motion was approved by voice and described in the record as "motion carries." The county will next solicit an architect/engineer and bring procurement and construction items back to the court for approvals.
The grant and the planned EOC renovation tie into prior county action: county minutes show the building purchase occurred March 13, 2023, and the grant request was included in a fiscal‑year '24 community project funding request. The county has up to three years to complete the work under the grant timeline described by staff.
