Roosevelt County safety committee asks for modest budget to buy air horns, signage and emergency supplies; commissioners table decision to May 30

Tasha Gracel, chair of Roosevelt County’s safety committee and an employee in the assessor’s office, asked the commission to approve a small, dedicated safety budget to address recurring courthouse and county-facility needs.

Gracel said the courthouse lacks a modern fire-alarm system and currently relies on a single air horn and phone intercoms; the safety committee aims to run quarterly fire drills and requested a pack of air horns as an interim measure. The committee also proposed clearer handicap/elevator signage, active-shooter door-stop devices and CPR masks for departments and courthouse vehicles. Gracel estimated total initial needs at about $1,318.

Commissioners discussed alternatives, including creating a central safety line item, adding department-level safety allocations or buying in bulk and charging departments proportionally. County staff suggested some signage costs might be covered by ADA budgets or road-department funds; the county manager and finance staff also explained purchasing and accounting implications for using department procurement cards.

Several commissioners noted the committee has existed for years and that a modest fund for lower-cost safety items could speed implementation of low-cost safety measures that otherwise stall while staff pursues grants for larger projects. After discussion, a motion was made and seconded to table the safety-committee budget item and revisit it at the May 30 special budget meeting so the committee’s request can be considered alongside final budget decisions.

The commission did not approve a separate safety budget at the meeting; the item will return to the commission during the May 30 budget hearing with additional cost and funding-source recommendations.