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EMA director says federal grant approved to fund fairgrounds warning siren; county to cover ~10%
Summary
IEMA/IEMA‑administered grant of roughly $41,000 was approved to install an outdoor warning siren at the county fairgrounds; the EMA director told the board the county’s share would be about 10% and that the award must clear multiple agency signoffs before funds are released.
The county’s emergency management director told the Iroquois County Board that a federal grant application to install an outdoor warning siren at the fairgrounds has been approved and the award currently stands at just over $41,000.
The director said the county’s hazard mitigation plan — completed May 4 and representing 24 of the 25 jurisdictions in the region — allowed the county to apply for funds tied to recent federal flood relief dollars that had been reallocated for mitigation projects. He described the federal application window as short and the paperwork onerous, and said the application included required federal reviews related to potential effects on cultural or burial sites.
"That grant is sitting at just a little more than $41,000. We will be responsible for about 10% of that," the director told the board. He cautioned the board that the administrative process will be slow, listing multiple signatures and reviews at IEMA and FEMA and a local signoff by the county chairman before federal disbursement.
The director said the siren would be audible on the fairgrounds and in surrounding areas, particularly to people outside vehicles and campers who use the fairgrounds. While he expressed guarded optimism that checks would be issued, he said the county should expect a multi‑stage approval and paperwork process before installation could begin.
Board members asked staff to follow up on timelines and bring any required authorizations to the board once the federal paperwork clears the agency review steps.
