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Harrison County court approves FEMA generator grant application, several administrative contracts
Summary
The Harrison County Commissioners Court approved submitting a FEMA grant application for an emergency generator project and cleared routine administrative items, including a Westlaw subscription and payment of regular bills; the FEMA motion passed 5–0.
The Harrison County Commissioners Court voted to approve submission of a FEMA grant application to pay for an emergency generator and moved several routine administrative items at its meeting.
The court heard from county staff that the FEMA grant application has been pending for nearly four years and that repeated price increases required updated paperwork. A county staff member told the court the project is "a little over a $100,000 project," and asked the judge to sign the required Form 424 so FEMA could finalize the contract.
Why it matters: County officials said the generator would support emergency operations and first-responder functions at critical facilities. Commissioners and staff framed the project as necessary to keep essential equipment operational during severe conditions.
In addition to the FEMA item, the court approved payment of regular bills totaling $1,105,014.39 and heard a finance update reporting partial receipt of a previously-expected $900,000 reimbursement (about $328,212.58 received in January, the county said). Staff also noted outstanding invoices for an Etechs contract and unpaid labor on a Holly Street drainage project where materials had been paid but the job was not complete.
The court also approved a three-year Westlaw subscription for public and legal-office access beginning in August 2025 at a proposed monthly rate of $507.45, with a stated 5% annual increase. That contract motion was seconded and the court recorded the motion as passing 5–0.
What happened next: The FEMA grant motion was approved by the court (recorded vote: 5–0). County staff said they will submit the documentation to the U.S. Treasury to address a separate ARPA deobligation notice and will continue processing outstanding invoices and contract settlements.
Quotes and attribution: "This will be the 3rd time that the judge has been asked to sign this... But altogether, it's, a little over a $100,000 project," a county staff member said when describing the FEMA grant application. Justice Court/Presiding Judge Sims led the motions and recorded the votes.
The court also discussed vehicle replacements and insurance settlements with fleet staff, and staff said they were coordinating with TAC on settlements and replacements for several damaged county vehicles.
Next steps: Staff will submit required federal paperwork for the FEMA grant and will continue to pursue the remaining reimbursements and outstanding invoice payments before the next court meeting.
