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Board backs county support for grant to fund regional marine response vessel
Summary
Middlesex supervisors authorized staff to provide a letter of support, pursue an MOU with the Virginia Port Authority team and tentatively add a $6,000 FY27-28 line for operations if a competitive no‑match grant is awarded to buy a marine all‑hazard response vessel.
Following a work-session briefing, the board voted May 5 to back staff actions needed to apply for a competitive, no‑match foundation grant to acquire an all‑hazard marine emergency-response vessel. County staff and sheriff's office representatives told the board the vessel—if awarded—would support law enforcement, EMS, fire-suppression, hazardous-material and search-and-rescue operations on county waterways.
David Layman and Sheriff Sampson described a cooperative staffing model that would use trained volunteers from local volunteer fire departments, the rescue squad and deputies rather than creating new full-time positions. "This is a competitive no match grant opportunity and is not guaranteed... if awarded, it would provide a pathway to significantly enhanced public safety capabilities without requiring any local capital investment," Layman said. The board also approved, by roll call, a motion to authorize the county administrator to provide a letter of support, enter a reviewed MOU with the Virginia Port Authority Maritime Incident Response Team, and consider a $6,000 line item for FY27–28 to cover fuel, insurance and maintenance if the grant is awarded.
