Committee approves Homeland Security grant for Sumner County EMA equipment; contract documents attached

The Sumner County Health & Emergency Services Committee unanimously approved placement of and acceptance for an FY-2024 Homeland Security Grant for the Emergency Management Agency during its April 7 meeting. Commissioner Darrell Rogers moved, seconded by Commissioner Ben Harris, to approve the grant —up to $42,578.52 or contract amount,— and the committee carried the motion unanimously. EMA Director Ken Weidner provided reports and supporting documentation to the committee packets and discussed recent weather events and damage assessments.

Supporting grant documents included a state contract and a line-item budget for the FY-2024 Homeland Security Grant (assistance listing 97.067). The packet and emails list equipment and suggested purchases, including a 25 kW portable generator ($33,000.00), ballistic body armor ($3,578.52), extrication suit ($1,400.00), rescue boots ($1,400.00), rescue goggles ($350.00), rescue helmets ($2,100.00) and gloves ($700.00). The grant materials included the contract start and end dates (09/01/2024—/30/2027 in the contract header) and state-signed grant forms. The email in the record states verbatim: "Fy-24 Homeland Security Grant, 100% no local match." The meeting minutes record the motion amount as "up to $42,578.52 or contract amount," while the state Grant Contract and attached budget list the Maximum Liability and total grant amount as $42,528.52; this discrepancy appears in the packet (noted here for accuracy). Committee documents do not reflect additional local matching requirements.