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TOP STORY OF THE DAY: County Commissioners OKs Grant Applications
The Clay County Commission met Monday, where they OK’d several grant applications and an unofficial detour.
The May 2 minutes were approved unanimously.
Clay County Community Corrections has applied for a $137,025 grant, with no changes from last year’s spending level.
Applications will be evaluated in July, though there is no guarantee for funding, as it’s a competitive grant. The funding would be for Calendar Year 2023. The Commission voted all in favor to OK application, after hearing from Community Corrections Executive Director Jordan Forquer.
Rob Gambill, Emergency Management Director, asked to continue a state Homeland Security grant application, and received an all-in-favor vote. That money is passed down from the federal government, with a total $27.5 million going to the state.
Each county can apply for up to $150,000, Gambill said. The project request is for off-site data storage, which would allow county officials to work from the data storage site, in case of a serious emergency that corrupts or destroys the original data site. The requested amount is $58,840.50 and they would be reimbursed the full grant amount, with no needed match.
Commissioner Paul Sinders was excited about the possibility.
“Hopefully we will get this grant and get it up and running,” Sinders said. “I think it will be a real blessing for the county.”
Next, the Commission approved the Gordon Flesch copier lease for the County Clerk’s Office. Andrew Gauer, account executive with the company, presented their lease agreement for 60 months, which includes 2,000 images per month. There is an overage charge per page, for copies made above that number. The cost is $210.30 per month and was approved by the Commission.
A Health Department grant the state offered as Covid 19 relief from last year is again available this year, for those counties who didn’t participate last year. Because school quarantine requirements changed, the grant money can be used for other needs. Known as the School Liason grant, in the amount of $110,000, it is a one-year grant.
It is not a competitive grant, and they can use it to provide immunization clinics on Saturdays and during the evenings.
The County Commission approved it, all in favor.
The Food Protection Ordinance was on its second reading. Sinders worked with Health Department health inspector Judah Lohrman to revise the ordinance for this reading. Resolution 2022-5, regarding restaurant inspections and fines, was approved all in favor.
The Center Point Zoning Commission was on the agenda, but because their representative had Covid 19, they asked to move to the July meeting.
Next, the Commission approved an unofficial detour, for work on State Road 246. An official detour from INDOT already exists, but would cause locals to go farther out of the way. Construction was set to begin as early as Monday, June 6, Sinders said, but no evidence of construction existed during the weekend.
The road closure is expected to continue through July.
Next, they heard about the 2021 Highway annual report, which goes into great detail.
“I know this has taken a lot of time and effort,” Sinders said, “this is not a simple report.”
One public comment was heard about a recently condemned house, where about 16 animals were surrendered. A mother and daughter relocated from the home, the speaker said.
Next, they heard reports from 4-H Extension, the Sheriff’s Department and the clerk about their needs, on matters that didn’t require a vote.