Published: October 31, 2007 09:50 am            

County receives grant for Homeland Security

Henderson County has received a $274,043 grant package from the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management through the Homeland Security Grant Program.

The Commissioner’s Court voted Tuesday to accept the funds which will be used in several areas.

Of the total over $97,000 will go for laptops to be used by law enforcement officers, $130,000 for a portable communication light tower, $40,000 for communications equipment and over $6,400 for medical first aid responder supplies.

Henderson County Sheriff’s Department Asst. Chief Deputy Tony Allison said the laptops will be put to use in the individual officer’s patrol cars.

The county will shop for bids on the laptops and should get from 29 to 31 of the units, Allison said.

The portable communication tower is fully mobile, powered by a generator and can be operated anywhere in the county during an emergency situation.

County Emergency Management Coordinator Joy Kimbrough said the county received short notice on the grant application process and everyone involved worked hard to put it together in time.

In other action the commissioners approved a request from the Athens Economic Development Corporation for approval on a $120,000 grant package from I Cool L.L.C. The package won approval from the Athens City Council this month, however, the commissioner’s court action was required because the I Cool L.L.C. building is located outside of Athens and within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the city. The business is located on Hwy. 31 west of Athens.

The AEDC incentive package includes a $3,000 a month lease supplement for 18 months, $3,000 for each full-time employee during the first year of the agreement and $3,000 for each full-time employee added during the following six months. The total value of the incentive package is $120,000.

        

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