The Martin County Board heard from emergency management director Abigail Nesbit Tuesday concerning the acceptance of an Emergency Management Performance Grant. “The monetary value is $21,633 which is a $100 increase over last year,” Nesbit noted. “That sounds like nothing but since we’ve been on a huge decline for the past decade, going up $100 is monumental. Our whole EM region has been showing up at representatives and senators meetings and saying that we need more money because our money’s going down and disasters are going up, which makes no sense.”

The county has received the grant on an annual basis, and the grant dollars go toward expenses for emergency management in the Sheriff’s Office.

Nesbit said Martin County is being looked to as an example for other counties around the state when it comes to evacuation exercises for jails.

“In June, over the summer, I did a fire/jail evacuation exercise,” she said. “I’ve been asked to present that next week at the Governor’s Emergency Management conference to all the emergency managers and the governor. They heard about it because it was such a success and the Department of Corrections wants to make something like this happen in every county jail throughout the state once a year, and they’re using us as an example.”

Commissioners also:

Set meeting date of June 16, 2020, beginning at 6:30 p.m. for the County Board of Equalization to be held in the Commissioners Meeting Room – First Floor – Martin County Courthouse; with the County Board of Commissioners serving as the Board of Equalization, along with the appointment of Jessica Korte, Auditor/Treasurer, as a member of the Board as well.

Approved proceeding with Priority #1 Storage Building Improvement items as recommended by Wold Architects and Engineers in an estimated amount not to exceed $191,700.

Approve and authorize proceeding with proposed project addition of courthouse dome up-lighting in the amount of $5,000.

Approve shared 2020 Census promotional expenses with the City of Fairmont.

Approved and appointed Commissioner Tom Mahoney and Commissioner Kathy Smith to serve and work with the Fairmont HRA on housing needs in the area.