Federal Funds On The Way

Sonora, CA — Tuolumne County is receiving $228K in federal emergency services grant funding.

It was announced at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting that the county will receive $136K in Emergency Management Program Grant funds and $91K from the Homeland Security Grant Program. The county has received EMPG grant money for the past 15 years and Homeland Security funding for the past eight. Each grant has specific goals and objectives.

A local committee meets each year to determine how the funds will be spent, and this year it was decided that communication will be the top priority. It is noted that this is in light of a new mandate that all communication radios meet narrow band compliance. Money will primarily go to purchase radios for the Sonora PD, city and county road departments, and the Columbia Fire Department. Remaining funds will be utilized to maintain operations at the County Emergency Operations Center and to fund staffing for emergency Services.

The Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to accept the federal grant funding.