Sheriff Mitchell reports new snowcat acquisition, board approves maintenance agreement and $200,000 OEM grant application

Sheriff Mitchell reported the Sheriff's Office acquired a 2025 Tucker snowcat through a statewide preparedness and incident‑response equipment program (Inspire Grant). Mitchell said the county will house and maintain the equipment for Klamath County Search and Rescue and asked the board to approve an agreement with the Office of Emergency Management to provide maintenance support; the board approved the maintenance agreement by voice vote. Mitchell noted the snowcat was recently deployed to California disaster response operations.

Mitchell also described a proposed application to the Oregon Office of Emergency Management for a nonprofit security grant that, if awarded, would provide approximately $200,000 to renovate the Search and Rescue headquarters at 5160 Summers Lane. The board moved, seconded and authorized the sheriff's office to apply for the OEM grant; the motion passed. Meeting remarks recorded the fiscal impact of the maintenance agreement as undetermined (maintenance costs unknown) and stated that the $200,000 figure is contingent on grant award.