Marion County seeks grants for radio upgrades, backs road-funding legislation and receives multiple funding updates

Marion County Commissioners approved a number of infrastructure and funding actions, including authorization to apply for a governor's public safety grant to upgrade county radio communications and adoption of a county resolution urging state legislation to direct additional motor-fuel and electric-vehicle registration revenue to counties for road maintenance.

The court authorized submission of an application for portable and mobile radios as part of a multi-year county radio upgrade the judge described as a roughly $1.5 million effort over several years; the grant request at this stage covers 13 portable radios and seven mobile radios and is competitive, with award amounts to be determined. Commissioners acknowledged that grants may only cover portions of the project and that the county will continue to pursue multiple funding sources.

Separately, the court adopted a resolution supporting legislative changes to reallocate one penny of the state motor fuel tax and 5% of EV registration fees to the county and road district highway fund, a change commissioners said could materially increase county road funding if enacted at the state level. The court also approved budgeting an additional $100,000 for the sheriffs office from SB22 appropriations and ratified a $100,000 Rural Prosecutor salary assistance award previously signed by the district attorney to meet a deadline.

The county judge provided an update on the hospital building transaction: the contract is with the title company and the court is awaiting an abstract/title policy before closing; no closing occurred at the meeting but staff expected to complete the title step within days.