Emergency-management grant approved for hazardous-materials supplies; long-serving manager urges quarterly EOC review

County emergency management staff presented the Homeland Security Emergency Management Planning (HMEP) grant and described allowable uses and matching rules. The federal obligation is $2,250; staff explained that the county can meet the 25% match through contribution-in-kind (meeting attendance, equipment or supplies) and that the county's out-of-pocket obligation could be as little as $542 depending on match accounting.

Staff proposed using grant funds this year to purchase absorbent pads and booms to support initial response to oil spills, and said the county fire departments would split and store those supplies strategically. The board directed staff to prepare a resolution for next week to accept or authorize the grant and associated purchases.

Public comment: Mike (who identified himself as an emergency-management professional with decades of service in Ogemaw County and Region 3) said he learned of a recent posting for the county emergency-management coordinator position online and said he had not been contacted directly; he asked the board to meet with Francine to review records, highlighted past hazard-mitigation planning and BRIC grant work, and urged quarterly EOC meetings. Commissioners agreed to arrange a follow-up meeting with him and to provide documents for review.

Quote: "We should be meeting every quarter, and we should be talking about this," the public commenter said, urging the board to convene EOC stakeholders regularly.

Ending: Staff will draft a resolution to accept the HMEP grant and bring it back for formal action; the board agreed to schedule a follow-up briefing to review the county's hazard-mitigation plan and EOC procedures with the commenter and staff.