An emergency management grant awarded to Allen County has seen a decrease in funding compared to previous years.
Jason Trego, Emergency Management Director, informed county commissioners Tuesday morning that he had received the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG), totaling $26,000.
“It is down from the $29,000 we received previously,” Trego said. He noted this is due to COVID funds no longer being available. “The state got extra dollars to address COVID,” he explained. “That money has gone away, so the amount has gone down.”
The total national funding available for Fiscal Year 2023 was $355.1 million, down from $405.1 million in 2022. The state of Kansas received a total of $4,519,759 in 2023.
The EMPG provides state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management agencies with the resources required for implementation of the National Preparedness System (NPS). The NPS integrates efforts across the five preparedness mission areas — prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.
Trego also updated commissioners on a recent homemade explosives class taught by New Mexico Tech on March 2, at Allen Community College.
“We had a lot of local people attend,” he said. “We also had people as far away as Jefferson County, Topeka, and all over come to this class.” The eight hour course was free of charge.
He followed this up by requesting to attend an in-person, three day, out-of-state training course that New Mexico Tech offers in Socorro, New Mexico.
Trego applied and received approval to attend the class in October and noted that New Mexico Tech will pay for his flight, hotel, and rental car. “There is no cost for the class at all,” he said. “It’s all funded through FEMA.” The commissioners unanimously agreed for Trego to attend.
IN OTHER NEWS, Marcia Davis with Thrive Allen County reminded commissioners of an upcoming Community Conversation to be held in Humboldt. The conversation will be at 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 26, in the cafeteria at Humboldt High School.
Davis noted that residents are encouraged to attend and share ideas, concerns, and visions for the future of the Humboldt community.
Commissioner David Lee notified the other commissioners that the City of LaHarpe wants to request a speed limit change.
“They’d like to raise the speed limit through the downtown area from 20 to 30, except for the hours of 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday,” he said. He added that the hours of exception would be to accommodate school buses that stop along the route. The commissioners agreed to the speed change, as long as the sheriff has no objections.
