Grant to fund Dodge repeater replacement

POMEROY–The Garfield County Board of Commissioners (BOCC) accepted an Emergency Management grant, discussed further opioid settlements, and discussed the Rapid Design Study at their meeting on February 13.

The Emergency Management Performance Grant E23-187, an annual grant from the Washington State Emergency Management that provides funding for emergency manager wages, equipment, and emergency planning for the county. The 2022-2023 grant provides the county with $31,866, which will be used to replace the repeater at Dodge, as well as pay Emergency Manager Tina Meier’s time working on the hazard mitigation plan and county emergency management plan.

Commissioner Jim Nelson stated that an additional settlement with five more businesses has been made through the Opioid Abatement Council, resulting in similar money restitutions as the first settlement. Garfield County will receive approximately $8,000 a year, paid in monthly installments, for 15 years. Then they will receive $4,000 a year, paid in monthly installments, two more years.

The Rapid Design Study funded by the Washington State Broadband Office is underway. Results received from similar counties indicated costs to install fiber internet of $13,000 to $250,000 per household, as well as using both fixed wireless and fiber optic in the system. No completion date for Garfield County’s study was announced.