The Marshall County Council handled several requests to apply for grants during their meeting Monday.
County Clerk and Secretary of the Election Board, Deb VanDeMark asked for approval to apply for a CARES grant from the Secretary of State Election Division. The grant is to assist with additional expenses related to COVID-19 while conducting the primary election. VanDeMark said she had to apply for the spring round without permission due to the grant deadline and did receive $4,231.14 from the state. She noted that the state has set out an additional grant opportunity for the November election that she would like to apply for. The County Council approved both.
Marshall County Coroner John Grolich asked to apply for an IPEP (Indiana Public Employees’ Plan) grant to purchase two power cots. The power cots would be installed in the current coroner’s vehicle and the new one he is purchasing for COVID or other contagious diseases. Grolich told council members, the insurance industry estimates one back injury costs $100,000.
Power cots cost about $40,000 each and the grant he would like to apply for could cover the cost of two. The grant is an 80/20 match and Grolich said he may have to seek an additional for the local match.
This grant round just ended in October and won’t open up again until July 1st. Grolich said he wanted to be ready as soon as the grant opens next year. The council approved the request.
Another grant opportunity has opened through the State Department of Health for the Coroner. The SUDI grant is for the Sudden Unexplained Death of an Infant and Grolich said, “Unfortunately we have those.” This grant of $2,600 will allow the Coroner to start fingerprinting all of their cases. He said, “Last year we started collecting DNA of all our patients that we processed. This is an added feature for a service we can provide to the folks in Marshall County.” The grant will cover the cost of equipment for electronic finger printing.
The County Council approved his request to apply for the SUDI grant.
Community Corrections was granted permission to apply for a $103,266.50 grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. The funds will be used to purchase personal protection equipment for first responders and law enforcement along with the creation of an app for your electronic device.
The new app would offer first responders information on housing, clothing, food and mental health assistance while on the scene assisting someone in need. The app would also be available to citizens who subscribe. They would receive information on a variety of subject including vaccination sites, road closures and weather situations.
The council also approved this grant request.
