LAWRENCE CO.- The Lawrence County Council approved the appropriation of $100,000 from the 911 funds for the purchase of dual-band radios for the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department.
The 30 mobile radios will cost approximately $122,000. These radios will be able to transmit on both the 800 MHz and VHF bands.
Valarie Luchauer, Lawrence County Emergency Management director stated that the Sheriff’s Department will pay the remaining $22,000 from the commissary funds. The radios have not been updated for 10 years. She added, officers had a difficult time communicating during a pursuit recently.
Due to the terrain of Lawrence County, it requires two different radio systems to communicate between several local and state agencies.
Luchauer also advised the council that later this year, the communications system for the local volunteer fire department will also be upgraded. The Lawrence County 911 fund has approximately $2 million dollars available.
In other business the council:
- Approved Judge Cline’s request to transfer $350 for office equipment, and an appropriation from a JDIA grant of $30,125 for the newly formed Veterans Court.
- Approved Lawrence County Commissioner Rodney Fish’s request for additional expenditure of $3,500 for Southern Indiana Development Corporation membership fees.
- Approved Judge Anah Gouty’s request for a Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative Grant and transfers for Problem-Solving courts in the amount of $79,673
- Approved County Health Nurse Mary Kinser’s request to hire a clerk and transfer COVID-19 relief funds to supplies in the amount of $28,511.
- Approved Chief Public Defender Bruce Andis’s request to transfer funds and additional appropriation to hire an investigator in the amount of $68,000. Andis also informed the council that things are going well and they now will have two attorneys to handle high-level felony cases, and murder qualified.
- Approved an additional appropriation for the Lawrence County Council in the amount of $5,005 for legal services.
- Approved Highway Superintendent David Holmes request to hire a truck driver after an employee resigned.
- Approved Nedra Brock’s request for budgets for the Problem-Solving courts in the amount of $10,000 and $4,650 to transfer funds to supplies.
