County Reaping Benefit of State and Federal Grants

Fayette County.

Last year, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3000 into law, which provided millions of dollars in grant funds to support ambulance services in rural counties. Fayette County was eligible for up to $350,000 in grant funding through the bill.

Also last year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which increased cooperation between local law enforcement agencies and federal immigration authorities through section 287g of the Immigration and Naturalization Act. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office joined the federal program, which also comes with grant funding.

At the Commissioners Court meeting last Thursday, June 11, the Court authorized the purchase of a new ambulance for $357,000 using $350,000 in HB 3000 grant funds. Thanks to the new law, local taxpayers will only have to pay $7,000 of that cost.

Fayette County EMS Assistant Director Gary Daniels said the ambulance will be built by Siddons-Martin Emergency Group with specifications similar to the Frazer ambulances that make up much of the EMS fleet.

“We’re not looking to build the Lamborghini of ambulances,” Daniels said. “We’re trying to be efficient with our funds.”

Daniels said it will take Siddons-Martin approximately 17-18 months to build and deliver the ambulance.

The Commissioners also signed a grant agreement with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for the $350,000 ambulance grant through HB 3000.

The Court approved the purchase of a surveillance camera system for the Fayette County Jail at a cost of $87,794.42 along with a new Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle. The purchases will be made using grant funds through the 287g program along with funds in the Sheriff’s forfeiture account.

Chief Randy Noviskie of the Sheriff’s Office said the jail surveillance system will include 42 cameras and two monitors.

“It’s a lot better system than what we’ve had in the past,” Noviskie said. “We’ve had an old system for a long, long time.”

The new Chevy Tahoe patrol vehicle will be purchased from Sames dealership in Bastrop at a cost of $59,000.

Noviskie said any amount not covered by 287g grant funds will be paid for with forfeiture funds, come from seizures in criminal cases. As a result, the purchases will come at no expense to local taxpayers.

Commissioners unanimously approved the purchases for EMS and the Sheriff’s Office.