DOUGLAS COUNTY TO SPEND $1.85 MILLION OF COVID RELIEF

OMAHA - Douglas County plans to spend $1.85 million in federal coronavirus relief aid to buy a mobile command center for the county sheriff.

One Douglas County board member described it as “a tool in our toolbox” for fighting COVID-19. The board voted 4-2 Tuesday in favor. Mary Ann Borgeson, Clare Duda, Jim Cavanaugh and Chris Rodgers voted yes. Mike Boyle and P.J. Morgan voted no. Marc Kraft spoke against it, but couldn’t vote because he was not present and was attending the meeting by Zoom because of health concerns.

Officials with the Sheriff’s Office said the vehicle could help with traffic and coordination in small towns and rural areas of the county, and that other public safety agencies in the county could borrow it for emergencies.

“The Douglas County Health Department would be able to perform their critical public health function directly from the field because of the many capabilities within the mobile command center,” Hudson said. “Just what are those capabilities? They’re able to do this because the mobile command center is a self-contained unit that is capable of operating remotely for up to three days without refueling. All functions of the Douglas County Health Department can be done remotely at the scene of any public health emergency.”

View article HERE.