Former Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District's Marine 24 is on the way to being repaired.
So far, emergency services have been among the most visible beneficiaries of $9.5 million in federal rescue funds issued in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
Of the 40 projects funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, 11 have been completed and 15 are in progress County grants administrator Debbie Swickard told county commissioners. Swickard said that represents about 31 percent of the total work.
East Fork Fire Protection District received $250,000 to retrofit a wildland fire engine that required it be taken down to the chassis.
“The contractor did a lot more work than they were asked to do,” Swickard said of the engine, which is in service at Station 12 in Sunridge.
East Fork also received $226,570 to purchase a new ambulance and $152.817 for six gurneys, that included a lift.
Refloating Tahoe Douglas Marine 24 is underway, Swickard said with the hull completed and engines ready. The $171,000 to repair the boat was provided to the Tahoe-Douglas Rotary Club, which also purchased the boat from the person who bought it at auction.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office purchased a new Lenco BearCat for $323,255 to replace the district’s aging armored MRAP.
Work on a $250,000 storm drain under Main Street Station has been completed.
Among the projects in progress is a $1 million upgrade in the county’s enterprise resource planning software for the finance department. There is also $381,345 for grant writing professional services.
Work is also in progress to start $1.45 million in improvements to the county’s emergency radio system. A $600,000 effort to scan the county’s documents is also underway.
Swickard said there are seven projects that haven’t been started because the work is reliant on better weather.
That includes $350,00 for the town of Minden to complete a sidewalk along 10th Street between Highway 395 and County Road.
There is still $890,385 from the original awarded funds that weren’t awarded or from projects that were deobligated.
Added eligible funding categories include emergency relief from natural disasters, surface transportation projects and Title I under HUD, including homeownership assistance, investing in affordable housing preservation and rehab or demolition of blighted or abandoned properties.
Most of the unallocated money was from two parts of the Muller Parkway project, which will be taken care of elsewhere.
The county has until the end of this year to have projects under contract and until the end of 2026 to spend it.
