Various departments in Henry County government will be receiving state and federal funds to compensate for issues brought about by COVID-19.
In a report given at the May 5 regular meeting of the Henry County Board of Commissioners, county manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews covered a list of separate funding items, starting with about $69,000 the county’s airport is expected to get from the Federal Aviation Administration, along with approximately $704,000 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the county’s community development department.
The District Attorney’s office is slated to receive money from the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for emergency victim assistance. The elections office is being reimbursed by the Georgia Secretary for State for personal protection equipment and the installation of a drop box, up to $3,000 for each.
The county’s libraries are expecting a reimbursement of just over $4,000 from the Georgia Public Library Service, while the E-911 department’s application for reimbursement from either the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) or Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could result in a six-figure payout.
The Henry County Police Department is considering two separate funding initiatives from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, one for $98,000 and the other amount to be determined.
Senior Services will be applying for reimbursement from the Georgia Community Foundation for meals it has been providing during the recent shutdown, and the Transit Department has been awarded $2.7 million through CARES Act, Matthews said.
She added that her staff will continue seeking any coronavirus-related funds that could be returned to the county.
As for county employees who have been working during the shutdown, Matthews asked the board to extend its previous resolution granting them hazard pay – or “hero pay,” as she put it. The original plan was scheduled to end April 21 with the possibly of it being extended at a regular commission meeting that day, but the meeting was canceled. The board voted to extend the pay supplement through May 3.
