The Henry County Board of Commissioners ruled on a variety of financial items at their October 5 meeting.

The Henry County Police Department is the recipient of a $134,066.72 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for use in the department’s HEAT program. The purpose of the HEAT program is to enforce DUI laws, traffic laws and occupant safety laws. It consists of one sergeant and three officers, 80 percent of whose salaries and expenses for the current fiscal year are covered by this grant. The county has allocated sufficient money in its budget to cover the required 20 percent match.

The commissioners approved a $19,796 bid for two video system pole cameras for use by the HCPD, using federal seized funds to finance the purchase from Advanced Covert Technology. These will be added to the pole camera system that is currently being utilized continuously and providing various intelligence for ongoing criminal investigations and complaints, according to county staff.

The police department will also be receiving $2,512.16 from the U.S. Secret Service Cyber Fraud Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional group in which the HCPD has participated since 2014. Those funds can only be used for expenses related to the task force. 

Several new vehicles for various county departments were approved by the board. Capital improvement plan funds are being used for the $203,934 purchase of six Ford Pursuit Explorers for the Sheriff’s Office as well as four Ford Escapes to be used by Technology Services personnel in their duties updating tech equipment for all other departments. A new $54,979 track loader for the Parks and Recreation Department will also be paid for by CIP money.

A separate motion to designate SPLOST funds for the purchase of two Ford Explorers, one for the Sheriff’s Office and the other for the Solicitor’s Office, failed to pass. 

A $107,049.93 contract for engineering design services regarding apron and taxiway pavement rehabilitation at Atlanta Speedway Airport in Hampton was approved. The project is part of the airport’s five-year capital improvement plan. According to county staff, while funding for the project is currently in the county’s airport account, this expense is eligible for reimbursement by the Georgia Department of Transportation as of the spring of 2022.

The commissioners approved their meeting schedule for 2022 as well as the county’s holiday schedule for next year.