By Becky Long
Publisher
Clay County has secured multimillion
in grants to strengthen its
emergency management infrastructure.
The grants were awarded Dec.
17 in the amount of roughly $4.3
million through the North Carolina
Offi ce of State Budget and Management’s
Helene Local Government
Capital Grant Program.
County Manager Debbie Mauney
said the money will be spent for:
• Viper System to replace the repeater
damaged by Helene - $8,534.
• Ambulance for EMS & and
equipment - $329,929.
• Clay County Emergency Management
Complex- $1,850,067
• Hayesville - Emergency Management
Complex- $2,188,530.
“As the Town of Hayesville coverage
is under Clay County EMS
services, Mayor Benita England
graciously allowed Clay County to
apply for the town’s eligible share
of this grant,” Mauney said.
The grants are part of a nearly
$50 million statewide initiative
for projects ineligible for Federal
Emergency Management Agency
Public Assistance and were applied
for in partnership with the Town of
Hayesville to include shared EMS
resources.
The grant money awarded for the
Clay County Emergency Management
Complex, along with 3.5 legislative
grants, will be used for the
construction of the 20,000 square
feet facility.
The complex will feature clinical,
administrative, training space, residential
space for fi rst responders,
bays for vehicles and equipment,
and will function as an emergency
shelter, triage center as needed,
Mauney explained.
“Two unique features of the proposed
facility will be a simulation
room and immersion room which
will allow for computer based or
in person instruction to streamline
training,” Mauney said.
The new facility will be situated
on county owned property across
Business 64 from Courthouse Drive.
Mauney said the land was previously
acquired with the help of
an $850,000 NC Department of
Commerce Grant. Full construction
documents and site development
costs have already been funded by
grants from the Dogwood Health
Trust.
Clay County is awaiting word on
additional grants which if awarded
would allow the county to immediately
proceed with implementing
the full construction project.
“We are grateful for our partnership
with the Town of Hayesville
on these grant applications and
ensuring that we can better serve
both Hayesville and greater Clay
County,” said Mauney.
“The board of commissioners also
want to thank county leadership and
staff who have helped on the various
grant applications which have made
this and other projects viable with
little to no local funding,” Mauney
said.