On Friday, March 7, members of the Limestone County Commission unanimously voted to accept an award from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs totaling $97,552.57. 

The grant amount will allow the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office to purchase cutting-edge equipment, including a narcotics scanner and virtual reality de-escalation technology, commissioners said.

“We are so fortunate to have so much love and support for our Sheriff’s Office,” Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly told The News Courier after the meeting at the Clinton Street Courthouse Annex concluded. “We’ve been able to build a strong relationship with the people at ADECA, and they trust us to do what’s best with the money we receive from them.”

The total cost of the equipment to be purchased is $100,990. According to Daly, the LCSO has agreed to cover the remaining price difference — which is $3,437.43. 

Daly also mentioned that the investment from ADECA will greatly enhance the LCSO capabilities while on-duty and in learning exercises while they are off-duty.

“I would like to commend our sheriff’s office, because they do a lot of hard work everyday to protect the citizens of our county with little acknowledgement,” Daly said. “The least we can do to give back to them is provide them with better equipment and technology to do their jobs to the best of their ability.”

In other business the Commission:

— Approved claims in the amount $2,889,978.59.

— Approved a resolution for the sale of auction of property on Plato Jones Street.

— Awarded a bid to Grayson Carter and Son Contracting, Inc. in the amount of $595,005.54 for ALDOT Project Fox on Airport Road and Pryor Field Property Line. 

— Approved the hire of Nicholas Keele, Trenton O’Steen, Tira Walsh and Shakira Gonzalez as corrections officers, pending a drug screening. 

— Approved multiple merit increases for county employees.

— Approved the construction of the Simmons subdivision which will create two lots in District 1 on the southeast corner of the intersection of Shipley Hollow Road and North Wales Road.

— Approved the transfer of five XL-200P Fire Portable Radios from the Commission to the Coroner’s Office.

— Approved the sale of a 2010 Ford F-250 from the Maintenance Department on GovDeals.