RuCo to take advantage of stimulus funds on The Murfreesboro Post

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RuCo to take advantage of stimulus funds

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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Staff Writer

Posted: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 12:38 pm

Federal stimulus money may start following into Rutherford County in the form of Justice Department grants, should the county commission approved four different grant application requests.

The Sheriff’s Office has asked to apply for the COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP), two Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) applications and a STOP COPS/Domestic Violence Investigator Grant.

The COPS Hiring Recovery Program (CHRP) is a new program created by President Barack Obama’s stimulus package, which funds new police jobs for 3 years.

The RCSO would like to hire 15 new patrol deputies with the grant. The last COPS grant the county received was in 2002, which ended in approximately 2005, he said.

The grant pays 100 percent of entry-level salary and benefits for each officer for three years, and the county must plan to retain COPS-funded officer positions for at least one year after the grant ends.

To the county, the grant is worth more than $2.9 million for wages and benefits. But the RCSO would have to fund equipment and training costs of $573,315 in the first year, County Finance Director Lisa Nolen said.

The Sheriff’s Office will use other grants to cut down on the initial cost.

The county will also need to fund another $500,000 solely for wages for the year after the grants expire plus the cost of benefits.

CHRP makes $1 billion available for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program, which is estimated to create or save around 5,500 law enforcement jobs nationwide.

Using $2 billion from the Recovery Act 2009, the JAG grants can be used to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime and improve the criminal justice system.

The stimulus package also made $225 million available for Violence Against Women programs, of which $175 million is for the STOP grants. The couny plans to use the funds to hire a Domestic Violence Investigator.

Other Commission business:
The Steering Committee will propose:
- Resolution on the Spending of Federal Economic Renewal Grants in Tennessee
- Resolution to Approve Agreement with Murfreesboro, Smyrna, LaVergne and Eagleville to Share in the Cost of the Emergency Management Director’s Salary Plus Benefits

The Public Works Committee will propose:
- Resolution to Approve 45 MPH Speed Limit for Rockdale Fellowship Road
- Resolution to Approve Drainage Easements in Reynolds Subdivision and Tax Map 70, Parcel 15.01

Public Hearings:
All Public Hearings begin at 6:30 p.m. in the commission chambers on the second floor of the Historic Courthouse.

- Rezoning & Conditional Use Permit Request 09-A005: Wes Beverly located at 8145 Shelbyville Highway; Existing Zoning – R-15; Proposed Zoning – Services; Conditional Use Permit for an Auction House. Size of site approximately 53 acres.

- Amendment to Conditional Use Permit Request 09-A006: Buford Lynn Herman located at 9603 New Zion Road; Existing Zoning – Transportation; Amendment requested for additional trucks. Size of site approximately 6.14 acres.

- Rezoning & Conditional Use Permit Request 09-A008: Jamie Reed representing Shane Fogle located at 6155 Highway 99; Existing Zoning – R-15 and Agricultural Services; Proposed Zoning – Services; Conditional Use Permit for a Planned Commercial Development. Size of site approximately 6.85 acres.

- Zoning Resolution Amendment – Amend Planned Unit Development Regulations.

Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.

Tagged under Growth, Lisa Nolen, RuCo, Sheriff, Stimulus

Member Opinions:

By: randalce on 5/14/09
send the money back!
who is going to be stuck holding the bag when the grants run out? the taxpayers!
SEND THE MONEY BACK NOW!

By: emmarae on 5/14/09
randalce
In 3 years the RuCo S.O. will need to hire those 15 more deputies due to the increase in RuCo population, so why not let the goverment pay for them for three years and have them now.

By: keepingtabs on 5/14/09
". . . so why not let the goverment(sic) pay for them for three years and have them now."

Another ignorant citizen (i.e. liberal)!

Where do you think the "government" gets the money?

Oh! I just had an Aha moment! You don't pay taxes.

By: diddlede on 5/14/09
keepingtabs, love your comment. Evidentally emmarae does not have a clue as to where the government gets its money. Too bad.

By: bota on 5/14/09
RCSD hit that like a carp on a doughball and now we are all hooked.

By: barrettbear on 5/15/09
Glad to see that my tax dollars are being used to fund a good cause.