OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - The Douglas County board has abandoned a plan to spend $1.85 million in federal coronavirus relief funding to buy a mobile command center for the county sheriff's office.
Sheriff Tim Dunning withdrew his request for the RV-like truck because he said his office couldn't find a manufacturer who could build and deliver one in 2020 when the federal aid must be spent. Officials had argued that the command center could have helped officials respond to the coronavirus outbreak by supporting mass vaccination efforts in the area.
County Board Member Mary Ann Borgeson, who had supported the mobile command center funding, said the county board will look at several ideas on how to spend the money, and she said officials will have to figure out how to sustain funding for a new program after the relief money is gone.
Borgeson said she wants to use the $1.85 million for mental health services instead.
"I'd like to talk about using those funds and actually rounding it up to $2 million for mental health services," Borgeson said.
Borgeson wants to look into starting a mobile mental health crisis response team program that would be staffed by mental health professionals.