Geary County officials are working to develop a new emergency operations center in the basement of the County Office Building. Garry Berges, Emergency Management Director, said the conference room in his office is currently being used to run everything on the COVID response. "When we first started we had 17 to 20 people in their a day. " With social distancing that couldn't be done so much of the work has been done by Zoom meetings. Berges added, "But there is a lot of talk that has to go on."
Berges said funding was secured through the County's Public Building Commission to pay for the majority of the project from money left over from when the building was built in the 2007-2008 time frame.
A grant is also being sought to finance safe rooms in the basement for storm shelter. The County is waiting on final word from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on whether those funds will be awarded.
Berges noted that bids are being sought for the project and the county commission did give approval.