Left: Sheriff Brison Swearingen

By Frank Phillips/DLC Media News
BRAZIL-The Clay County Sheriff’s Department will apply for a $35,000 grant to buy bullet proof vests for its officers.
The Bullet Proof Vest Partnership grant will pay half of the $3,000 each vest costs the county. Leftover money can be applied to future purchases, Emergency Management Director Rob Gambill told the County Commissioners Monday morning.
“It is the statutory obligation of the county to provide the vests,” Sheriff Rob Gambill said.
While the officers receive a uniform allowance, the vests cannot be paid out of that allowance.
“If we can get a grant, that’s a no-brainer,” Gambill said.
The vests can be purchased for any sheriff’s department employee and the grant is available to any police departments.
In other business:
-The World Day of Prayer will be observed at the courthouse at noon, May 4th.
-Printing and mailing property tax bills will cost the county $11,492 this time around.
-Because there will be no primary election this year, the commissioners rescinded their decision to make May 2nd a holiday for county employees.
-Commissioners changed the county’s health insurance plan retroactive to Jan. 1.