On the consent agenda for Asheville City Council’s meeting tomorrow are:
• Receipt of $357,000 from the Department of Homeland Security for a “geographically located medical ambulance bus” to transport or shelter large numbers in the event of a disaster or inclement weather.
• Receipt of $250,000 from the Department of Homeland Security for “communications gateways” to enable statewide disaster relief communications.
• Expenditure of $116,092 from the Department of Homeland Security via the state for a real-time, wireless, GPS hazardous gas detection device. The staff report stresses that the money is already there, so don’t even think about it.
• Receipt of a mere $6453 from the US Department of Justice to offset the cost of purchasing twenty-five bulletproof vests.
In addition, it will be announced that the city is soliciting RFP’s for security upgrades for the downtown police/fire station, to be funded with $265,466 in newly-printed federal dollars.
