What happened
Commissioners considered and approved extensions to Hagerty task orders connected to the county’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery grants—one related to Hurricane Harvey and one tied to the 2016 storm and flood event, according to the agenda.
The Harvey grant extension request runs through Feb. 28, 2027, while the 2016 storm and flood grant extension request runs through April 30, 2026, according to the items.
During the meeting, Jason Millsaps, executive director for the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, told commissioners the extensions would allow the county, along with the General Land Office and the Texas Water Development Board, to keep working on the grants and “buyout property,” describing them as existing grants being extended to continue the work.
What they’re saying
In response to questions about progress, Millsaps said Montgomery County has “been doing a phenomenal job with buyouts,” and said it’s one of the few counties that has been successful using these types of grants.
He said the extension is “kind of mutual” because there are still funds available and partners want to continue to maximize dollars to buy more properties than originally discussed.
He also told commissioners the county has identified more properties for buyouts than it has funding for, but said there are still some buyouts being finished under the current grant. When asked how many have been bought out, he said he didn’t have exact figures but estimated “more than a couple dozen.”
