Carter County Government and the Carter County Sheriff’s Office are announcing the 45-day public comment period required by federal regulation prior to the expenditure of funds received by the County from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service division under the Secure Rural Schools Act under the Title III designation. Per USDA regulations, any funds received by the County under Title III have restricted use and may only be utilized for approved projects regarding emergency response, fire prevention, and expanding access to broadband communications. Carter County is proposing to utilize $235,000 in Title III funding for the approved purpose of funding equipment purchases directly related to the operations of emergency services within Carter County. The allocation of the funding will be as follows:
• $30,000 allocated to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office for the purchase of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to be utilized in search and rescue operations, critical incident response, and other operations of the department.
• $105,000 allocated to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office for the purchase of dual-band radios for use by agency personnel for emergency response. These radios will be compatible with the existing radio communications system as well as the new radio communications system which the County is in the process of establishing.
• $100,000 allocated to the Carter County Volunteer Firefighters Association, representing the seven volunteer fire departments serving Carter County, to be used for the purchase of dual-band radios for use by first responders for emergency response. These radios will be compatible with the existing radio communications system as well as the new radio communications system which the County is in the process of establishing.
In accordance with federal regulations, a 45-day public comment period has been opened for public input on the proposed expenditures. The public comment period will close at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, August 4, 2025. Those wishing to submit a comment regarding the proposed use of the Title III funds may submit their comments by email to info@sheriff.cc with “Title III Funding” in the subject line or by mail to:
Carter County Sheriff’s Office
ATTN: Abby Frye
900 E. Elk Ave.
Elizabethton, TN 37643