Jan. 15--DEWITT -- Emergency sirens to cover almost all of Clinton County's small towns and rural area were ordered at a meeting of the Emergency Management Commission here recently.

Total cost of the contract with RC Systems of Waterloo, to be not more than $300,000, was approved by the representatives of 10 incorporated cities: Andover, Calamus, Camanche, Charlotte, Clinton, DeWitt, Grand Mound, Lost Nation and Low Moor, plus the Clinton County Board of Supervisors and sheriff's office.

Absent were representatives of Delmar, Goose Lake, Toronto and Wheatland.

A down payment of $20,943 (10 percent of the price of the materials) also was approved 12-0.

Chance Kness, coordinator of the commission, said there was enough money in his working budget to cover the payment. He will then file a budget amendment to transfer funds from the roll over account to reimburse the working budget.

Kness also suggested that the cost of the alarm system and its maintenance be brought into the Emergency Management budget to ensure continuity.

Jill Davisson, chairwoman of the commission and a member of the County Board of Supervisors, noted the price of even one siren (listed at $5,740 on the invoice) and its maintenance would be cost prohibitive for many of the smaller cities.

She suggested that the supervisors impose a countywide levy to pay for the alarm system and its maintenance. That would also ensure that the siren project was seen as a long-term project, she said.

Kness said he will be seeking a grant from the Clinton County Community Development Association for 50 percent of the cost of the project.

He also noted that five of the cities involved have been identified as being eligible for the United States Department of Agriculture's rural development grants, ranging from 15 to 55 percent of their cost.

He said Wheatland has already applied for a grant and he urged the others to do so immediately. The USDA office is available to help, he said.

The towns which are eligible, based on their population according to the 2000 census and their median income at that time, are Andover, Delmar, Lost Nation, Wheatland and Toronto.

The county levy would be based on the total cost of the project, Davisson said. If grants are received, the levy would be reduced once a sustainable and appropriate maintenance fund was created.

Even though the basic cost of the alarm system will be funded through a county levy, there will be some expenses to the cities, Kness pointed out, such as providing a location for the siren and running power to it.

There also are options for the cities to consider.