The Highland County Board of Commissioners have announced they will pursue a plan to increase law enforcement coverage and clean up blighted properties in the Rocky Fork Lake region under local control, while withdrawing their request for a 12-month extension for the Department of Justice grant that has been unresolved for the past two years.
Commissioners Jeff Duncan, Terry Britton and Gary Abernathy said that additional crime patrol and blight remediation are the two most important aspects of the grant and will be pursued even without the federal dollars.
Commissioners said they will meet with Sheriff Donnie Barrera and Health Commissioner Jared Warner to devise plans to allow these goals to be accomplished without the grant.
Commissioners also plan to pursue the implementation of a Land Bank as part of the cleanup of properties at the lake and other areas of the county.