SHOALS — Security will be tighter at the Martin County Courthouse because of a $49,000 grant announced during Tuesday’s Martin County Commissioners meeting.

Circuit Judge Joseph Howell received word Tuesday that the county was awarded the grant through the state Department of Homeland Security. Only 20 counties were awarded the grant.

“It is good that Martin County is getting ahead of what will be mandatory for all courthouses by the Indiana Supreme Court,” Howell said after the meeting.

Commissioner President Mike Dant said after the meeting he was glad to see improvements to the courthouse and that the county will not pay for the upgrade.

One stipulation for the grant was the commissioners must get construction rolling by the Oct. 31 deadline for installation.

Commissioners reviewed three bids for the cameras and metal detector and awarded the bid to Barclay Group, an Anderson-based security company. In the bid, 20 cameras will be installed in the hallways and outside the courthouse. A live feed will link the cameras to the sheriff’s department.

“The public will not have to worry (about the camera coverage),” Howell said. “It’s about the same type of coverage you find at grocery stores.”

Cameras will not be installed in the offices of county officeholders. A decision on where to put the metal detector has not been made.

In other business

TECH PARK

Martin County Economic Development Director Jerry Ott asked the commissioners to pass three resolutions for the West Gate @ Crane Technology Park. The first resolution passed was to extend the county’s appointments to the tech park board through 2007. Another resolution was passed for the creation of a capital projects fund that county money will be placed into for the park. Ott also received the go-ahead to start surveying and appraising property for companies to start building in the park.

LOW-INCOME HOUSING

The Southern Indiana Development Commission and the commissioners opened bids for renovation of several homes in the county that will provide low-income housing. Four construction companies submitted bids, and the bids will be awarded at the October meeting.

HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION

Daviess County Metal Sales was awarded the construction bid of $39,169 for a new gravel storage building at the county highway department. The money from the building will come from money given to the county from Major Moves, and Highway Superintendent Darrell Courtright hopes construction will be completed in November.