Updates and outcomes from MARC's February Board meetings

Mar 07, 2023
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MARC Board members listen to a presentation on Feb. 28. 2023.

At the MARC Budget and Personnel Committee meeting on Feb. 28, attendees took the following actions:

  • Double Up Food Bucks: The committee voted to expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables to communities served by two grocery stores in Kansas City, Missouri. The $325,000 cost is accommodated by a federal grant to grow the program. 
     
  • Ozone season: To ensure accurate information is provided to residents during ozone season, members approved a contract with Weather or Not Inc. in the amount of $77,571 to provide ozone forecasting for the next three years. The forecasts are communicated to the public to ensure at-risk groups take precautions during ozone alert days. The committee also OK’d a $240,000 public outreach campaign to increase ozone awareness, help protect residents’ health and encourage the public to curtail activities that create ozone. The campaign includes online, TV and billboard advertising. 
     
  • Uncrewed aircraft training: The Kansas Department of Transportation awarded MARC a grant through Kansas State University to provide uncrewed aircraft system flight training for transportation, public safety and other public sector staff in the region. The $66,000 contract for training will help local governments make greater use of new technologies and improve performance and data collection.