Ocean County Commissioners approve grants, shared services, and policy changes for 2026.

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners approved multiple grants and shared-service agreements for 2026, including funding for public safety, 9-1-1 upgrades, and local road work.

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners approved a range of grants, shared service agreements, and internal policy changes at its recent public meeting. The measures commit funding to public safety programs, 9-1-1 system upgrades, and infrastructure partnerships for 2026. Several Schedule C agreements will allow municipalities and school districts to use county road, engineering, and vehicle services. The board also moved administrative items, including creating a separate Veterans Service Bureau. Key decisions and allocations: - The county authorized multiple state and federal grant awards, including $350,000 for the ARRIVE Together violence intervention initiative, $260,083 for Sexual Assault Response Team and forensic nursing programs, and $346,875 for 9-1-1 system upgrades. - The Board approved over $540,000 in FY2026 Next Generation 9-1-1 grants for public safety answering points and ratified pursuit of a Justice Assistance Grant for the Multi-Jurisdictional Gang, Gun, and Narcotics Strike Force. - Officials ratified continued participation in the federal Equitable Sharing Agreement for the Sheriff’s Office and approved a $4,500 Safety Grant for county risk management. - More than a dozen Schedule C shared service contracts were approved for 2026, including $500,000 for Seaside Heights road work, $445,000 with Lakewood Township, $325,000 with the Borough of Beachwood, and $155,000 with the Ocean County Vocational Technical School. - The county extended environmental restoration at Cattus Island County Park through February 2027 via a no-cost grant extension and approved $72,460 in deferred loan agreements for the HOME Housing Rehabilitation Program. - Policy and administrative changes included establishing the Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau, adopting formal flag display guidelines, revising bylaws for the Commission for Individuals with Disabilities, and dissolving the Transportation Advisory Board. Summary: The approvals allocate more than $1.8 million in new and continuing grants and renew numerous shared service agreements to support public safety, 9-1-1 upgrades, and local infrastructure. Several agreements are contingent on adoption of the county budget, and multiple grants and program activities will continue through mid-2026 or into 2027.