During its Jan. 23 meeting, the Washington City Council approved the purchase of equipment to improve the Washington Police Department’s communications system.

The council unanimously voted to spend $18,263.33 for a Motorola MTR 3000 VHF 100 W repeater system from Amerizon Wireless. It also adopted a budget ordinance resolution and approved a purchase order for the equipment.

In 2016, the council authorized the submission of a grant application to the Governor’s Crime Commission for funding for the repeater system. On May 19, 2016, a $23,829 grant was awarded to the police department. The funds were released in November 2016. The remaining $5,565.67 left after the purchase of the repeater system will be used to buy a generator and moving costs associated with the repeater system, according to a memorandum from Stacy Drakeford, the city’s director of police and fire services.

In other business, the council adopted a budget ordinance amendment to allocated funds to cover expenses related to Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts. “The original estimate of expenses related to Hurricane Matthew is being adjusted by $13,126 to reflect actual expenses for additional material and insurance deductible for the Electric Fund,” wrote Matt Rauschenbach, the city’s administrative services director and chief financial officer, in a memorandum to the mayor and council members.

Washington officials estimate the city’s expenses related to Hurricane Matthew at $377,801.64, and it wants the federal government and state government to reimburse it for eligible expenses. The city’s nearly $378,000 in storm-related expenditures include overtime salaries, fuel, food, safety gear such as boots, debris removal and equipment repair. Adjustments will be made as expenditures and reimbursement claims are finalized, according to a city document.

Public assistance work is well under way with its task of reimbursing state, tribal and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for their recovery work. To date, more than $8 million have been obligated. The public assistance program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and North Carolina Emergency Management.