THE MARTIN COUNTY BOARD OPENED THE MEETING TUESDAY WITH GIVING THE OATH OF OFFICE TO JAMES FORSHEE WHO WON A SPECIAL ELECTION ON FEB. 9TH TO FILL THE SECOND DISTRICT COMMISSIONER SEAT VACANT SINCE THE DEATH OF TOM MAHONEY JR. LAST YEAR. JIM FORSHEE HAD BEEN MARTIN COUNTY AUDITOR-TREASURER IN THE COUNTY FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE RETIRING A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

COMMISSIONERS TUESDAY APPROVED AWARDING COVID-19 COUNTY RELIEF GRANTS TO 58 COUNTY BUSINESSES. THERE WERE 76 GRANT APPLICATIONS. A TOTAL OF $380,308,60 WERE AWARDED. THE GRANTS WERE TO BE USED FOR MONETARY RELIEF TO LOCAL BUSINESSES SEVERELY IMPOACTED BY CLOSURES DUE TO EXECUTIVE ORDERS REQUIRED TO PROTECTTHE HEALTH OF THE PUBLIC.

The board approved the hiring of Heidi Schutt as interim Assistant Library Director to fill a vacancy at the Martin County Library. The hiring is effective immediately while the county goes through a formal hiring process to replace Deena Frerichs, who has retired from that position.