MINERAL COUNTY – For the past several years, Mineral County has been setting aside funds to build an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and this year, the Friends of Mineral County Emergency Services (FOMCES) fundraising organization will put all their focus into helping them out. 

During a special meeting of the Mineral County Board of Commissioners, Mineral County Sheriff Terry Wetherill gave a brief update on the plans for the fundraiser this summer and stated that the group would like to have draft plans put together to showcase what the center would look like. 

“It would be an EOC but would also serve as a wellness center for our emergency service individuals. I want to make the building in a way that when and if all of the emergency service organizations in Mineral County need to use the building, whether it's to store an ambulance, a fire truck or whatever, the building will be able to meet those needs,” said Wetherill. 

Mineral County Administrator Janelle Kukuk stated that the FOMCES group had reached out to her asking to help with planning. “We have saved around $250,000 in the years since we started this.” 

Wetherill presented a rough draft design for the building and stated that he would be working with FOMCES and Kukuk as they move forward on the project. 

“FOMCES really wants to see this become reality. I think they want to see a groundbreaking this year and that would be great, but we still need to seek other funding to make sure it doesn’t stop there,” he said. 

Wetherill stated that they have been applying for funding every year for the past several years and have not had success. 

“We will apply again this year as usual because one of these days, it will be approved,” he said. 

FOMCES is a non-profit that hosts bi-annual fundraisers to help subsidize funding resources for emergency services in Mineral County that include search and rescue, fire, ambulance, and law enforcement. All proceeds are dedicated to the purchase of up-to-date equipment, training operations and other resources needed by each department.  

More information about the coming 2026 fundraiser will be reported as it comes available.