HUNT board discusses Byrne JAG funding, update to meeting format
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ATLANTA -- The Huron Undercover Narcotics Team (HUNT) board held its quarterly meeting on Friday at the Tri-Township Fire Department in Atlanta, where they updated their Byrne Justice Assistant Grant (JAG) funding and voted to change their meeting format.
HUNT Commander D/Lt. Ray Rollet discussed implementing a new format for board meetings. He said that the HUNT team activity report and other reports with sensitive information will be discussed in an executive meeting, also called a closed meeting, from now on.
Alpena County Sheriff Erik Smith made a motion to add an executive session portion to all future HUNT meetings. The board members present approved the motion unanimously.
The HUNT board members went into a closed session to discuss personnel matters and team activity.
After the closed session, board members discussed the Byrne JAG funding. Rollet said that there were some delays in getting the funding for 2026. That has caused further delays for 2027.
"They had initially told us it would not be open until February, and then it opened on Wednesday, Rollet said. "So it's a whole new program. I'm requesting 5% across the board increase to funding."
He said that even if they don't get all the funding requested, the organization will still be sound financially.
"It's crucial, especially to rural enforcement teams across the nation, to get that funding, so I don't have any concerns." Rollet said. "It's going to be delayed when we get the chunks of it, which just causes some headaches on the financial end, but nothing that should impact day-to-day operations."
In Fiscal Year 2026, HUNT received $32,699 in Byrne JAG funding, according to their financial reports at the end of the fourth quarter. That figure is half of the $65,398 they budgeted due to delays in receiving the second half.
The Byrne JAG funding makes up a majority of their budgeted revenue for fiscal year 2026, about 59%.
The JAG program is a federal grant that provides states, tribes, and local governments with critical funding necessary to support personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, training, technical assistance, and information systems for criminal justice or civil proceedings.
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