Citizens in Gadsden will soon have help paying their utilities during the COVID-19 shutdown.
In a meeting held by teleconference Tuesday, the council voted to accept a more than $621,000 federal community development block grant.
It's provided by the federal government through the CARES act.
Some $176,000 will go to help low to moderate income citizens pay their electric, gas, water and garbage bills, once they apply. Another $160,000 from that grant will help the fire department buy new equipment to help fight COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Fire Chief Stephen Carroll says that equipment will include a fogging device that can kill coronavirus germs in a room or building where someone with the disease had been, and a device that can detect high fevers in large crowds.