MARIETTA - Cobb County's Emergency Management Agency is seeking federal money to renovate its emergency operations center, which handles disaster management.

County Commissioners are expected to vote to approve the agency's grant-seeking effort at its Tuesday meeting.

The emergency operations center serves as the focal point for handling emergencies too large to be controlled from an on-site command post, such as a natural disaster.

If selected for the grant, the agency would receive up to $250,000 for renovation projects. The county would be required to kick in $62,500.

The money would go toward new equipment such as computers, video monitors and other upgraded technologies for the facility on North Marietta Parkway.

Also, the money would help modify the current space to enhance security, disaster preparedness and work flow.

"Basically in this day and age where Cobb is looked to to support the region in having a state of the art EMA center for whether it's a storm to ice to anything else, it's a benefit to the citizens of Cobb," said Commission Chairman Tim Lee.

Lee added the agency would probably begin the upgrades as soon as the money was available.

In 2004, commissioners approved $1 million to relocate the Department of Public Safety Supply Unit and the emergency operations center.

The supply unit was moved, but because of the county's current financial situation, the remaining balance of $438,142 had to be used for other areas, halting the emergency operations center's move.

Now, the county is planning to keep the center at its current location, but remodel and update its facilities.

Also at its meeting, commissioners will present the First Quarter Customer Service Excellence Awards to outstanding employees on behalf of the Cobb County Customer Service Council.

The board will recognize Tanya Moore, Randy Copeland, Sherron O'Connor, Jerry Blalack, Michael Ashton, Emily Keener, Warren Hiedel, Kim Wakefield and Vinu Chandran for the awards.