The Marshall County Health Department and County Park and Recreation Board appeared before the Commissioners on Monday seeking approval to apply for grants.
Sandy Dunfee, acting administrator for the Health Dept. after the recent resignation of Faith Freed was granted unanimous approval to apply for the Supplemental Immunization Funding Grant. While the commissioners had previously approved the Health Departments’ first request to apply for over $200,000 Council members denied the request.
Dunfee contacted the state and did get the opportunity to apply for this grant in the amount of $56,160.32 which will help continue the immunization clinics. The council approved the request to apply for this grant on Thursday evening.
Greg Hildebrand from the County Park Department was approved to apply for a $5,000 NIPSCO Grant to assist with the eradication of invasive plants at the Trails at Mill Pond and in the Memorial Forest.
Commissioner President Stan Klotz said the current ordinance only requires approval from both the Commissioners and Council for state and federal grant applications and not private ones. He suggested adding those grant requests to the ordinance too.
Later in the meeting, Commissioners Kevin Overmyer suggested having the county attorney review and modify the ordinance. He recommended requiring all grant applications to be approved by the commissioners and only those that require matching funds to be approved by the County Council. He also said clarification was needed on which type of grant applications needed approval and felt that all grants, no matter federal, state, or private need to be shared with the commissioners and County Auditor. He pointed out that 4-H may be applying for a $100,000 Lilly grant which isn’t a federal or state grant. Thus, they should inform the auditor and the commissioners of their intentions.
