Grant Coordinator Lauren Long provided an update to the Habersham County Commission at Monday night’s commission meeting on grant applications and awards since August 2022, a tenure that spanned 14 months.
During the update, Finance Director Tim Sims announced Long’s resignation as a full-time employee, effective Friday, November 17. Despite stepping down, Long will continue to assist the county on a part-time basis for the next 30 to 60 days, focusing on tracking current grant applications and facilitating the transition to a new grant coordinator.
Grant applications and awards
Long’s comprehensive update outlined the county’s significant efforts in grant applications during her tenure. From August 2022 to September 2023, the county applied for grants totaling $20,967,709. During this period, $2,350,831 million in grants were awarded, with $1,954,013 designated for the accountability courts over five years, a grant award announced in September 2023. Before this announcement, the county had received $396,818 in grants.
The county anticipates the announcement of three pending grants totaling $862,074, expected at any time.
Grant Coordinator position
Sims emphasized that the grant coordinator position extends beyond grant writing, involving data collection from various departments for applications and the preparation of comprehensive financial reports post-award.
He confirmed that the position would be posted with a salary range of $55,000 to $65,000, funded by ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds. There are sufficient funds set aside to cover the position for at least two more years, as disclosed during the meeting. Long’s salary was $61,068.
Grant opportunities
When asked about grant opportunities for the courthouse demolition, Sims explained that while it was considered, the Development Authority chose to partner with the city of Clarkesville due to the intricate and costly abatement and environmental study required for the grant. This study, estimated at up to $100,000, would have taken six to nine months to complete, causing significant project delays. He added that there are no guarantees the county would receive grant funding and the process could take as much as 24 months.
Responding to the question of taxpayer benefit from having a grant coordinator, Sims highlighted how grants have covered expenses that would have otherwise come from the general fund or SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax). He emphasized that grants enable the county to allocate funds to neglected needs like equipment replacement and preventative maintenance.
Grant performance
Asked about the county’s grant performance compared to similar-sized counties, Sims noted the lack of published comparisons but suggested examining other counties’ past audits for insights into grant activity. “That is something that we would have to just look at other county’s past audits to find out. There is not really anything published comparing this activity with other counties,” Sims stated.
