I recently introduced Bill 92-21 that would require County Council approval for unanticipated grant funds for any grant over $300,000.
To give a bit of background, in 2008 the county council passed legislation that created section 4-11-114 of our code dealing with grant funding. The conditional appropriation of unanticipated grants section was created in cooperation between the administration and auditor. At the time, any unanticipated grant fund, even as small as $5 required approval by the county council. This created a significant amount of legislation and visits to the council. Since the passage of that bill, grants have been appropriated, so long as they meet the conditions of the code.
The office of finance has indicated that it is unusual to have grants above $250,000 and almost never above $500,000. That was before COVID relief funding.
Anne Arundel County is going to be granted a total of $112 million in federal grant money for covid (American Rescue Plan or ARP). The current process for spending this grant funding, only notifies the council by letter when there is an appropriation over $500,000. We have no say, input or vote.
I've heard from many of you that have found it striking that there is no oversite by the legislative body, since we are the final fiscal authority. I agree.
Bill 92-21 seeks to recognize the legislation from 2008, but also the extraordinary amount of federal funding coming to the county, and the need for council review and approval.
The public hearing for this bill will be November 15.
https://www.aacounty.org/…/…/bills-and-resolutions/92-21.pdf