By Steve Plunkett
The town’s $1.38 million grant from the federal government comes with an unexpected hitch: Briny Breezes has to complete what Town Manager Bill Thrasher called a “somewhat complicated” application process by June 28.
The money will be used to secure a state grant enabling the town to pay for a new $3.5 million stormwater system.
But first it has to get the federal money, which will come from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a “pre-disaster mitigation” grant.
“My concern is that I may not have enough technical expertise … to complete this application by June 28,” Thrasher told the Town Council on May 23.
FEMA, he said, has a list of agents throughout the United States who can help.
“But they don’t do this for free. And I believe that the cost of their services will extend beyond my purchasing authority, which is $5,000,” Thrasher said, asking for authorization to spend up to $10,000 to hire a grant specialist for the “strenuous and difficult” application process.
“I will do my best to do it on my own, but I do not want the town to lose this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for funding,” he said.
The council agreed.
“We definitely don’t want to lose this one,” Council President Liz Loper said.
The council also decided not to hold a budget workshop this year.
“I think that we don’t need to have a budget workshop in June because it’s already been set. I mean, you already went through it. There’s not going to be any changes that we know of,” Loper said to Thrasher.
Thrasher said there will be some individual changes, “but materially it will be unchanged. The millage rate will remain as it is this year. That’s pretty solid.”
The current property tax rate is $3.75 per $1,000 of taxable valuation.
The town’s first public hearing on its budget will be at 5:01 p.m. Sept. 12, with a final public hearing at the same time on Sept. 26.
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