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Safe Streets federal grant agreement delayed; county told earliest funding possible in July, backlog risks remain
Summary
County staff reported the Federal Highway Administration review of the Safe Streets grant agreement is delayed due to administrative staffing changes; the program office is reassigning reviewers and staff were told July might be the earliest funding date, though that timeline is uncertain.
Jackson County staff told the commission on April 14 that the county’s Safe Streets federal grant agreement has been under review by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and that administrative changes at the FHWA have slowed the process.
Staff said the FHWA program office updated the county on April 10: the county’s agreement had been moved to a new contract template following administrative changes, the reviewer previously assigned was dismissed, and a new acquisition officer/reviewer has not yet been assigned. FHWA staff reported a backlog of agreements and a shortage of reviewers, and said the earliest plausible date the county might have an executed agreement and access to grant funding was July — but the FHWA official cautioned that this estimate may be optimistic and could take longer.
County staff noted that the delay could mean some local matching funds (previously earmarked as a match from the county’s Rebuild Alabama allocation) may not be obligated in the current fiscal year. Staff said they would prepare an estimate of funds needed and return with recommendations on using the county’s available Rebuild Alabama funds for road projects if federal funds remain unobligated this fiscal year.
Ending: Staff will monitor the FHWA assignment and agreement progress, calculate potential local-match needs, and return to the commission with recommendations about how to use county Rebuild Alabama funds if the federal agreement is delayed beyond the current fiscal year.
