Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Department Grants topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Health department grants cut after lawsuit; Metro Animal Care interim leadership named
Summary
Committee members pressed Metro Health about three grants affected by recent litigation and heard Metro Animal Care and Control will have an interim director while the agency begins a hiring process.
Committee members asked Metro Health about the status of three grants affected after litigation and an injunction; Metro staff reported mixed outcomes and explained next steps for Metro Animal Care and Control leadership.
Mr. Sharp with Metro Public Health said two of the impacted grants were state pass-through grants that have been returned to the state; Metro is awaiting word on how the state will reallocate those funds. A COVID-era lab expansion grant (ELC) contains "a couple million dollars left and a year to run," Sharp said, and the department hopes the state will permit continued local use. An immunization grant was smaller; Sharp said Metro moved three or four people to local funding in anticipation of the cut and is exploring whether local funds could temporarily supplant the lost grant funds for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The third grant is a federal award coming directly to the health department; Sharp said it was near expiration (about six weeks) and the department was struggling to spend it because of staffing shortages. "I'd I don't know what we're gonna do about that one, honestly. We're struggling to find figure out whether it's even worth... trying to get it for six weeks," Sharp said.
On Metro Animal Care and Control leadership, Sharp said Ashley Harrington "has moved on" and will assist with transition; Danielle (last name not provided) will serve as interim director. Sharp described a standard hiring process including a departmental panel that interviews and scores applicants.
Council members asked whether staff who were separated because of grant cuts had been notified and whether any were retained on local funding; Sharp said some staff were moved to local funding but did not provide an exact number. Council Member Gadd asked for follow-up with a staff list to identify any workers not contacted.
The committee placed the grant impacts and agency leadership changes on the record and requested follow-up details on staff communications and budgetary contingency planning.
