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Board approves $204,000 election‑security adjustment despite federal grant pause risk
Summary
Supervisors approved a small budget adjustment to finalize a multi‑part election‑security grant after staff said most of the grant has already been reimbursed but a remaining $29,000 is at risk under a federal pause.
NAPA COUNTY — The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a Jan. 28 request to adjust county budgets for election‑security equipment purchased under a federal homeland security grant, but the board recessed after hearing staff describe a small remaining exposure if federal disbursements are paused.
The item, carried in the Office of Emergency Services budget, sought a $204,000 package to complete purchases of election surveillance cameras and related equipment. OES staff told the board about $175,000 of that total already has been spent and reimbursed; roughly $29,000 remained to be claimed. Auditor‑Controller Tracy Scholz said the grant is near close‑out and that the county had already received most reimbursements.
OES staff and county counsel told the board the package was a national program priority and staff advised approving the adjustment to avoid deobligation of funds already reimbursed. Daniel Sanchez of the CEO’s office said the risk was the smaller option: move forward with the remaining purchases and risk a later requirement to repay federal reimbursements, or decline and risk losing $175,000 of reimbursed grant funds. “State OES … their switchboard is lighting up today from all our counterparts across the state,” he said, noting the statewide uncertainty after the OMB memorandum.
Auditor‑Controller Scholz described the accounting mechanics: election costs would be posted through the elections office and then the sheriff’s office would transfer grant reimbursement to reimburse that cost (the funding path in the budget book reflects that arrangement). The board voted 5–0 to approve the budget adjustment.
The vote does not eliminate risk that a later federal decision could require the county to return reimbursements. Staff said they will continue close coordination with state OES and federal partners as the grant winds down.
Votes at a glance: Motion to approve agenda item 6q (budget adjustment for election‑security equipment) — motion by Supervisor Ramos, second by Supervisor Alessio; unanimous (5–0).
