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Committee moves to proceed on grants tasks, begins recruitment for grants specialist
Summary
Policy & Governance reviewed outstanding grant files, asked staff to pursue certain follow-ups on opioid-abatement and other grants, and approved continuing with recruitment for a grants specialist to manage application, compliance and invoicing work.
The Policy & Governance Committee reviewed the county’s grants portfolio and authorized staff actions to close outstanding items and to begin recruitment for a grants specialist position.
Why it matters: The county reported $4,666,391.51 in grant funding tied to recent activity; members said a dedicated grants specialist is needed to maintain compliance, invoice properly and manage subrecipient relationships. Committee members also discussed specific outstanding items including an MOU related to state "781" funds and opioid-abatement settlement funding that will require a recipient selection or internal allocation approach.
Committee staff summarized current tasks: finalize the MOU for the 781 funds in coordination with the Chief Public Defender and district staff, review outstanding DEQ and Volkswagen settlement items with appropriate departments, and consider internal options for distributing opioid-abatement funds rather than issuing an immediate competitive RFP.
Karen Kent (HR/safety administrator overseeing recruitment logistics) described the recruiting plan: update the job description, post the position on county job sites and use free job aggregators such as Indeed; if the county does not find a suitable candidate, paid advertising can be considered. Kent said typical posting practices include a two‑week period and review of candidate writing samples and prior awarded grants.
Action taken: The committee approved proceeding as discussed on grant follow-ups and authorized recruitment activity for a grants specialist. Members emphasized seeking candidates with strong federal and state grant-writing experience and suggested including a writing sample and list of previously awarded grants in the selection process.
Ending: HR will post the grants specialist vacancy, manage applicant screening and provide finalists to commissioners; staff will continue to work with departmental leads on outstanding grant MOUs and will report back in February on progress.
