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Bladen County manager outlines possible fiscal and service impacts from federal shutdown; hiring freeze, travel restrictions floated
Summary
County Manager Kearney told commissioners the federal government shutdown creates unknown reimbursement timing and possible program disruptions; staff is monitoring and may recommend hiring and spending restrictions if the shutdown continues.
County Manager Kearney told the Bladen County Board of Commissioners that the ongoing federal government shutdown has created uncertainty around reimbursements and may affect county programs and operations.
Kearney said some federal programs already expired on Sept. 30 — including temporary assistance for needy families and the National Flood Insurance Program — and that other programs are at risk if the shutdown continues. “We don’t know the true impact until the shutdown is resolved and how long the shutdown goes,” he said.
The county manager outlined specific programs and likely effects: CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) and Medicaid were reported as continuing, while discretionary programs such as WIC could stop receiving new funding; SNAP and other programs may continue through October because of multi-year funds or reserves. Kearney also said some federal partners, including USDA and soil-and-water offices, already have limited capacity because of furloughs.
Why this matters: County departments that rely on federal pass-through funding could face delayed reimbursements, curtailed services or additional local costs. Kearney said the county has limited federal and state guidance about reimbursements and timing.
Board discussion focused on options to limit county exposure if the shutdown is prolonged. Kearney said staff is examining possible recommendations for the board, including a hiring freeze for federally funded vacant positions, delaying or reducing purchases and maintaining a travel freeze except where travel is mandatory for the position. He described the discussion as preliminary: “We are looking at do we make a recommendation to the board and what we need to consider. Should we consider a hiring freeze for fairly funded vacant positions, reduce or delay purchases, continue with the travel freeze unless mandated,” Kearney said.
Kearney also noted that some services likely will continue to be administered by counties — for example, SNAP operations are expected to continue through at least Oct. 31 because of existing funds — but that federal administrative and technical support may be limited. He said some federal staff will be furloughed and that search-and-rescue support and controlled burn contracts are already affected in some areas.
No formal board action was taken at the meeting. Kearney told commissioners he and staff will continue to monitor department reports and outreach with state and federal partners and will bring formal recommendations to the board if conditions warrant.
