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County staff say congressional health earmark shifted from construction to equipment, environmental and historic reviews completed
Summary
County staff updated commissioners on a congressional directed spending grant for a health facility, saying federal rules reclassified the award as construction equipment after earlier determinations and that environmental and historic reviews have been completed; staff said they expect federal responses within days to a recent resubmission.
County staff updated the Natrona County Board of County Commissioners on the status of a congressional directed spending grant tied to a health facility, saying federal officials changed allowable uses for portions of the award and that the county recently resubmitted documentation.
Anna (county staff) told commissioners the process began several years ago and had been managed by the county attorney’s office; after staffing changes county staff took on the matter. "We discovered with the feds that the HRSA money, since the building had already started construction, we couldn't apply for construction as a construction project," a county staff member explained, adding that the federal agency later allowed use for "construction equipment" including "air handlers, lighting packages, switchgear, generator." The county then resubmitted documents reflecting those allowable uses.
Staff said an environmental assessment and a historic-preservation review required by the federal agency (and coordinated with the State Historic Preservation Officer) had been completed and accepted by the federal reviewer. Anna said the county also learned it could be reimbursed for eligible expenditures once the federal agency approves the equipment scope and documentation; staff reported that the FFR (Federal Financial Report) delinquency had been addressed and brought current.
Treasurer’s office staff and county clerks assisted with the financial reporting, the county said. Anna and county staff said they expect a federal response to the latest resubmittal "anywhere from the next day to a week" and that their project officer is helping ensure compliance. The State Lands and Investment Board grants related to the project were said to be fully expended and audited; the congressional directed spending award is the remaining grant the county continues to resolve.
Commissioners asked whether the change in federal interpretation puts other grants at risk; staff said they were not aware of jeopardy for other awards and emphasized that the environmental and historic reviews were the major outstanding items that required correction. The county asked commissioners to remain informed while staff continue to work with federal officials and acknowledged the complexity of matching federal procurement and reporting rules to a project already under construction.
No formal action or vote was taken; commissioners asked to be kept apprised and thanked staff for the update.
