County staff: federal ER grant requires Clay County to adopt Title VI compliance measures

County staff told the Clay County Board of Commissioners that federal emergency relief (ER) grant funding the county is due to receive will require new Title VI compliance procedures, and staff said it will return with documents next week enabling the county to accept the award.

A county staff member told the board that, for the first time in the county's recent experience, federal ER funds being passed through the state have triggered Title VI requirements. Staff said the county must adopt a Title VI policy, designate a Title VI coordinator, publish a complaint procedure for Title VI complaints, adopt a public‑involvement plan as it relates to Title VI, include nondiscrimination provisions on hiring and contracting, and place a Title VI assurance clause into agreements and subcontracts that use federal aid.

Staff provided additional context: they said the state possesses a multi‑page public involvement handbook and a full‑time Title VI/ADA coordinator; previously the state had taken primary responsibility for compliance when it routed funds to counties, but in this instance the funding will be passed through to the county with the original federal conditions attached. Staff tied the change to federal funds allocated after last year's flooding and said they had only recently been informed of the county's specific obligations.

Commissioners and staff discussed who should be designated as the county Title VI coordinator. County staff named Brent and Lane as likely short‑term leads to manage compliance paperwork for the current grant cycle but said the designation could change if the county's responsibility expands beyond this ER project. Staff also said they would adapt state complaint forms and the state's public involvement materials to a county‑level policy to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.

Staff said the Title VI compliance requirements will apply to multiple county offices involved with federally aided work, including the highway department and the auditor's office. They told the commissioners they expected to bring draft Title VI documents to the board "next week" so the county can formally receive and administer the grant.

No formal vote on Title VI policy or a coordinator designation was taken at the meeting; staff described this as an action requiring follow‑up and said they will return with draft policies and recommended designations for formal adoption.