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Seward County approves $35,000 to cover WIC shortfall for fourth quarter
Summary
County commissioners approved a one-time $35,000 transfer from the sales-tax health initiative to cover a state-ordered cut to local WIC funding and avoid layoffs before the federal/state funding year begins Oct. 1.
Seward County commissioners voted to provide $35,000 from the county’s sales-tax health initiative fund to cover a sudden shortfall in Women, Infants and Children (WIC) funding for the fourth quarter.
County health staff told commissioners the state reduced the county’s fourth-quarter WIC allotment from $440,000 to $381,000 effective immediately, leaving a roughly $59,000 gap for the current grant year. Health department staff said internal cuts and refunds reduced that gap to about $25,000, and requested a one-time $35,000 county contribution to avoid layoffs and allow training continuity while staff await the next federal/state reimbursement cycle beginning Oct. 1.
The health department representative (name not specified) told commissioners: “We’ve been able to cut $25,000 on our own,” and warned there was “a very, very, very slim chance that they will get fourth quarter funding from the feds.” The representative said WIC staff must complete substantial training (about 80 hours for some roles) and that letting experienced staff go now would disrupt services and create rehiring and unemployment costs.
County staff recommended paying the $35,000 from the general fund portion of the county’s sales-tax health initiative rather than touching grant-match accounts. The staff explanation said funds would be taken from vaccination and related health-line items in the general fund to preserve the health department’s grant-matching accounts.
Commissioner Fuller moved to fund the one-time $35,000 from the health-initiative sales-tax general fund; Commissioner Abbott seconded. The motion passed by voice/hand vote.
The health department representative said state officials gave inconsistent explanations about the funding change and that local departments across the state are facing similar uncertainty. The department asked commissioners to consider the county contribution a bridge to Oct. 1, when staff expect regular reimbursement to resume.
Commissioners and health staff said they will monitor whether the state retroactively restores the funding; the county motion did not include any requirement for reimbursement if state/federal money arrives later.
