Whiteville council approves application for FEMA personnel grant after cost-share changes

Whiteville Town Council voted to approve submitting an application for a federal personnel grant for the town's fire department after staff described recent changes to the program's cost-share requirements.

David Merrick, town counsel, told the council that earlier this year federal grant rules changed and the personnel grant's cost-share was reintroduced. "The first and second year is 25% of the grant of basically of the salaries...and the third year is 65%," Merrick said. He said the department had originally planned for six positions under the prior grant formulation but that the revised application reduced that number to three.

The council's approval allows staff to proceed with the application process. Merrick said staff would evaluate the town's finances if the grant is awarded and decide whether to accept the award: "We would have to examine our financial footing at that time and make a decision to move forward with it or not. I can't say with full certainty, yes. But there's a strong possibility we could figure something out."

Merrick also told the council that the grant had been paused earlier in the spring because of federal spending delays and that new notices opened the program for applications; he said the current version of the personnel grant requires a local match after the first two years. Council members then voted; the motion passed after members voiced their approval.

If the town accepts any eventual award, Merrick said staff would revisit departmental budgets to identify changes needed to cover the required local share. The council did not specify departmental budget moves at the meeting and did not record dollar amounts or a final staffing plan.

Next steps recorded at the meeting: staff will complete and submit the application, and if awarded, return to the council with a recommendation on whether to accept the grant based on the town's financial condition.