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State halts permissibility on two COVID‑era grants; county pauses related contract work and pauses hiring activity
Summary
Oakland County health officials said the state informed the county April 1 it is terminating permissibility for two COVID‑era grants (sewer network and infection prevention/health care). County staff paused five contracted positions and inactivated grant spending while awaiting state guidance on remaining funds and closeout instructions.
Brent (last name not specified), county grants staff, told the committee the department received a state letter on April 1 instructing the county that two COVID‑era grants—an “ECW Sewer Network” grant (approx. $1,200,000 award) and a Local Health Department Infection Prevention and Health Care grant (approx. $2,500,000 award)—are being terminated for future spending. Grants staff said the county had received six months of the awards and that to date the sewer grant had received $600,000 with $300,000 spent and the infection prevention grant had received $1,200,000 with $600,000 spent.
Grants staff said the state informed the county it would not permit further costs to be incurred until it issues additional guidance; as a result county staff inactivated those grant budgets and asked five contract staff whose work was charged to the infection prevention grant not to report while the county seeks clarification. Brent said the county historically returns some unspent grant funds and that staff are awaiting direction about whether remaining funds must be returned or may be used for allowable closeout activities. He said the county will provide further information once the state issues more detailed instructions.
Commissioners asked timing and personnel impacts; staff said they had received the letter late in the day and that they paused work for affected contractors while they await state guidance. County leaders said they are assembling a consolidated list of grants, whether state or federal, and the number of staff potentially impacted to present to the Finance Committee at a future meeting.
