Swain County commissioners approve $20,000 budget amendment to finish foster-care house

Swain County commissioners on April 1 approved a budget amendment to provide up to $20,000 to finish work on a county foster-care house that county staff said exceeded an earlier grant award.

County officials said the project originally received a $125,000 grant from the Dogwood Foundation but staff expect a remaining shortfall related to finishing work. At the meeting, a county staff member described the outstanding items as “the doors, some of the plumbing fixtures…some of the furniture, the cabinets,” and exterior accessibility work including a ramp, a small deck and sidewalks. The staff member said the county probably will not need the full $20,000 and that any unspent amount would return to the general fund.

Lottie, identified at the meeting as a county staff member involved in the project, said the grant “was nearing the end” and requested the amendment to ensure the house could be completed and put into service. After brief discussion about the remaining items and costs, a motion to approve the budget amendment was made and the board voted to approve the request so work could proceed.

The amendment approval means county staff can contract for the remaining materials and labor needed to complete the house and open it for its intended use. Meeting remarks did not specify an exact completion date, a funding source beyond the general-fund fallback, or a formal tally of the vote; the action was taken during the commissioners’ regular meeting business.

The commissioners moved on to department reports after approving the amendment.