Resident asks whether Skagit County is tracking potential federal grant cuts; county says it is monitoring department‑by‑department
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
A resident asked whether Skagit County tracks exposure to possible federal grant cuts; county staff said on the record that grants are handled department‑by‑department and that about $1.3 million in county grants were being monitored for potential loss.
A Skagit County resident asked commissioners on Feb. 18, 2025, whether the county has a centralized grants compliance officer to assess how potential federal funding cuts could ripple through state and local grants. The resident cited a recent public conversation by U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen about a waterfront project in Anacortes that had been delayed due to grant funding concerns.
A county representative responded that the county does not have a single grants officer; grants are managed on a department‑by‑department basis. The official said county leaders have been monitoring grant exposure and had discussed, that morning with the Department of Emergency Management division leader Julie Veil‑LaSada, a portfolio of grants totaling roughly $1.3 million that are at risk. The official said about $1.1 million of those funds relate to proactive buyouts or elevation of homes at risk of flooding or other hazards.
The county official said staff are proceeding cautiously and analyzing which positions are funded through grant awards, noting that even awarded grants could be subject to change depending on forthcoming federal guidance. The resident who raised the question urged the county to quantify potential losses and plan for increased local social‑service demand if grants were reduced.
No formal action was taken; the exchange occurred during the public comment portion of the meeting.