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Executive Committee extends Home Sweet Home grant deadline after debate over $122,804 reallocation
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Summary
Members debated a proposed reallocation of $122,804 from personnel to construction for Home Sweet Home Ministries after a supplier delay; an amendment to instead extend the grant deadline to June 30, 2026 passed, and the amended item was approved.
Chair Johnson and the McLean County Executive Committee approved an amended contract change for Home Sweet Home Ministries on Wednesday after a sustained debate about whether to reallocate $122,804 from a personnel budget line to construction costs.
Ms. Marita Landreth, director of Behavioral Health Coordination, said the reallocation was requested because delivery of a custom electrical switchgear delayed construction and pushed back staff training and hiring by about six to eight weeks. "The money that we're requesting to move would have been spent on hiring personnel if we didn't have a delay," Matt Burgess, a Home Sweet Home representative, told the committee, adding the switchgear has a 20-week lead time from order to delivery.
The proposed amendment did not increase the total award, Landreth said, but shifted funds between budget categories. Members voiced concern that reallocating funds could override earlier funding decisions made by the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council and the Funding Advisory Council. "I think it would be smarter for us to extend the deadline than to reallocate funds that were decided upon by these two bodies," Member Klein said, offering an amendment to extend the grant deadline to June 30, 2026.
Administrator Taylor told the committee the county could either extend the contract so the same dollars would cover personnel costs in 2026, or reallocate the existing award to construction now; rejecting the action would return the $122,804 to the Mental Health and Public Safety Fund reserves. The committee voted to adopt Member Klein's amendment extending the deadline to June 30, 2026, and approved the item as amended.
The final action preserves the original award total while giving Home Sweet Home additional time to hire and train staff once construction is completed. The committee did not take additional action on any supplemental funding requests; members noted Home Sweet Home could seek further funding through ordinary FAC/BHCC channels in the future.
The County Board will receive the Executive Committee's recommendation at the next full board meeting.
