Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Health Center topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District pauses ESSER/MD LEADS spending; Marathon Health invoice and grant options discussed
Summary
Talbot County officials reported a temporary stop on ESSER and MD LEADS spending, submitted reimbursements for a reopened window including an $81,000 Marathon invoice, and said MABE offered $300,000 to cover construction costs; Marathon offered to absorb further build‑out costs if the district extends its agreement from five to seven years.
Finance staff told the board on May 19 that federal and state guidance required the district to cease spending on ESSER and MD LEADS projects; the district followed that instruction and later learned a brief funding window reopened for reimbursement requests.
During that reopened window the district submitted two invoices: one for about $81,000 for work Marathon had performed and not yet billed, and a second larger invoice for remaining build‑out and operating start‑up costs that MSDE quickly rejected because, administrators said, those costs would not fall within the now‑closed grant period. Finance said the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) initially offered $250,000 and later increased that offer to $300,000 to help cover construction costs; presenters said that amount would, based on current payments, more than cover construction costs the district has incurred.
Marathon Health representatives have told the district they will not bill for additional build‑out if the district agrees to extend the operating contract from five years to seven years. Finance also noted there is a multi‑state lawsuit seeking to reopen the funding window; if successful, the district could seek reimbursements for additional items. Administrators said Marathon is willing to meet with the board to explain program design and expected savings; trustees asked for more detail on how Marathon’s services would generate insurance‑claim savings and requested a focused presentation addressing reimbursement dynamics, program scope, and comparative long‑range projections.
Finance outlined other potential funding sources under discussion, including using reserve funds available through the district’s health‑insurance cooperative (reported as more than $800,000 in reserves), and said staff will provide contract and lease documents for legal review. The presentation was informational; no contract changes or funding approvals were made at the work session.
