Wilson County commissioners on Dec. 23 voted to table action on a proposed 12-month renewal with EMC Strategy Group LLC after public criticism and extended questioning about the contractor's role and results.

Public commenter Miss Kibbe opened the discussion during agenda item 6, saying the county has paid the firm but received no grant awards: "that investment has paid off with nothing, not 1 grant," she told the court.

Brenda Trevino, county auditor, told commissioners the renewal request would continue a monthly service fee of $5,500 ($66,000 per year) plus a 5% administrative fee if EMC secures awards; she noted EMC performed work on the county's GLO narrative tied to a $1,200,000 allocation (a non-competitive award).

Mr. Gonzales, the EMC representative, asked the court to consider the firm's government-relations focus, saying "EMC strategy group is not a grant writing firm" and describing outreach to state and federal agencies, a May visit by the Veterans Benefits Administration and combined trips to Austin and Washington to pursue large appropriations and earmarks. He said such efforts can take two to three years to produce major awards.

Commissioners pushed back, saying they had expected more proactive grant-writing assistance and cited specific communication gaps (including an unanswered September request about hot-oil trucks). Multiple commissioners raised concerns about paying $5,500 monthly without measurable results and asked about hourly rates and success-fee structures. EMC acknowledged past lapses in responsiveness and proposed monthly reporting and a midyear performance review if the renewal were approved.

After debate, Commissioner Martin moved to table the renewal and asked county counsel and staff to review the agreement and provide a recommendation at a future meeting; Commissioner King seconded. The court called the question and the motion to table was granted.

The tabling preserves the court's option to renegotiate terms, seek performance benchmarks or decline renewal; commissioners said they wanted clearer definitions of EMC's responsibilities (research vs. full grant writing), improved monthly updates and accountability if the court chooses to revisit the contract.