Board approves Great Willow CDBG closeout and narrowly clears 2026 travel-guide contract amid procurement concerns

Greene County’s economic development committee and board voted Nov. 17 to authorize a second public hearing to formally close out a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) economic development award for Great Willow and to approve a vendor for the 2026 county travel guide.

James (county staff) said the county completed Great Willow’s required expense documentation and job-requirement paperwork, and that the county remitted the full $179,000 award to the business. To close out the project formally, staff requested a second public hearing; the board approved that hearing.

The meeting also included a contested procurement for the 2026 travel guide. Committee materials showed staff selected option A (presented by James) at roughly $61,000. One member questioned whether Millennium Printing — identified in the packet as an Ontario, Canada, firm — had been used previously and whether the quote included shipping and foreign-exchange fees. The member said they prefer to buy locally and stated, "I can't support that." James replied the quote reflected U.S. dollar conversion and staff considered total costs.

The board approved the travel-guide printing contract at the meeting. The meeting transcript contains a garbled, large figure ($6,062,232) that appears to be a transcription error; the procurement discussion on the record and the vote indicate the chosen option was approximately $61,000. The record does not show staff confirming if additional conversion fees will be charged beyond the quoted price.

The actions carry the county through the closeout and procurement steps; staff said they will hold the public hearing to complete the CDBG closeout process and proceed with the travel-guide contract under the procurement rules cited in the administrative manual.