County engineering seeks to reallocate small remaining OSBM grant balance to replace HVAC in outdoor range trailer
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Summary
Rockingham County engineering asked commissioners to allocate leftover OSBM grant funds and interest from a 2022 indoor range design grant to replace a failing HVAC unit at an outdoor range trailer; commissioners approved the repair contingent on locating funds in sheriff’s budget or similar source.
Caleb Tilly, the county’s engineering and public‑utilities director, asked commissioners to reallocate the remaining balance and accrued interest from a 2022 OSBM grant originally used for indoor‑range design (OSBM 2531) to pay for HVAC replacement at an outdoor range trailer.
Tilly said $245,445 had been spent on indoor‑range design; the remaining balance of grant funds plus interest was reported at approximately $8,034. The estimated replacement cost for the trailer HVAC was approximately $7,950. Commissioners expressed concern about repurposing funds granted for a specific project without prior OSBM approval.
Board action: Following discussion the board approved the repair but conditioned the approval on finding funds within existing sources (for example, sheriff’s office budget or other internal accounts) rather than spending restricted OSBM funds until legal/administrative checks were performed. Staff agreed to consult the sheriff’s office and OSBM about allowable scope changes and to report back with a definitive funding source.
Why it matters: The work is a small capital repair with a modest cost estimate that affects facility users and prevents further damage; commissioners emphasized legal constraints governing use of targeted state grants and preferred internal funding or written OSBM approval before direct reallocation.
Next steps: County staff will consult OSBM and the sheriff’s office for permissible use or reallocation; if funds can be sourced internally, the HVAC replacement will proceed promptly.