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Meriden shifts grant‑administration budget to pay outside consultants after staff departures
Summary
Council approved transfers to cover temporary external grant‑administration and grant‑writing services after two in‑house staff left; the city will contract hourly, as‑needed with a firm that has been supporting recent competitive grant applications.
Meriden — The finance committee on Jan. 8 approved budgetary transfers to fund outside grant‑administration and grant‑writing services after recent departures from in‑house positions.
City Manager Brian Daniels and finance staff explained that Christina Smith (grant administrator) is leaving and that the city posted the position but expects a gap while recruiting. To avoid disruption in drawdowns and reporting for numerous grants, the city will fund hourly, as‑needed services from a consultant firm (referred to as "Sonic" in the record) under a contract not to exceed $34,000 for the remainder of fiscal year 2026. Separately, the committee approved a $64,615.38 transfer to correct a salary accounting line after the grant‑manager position was classified as a nonunion finance admin role.
Daniels and staff said the consultant team approach provided capacity and competitive advantage for short‑notice, complex grant applications (including an ongoing EPA brownfields application). The committee approved the transfers and staff said they would return for any contract increases if needed.
