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Measure B committee backs six-month continuation of grant consultant funding
Summary
The Measure B committee gave verbal consent to use $12,000 from Measure B contractual-services to keep a grant-writing consultant for six months while staff pursues fire and vegetation grants; the extension will go to City Council for formal approval.
The City of Grass Valley Measure B Committee on Jan. 13 signaled unanimous consent to continue funding a grant-writing consultant for six months, using $12,000 from the committee’s contractual-services line to support applications focused on fire and vegetation management.
Tim, the city manager, told the committee the city has worked with California Consulting and has already secured about $300,000 in grants for fire and vegetation projects. ‘‘What we’re looking to do is continuing this grant process by using $12,000 over the next 6 months,’’ Tim said, describing the sum as roughly $2,000 a month and noting the contract had exhausted its prior funding at the end of December.
Why it matters: Staff said the consultant’s work has yielded significant external funding and that continuing the contract would allow the city to finish higher-value applications and manage paperwork required by partners such as PG&E and Cal Fire. Tim said contract-funded projects are expected to cover most project costs — ‘‘the grants would pay 75%–80% of the cost of the project,’’ he said — leaving Measure B to provide a smaller match when needed.
Committee members asked for details about how grant proceeds would be tracked. Tim said grant revenues are tracked separately by granting agencies and by the city’s accounting system and that those distinct grant columns typically should not be mixed into Measure B reporting; he agreed staff could present awards and accounting back to the committee when funds are received. The committee also asked whether the consultant’s work would focus on public-works grants as well as vegetation and fire grants; Tim said about half the effort is expected to support fire and vegetation management and the remainder to pursue public-works opportunities.
The committee’s verbal consent will be forwarded to City Council for formal action; no formal vote was recorded during the meeting.
Next steps: Staff will take the extension request and supporting materials to the City Council for final approval and will report back on any awards and how the grant revenue is reflected in Measure B reporting.
