Board backs Agape Clinic grant application, directs staff to administer and appropriates $10,000 match

The Washington County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Aug. 6 to support Metropolitan Community Health Services’ plan to locate an Agape Clinic in the county and to provide a $10,000 appropriation from the county’s fund balance to meet a portion of the required match for a $500,000 grant application.

Dr. Michael McDuffie, CEO of Metropolitan Community Health Services, told the board the project would offer primary medical care, oral care, an onsite pharmacy, behavioral health services and create roughly 32 full-time jobs. He said the organization had secured $1 million from HRSA and $200,000 from Golden Leaf, leaving about $500,000 needed to complete building and operational costs. Because a municipality must be the grantee, Metropolitan asked Washington County to serve as the applicant; Dr. McDuffie said a third-party administrator could be used to handle day-to-day grant administration.

Commissioners debated the county’s capacity and potential liability for serving as grantee. Commissioner Sexton asked whether the county would be responsible if Metropolitan defaulted and asked why Washington County was needed for the application. Dr. McDuffie responded that Metropolitan had been in operation about 20 years, offered to provide prior financial records, and said the organization would arrange third-party administration; he added, “the words fail or default is not in their vocabulary.”

County Manager Curtis Potter told the board staff still needed clearer information on what “administering the grant” would require and about deadlines; Dr. McDuffie said the application was due Aug. 27 and awards were expected in September. The board voted to: (1) support Metropolitan Health Services coming to Washington County; (2) direct staff to administer the grant or allow a third-party administrator; and (3) appropriate $10,000 from fund balance to cover part of the 5% match. All votes on these motions were recorded as unanimous.

The motions included direction for staff to pursue the administrative steps needed to submit the application and to attempt to finalize details about third-party administration; commissioners asked staff to return with specifics if more time or resources would be required.