Commission hears plan for countywide grant-writer position; support voiced, safeguards discussed

Chair introduced a proposal to create an unclassified (at-will) county position to pursue federal, state and other grant opportunities for county departments, including EMA, the sheriff's office, the jail, and road and bridge. The chair said the position has been discussed for years and framed it as a way to address funding gaps and help the county pursue eligible grants.

An agency official described the position's responsibilities: countywide grant-writing and coordination across departments and said the position would operate under that official's supervision. The official said the role would target every area Houston County is eligible for and that measures would be put in place to monitor work and qualifications.

Commissioner Harvey voiced strong support, saying in his view the county should have had a grant writer long ago and that growth and project demands justify the role. The chair and other commissioners discussed risks noted by past grant programs in other jurisdictions—including the need to ensure the county does not overcommit to matching funds—and said the county would include safeguards and oversight by the chief administrative officer.

The chair asked to place the position on Monday's agenda for formal consideration; no final vote was taken at this meeting. Commissioners discussed whether the position should be permanent and confirmed it would be unclassified so it would not fall under the personnel board, enabling flexibility to eliminate the position if warranted.