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Garner council debates whether to hire one grants manager or split compliance and writing roles
Summary
Council discussed adding a grants-focused FTE to manage award compliance and pursue funding. Manager Miller recommended a single grants-manager role in FY27; several council members argued compliance and grant writing are distinct and recommended either hiring two staff or starting with a compliance specialist.
Garner — Council members spent a sustained portion of the June 8 special meeting debating how the town should staff its growing grants workload.
Town Manager Miller said the proposed FY27 budget includes a grants administrator/program-manager role to both seek funding and ensure compliance and reporting for awards. "I would continue to recommend one position in the FY27 budget," she said, noting staff concerns about compliance risks if grant awards are increased without capacity to track reporting requirements.
Some council members countered that grant writing and compliance are different skill sets. Several urged hiring two specialists — one focused on finding and writing grants, another focused on compliance and reporting — or starting with a compliance specialist and adding a writer later. One councilor warned that assigning both tasks to a single hire could set that person up to fail.
Manager Miller said the budget can accommodate one position now and that council could add a second FTE later if warranted; she pointed to roughly $200,000 of additional interest revenue staff expects to collect under current projections as one possible funding source for expanded capacity.
Council did not take a vote on the position. Staff was asked to prepare FTE-level detail and classification alternatives so council can decide whether to authorize one or two positions before the budget ordinance is finalized.
