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Selectmen discuss $520,000 HRRA composting grant agreement and table final approval to July 21
Summary
Board discussed entering an MOU with HRRA for a $520,000 portion of a larger grant to support the town's composting program; concerns about timing and segregating town funds led the board to table final approval until July 21 while staff and the town attorney refine the agreement.
Selectmen discussed a memorandum of understanding with HRRA to make Bethel a pass-through recipient for approximately $520,000 in composting grant funds that are part of a larger $1.5 million award being administered by HRRA. Board members and staff emphasized the need to protect the town's funds and to establish procedures for segregating and accounting for grant advances while the town awaits reimbursement.
Melanie raised specific process concerns, saying the MOU should explicitly require that each town's funds be kept segregated and that the Board of Finance be informed about the timing of expenditures and reimbursements. "We would want to be sure that the memorandum of understanding between HRRA and the town of Bethel is satisfactory to protect the town," Melanie said.
A selectman said HRRA representatives indicated they would work to ensure the town receives the money, but timing could be an issue and the town would likely have to front expenditures pending reimbursement. Given those questions, the board moved to have the selectman work with the town attorney and HRRA to finalize contract language and to inform the Board of Finance; the selectman and chair agreed to table final approval for the MOU until the July 21 meeting to allow those steps to be completed.
