NVTA finance committee approves $25,000 outside legal review of draft grants manual

The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Finance Committee voted unanimously July 9 to authorize an outside legal review of the authority's draft grants manual and to transfer the review cost from the regional revenue fund to the operating budget.

Staff member Michael Longy explained the request and said the draft manual is procedural rather than policy and has already been reviewed by the external audit firm and the grants specialist. The recommended firm, proposed in an attached bid, would perform a general legal review for $25,000, Longy said. He noted that because many grant terms are agency-specific the manual cannot be tailored to every potential application.

Committee member (voice 5) moved that the finance committee approve executing an agreement with Noseman LLP for $25,000 to review the draft grants manual and to transfer the review cost from the regional revenue fund to the operating fund; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. Chair Snyder noted the item passed unanimously.

Members also discussed the longer-term question of whether the authority should retain dedicated in-house counsel. Some members said prior conversations and budget cycles had explored in-house counsel but the idea had not advanced; others asked staff to revisit that discussion in a future governance or finance committee meeting.

The committee's action sends the contract authorization to the full authority as recommended by the finance committee.