Congressional aide says Sunman water project accepted at 80% of requested funding

Buckle Grim, a staff member in Congresswoman Aaron Couch’s office, told the Sunman Town Council that the town’s fiscal‑year 2027 community project request was accepted by the member at “80% of the request,” roughly $3,700,000, and will move next to the appropriations subcommittee for markup and a potential vote. Grim said the office submitted what was eligible under the funding guidelines and that the subcommittee markup will determine how much the federal government can actually offer.

The update matters because even if a project is selected at the member level, final funding depends on the congressional appropriations process. Grim described two likely outcomes at the end of the legislative cycle: either the project is funded and the administering agency (which Grim said would be the EPA) will contact the town to begin drawdown procedures in quarter one following enactment, or Congress fails to pass a budget and the government operates under a continuing resolution, which can limit new funding.

Council members asked whether awarded funds must be fully spent in the awarded fiscal year. Grim and other participants clarified that the statutory language requires recipients to “obligate” awarded funds — generally to have contracts or plans in place to obligate the money within 12 months — but that spending can continue beyond that obligation period as long as the project continues. “The exact phrase is ‘obligate all the funds in 12 months,’” Grim said, and the town should be prepared with a plan and any necessary contracts so it can meet that requirement.

Grim also offered larger program context: he said about $14,000,000,000 in cumulative federal community project funds were spent nationwide last fiscal year and that most prior‑year successful applicants had already started drawdowns. He said the congressional office will stay in contact with the town and with Cheryl (the council’s point person) as the bill moves through the markup and budget process.

Council members did not take formal action on the federal update itself; Grim’s office will provide further details as the legislation moves through the appropriations process.