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Court debates blanket grant-application authority for grant coordinator; acceptance of awards to remain court decision
Summary
Parker County commissioners debated a draft grant policy to authorize the grant coordinator to submit grant applications when those applications do not create binding obligations; legal counsel said award acceptance must still return to the court and audit implications must be reviewed.
Parker County’s grant coordinator presented a draft policy and asked the Commissioner’s Court for guidance on whether the county should adopt a blanket resolution authorizing the coordinator to apply for grants when applications do not obligate the county. The request grew out of recent short-notice opportunities, and staff cited an instance when a grant application was submitted with a resolution filed after the fact.
Ashley, the county’s grant coordinator, told the court she is drafting a formal policy to serve as an internal control and asked for direction on the authority to apply for grants and the court’s expectations. Legal counsel advised the court that the acceptance of any grant award remains the court’s responsibility: “The court ultimately has to approve the acceptance of the grant,” the counsel said. Commissioners and staff discussed using a blanket resolution to allow applications but reserving acceptance and any obligations for later court action.
Commissioner (motion maker) proposed adopting a resolution authorizing the grant coordinator to apply for grants provided that the application does not create obligations for the county; the motion was seconded. The motion was amended to require that grant applications be listed in the court’s notification section of the agenda so the court is informed when applications are submitted. The transcript records the motion and amendment and speakers’ direction to draft the policy for later formal approval, but the record does not include a final vote on adopting the full policy.
Staff said the policy will help with audit compliance and internal controls, particularly when applications have short turnaround times or require matching funds. The grant coordinator said she will work with the newly hired grant writer moving forward to improve competitiveness for grant awards.
Next steps: staff will draft the formal grant policy incorporating the court’s direction (blanket application authority limited by no-obligation condition and required notification on the agenda) and return it to court for formal adoption.
