The McDonough County Board last week heard it is facing an unexpected $20,900 bill for a $1 million tornado siren grant application that it did not approve – and may never be able to submit – due to a missed deadline.
McDonough County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA) Director Edgar Rodriguez told the board he was coming to them for help with the situation.
"I don't have $20,000 in my budget," he said.
Rodriguez told the board he ordered the grant writing project a month prior to apply for an Illinois Hazard Mitigation Program grant to fund much-needed repairs and replacements of county tornado sirens.
With the application due, he said it was only 70% complete because he was unable to get required approval from rural municipal boards before the deadline. Only Macomb had signed on. Further, he said the county would be unlikely to receive the grant as-is, since Macomb had already independently applied for the same grant to spend on a new generator.
If awarded, the grant will replace the county’s old, outdated tornado siren system with 19 new sirens, including new computer and equipment, to operate the new system.
Rodriguez requested the board pay the grant writing bill, and he hoped to have the application ready and completed for a retry next year. However, he noted there could be an additional cost, as funding for government grants can be unpredictable. He confirmed that it's even a possibility the grant wouldn't become available again next year.
If the county did get the grant next year, the payment for the writing would be fully reimbursed.
"So are we already in the hole for $20,000 with no guarantee that there won't be additional expenses next year when you pick it back up again?," Board Member Ken Durkin asked.
Board Vice Chairman Mike Cox bluntly called the situation "a hot mess." He and several other board members voiced that the expense should have gone before the board for approval. Members could have worked with municipalities on obtaining the approvals in time to successfully apply.
Rodriguez indicated that he had only 30 days to get the application submitted, and sirens are in critical need of maintenance funding – especially several that were installed in 2013.
Cox made a motion to not approve the grant application and not pay the bill.
"I'm not sure that's the best idea," replied Chairman Eric Blakely, noting that the county is on the hook for the cost regardless, and Rodriguez is likely able to pause the application for next year.
The motion failed 5-13.
The board didn't act on the request and instructed Rodriguez to return next month with the bill and written documentation from the grant firm that it would hold the application, update it and resubmit it next year to ensure the county receives services it's paying for.
"We need to follow up on this issue and make sure it's just not – not approved, because then we're just out," said Member Vicky Kipling. "That's all there is to it, because that's not right. Policy issues need to be approved ... because it's just like you've got an open checkbook."
Following the meeting, Blakely declined to comment on the application being attempted without board approval, but praised the work to fix the current siren system. He said the 70-year-old system is in great need of repair.
"This is a tremendous opportunity for the County to receive a new siren system and equipment for a small grant fee," he said. "Parts of our current siren system are 70-plus years old. Maintenance and repairs are becoming more expensive each year, as well as finding replacement parts for outdated equipment."
Journalist Nathan Woodside is a Macomb resident and can be reached at [email protected].
