After weeks of tension between San Juan Bautista’s city
government and the San Benito County Water District over how to
administer a multimillion dollar federal infrastructure grant, the
two groups could meet next week in an attempt to resolve their
differences.
San Juan Bautista – After weeks of tension between San Juan Bautista’s city government and the San Benito County Water District over how to administer a multimillion dollar federal infrastructure grant, the two groups could meet next week in an attempt to resolve their differences.
Last week San Juan City Manager Jennifer Coile said during a water board meeting that the water district deliberately caused the federal government to suspend the $3.8 million grant intended to repair the city’s water and sewer system.
Since then the two agencies have suggested they are willing to sit down to discuss the status of the grant and review an agreement between the two parties. San Juan proposed meeting with District Manager John Gregg and water board members on Sept. 15 or 16, but no firm date has been set, Coile wrote in an e-mail.
Gregg did not return calls Friday.
While Coile said San Juan has always been amenable to sitting down with water board members, she said board members have never contacted her to set up a meeting.
Board members say it’s the other way around, and that San Juan that has refused to open up the lines of communication.
The Economic Development Administration suspended the grant last month after receiving a letter from water board President John Tobias stating that San Juan Bautista was failing to abide by the terms of the agreement to administer the grant.
The water district had agreed to match the federal grant with $3.1 million in grants and loans to help finance the nearly $8 million project, but San Juan refused to sign off on the water district’s contract, claiming it gave the district too much control.
One of the sticking points has been whether San Juan’s grant writer, Mark Davis, will attend the meeting.
On Friday Coile said in an email that “as far as I know, the meeting attendees are Gregg, Tobias, myself and the mayor.”
Previously Coile had argued that Davis’ attendance was important. She believed Davis had a continuing role in the grant’s future, including coordinating environmental impact reviews and dealing with federal government staff.
Water board members countered that Davis was not needed, but Coile said she didn’t want to proceed without his knowledge and input.
Water board member Ken Perry said Davis had done his job already – which was to negotiate a contract with the water board concerning the infrastructure grant.
“The meeting is to discuss the status of the EDA grant and review and clarify the agreement,” Perry said. “We’re not negotiating, we’re only discussing those two items. Contracts are acted upon by elected officials, not grant writers, it’s as simple as that. So there’s no reason to have Mark Davis there.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or [email protected]
