San Benito County Supervisors will discuss a plan of action to persuade the state to allow them to apply for a community development block grant in this year despite a new rule that essential makes the county ineligible in 2013 at a Tuesday supervisors’ meeting at 9 a.m.
Enrique Arreola, the deputy director of Community Services and Workforce Development, spoke with supervisors in January about concerns that the county would not be able to complete 50 percent of the work on projects with allocated funds from CDBG in 2012. While CDBG awards were announced in September, funds were not disbursed to local governments until January. The state implemented a new rule that jurisdictions receive CDBG grant funds in 2012 would not be able to apply for funds in 2013 unless they had spent 50 percent of the 2012 funds by the time the application is released for the 2013 grant.
While county staff members made arrangements to ensure 50 percent of the funds would be used by the notice of application for the 2013 grant – the deadline to meet the 50 percent requirement – Arreola said he later became aware that the programs also have to complete 50 percent of the work. Job training activities funded through CDBG at Community Services and Workforce Development will not be 50 percent completed by April 12, since the programs often run for nine months or more.
At the meeting, supervisors will also consider nominations for the planning commission and review the mid-year capital budget status report, among other items. For the full agenda, including attachments, visit www.cosb.us.
