The Marshall County Council members reviewed a grant request submitted by the Marshall County Health Department Thursday night.
Health Administrator Faith Freed explained that the Indiana Department of Health immunization renewable grant is for $237,046 which she said would keep bringing in childhood immunizations to the county. The commissioners approved the grant request in a previous meeting.
Councilwoman Nicole Cox stated that the deadline date to apply for the grant was February 13, 2023 and Freed already applied for the grant without a vote from the commissioners or council which she said goes against a county ordinance that requires permission by both bodies of government before a grant application is submitted. Cox raised the question of legality concerning that action. She said some grant processes occur quickly and a letter of notice could be sent to all commissioners and council members where a pending approval reply could be given. She said, “We need to make sure we’re sticking to the proper procedures.”
The council’s attorney, Marcellus M. Lebbin, commented that permission is needed and it is a violation of the current ordinance.
Councilman Will Patterson stated that he works with grants all of the time and sometimes the deadline is a quick turnaround where he sends a letter that he intends to apply for it.
Lebbin said a list of annual renewable grants for all departments could be provided and a special session could be called to review grants.
Cox pointed out the work plan for the grant and said the budget includes promotion of vaccinations. Freed explained that advertisements would promote all vaccinations available at a total cost of $100,000 which involves a media group producing the ads and managing social media and the website.
Jim Masterson made a motion to approve the grant request with a second by Will Patterson. Patterson then asked if this would violate the county’s own ordinance.
As part of the discussion on the motion, Council President Jesse Bohannon said he would support funds from the county’s General Fund to cover the direct cost of the immunizations.
Cox further broke down the budget which includes travel, education, conference fees, lodging, per diem mileage, and fuel for the mobile unit for a total of $20,246; supplies and medical supplies $3,600; office supplies $1,200; educational materials $2,500; speaker fees $4,500; facility rental fees $3,000; and printing $2,500. The contractual costs include media group costs $100,000; TV time $50,000; radio time $10,000; newspaper ads $10,000; vaccine administrative assistant $20,000; and a driver for mobile unit $5,000.
Out of that, Bohannon said he would support about $60,000 for the execution of the vaccination campaign.
Councilman Adam Faulstitch asked if the budget would change depending on what the state actually granted the county if the application was approved and Freed stated it would change quite a bit in that media promotion would not be a priority.
In the end, the council voted 2-5 to support the grant with council members Masterson and Patterson voting in support the grant with council members Faulstitch, Tim Harman, Bohannon, Deb Johnson, and Cox opposing the motion.
Bohannon then made a motion to support the Health Department in that if they could come back to the council with an additional appropriation request out of the county’s General Fund in the amount of $60,000 for the core functions of the campaign. The motion was seconded Cox. In discussion of the motion, Patterson commented that he does not want to violate the county’s ordinance but he has an issue with money coming from the county that could come from a grant. He wants to hold more discussions soon on the ordinance that pertains to grant requests.
Bohannon’s motion passed with a unanimous vote.
