Supervisors weigh Forest Acres grant push after engineer report dispute

Washington County supervisors on July 7 discussed whether to pursue two disaster-recovery (DR) grant programs for repairs in the Forest Acres area after a dispute over previous engineering work used to support grant applications.

Supervisor (name not given) told the board that Bley Engineer — which the board paid $15,000 in 2023 — provided only a cost estimate and “threw some numbers together” instead of delivering full plans or specifications, leaving the county without the assessment it anticipated. The supervisor asked the board to pursue returning the $15,000 if the firm did not provide the work described.

Staff reminded the board that two DR grant opportunities are imminent: the State Economic Assistance Program (SEAP), due July 31, which awards up to $500,000 (competitive statewide), and a DR SIP opportunity due Aug. 24 that allows applications up to $1 million. Staff said having a completed engineering assessment or an accurate scope of work would strengthen any application and that matching funds generally make applications more competitive.

“Right now we really don’t know what the real problem is,” Miss Brooks said during the discussion, adding that the county must identify the scope before committing local match dollars. Board members agreed staff should gather the contract, scope-of-work documentation and any deliverables from Bley Engineer and asked County Attorney Griffin to advise on recovering funds if the firm failed to provide the contracted services.

The board did not commit county matching funds at the meeting. Instead it directed staff to assemble documentation and told the attorney to report back at the next meeting so the board could determine whether to proceed with grant applications and whether to seek reimbursement from the engineering firm.