Finance committee previews brownfield, grant and PACE items; audit contract and opioid procurement under review

The finance committee reported several items headed to the full board: a Harbor Shores Brownfield plan resolution (identified by a number ending in '86'), a land-preservation grant acceptance (number ending '87') that includes a $1,000 top-up to restore expected award amounts, and other community development items. The finance chair said the county found that $1,000 was being deducted from some grants and that the corrective action is to accept an additional $1,000 so recipients receive the intended funding.

Committee members also discussed the county audit contract and clarified that the current auditor contract (Raymond Robinson) is not automatically extended; staff will circulate requests for proposals for audit services. Separately, the board heard that a PACE program resolution is expected in August and will require a public hearing; the PACE program would finance energy and environmental improvements for industrial and commercial properties and had previously been opted out by the county.

The committee discussed opioid-program procurement with counsel, weighing whether to use an RFP process or a grant-oriented approach; commissioners were told a resolution on that topic will likely come forward for board consideration in the near future.