Pulaski County Human Services apparently will not be able to buy a new van, after all. The county council failed to finalize the local share of the funding Monday. They had been considering the issue since April.
The van would have cost a total of $35,500. Eighty percent of that was set to be covered by grant funding. Typically, the county chips in the remaining 20 percent.
Council members took action to approve the funding back in June, voting to contribute $6,894 from the County Economic Development Income Tax Fund. That, along with a $200 private donation, would have covered the local match.
However, the request was back on the council’s agenda last month, as an additional appropriation that was advertised but still needed final approval. Confusion over whether any further action was actually needed led council members to hold off on a decision last month.
Council President Jay Sullivan explained that this week’s meeting was their last chance to act on the funding request. “KIRPC will not match that grant if we don’t approve this tonight,” he said. “So if you guys don’t want to approve it, she won’t get a vehicle.”
Beyond that, council members also wanted more information about how Pulaski County Human Services uses its money. Member Mike Tiede said the organization provided an updated budget, but it wasn’t very detailed.
In the end, the additional appropriation request failed to get a motion from any of the council members Monday.
