Several agencies, grant administration still left to be paid

COLUMBUS — Polk County has paid out a little over half of its $1 million grant from the state to pay for emergency services during September’s World Equestrian Games.

The Polk County Board of Commissioners met Monday and heard from County Manager Marche Pittman about the $440,594 remaining from the grant funding.

Pittman said the county is missing statements from a few agencies, including an estimated $12,300 from the Rutherford Polk McDowell Health District as well as county department heads, who did planning for the event.

“We plan on having all that figured out and planning to present that to you the second meeting in December,” Pittman told commissioners.

Commissioner Ray Gasperson asked if the board would need to take any additional action for any monies to be sent back to the state.

“We will reach out to the state and see how they want us to handle it,” Pittman said.

Commissioner Chair Jake Johnson said he wants to make sure any time county employees spent planning is compensated as well.

Pittman said the county had four divisions who planned, as well as his planning.

“We can recoup of lot of those costs,” Pittman said.

So far, the county has paid $225,000 for medical services to Atrium and Med 1, which was the largest expenditure.

All other departments so far came in under budget and there was more than $35,000 left in contingency.

The Green Creek Fire Department was one of the most heavily used departments and spent $41,562 out of an expected $44,160 budget.

The Mill Spring Fire Department expected to spend $30,000, but only needed $14,466.

The Polk County Rescue Squad spent $17,135 out of a $20,000 budget; the sheriff’s office spent $31,989 out of an expected $48,820; Polk County EMS spent $33,004 out of $40,000; and Polk County Communications spent $9,547 out of $18,542, according to the county’s figures.

The county spent $68,276 on lodging for state emergency personnel out of a $224,489 budget; and spent $50,460 on meals for emergency personnel out of a $78,326 budget.

WEG was held over a two-week period at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring in September and saw less than expected attendance.