Rogers protests grant process, wants it ‘fair across the board’

A few years ago, Sequoyah County Emergency Management applied for a statewide grant, but didn’t get it. So when it came time this year for the grant application process, SCEM deputy director Jonathan Teague notified the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management (OEM) of his intent to apply for the $20,000 salary reimbursement grant.

But the OEM did not give Teague the green light to apply.

And grants were awarded to 80 counties and municipalities.

And Sequoyah County wasn’t one of them.

And District 1 Commissioner Jim Rogers is not happy about it.

Not necessarily because the county wasn’t awarded a grant, but because the county wasn’t given the opportunity to apply and the process, Rogers contends, was unfair.

“A few months ago, we sent out a notice of intent to apply for the Emergency Management Performance Grant, which is a $20,000 salary reimbursement they give out,” Teague reported to the commissioners at their weekly meeting Monday. “We initially did not get the grant off the notice of intent. So I made a few phone calls and asked a few questions.

“Upon doing that, they decided they were gonna give us $10,000 reimbursement on that,” Teague said, concluding his report.

But Rogers wanted to make sure everyone understood the whole story.

“He had initially submitted the intent to apply for that application,” Rogers told his colleagues. “He never was given the go-ahead to go ahead and apply for that application. And when he called and asked about it, they had already distributed the funds.

Jim Rogers

“I have a problem with that. I have a problem with the fact that he wasn’t even given the opportunity to fill out the application. Put a little pressure on them and stuff, and they ‘mysteriously’ found an extra $10,000 that they decided that they were gonna give to us,” Rogers said.

“So I have some real issues with that. I think that’s something we need to address with OEM,” he said, turning to District 3 Commissioner Ray Watts and calling upon his relationship with OEM director of operations Steve Palladino.

“Let’s just make this fair. Let’s keep it fair across the board. Give us an opportunity to fill out the application, and if you can justify that somebody else needs it worse than us, then that’s fine. But just to fill out the intent to fill out the application and not be given the opportunity to do that, I don’t feel like that’s a fair playing field, so I think that that’s something we need to address,” Rogers said.

“If Jonathan hadn’t have been persistent about pursuing that, we probably wouldn’t have even seen the $10,000.”

“My issue with it is the fact that we weren’t even granted the opportunity to fill out the application. He was following the process they asked him to follow, but they never granted him the opportunity to go ahead and fill out the application to receive the $20,000,” Rogers protested.

Teague told the commissioners that the OEM received 100 applications, and that 80 were funded from their notice of intent. He said he told the OEM he wants to know who applied, who was granted and who wasn’t.

Rogers said he is also interested.

“I’d kinda like to see it. If you’ve got cities like Tulsa and Oklahoma City and Moore and Norman and all that, there’s gotta be a certain criteria that they’re following to determine who gets this money.”

“Was it the same 80 that got it the previous year?” Rogers asked rhetorically.

That’s when Watts observed that there are 77 counties, and asked if cities were also allowed to apply for funding. Teague said municipalities were also included.

Recalling the county’s initial application for the grant, Watts said it is rare that funding is secured in the first year, and that persistence pays off.

“But if they don’t send you anything to tell you it’s available…,” Watts observed, echoing the shared frustration.

“You fill out the intent that you’re gonna apply for it and then they don’t go ahead and give you the approval to fill out an application for it,” Rogers expatiated. “At least let us fill out an application, and tell us why we didn’t get it. And I appreciate Jonathan for just digging his heels in and just saying, ‘hey, we’re not just gonna lie down and take this.’ So at least we got 10 of it, but I think it’s just something that needs to be addressed down the road. OK, what’s your process? What’s your criteria for determining who gets this? I don’t think they wanna give you a list of who got the money. I just want them to be fair about it, and give us an opportunity to fill out the application at least.”

Watts recommended further consultation with Palladino for clarification.

So where did the $10,000 come from that was awarded after the initial distribution?

“They called me and said they had rebudgeted and found some money to add five more [recipients]. We were one of the five,” SCEM director Garrett Fargo interjected. “So I guess there’s 85 of them now that they granted. I guess it just took Jonathan rattling their cage a little bit for them to realize that, ‘hey, it these other counties realize that that’s all it took, then we’re gonna go ahead and give them a little bit more.’ They said they found money for five more counties, including us.”

But Rogers persisted, hoping to avoid being overlooked in future grant cycles.

“I just think that if there’s a process to be followed, we should be given the opportunity to follow that process. And then if they can stand up and explain to us why we didn’t get it and somebody else did, then I’m good. But just the fact that they didn’t even let us fill out the application. We need to understand what the process is.”

Teague said he asked the OEM to stipulate the criteria to be followed “so that, in the future, I can make sure that we follow all this that gives us the best opportunity to get this grant.”

But Teague acknowledged, “They don’t know.”

“That’s where we need to talk to Steve,” Watts contended. “It just sounds like that the help is just so new. They don’t know. We’ve sat down with Steve a couple of times, and he’s more than willing…” “Yeah, he’s a great guy,” Rogers added.

Teague confirmed that help is available from the OEM. “Since that day, I’ve gotten five emails from different people telling me that they’re willing to do whatever. It’s just that it was such an odd situation. That just a phone call and they were willing to reverse course like that.”

Rogers told Teague he appreciated him “fighting for our county,” and his fellow commissioners added their thanks.

“Hopefully we will be eligible for the full amount next year, if we stay consistent,” District 2 Commissioner Beau Burlison said.

“I think we’re on their radar now,” Rogers concluded.

Other business

The commissioners approved the appointment of Jim Pat O’Brien to the Sequoyah County Fair Board for District 1. O’Brien, an ag teacher at Muldrow, will serve the remainder of the term left vacant with the passing of Avis Jackson, who died Aug. 3 at age 96. O’Brien’s term will end in 2024.

A memorandum of understanding by and between Sequoyah County 911 and the Cherokee Nation regarding the Cherokee Nation Public Safety Partners Grant was approved. David Slaughter, 911 director, had applied for a $50,000 grant through the Cherokee Nation program.

Approval of the county’s hazard mitigation policy was tabled until next week.

The commissioners rejected bids submitted to the county treasurer’s office for two lots in Marble City — bid $100 ($399.09 due when the county acquired it) — and two lots in Sallisaw — bid $400 ($1,020.36 due when the county acquired it). There is no access to the lots in Marble City, while the lots in Sallisaw are located “right across the tracks off of Cherokee by the cement plant.” Selling the property, even at a reduced rate, gets the lots back on the tax roll, while if the county retains ownership of the property, it is obligated to mow and maintain the lots. But the commissioners agreed that starting bids for such property must be for the amount of taxes owed.

“We’re willing to accept what’s owed on it, but no less,” Rogers said. “Here in the city of Sallisaw, $1,000 is owed on it, I promise you somebody’ll buy it for that. My motion would be to reject the bids, reject the offers. We’re not gonna entertain less than what’s owed on it.” Watts seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

The commissioners meet at 10 a.m. Mondays in the courthouse.