State oversight will restrict applicant eligibility for more than $1M in funding
Control of more than $1 million in cannabis tax-funded community grants will shift from Worcester County’s elected officials to a local oversight board – a move that the County Commissioners voted to approve themselves.
In a 5-2 decision, the commissioners voted Oct. 21 to give their Local Management Board, or LMB, authorize to distribute funds. Commissioners Caryn Abbott and Eric Fiori opposed the change, both arguing the commissioners should have more influence over which of the 23 applicants would be deemed qualified to receive grant money.
“Many of us, as individual commissioners, have talked to our community members and that’s where these applications came from,” said Fiori (District 3, West Ocean City). “I requested some of these applications to come in and thought they were good applications. I just don’t know if I’m quite ready to hand it over yet.”
Abbott (District 1, Southern) asked whether small businesses could qualify for the grants. Legislative analyst Charlene Sharpe read from the state’s guidance, and noted the money is not intended for programs like after-school activities, truancy and absentee intervention, transportation improvements, and more – but not private enterprise.
“Well, I personally would like to be more involved with the decision making than turning it over to the LMB and losing any control or say,” Abbott replied.
Who knew the County has a secret cabal of “local” decision makers? Who are these ppl? Politburo anyone?