BRANCH COUNTY — At a special 10 a.m. meeting on Monday, three county commissioners unanimously passed a conflict of interest policy covering all employees, including commissioners.
At stake is a $1 million USDA fiber internet grant the county applied for almost two years ago.
Administrator Frank Walsh said the USDA requires the policy. He sent in the adopted policy immediately after the meeting.
Branch County pledged $1 million of its $8.2 million American Rescue Plan Act funds to support Frontier’s receipt of over $20 million of the Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks grant to install fiber internet to homes in just over 50% of the county underserved by high-speed connections.
Walsh said the county had already paid Frontier 50% of the money. The USDA grant will cover the remainder, giving the county $500,000 more for other projects.
The ARPA money must be spent by the end of 2026.
The county committed $3 million from ARPA for courthouse renovations. Walsh believes plans to rebuild all three courtrooms later this year could exceed the remaining funds.
Newly hired consultant Julie Waterbury is tasked with balancing ARPA accounts as part of her duties.
The money saved by the USDA grant could cover some of the overruns.
Walsh and County Clerk Terry Kubasiak could find no record of the county ever adopting a conflict of interest policy.
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Now, all employees must sign one.
Chairman Randall Hazelbaker and commissioners Jon Houtz, and Rick Hollister were the only ones able to attend Monday following Friday’s short notice.
Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Branch County adopts first conflict of interest policy for $1 million USDA grant
Reporting by Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter / Coldwater Daily Reporter
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