Maggi Questions LSA Project ‘Removal’

February 14, 2024 6:59 am

Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi is questioning the apparent removal of a Local Share Account grant as Commissioners prepare to vote on a recommended list provided by the LSA Committee. Maggi says an original list included 51 total grant recipients but then a second list had only fifty.  Maggi says the project excluded was for $500,000 for Washington City Mission.  Maggi claims he was never given an answer as to why that project was removed and he fears such action could lead some to question the legitimacy of the grant process.  Maggi says he is proud of the County’s LSA system he claims is “touted throughout the state for how pristine it is and I want it to remain that way”. Commissioner’s Chairman Nick Sherman says he doesn’t serve on the LSA board and “an email was sent to me with the final approvals and I have read over the final approval and I think they are good projects and I intend to vote for it on Thursday.  LSA Committee Chairman Jeff Kotula says 50 projects were selected out of more than 90 applicants for $8.7 million dollars.  He confirmed that the City Mission project was among 44 applicants that were not recommended.  Commissioners meet Thursday morning at 10 a.m and are expected to approve the list of 50.  Meanwhile,  Washington County Solicitor Gary Sweat announced that he will present a detailed statement at Thursday’s meeting to explain why an emergency meeting was necessary in regards to the cyber attack that struck the County’s computer system. Sweat says he will present two motions, the same that were approved at that emergency meeting, for commissioners to approve again.  Sweat says he will also detail how the State Sunshine Act was not violated.  Commissioner’s approved spending some $400,000 for upgrades and improvements to the county’s computer system at that meeting.  There have been questions as to whether a ransom payment was included in that money.