COUNTY COMMISSION ASSISTS SHERIFF IN GRANT PAY-BACK

(08/22/2008)

The Calhoun Commission voted 2-1 to place $10,346.20 from the county's Capital Outlay Fund in the Calhoun Sheriff's budget, to help make a repayment of a US Justice Department grant. Sheriff Carl Ballengee received a law enforcement equipment grant of $74,024 in 2006. Federal officials are asking that about $21,000 be returned to their agency, $10,346.20 which they say Ballengee spent after a spending deadline. The other amount, over $10,000, was not spent, requiring a return. Ballengee appeared at a special meeting yesterday morning to address the issue, indicating he did not have enough money in his current budget to make the total payback. Commission president Bob Weaver voted against transferring $10,236.20 in capital outlay funds to the sheriff's account, while commissioners Rick Sampson and Kevin Helmick voted for the action. A compelling reason to assist the shortfall in the Sheriff's budget was to assure future grant funding. Diane Ludwig told the commission during an earlier meeting that failure to make the pay-back could result in the Calhoun Sheriff's Department being listed as ineligible for any future funding.

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