Lawmakers asked to fund Stimulus coordinator and staff

The Gibbons administration is asking lawmakers to approve hiring two people to manage the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money as it arrives and gets distributed in Nevada.

Altogether, Nevada is slated to receive just over $2.2 billion in Stimulus funding. Director of Administration Andrew Clinger said because of the numerous reporting and other requirements attached to the money, it will be necessary to hire people to manage the funding.

He put in a request to the August 3 Interim Finance Committee for $281,117 from the Contingency Fund to hire an ARRA manager and an executive assistant as soon as possible. Clinger said time is important because the first report to the federal government is due October 10.

"Most of the money is coming through the state," he said, adding that some of it will be sub-granted to local governments, non-profit organizations and contractors.

He said one of the key things federal officials want to know is how many jobs are created by each program ARRA funds. And he said the federal government wants details on every expenditure  over $25,000.

"There are additional reporting requirements we don't have on grants right now," he said.

While much of the money will be passed down to local governments, organizations and contractors, he said federal officials have put the burden for the reporting requirements on the state.

"The ultimate responsibility falls on us," he said.

The largest single pot of money goes to the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation where the majority of the $629.1 million will be spend to provide unemployment insurance benefits. That program will receive more than $540 million of the total.

Health and Human Services is the next biggest piece at $560.7 million. Of that, $314.8 million goes to enhance Medicaid payments. Another $84 million goes to the Welfare Division.

The public school system and university system get $258 million and $260.9 million respectively while other departments get smaller shares of the total awarded the state.

In addition, Clinger said there are other pots of money the state can compete for. He said one of the ARRA coordinator's jobs will be to find those competitive grant sources and help the various agencies, local governments and organizations which qualify get some of those funds.

Because that person will have to deal with state agency heads, local officials and non-profit organizations, he said the individual will have to be a "high level person who can represent the state and the governor's office." The $281,117 will pay not only the two salaries but operating costs for the office.

Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.