WEIRTON - Funding for the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network has been delayed and in order to continue operations as necessary, representatives of the organization are requesting a loan from Brooke County to cover part of the cost until the grant is received.
Melissa Reed of the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network made an appeal to the Brooke County Commission on Tuesday in the hope of obtaining a loan to cover part of the funding awarded to the organization. She said the funds were approved at an increase this year but because the state Legislature was two months behind in paperwork, the money is not expected to arrive until later this month.
Reed said if the loan is not approved, the organization cannot make payroll. She said she spoke with Hancock County commissioners as well and they are having the request documents reviewed by the county attorney.
"If we aren't able to get the funding from the counties, we may have to lay off workers and rehire when the money comes in," she said.
Brooke County Commissioner Tim Ennis said having legal counsel look over the document before issuing a decision is something Brooke County would also be interested in doing. In the meantime, he told Reed to look into speaking with members of the House of Delegates and the Senate.
"I would suggest going to the local legistators, Randy Swartzmiller, Ronnie Jones and Jack Yost, and explain to them the situation," said Ennis. "They might be able to see that the funding gets expedited faster."
Ennis said with Brooke County Commissioners not having a meeting in the coming week, the earliest they could have an answer for the Family Resource Network is Aug. 14.
(Dickson can be contacted at adickson@weirtondailytimes.com)
