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Highlands Today

County's Growing Population Could End Some Grant Opportunities

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By JIM KONKOLY

Highlands Today

Published: December 30, 2008

SEBRING - Over the past year, the year-round population of Highlands County grew by 1,480 and climbed just over 100,000 people.

That could lead to the county becoming ineligible for state grants to small counties, defined by the state as a population of 100,000 or less.

Rick Helms, assistant county administrator, said county officials are doing research now to determine whether losing small-county status would hurt Highlands County in state funding.

That is one issue that may be brought up on Jan. 21, when the county commissioners host their annual meeting with the county's delegation to the Florida Legislature.

State Representatives Denise Grimsley, R-Lake Placid, Baxter Troutman, R-Winter Haven, and state Sen. J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, are scheduled to take requests from county and municipal officials from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the county commission meeting.

According to the University of Florida's Bureau of Economic and Business Research, Highlands County grew from 98,727 year-round residents in April 2007 to 100,207 year-round residents by April of this year.

"It's a two-edged sword," Helms said about breaking the 100,000 population barrier. "It shows that the county is still growing. But the other side is that it takes us out of eligibility for various grant programs that are available for small counties."

Bernis Gainer, director of the county's Office of Management and Budget, said his staff is surveying county departments to determine grant funding awarded under state small-county programs.

"We're trying to find out what impact there would be if we were to lose that small-county designation," Gainer said. "We are gathering the information from the grant project writers."

Helms said the county needs to determine not only what grant programs may be lost without small-county status, but also whether other state funding sources would make up for the potential loss.

If losing small-county status would result in less state aid, Helms said, the county commissioners could ask the legislators to raise the population limit for small counties.

"That's certainly one thing we're going to look at," he said. "Whether that is something the board (of county commissioners) wants to determine as a priority is up to the board."
Highlands County has secured state recycling grants designated for small counties, Helms said, and has taken advantage of the state's Small County Road Assistance Program. One grant under the road program provided more than $2 million in state funding to improve Old State Road 8.

Highlands Today reporter Jim Konkoly can be reached at 863-386-5855 or e-mail jkonkoly@highlandstoday.com

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