PARKERSBURG - Wood County commissioners are reassessing their contract with grant consultant Capitol Link and considering retaining a local grant writer to sift through the volumes of grant funding options.

"We have been discussing seeking additional help in procuring more grants. There are so many grants out there that I'm afraid we aren't taking advantage of. We get volumes of paper coming through here with lists of potential grants. We need to have someone available to look into what's applicable. I think a lot of these just get set aside," said Commissioner Wayne Dunn.

The commissioners met earlier with Toni Tiano, local grant coordinator who handles more than 30 ongoing grant projects for the county, to see if she would be interested in taking on some additional work. Her fees are paid on those projects, such as the Highways Safety Program, through the grant funding as it is obtained.

"After we discussed this with you originally, you provided a proposal instead of being paid per grant to work for a flat monthly fee on this additional work. We would like to consider a six-month trial to see how it works out. You're already familiar with our projects and our operations and what we might need or qualify to receive," noted Commissioner Blair Couch.

The county is contracting with Mick Staton of Capitol Link as a grant consultant. Staton met with commissioners in August for an update on potential federal and state funds available for projects ranging from the arts to cleanup of plant sites considered hazardous.

A former congressman, Staton was retained in the spring of 2008 to notify the county of grant funding and assist in obtaining grant money. According to county records, from July 2008 to June 30, 2009, Staton was paid $7,368 in fees.

A separate payment of $3,000 was made in December 2008 for services rendered in preparation for the mobile command center grant.

So far, for the new fiscal year, which began in July, Staton has been paid $1,261 by the county. Records show the firm is based in Inwood, W.Va.

Dunn suggested possibly retaining Tiano to work with Staton.

"He's on a retainer fee and then we pay him if he gets the grant, that's additional payment for the work related to the grant," Dunn noted.

"Toni and Mick are, in reality, competitors in the grant business, so to have her doing the legwork on his grants probably isn't going to work out. We could cancel the contract with Capitol Link and use Toni instead or just have Mick identify the grant sources and not do the application," commission President Rick Modesitt said.

"I don't have a problem with canceling the Capitol Link contract," Couch said.

Tiano said she has sources for federal, as well as state and local and private grant funding.

The commissioners asked if she had time available to do the additional work.

"I've been doing this now for 20 years and I've never yet missed a deadline. My business basically expands by positive word of mouth from my past clients, so I never take on more than I know I can handle," Tiano told the commissioners.

"I think it's worth exploring hiring Toni on a six-month trial basis," Couch noted. "I think it's a separate topic that we need to talk about Mick Staton's contract."

"I don't see the need to pay two people to do essentially the same thing. I think that's a waste," Modesitt noted.

The commissioners asked Tiano to send a proposal letter for services for their consideration. The topic was placed on their rolling agenda for possible action Thursday.