Falmouth Loses Out On Coronavirus Relief Over Email Error

FALMOUTH, MA — An email error cost Falmouth up to $400,000 in federal coronavirus relief.

Last month, town officials submitted an application to the Community Development Block Grant program. But according to Town Manager Julian Suso, the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development had no record of receiving the application.

"The likelihood was very great it went out of our town system properly but was, for reasons unknown, rejected by or lost by the state system," Suso said at Monday's select board meeting.

Gregory Banwarth, the town's director of information technology, said the town has enough data to show the email was sent.

"We have every reason to believe it successfully left our institution, but just like regular mail, once you hand it off to the postman, it can get lost at a variety of junctures," Banwarth said.

With the town having proof of sending the grant application before the deadline, Select Board Chair Megan English Braga asked if there was any recourse the town could take. Suso said he reached out to the district's elected officials but was told there was no money left.

Town Planner Thomas Bott confirmed the Department of Housing and Community Development has the town's application, making Falmouth eligible for future coronavirus relief.

English Braga said town officials need a follow-up system when applying for large grants in the future so this issue doesn't happen again.