WINTON – The next step in getting grant money belongs to the Hertford County Commissioners.

On Monday morning, Pat McCade of the Golden Leaf Foundation gave a report to the commissioners about their progress in providing grant funding in Hertford County.

McCade said the Golden Leaf board met nearly a year ago and targeted certain Tier One counties where there had been no grants in the past.

“We wanted to figure out a way to bring resources to Hertford County and the other counties,” she said.

In the last year, there have been several meetings with the community and proposals have been received and discussed.

McCade made comment about the last community meeting on October 16 where the panel said they wanted the Hertford County Commissioners to take the lead in deciding which projects would best meet the needs of the county.

“Our board would be delighted to hear from you,” McCade said.

The key issues identified for Hertford County in the past year include education, workforce development, job creation/ new investment for the county and youth development.

To that end, McCade provided a list of projects which had been proposed. They included:

* Hertford County Public Schools: development of Early College High School n investment in instructors/new building renovations and supplies; $1.5 million;

* Roanoke-Chowan Hospital/Roanoke-Chowan Community College: Choices Program n moving adults and women into health care careers; $370,000 over three years;

* Hertford County EDC: development of 100,000 square foot spec building; $4 million total cost;

* Meherrin Indian Tribe: Meherrin Tourism Project; $260,773;

* Hertford County/Elks Shrine Partnership: to develop county recreation facilities n joint venture to develop athletic fields/courts/pool/programming; $500,000.

Other projects which could be considered included:

* Hertford County Public Health: walking trail development; $70,000;

* Boys/Girls Club: after-school programming/mentoring/sports/recreation; $800,000;

* Millennium Church: kids zone; $75,000;

* CADA: child development trailing center; $500,000;

* Roanoke Electric/Roanoke Center: re-entry program for ex-offenders and at-risk youth mentoring: $565,000.

After McCade’s presentation, Commissioner Dupont A. Davis asked if there was a specific amount of money allotted to each of the county’s targeted by Golden Leaf.

He was told there wasn’t, but the typical grant thus far is in the $2 million range.

“Is there any validity to ‘the early bird gets the worm,’” Davis asked.

“No,” McCade answered. “I don’t see any pressure. You don’t have to worry about not getting your share.”

Commission Chairman Curtis A. Freeman the asked, “We’re at the point where this is in our hands?”

McCade said that was true.

Freeman then thanked McCade and the Golden Leaf Foundation for their interest in Hertford County. He said he wanted to make sure the county was in position to make their recommendations by November 19 at the latest.

“My personal goal is to cover as much of the county as possible with whatever project we recommend,” he said.