Audit faults city’s grant process

City Hall’s efforts to obtain state and federal grants are “completely disorganized” and require a single database to track successful attempts at securing outside money, according to an audit released Tuesday by City Controller Laura Chick.

The audit found that, in the cases it reviewed, city departments spend an average of five months accepting a grant -- cutting into the time that the money could be spent and forcing the city to seek time extensions before spending the money. Chick also said the city needs a centralized authority to oversee the grant application process.