Wyoming City to Pay Back More Than Half of $100,000 Grant

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming mayor was required to pay back more than half of a grant given to a city to help develop inventive ideas tackling issues in the community.

Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported Friday that Bloomberg Philanthropies' Mayors Challenge awarded the city of Cheyenne $100,000 in 2018, but only $44,000 was used.

Officials say the grant was meant to be spent by October 2018 for the project's testing phase and now more than $56,000 must be returned to the organization for lack of use or improper use.

Mayor Marian Orr says she was confused and believed the funds to be discretionary.

Bloomberg Philanthropies did not respond to requests seeking comment.

Officials say about $23,000 was used to pay for office holiday decorations, catering for public events and the mayor's travel expenses.