DAPHNE, Ala. — The city’s finance director, Kim Briley, updated the Daphne City Council on the British Petroleum grant status at Monday’s meeting, and she said if the city wants to spend the funds received, it needs to act soon.

The city has more than $500,000 in funds received from British Petroleum for the April 20 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The city received a first grant for $500,000, which the council authorized Mayor Fred Small to spend in a state of emergency after an oil rig exploded off the coast of Louisiana. Around $425,000 was spent, Briley said, leaving around $75,000 left.

Small requested an additional grant, which the council has not authorized the city to spend and some council members did not know about until a few weeks ago.

“From what we understood last night, the mayor requested and received (an additional) $465,000,” Councilman Derek Boulware said.

“When we did this report, we were told that $72,000 of the first grant should have come from the second grant. I don’t know why,” Briley said.

Small said he wants to re-allocate the extra funds for potential city projects. Small has said that a possible use for the extra funds would be for work at the Daphne High School and Daphne Middle School parking lots that would cost around $200,000. Small said the city couldn’t re-allocate the money until the state signs off on it.

Council President Cathy Barnette asked if Briley thought the council should take action and authorize expenditures on the second grant, which Briley responded, “We really should.”

Barnette said that discussion of the BP money the city received would be discussed at next Tuesday’s work session, set for 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.