County Commissioners allocate $25,000 in ARPA funds to each city

   Each city is eligible to receive up to $25,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds through the county following recent action taken by the Jackson County Commission.

The commissioners – Ed Kathrens, Dan Brenner and Keith Kelly – agreed to allocate $25,000 in ARPA funding to each of the nine cities in the county. 

The county has received $1,279,156 in ARPA funding from the federal government, so far, and is expected to receive another $1,279,156 in July totaling $2,558,312. 

Previously, ARPA funds could only be spent on COVID-19 response, bonuses for essential workers and investing in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure, it was reported.

A recent ruling was approved, however, that allow counties to use the funds more broadly. ARPA funds can now be used for other needs, it was reported. 

The commissioners had County Counselor Lee Hendricks send a letter to each of the county’s nine city councils this week informing city officials of the available funds.

In the letter, city officials are asked to explain how they would like to use the funds and then provide a written letter of request to the commissioners no later than Aug. 1. 

Once the commissioners review the proposed city expenditures and verifies that the projects are allowed under the APRA, the county will inform the cities in writing that their projects have been approved. 

City officials will then be allowed to proceed with the projects and then submit receipts to the county once the projects are complete for reimbursement, it was reported. 

If city officials are unable to temporarily cover the cost of a project due to “budgetary restraints,” then a meeting will be held with city and county officials to discuss the issue. 

In addition to the $25,000 available through the county, each city also earlier received an allocation of federal ARPA funds, it was reported.

Those funds include:

* Circleville - $24,570.08.

* Delia - $26,859.22.

* Denison - $27,011.82.

* Holton - $489,570.16.

* Hoyt - $96,143.76.

* Mayetta - $52,802.78.

* Netawaka - $20,907.46.

* Soldier - $20,1443.42.

* Whiting - $27,927.48. 

Also during Monday’s meeting, the commissioners agreed to allocate $100,000 in APRA funds to Giant Communications as the business pursues a grant to offer fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) internet services to the city of Denison. 

FTTP would provide “substantially higher” broadband speeds for the Denison customers, it was reported. 

Other ARPA fund allocations to local water districts and other entities are expected to be announced in the next week or two, it was reported. 

Last year, the commissioners allocated a total of $178,145 towards a six-year contract with EagleView for aerial photography in the county for several county departments, including the appraiser’s office. 

In addition, the commissioners approved bonuses, totaling $124,000 in ARPA funds, for county employees for COVID-19 efforts.

During a recent commission meeting, the commissioners said they wanted to utilize ARPA funds to continue to improve the roads in Jackson County, which they say will help with economic development.

“We’re so far behind,” Commissioner Kelly said of the county’s road conditions. “That’ll spread the money the widest.”

Commissioner Kathrens agreed.

“Infrastructure will benefit everybody,” Kathrens said.