County plan to use pandemic-related funds outlined

ELLIS COUNTY – When the American Rescue Plan Act  was signed into law on March 11, giving  cities and counties a chance to utilize funds for a variety of uses.

Local governments around the United States received the grant funding to offset the impact from an economic standpoint that resulted from COVID-19.

According to a press release from Ellis County Judge Todd Little’s office, the county received $17,953,587.55 in ARPA funds in May. The county expects to receive another $17,950,142 in May 2022.

The ARPA money can be used in response to four stipulations:

To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses and non-profits or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality;

To respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers;

For the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year prior to the emergency;

To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

The county will use its funding to “cover the increased costs associated with maintaining and operating county facilities due to the pandemic,” according to the release.

“Social-distancing measures necessitated that court proceedings be held at off-site facilities or remotely, but ARPA funding will adequately cover these increased operating and technological costs,” officials said.

To help prevent the spread of the virus, the county will also use ARPA funds to improve the HVAC and water management systems in its public facilities.

County officials will use the money to invest in various government services including maintenance or pay-go funded building of infrastructure and roads, modernization of cyber security, health and environmental services and the provision of public safety services, the release states.

The county will increase funding for its mental health service programs, as well. Mental health has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to county officials.

“Under ARPA rules, Ellis County retains broad discretion to use ARPA funding to respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the release states.

“It will allocate funding under several of ARPA’s eligible use categories to cover increased operating costs, improve government services and develop water infrastructure.”