County To Receive $4.6 Million In ARPA Funding

Crawford County will receive around $4.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Half of the funds are expected to be administered during the current fiscal year and the remaining half a year after initial distribution.

Funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2024 and projects must be completed by Dec. 31, 2026.

ARPA was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, which provides $350 billion to state, local and tribal governments to respond to the impact of COVID-19.

States will receive about $195 billion, counties $65 billion, metropolitan cities $45 billion, tribal governments $20 billion, territories $4.5 billion and non-entitlement units of local government $19.5 billion.

Funding may be used to respond to public health emergencies or the negative economic impacts of COVID-19.

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission addressed Crawford County commissioners in August on ARPA and made a pitch to oversee the administration.

Crawford County declined to use MRPC to distribute $2.8 million in CARES Act funds.

The CARES Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020.  The plan appropriated $150 billion to states and local governments.

Both acts use population size to determine how much money is allocated to counties.

Governments were able to use the funds to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taxing entities throughout the county applied for money to make medical, public health, payroll or COVID-19 compliant purchases.

Crawford County established a CARES Act committee made up of Lesa Mizell, Jared Boast, Bill Lange, Darrell Layman and Leo Sanders.

Boast and Sanders are county commissioners.

MRPC administered the disbursement for seven of its eight other counties.

ARPA may be used to support public health expenditures, address negative impacts, replace lost public sector revenue, provide premium pay for essential workers or invest in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.

Entities may use the funds to make investments in improving access to clean drinking water and support wastewater and stormwater infrastructure.

Funds may not be used for depositing into pension funds or directly or indirectly offsetting a reduction in the net tax revenue resulting from a change in law, regulation or administrative interpretation.