October 20, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
How should DeKalb County spend its $3.9 million allocation in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act?
That was on the minds of the county commission and county mayor during a workshop meeting held Tuesday evening at the county complex. Mark Farley, Executive Director of the Upper Cumberland Development District and Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency spoke at the meeting to provide some guidance and to answer questions on possible uses of the funds to mitigate the community’s challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under ARP guidelines, the county is allowed to draw down half the money this year for projects or programs after March 3, 2021 when the ARP Act was signed into law.
“The money has to be obligated by December 31, 2024 and completely expended by the end of 2026,” said Farley.
In addition to the county’s allocation, the school district and the municipalities are getting their own share of ARP funding.
“There are really three or four ways to spend this money and those have a lot of flexibility. Money can be spent on things regarding economic or safety aspects affected by COVID-19. In some cases building projects may be allowed that expands distancing. Money can be used to reward essential employees who have worked throughout this period of time when there was a lot of uncertainty. They can be rewarded for their due diligence in coming to work. Funds may be directed to address mental health issues and high rates of suicide or other health care concerns. Money could be put toward benefitting senior citizens and non-profit groups. Broadband along with water and sewer projects could be funded which would be very beneficial to DeKalb County,” said Farley.
Asked if the county’s share of ARP funding could be put toward a new school or jail project, Farley said its possible but not a given. “Schools have their own pot of money with strings attached to that. Funds could possibly be put toward a new school building if it affects distancing and creates more space to spread students out but the money would have to be spent within the time constraints,” he said.
“Jails are a little tricky. You have to document what has happened with COVID. If they have had a wing shut down at the jail and that has caused massive overcrowding in part of it, that is something that should be looked at. If they are just increasing their capacity because crime is up that would not apply,” he said.
Farley admonished the county mayor and commission to identify priorities and levels of funding each should receive.
“You have a unique opportunity to make a huge impact on the future of DeKalb County with how you spend this money if you are strategic about it. Most communities will be able to put in place two or three different projects that will be talked about 30, 40, 50 years down the road. This is what you need to be thinking about. How do we impact future generations,” said Farley.
Farley added that while a final ruling has not yet come down on everything that qualifies for the funding, the federal government has been flexible on some things.
“In every step that they have released guidance they have loosened the restrictions. We are encouraged thinking that when that final rule comes there are some things today that we don’t think qualify that may be eligible at that point. We just don’t know what that is and to what degree,” said Farley.