“I think it’s going to benefit the county in the right ways and we’re going to be using our CARES money where it will make a difference,” said Commissioner Cindy Carpenter.
The largest appropriation of $9.1 million involves contracting with or giving funds to outside agencies and governments. The plan earmarks $6 million for the county to hire an outside health organization to provide enhanced COVID testing and vaccine distribution. Other county governments will receive $2 million in sub-grants.
The commissioners will give large cities and urban townships $1.5 million to aid small businesses that have struggled through the pandemic shut down and $5 million to small rural communities for public safety expenses. Another $500,000 will go to help address the growing mental health and addiction issues spurred by the isolation and fear.
County Administrator Judi Boyko identified $1.5 million for supplies, the bulk of it $945,000 for equipment and technology the county needs so offices could operate safely during the crisis. Another $400,000 was allotted for sanitizers, masks and other COVID combatting materials to community partners and food to food pantries.
Boyko identified $6.46 million to offset eligible law enforcement, correctional facilities, Emergency Management Agency, Care Facility and general health district salaries that have spent time dealing with the pandemic.
Jurisdictions recently learned the U.S. Treasury has relaxed rules on using CARES money to reimburse for salaries. Itemized hourly accounting of hours worked on dealing with the pandemic is no longer required, so most jurisdictions are using a large chunk of CARES money to offset some salaries for people who have been “substantially dedicated” to the pandemic.
Boyko told the Journal-News if some of the programs and purchases cannot be spent by year’s end, per federal regulations, the remainder will move into the salary category.
“We would endeavor to spend the CARES funding as it’s allocated, but we have to be very careful not to commit to a contract that exceeds past the end of the year," Boyko said. “So we would attempt to do whatever we can between now and end of the year, but any money that remains that’s not expended we can then re-appropriate it to substantially dedicated expenses.”
U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson, the Troy Republican who was re-elected last week, has been trying to expand uses for the funding and get the spending deadlines extended into next year. Pre-election gridlock has stymied his attempts but he thinks there is still a chance he can be successful on the extension.
“I’ve been optimistic because people agree on it, but there’s just been not much traction,” Davidson said. "My hope is because the election is over we can come to an agreement on at least the things we agree on.
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