PITTSBORO — Ten months after President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) stimulus package, Chatham County Government is seeking public input on how to spend its anticipated $14 million in COVID-relief funds.
The package designated $350 billion to go toward state, local and Tribal governments in the U.S., of which Chatham municipalities and institutions were allotted more than $30 million: $1.28 million to Pittsboro, $2.41 million to Siler City and $18.8 million to Chatham County Schools, the News + Record previously reported.
“Chatham County staff is reviewing the presently available details concerning the American Rescue Plan funding allocation,” Kara Dudley, Chatham government’s public information officer, told the News + Record last May. “We have been told that additional formal guidance is forthcoming, which will help us structure a plan around this funding.”
Though the funds were announced in March and amounts estimated later that spring, distribution of funds took longer and some of it will continue to be distributed over the next two years. The aid received by the county, under the ARP’s state and local coronavirus fiscal recovery funds legislation, is also very flexible — presenting the challenge to local officials to best determine how to spend the one-time funds.
That’s partially why, starting Feb. 1, the county will gather public input from the community to learn how Chatham residents would like to see the money spent, the county announced in a release Monday.
From Feb. 1 to March 31, the county will provide multiple outlets for residents to share their thoughts regarding the ARP funds: an online survey, community discussions and with county commissioners.
In all, people will have eight opportunities to learn more about funds and share ideas with county staff, including meetings at different locations across the county at 6 p.m. on Feb. 1, 3, 10, and the 15; no sign-up or RSVP is required.
On May 10, the U.S. Dept. of Treasury released highly anticipated guidance regarding using the funds, as well as a new portal counties must complete to receive the recovery funds. That guidance maintained Chatham’s $14.4 million allocation for a grand total of $14,464,924.
According to the Treasury Department web page, the following applications are approved for ARP funds:
• Supporting public health expenditures
• Addressing negative economic impacts caused by the public health emergency, including economic harms to workers, households, small businesses, impacted industries and the public sector
• Replacing lost public sector revenue
• Providing premium pay for essential workers
• Investing in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure
“Within these overall categories, recipients have broad flexibility to decide how best to use this funding to meet the needs of their communities,” the website says.
In May, Dudley said the county was working with several organizations, including NACo, the N.C. County Commissioners Association and Triangle J Council of Governments “to ensure that we are well informed of developments as we await additional guidance.”
You can learn more about the county’s public engagement process at its website.
Reporter Hannah McClellan can be reached at hannah@chathamnr.com or on Twitter at @HannerMcClellan.