Commissioners approved a financial assistance agreement this week to receive funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
At the Monday, June 28 meeting of the Platte County Commission, the agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury was approved with little discussion. Platte County is set to receive approximately $20 million through ARPA, which was approved in March.
“We just heard from our auditor we got a clean audit for our CARES funds, I’m sure they’ll be auditing this as well,” said presiding commissioner Rob Schieber of the new funding, referencing a presentation earlier in the meeting of the county’s annual outside audit.
Second district commissioner Joe Vanover has chaired a committee made up of fellow officeholders and county officials for the past several months discussing uses for the ARPA funds. The bulk of those discussions have been on possible infrastructure projects at the county courthouse and administrative center.
In May, the federal government released guidelines on how the funds may be used, barring general infrastructure projects.
Vanover released both proposals for use of the funds on the county website at co.platte.mo.us and a statement after the approval. He asks for public input on the posted proposals.
“The federal government is giving vast amounts of money to local governments and suggesting ways to start or expand social programs,” Vanover said in his release. “I believe we have found ways to use this money mostly on capital improvements and some to modernize how we do the business of county government.”
Cities in Platte County are eligible for payments as well, Vanover said. Potential payments to Platte County cities range from Houston Lake, $50,000, to Parkville, $1.4 million.
“I have proposed using part of the money to update our facilities so people can quickly find the office they need without having to wander through the entire building.” Vanover said. “Citizens should be able to get most things done with the county government over the internet. But when a person needs to come to the courthouse, moving back-office work to the back of the building and customer service counters to the front of the building will help people get in and out more quickly.”
The proposals suggest a variety of programs to respond to COVID-19 and improve the functions of government. One proposal calls for identifying and testing tactics for reducing the population of the detention center.
The county commission plans to evaluate the proposals and begin hiring architects and consultants to suggest ways to use the ARPA money.