Compromise allocates more ARPA money

Wayne County’s commissioners and council members allocated another $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars Feb. 21.

When they met that morning, commissioners developed a counterproposal to more than $2 million in recommendations council advanced during its Feb. 7 meeting. Then, during the evening workshop, council members voted 5-0 to accept the counterproposal that allocates $1,550,000 in five areas.

Wayne County received about $12.78 million in ARPA money, spending some but reserving $10 million for possible use in the Hoosier Enduring Legacy Program. When the HELP strategic investment plan included the county contributing about $5.8 million to 28 projects, that left about $4.3 million that was not allocated.

A first round of commissioners’ recommendations approved by council accounted for $2 million of that, and both bodies approved spending another $150,000 on a highway department dump truck.

Council had also recommended another $2,053,236 be spent on existing budgeted projects that had money appropriated from the county’s general fund. That was designed to eliminate the ARPA time restriction. ARPA requires that before the end of 2024, contracts, memorandums of understanding or interlocal agreements are in place detailing how ARPA money will be spent. By utilizing ARPA money for existing projects, the general fund savings can then be used for projects outside ARPA’s time line.

With the new allocations, council also approved a statement that money saved in the general fund would be put into a project line item that requires agreement of a majority of commissioners and a majority of council members to spend. The two bodies have proceeded throughout the ARPA process with both bodies approving expenditures.

The $1.5 million allocated Feb. 21 combines expenses from council’s recommendation and other projects.

“I think this is a good compromise,” said Beth Leisure, council’s president.

The groups agreed to spend:

• $600,000 on the bill remaining for ongoing courthouse exterior repairs.
• $300,000 on a highway department wish list that includes purchasing a calcium chloride tank, painting the main highway building on U.S. 40, roofing a salt barn and adding a wash bay.
• $300,000 on the new HVAC system being installed at First Bank Expo Hall on the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
• $250,000 on fairgrounds projects, including expanded parking, storage for newly purchased tables and chairs, and building improvements.
• $100,000 for electronic speed limit signs that commissioners favored with support of Sheriff Randy Retter for traffic safety, but that had previously been defeated by council.

Those expenditures leave $600,000 in ARPA money not yet allocated, plus save $900,000 in the general fund. When council offered its recommendations Feb. 7, discussion included investigating longevity pay for county employees. The consensus Feb. 21 was that one-time money such as ARPA or the general fund savings ARPA supplies should not be used for ongoing expenses, but that longevity pay should be explored.

During the commissioners meeting, Commissioner Mary Anne Butters requested consideration that the county’s animal control issue receive funding from the remaining funds. She said consultant Sara Pizano, who was hired as part of the HELP commitments to study the issue, included a pet resource center to remove barriers for adoption as part of her preliminary assessment.