County holding ARP Act public input session in Freedom Township

Join county officials on Thursday, July 28, at Freedom Township Hall located at 11508 E Pleasant Lake Rd to learn more and give input on proposals for the next round of American Rescue Plan Act investments. Drop in for just a few minutes, or stay longer if you want.

The American Rescue Plan Act was signed by President Biden in March 2021 as part of the federal relief effort during the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Rescue Plan Act established the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Program, which is delivering approximately $350 billion for the eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments to respond to the COVID-19 emergency. There are several potential eligible uses of these funds, including supporting public health efforts, addressing negative economic impacts of the public health emergency, replacing the reduction in revenue faced by governments due to the pandemic, investing in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure, and more. Within these overall categories, recipients have some flexibility to decide how best to use this funding to meet the needs of their communities. The Washtenaw County government is set to receive $71,402,185 from the American Rescue Plan over a 12-month period. 

“The Board of Commissioners truly wants to hear from residents as to how they see these funds working within the greater community long-term,” said Shannon Beeman, the Manchester area’s County Commissioner. “As this is a one-time allocation of funds, we have to be careful to invest in things that not only create lasting impact but can be self-sustaining.”

In July 2021, the Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution committing that all American Rescue Plan dollars shall be obligated by resolution to ensure transparency, as well as ensure a financial and equity-based review of all proposals. Beeman went on to say, “The sessions held in District 3 in the summer of 2021 created a great dialogue and helped shape the initial rounds of funding allocations.”

What is the money going toward so far?

In September of 2021, the Board of Commissioners unanimously passed the first package of ARPA-related investments to:

• Fully fund the Broadband Task Force’s Request for Proposals to expand broadband infrastructure into all areas of the county that presently have no broadband access and are not covered under RDOF grants by the State of Michigan. ($17M)
• Provide assistance to households to support internet access, digital literacy, and affordability concerns to ensure that everyone who has access to broadband infrastructure can adequately connect and use it.
• Increase access to Weatherization services in Washtenaw County to promote healthy home environments, reduce energy bills to help households, and have a positive impact on the sustainability and resiliency of homes in Washtenaw County.
• Equitably address childcare access needs in Washtenaw County through the provision of navigation services and financial assistance.
• Develop and launch a Childhood Saving Account Program to promote healthy childhood environments, address educational disparities through investing in lower-income public schools, and begin to impact social determinants of health.
• Account for lost revenues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the first package passage, the Board of Commissioners and Washtenaw County held a series of listening sessions to better understand the needs of residents, who overwhelmingly supported targeted investment in youth, seniors, violence intervention, and agencies addressing those individuals and priority areas.

In March of 2022, the Board of Commissioners unanimously passed the second package of ARPA investments to:

• Build a strong equity-driven health department ($2,569,435)
• Launch the Mobile Support Services Initiative (MSSI) ($729,572)
• Create and launch a community priority fund ($8M)

County Administration, Finance, and the Racial Equity Office have reviewed American Rescue Plan State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds guidance and confirm that each of the following initiatives is an eligible expense and in line with County goals. County Administration is recommending the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners consider the following items for a portion of the remaining ARPA funds:

• Providing premium pay to essential workers to compensate eligible county workers throughout the organization, who worked in-person/on front-line during the pandemic.
• Supporting Seniors by establishing a competitive Request for Proposals to aid older residents, in ARPA-approved categories, though senior- serving organizations.
• Addressing Housing Access by investing in a new, sustainable, mixed-income housing development in 48197.
• Investing in Stormwater/Sewer Infrastructure Maintenance by creating matching fund program for local cities, townships, and villages.
• Establishing a Financial Equity Center to serve as a landing place for equity-driven, poverty-alleviation strategies and generational wealth–building resources, including small-business support and comprehensive, financial services for low- and moderate-income residents.
• Embargoing Health Department funding to provide additional support (through 2024) to continue creation and maintenance of an equitable-centered Health Department.
• Expanding Government Service Delivery to Support Best Practices, Evidence-Based Programming, and Innovative Ideas.
• Investing in County infrastructure to Support Government Service Delivery by providing resources to address county buildings and improved service delivery.
• Accounting for lost revenues to cover County losses during the pandemic by reallocating lost revenues to other ARPA projects and government services.
• Providing staff support for data-driven ARPA-program implementation, evaluation, and assessment.

What do you think of the allocation decisions so far? Where do you think the county should allocate remaining American Rescue Plan funds? Stop in on Thursday, July 28, at the Freedom Township Hall and give your input!

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.