WARREN, Ohio - Trumbull County Commissioners are left with some decisions to make after realizing how little they have left in American Rescue Plan Funds.

Of the $38 million awarded to the county in 2021, the commissioners estimated they had spent $23 million. That number, based on estimates, revealed to be inaccurate during Tuesday's weekly workshop meeting. Attorney Jim Misocky reportedly told commissioners Denny Malloy and Mauro Cantalamessa that the total remaining funds amount to $459,000 in general ARPA funds and $6 million in revenue loss ARPA funds.

"Some of the money was appropriated but not spent, some of them were estimates, and now the real numbers are coming in on some of the projects," Malloy says.

Commissioner Niki Frenchko tells 21 News that estimates were off by nearly $9 million because her previous requests to keep track of ARP funding requests and money spent were not met by the other commissioners or staff. 

"I requested staff prepare an Excell spreadsheet that would have every application, the lead entity, the money that was appropriated, the money that was spent, the nature of the project, and the area in which the project took place so we could spread those projects out," Frenchko adds.

Still, Commissioners Malloy and Cantalamessa defend the board's spending habits.

"We've been very diligent and very patient. And we still have a lot of money left to spend. Some communities have none, they've already spent it already," Cantalamessa says.

But all commissioners agree the remainder of the requests for ARP funds will have to be looked at more closely than prior decisions.

"The [requests] we have pending now, we have enough [funding] for them if we decide to vote on 'em and cover 'em. It doesn't mean because they requested a million dollars, they're going to get a million, but we're going to sit down and decide and prioritize how much we feel is worthy to the cause there, and what's in the best interest of the taxpayers," Malloy explains.