Trumbull County discusses ways to spend remaining $10.5 million ARP funds

Trumbull County received $38,454,129 in American Rescue Plan funds for COVID-19 relief between 2020 and 2021, and as of Tuesday, only $5,346,051.37 remains unallocated for general fund use, while an additional $5,188,389.49 remains in the revenue loss funds.

Trumbull County Auditor Martha Yoder met with Trumbull County Commissioners and broke down the funds that have been spent or allocated

Of the $38.45 million given to the county, $10 million can be used as revenue loss for funds lost to the county during the pandemic, leaving $28,557,293.88 once the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund of $103,164.88 is added in. The revenue loss funding has more restrictive uses from the federal government, but can be used for public safey and construction repairs.

The ARP funds have been used on multiple projects throughout the county, including funding for 911 radios, workstations, and towers; sewer improvement projects; revitalization projects and more.

Items discussed in the meeting looked that may change where the funding source comes from includes the nearly $2.6 million 911 safety items; however, commissioners may be able to use the revenue loss funds for the project if they choose.

It was also noted some projects, like the planning commission roof may come in significantly higher that the money allotted, with other projects like the Wean building demolition had alloted $2 million for the project, but the county currently owes $200,000 for its portion of the cost.

$23,211,242.51 of the funds allocated are being used on the following projects from the general fund:

• Blueprint Contract K waterline extension, $275,000
• Meadowbook Sanitary Sewer Improvements, $1.5 million
• Maplewood sewer study, $250,000
• Heaton Chute San Sewer Improvement Project, $571,000
• State Road Phase 2 SanSewer improvement, $230,000
• VP small business grant program, $1 million
• VP small business loan program, $2 million
• Chiller for family courthouse, $177,500
• Judge Rice courtroom windows, $11,675
• Trumbull County courthouse chiller, cooler, $1.4 million
• Accounting firm, $250,000
• Attorney, $250,000
• Law library HVAC, $63,475
• Wean building demolition, Trumbull County Landbank, $2 million
• Ag society structure improvements/repairs, $1,239,068
• TNP Emergency home repair program, $1 million
• EMA vehicle, $58,620.20
• Historical Society, $280,000
• Family Court generator switch, $62,753
• Board of Education entrance remodel, $446,762
• Family Court boiler, $417,800
• Elm Road Water Project, $1,322,075
• Engineering Costs for HVAC, $38,625
• 911 Generator/CAT & Becdel, $51,284
• Flood Plain Issues, $400,000
• Second Harvest, $370,000
• Oak Hill Digital Advantage Project, $159,500
• ACTION Food Truck, $250,000
• Family Court Transfer Switch, $27280.07
• BOE Electrical Work, $43,800
• 911 Phone stations, $132,255.24
• A&E services for Planning Comm Roof Replacement, $297,000
• Ridgview Tours, $65,000
• JFS Windows, $7,600
• Diamond Waterline, $167,250
• Stillwagon Water Blueprint Phase 2 Engineering, $435,000
• Bloomfield Community Commons, $94,000
• Mesopotamia Museum, $65,000
• Mobile Command Post, $1 million
• Cortland Community Foundation, $35,000
• Johnston EMS, $26,000
• Scoville Drive Sewer Improvement, $350,000
• State Road Water Regionalization Project, $350,000
• Cain Drive Sanitary Sewer, $350,000
• Stateline Road Sanitary Sewer, $90,000
• Smith Stewart Road Sanitary Sewer, $335,000
• 911 Req for MARCS Radios, $588,821
• MARCS Tower, $875,000
• Scott Street Sanitary Sewer
• SLAP Program, $600,000
• Healthy Hearts and Paws, $25,000
• Johnston Twp, $27,099

Funds used revenue loss funds include:

• Board of Education roof replacement, $473,673
• Trumbull Co. sheriff vehicles, equipment, $934,415.55
• Fam Court Digital Radios, $37,609.50
• TSCO and 911 Salaries, $2,990,797.46
• BOE Roof Stacks, $25,115
• Law Library Steps, $350,000

Projects on hold:

• United Way, $275,000
• Harriet Taylor Upton Association, $58,829
• Niles Historical Society, $63,050
• Vienna Historical Society, $60,000
• City of Niles, $63,050
• Braceville Community Foundation, $264,000
• Champion Township, $10,225
• Vienna Township, $26,789
• Gustavus Township, $336,378
• City of Cortland, $750,000
• BRITE Energy Innovators, $250,000
• Weathersfield Twp, $447,000
• Community Family Outreach Complex, $228,030.70

During the commissioner's workshop, several recommendations were made for the use of the ARP funds moving forward, including:

Pause the allocation of funds for now, allowing decisions to be made regarding moving projects into the revenue loss category and allowing for more time to money allocated to see if they come in or over funding.

Another item discussed was to set an end date for applications for the funds, and to share that date publicly.

The auditor also said after the date is set, commissioners will need to begin the process and assess remaining projects, with one year to appropriate the funds and three years for the projects to be completed.