Federal funding secured

Madison Township trustees have taken the steps needed to use federal CARES Act money to defray expenses stemming from the the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Trustees, during a July 20 special meeting, approved a resolution focusing on the township’s share of money from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Better known as the CARES Act, this economic relief package totaling more than $2 trillion was approved by Congress and signed into law by President Trump in late March.

When trustees gathered on July 20, they passed a resolution not only to accept about $282,515 in federal CARES Act money, but also to deposit those funds into a newly created township account. In addition, that same legislation authorized the transfer of about $130,200 of the CARES Act funding into other line items in the township budget to cover a variety of unexpected expenses directly related to COVID-19.

Local government entities in Ohio became eligible for federal CARES Act funding through Ohio

House Bill 481, which was approved by the state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine last month.

To receive aid, cities, villages and townships are required to pass a resolution and submit it to their county auditor’s offices.

“These grants provided by the federal government and authorized by the Ohio Legislature allow our county, cities, townships and villages the ability to recoup costs associated with keeping our community and essential workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Lake County Auditor Chris Galloway said.

Madison Township has appropriated about $96,200 of its CARES Act funding to cover the cost of computers, computer licenses, computer preparation fees, workstations and other office equipment that were needed to help employees work remotely and effectively during COVID-19.

“This allowed us to perform a lot of our duties from home,” said township Trustee Kenneth Gauntner Jr.

The federal funding also will reimburse the township for personal protective equipment and two sanitizing atomizers that were purchased for a total of $9,000 because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Gauntner explained that the atomizers can be used to sanitize rooms in township buildings as well as the interior of township vehicles.

In addition, the resolution states that the township will earmark $25,000 in CARES Act funds to construct a partition and doors to separate the meeting room in the township Administration Building from the administrative and Police Department reception areas. The partition is intended to help control general public access in the building and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Local government entities in Ohio that received CARES Act grants have until Oct. 15 to spend the money for approved purposes. Any funds that remain unspent as of Oct. 15 must be returned to county auditor’s offices.

From that point, auditor’s offices will attempt to redistribute the remaining unclaimed or unspent grant money to other eligible local government entities. Those recipients must use the CARES Act funding by Dec. 28. After that date, any unused grant money must be returned by local jurisdictions directly to the state.