The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
New Milford brainstorms ways to use federal funds
NEW MILFORD — Mayor Pete Bass walked through requests and ideas for American Rescue Plan Act funds during a town council meeting this week, which included roughly 25 separate items spanning from generators for senior housing to broadband expansion to foreclosure and rental assistance.
Bass has been getting specific requests from local departments, as well as input from council members and residents who were asked to filled out a survey, regarding New Milford’s use of federal funds.
New Milford is set to receive $7.9 million from the federal government over the next four years and must use the money to aid in pandemic recovery efforts.
At the meeting Monday, Bass said he had received 534 survey responses, with 54 percent voting for the money to go towards infrastructure, as well as a significant number of votes asking for it to go towards stipends for first responders, affordable housing, and public health and safety.
The survey is open until Aug. 15.
Other asks have included roughly $240,000 from the health department to cover initiatives like diabetes testing and COVID-19, $15,900 from the fire marshal to cover gear, more than $71,000 for the Senior Citizen Advisory Board which covered extra Senior Center meal delivery costs, and generators for senior housing at Butter Brook
Hill and Glen Ayre apartments.
Bass also recommended putting $100,000 towards assistance to the arts community.
“We are still kind of going through the process,” Bass said.
There are plans in place for two public meetings during September, where Bass is hoping to allow residents to speak directly to the Board of Finance to “get public input in person.”
After these meetings, a plan would have to be approved by the council and the Board of Finance before going to a public vote at a town meeting.
Bass said he hopes to have a finalized plan by the middle to end of October, so that at least some of the funds can start being used to “propel the town, due to everything that’s happened with COVID.”
Most other towns are still in the very beginning phases of ARPA spending discussions. The money must be obligated by 2024 and spent by December 31, 2026.
Brookfield does not have any updates on plans to spend ARPA funds after the creation of an ad-hoc committee in July, according to First Selectman Steve Dunn.
A kick-off committee meeting is being scheduled in the next two weeks, and Dunn is asking the committee to report back to the town at a February Board of Selectmen meeting in six months time.
“We have had a number of requests, which we are encouraging residents and boards to make,” Dunn wrote in an email. “We are putting together a package for the committee with the requests and ideas.”
Putting school funds to use
On the school side, the district is planning out spending for their third round of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. The topic was on the agenda for Tuesday’s special Board of Education meeting.
The federal fund budget draft amounts to a two-year total of just under $2.59 million.
New employee salaries will take up around $1.59 million of the funds, while supplies and capital expenses will take up $50,000 and $100,000 respectively, the budget draft shows. The remaining budget balance is made up of benefits and professional costs.
This third round of federal school funding will help pay the salaries for several new school positions and a new Special Education consultation program, while also adding a career readiness supervisor and a district nurse supervisor.
The funds will also cover phases one and two of the town’s new school-based health centers.
A July 29 letter in the meeting agenda documents outlines a plan for the school-based health centers that includes a two-year, two-phase implementation and construction plan.
The first phase involves constructing centers at Schaghticoke Middle School and Northville Elementary School, followed by centers at the other three district schools during the second phase.
Superintendent Alisha DiCorpo did not respond for comment.
Danbury schools plan to spread out their relief funds over the next four budget years. This fiscal year, the budget includes $14.9 million of these funds.
The money is being used to help with social distancing in the school buildings so Danbury can reopen full-time in the fall. This includes purchasing furniture, hiring employees and leasing a Catholic school in Brookfield for Danbury kindergartners.
Danbury schools are also focusing on students’ social and emotional well-being, as well as building connections with families.