County, city will see big bucks from Rescue Plan funds

The American Rescue Plan has distributed stimulus payments to many Americans; now local governments can expect some assistance as well.

Government officials are still waiting for additional guidance before deciding how to spend the significant funding that is coming to both the county and local municipalities.

Auglaize County will receive $8,854,700 in two installments that are expected to arrive at least a year apart. Governments have until the end of 2024 to spend the funds.

At this point, local county officials are in no hurry to spend the money.

“We’re going to take this slow and wait for the guidelines to come out,” said Erica Preston, county administrator.

She said guidelines noting how they could spend CARES Act funding also arrive later in the process as well. She said projects would be considered once commissioners are ready to move forward.

Current spending guidelines for the American Rescue Plan include expenses that:

▪ Respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality.

▪ Provide premium pay to essential employees or grants to employers to provide premium pay. Premium pay cannot exceed $13 per hour or $25,000 per worker.

▪ Provide government services affected by a revenue reduction resulting from COVID-19, relative to revenues in the fiscal year prior to the pandemic (this is the "revenue loss" provision}.

▪ Make investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

However, local official anticipate receiving additional guidelines for spending those dollars.

Commissioners have discussed future capital improvements in recent months, although those are

not currently part of guidelines for spending allocated funds.

Wapakoneta is on the list to receive $1,901,450. Finance Committee Chair Chad Doll was surprised by the allocation but noted they have been able to make an impact with CARES Act funds through their LEAP program, which granted funds to small businesses.

“I’m sure we could find good uses for that money,” Doll said.

How funds would be used requires further discussion among council members, he said.

Buckland Mayor Tim Detty also wants to review guidelines before laying out a plan for their $43,526 allocation. He said they would be glad to receive the money.

“I’m sure we can find a place for it,” Detty said. New Knoxville Fiscal officer Abby Homan released a statement on the village receiving $169,793.

“The Village has received very little official guidance at this point on the next distribution of Covid-related funding that we will be receiving. Due to this, and the fact that funds will be able to be used through December 31, 2024, the Village of New Knoxville is planning to wait until more detailed guidance is received to determine the best way to use these funds,” her statement read.

The WDN reached out to the other municipalities in the county for comment on their share of funding; however, officials had not replied prior to deadline. The breakdown of funding for those communities include:

* St. Marys: $1,599,900

* New Bremen: $580,944

* Minster: $552,318

* Cridersville: $351,350

* Waynesfield: $160,186