City ready to spend ARPA funds

Wapakoneta city officials have finalized plans to spend American Rescue Plan Act monies, and those projects

haven’t changed much over the past month.

Safety Service Director Michael Brillhart shared the potential project options with

members of the Finance Committee — who signed off

on them prior to the preparation of legislation — on Tuesday, outlining a plan that

has three options: broadband infrastructure, premium pay for essential workers and water and sewer infrastructure in the Hardin Pike/short Road area.

Wapakoneta was allocated $1,019,932 in ARPA funds; $507,938 has been received and never touched; $509,966

should be released to the city later this year.

The first project, broadband infrastructure will interconnect the city hall building, the TSC building on Willipie

Street and the Electric Department building on Industrial Drive via a 96-fiber line

backbone, Brillhart said. The cost estimate for that work, labeled Phase 2, is $83,441. Phase 3 will interconnect a 4-fiber line to six electrical

substations, and install a 6-count wall mounted patch panel at as estimated cost of

$60,586. Phase 4 will interconnect all other city buildings, facilities and parks to the fiberoptic backbone; that cost is to be determined.

The connectivity will “help immensely,” Brillhart said, adding the infrastructure

investment falls within the guidelines for spending to ARPA funds.

Committee member Brandon Miller also favored the project, noting improving the

city’s broadband capabilities is a positive step.

Chairman Chad Doll agreed. “Broadband improvements are a no-brainer,” he said.

The premium pay for essential workers would be a one-time bonus payout for

eligible employees who worked during the pandemic. While the guidelines set the timeline at Jan. 27, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2024, Brillhart said the city should consider a tighter time frame, likely March 2020 through 2021.

Committee member Ross Kantner reiterated that all

employees who are eligible for the bonus would receive it.

Brillhart concurred, noting there are greater restrictions for bonus pay with ARPA funds, but they can consider up to a $13.50 per hour bonus,

not to exceed $23,500, to stay within the guidelines.

While the remaining ARPA funds won’t cover the total cost of the water and sewer infrastructure improvements, they could serve as a match for the water line extension grant, Brillhart said. A 16-inch water line loop, and a 12-inch water main on Hardin Pike and Short Road are the highest priorities and could, he said, allow the city to focus on expansion in the industrial park there. The project’s total cost, including a 3-million gallon elevated water tank, is in the $10-plus million range.

ALSO DISCUSSED DURING the Finance Committee meeting was the city’s commitment to the Student Resource Officer program in partnership with Wapakoneta City Schools.

Police Chief Cal Schneider reported on a conversation he had with WCS Superintendent Aaron Rex after Rex spoke with councilors at during the June 6 council meeting. At that time, Rex said the district’s priority is to keep children safe, and the goal is to have an SRO

in every building. Currently, there is one officer who splits his time among the four

schools in the district; his salary is split between the police department and the district, with the district responsible for 70 percent of that salary.

Schneider asked committee members where the city stands on moving to having four SROS.

“How far on board are we?” he asked, adding “These guys don’t grow on trees,” referring to a staffing challenge.

The chief talked at length about staffing issues, the difference between an armed officer and a resource officer, and the financing of additional staff.

Mayor Steve Henderson worried the request for additional resource officers was a “kneejerk reaction to Uvalde.” (On May 24, an 18-year-old gunman wielding an Ar-15-style rifle killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary

School in Uvalde, Texas, a small city west of San Antonio. It was the deadliest school shooting since 20 children and six adults were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012.)

He also said while the city considers the possibility, it won’t happen overnight, and he believes members of the

board of education need to be more proactive about bringing more officers into the district.

“Nobody’s against it (additional SROS) but how much

are we for it?” the chief repeated, adding there are a

number of different scenarios that could come into play, including full-time versus parttime officers, compensation

options, scheduling options and the like.

“It gets complicated very quickly,” he said. “And the hard part is finding people.”

While Miller suggested making assumptions on hours and

salaries to at least get some numbers in place to facilitate a continuing discussion, Henderson said perhaps the board

of education should revisit their safety levy. (Residents may recall back in 2019 the

board of education authorized placement of a 1-mill school

safety levy on the May primary ballot, with the funds designated for school safety and security. At the time Rex said the annual $400,000 in new tax dollars would have paid for three additional resource officers and a mental health professional. Voters turned down that request.)

Schneider said he would have a conversation with Auditor Wilbur Wells before getting back to Rex and will report back once there is new information to share.

The committee also very briefly discussed the clerk’s compensation before opting to ask for an executive session during Tuesday’s meeting to further discuss compensation

of personnel. City officials expect to see the findings of a commissioned salary survey by the end of October.

City council meets Tuesday — a day after its regularly

scheduled meeting to accommodate the July 4 holiday — at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers

in city hall.