McDonough City Council Designates Over $5 Million in Remaining ARPA Funds
McDONOUGH — The designation of more than $5 million in remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) were approved by the McDonough City Council during its last meeting of the year. Any remaining funds had to be designated to a variety of uses before the end of 2024 or be sent back to the federal government.
McDonough received a total of $9.9 million in ARPA funds after President Joe Biden signed the act in 2021. Since then, more than $4 million has been put towards contractual agreements and improvements to the city; and there was still $5.6 million that needed designation during the City Council meeting on Dec. 16. If the remaining money was not obligated towards a specific contract by Dec. 31, it would have needed to be returned to the federal government.
Remaining ARPA funds were approved to reimburse the city for project expenditures that have taken place within the last three years and to finance intra-agency agreements within the city government. McDonough will be reimbursed more than $1.2 million for expenses used on Geranium Park in April 2023 and Jonesboro Road Park in August 2023. Additional reimbursements include $21,530 to cover the additional pandemic pay that was previously approved in 2023.
More than $3.7 million is obligated to intra-agency agreements that will go towards completion of city improvement projects. For example, public works is receiving $1.3 million to put towards working with contractors for citywide cleanup and beautification. Community organizations, such as Connecting Henry and Malachi House, will receive supporting funds as well once their contracts are filed. $1 million is obligated towards housing rehabilitation with the assistance of the National Community and Resources Development Inc., which will help designate funds towards specific projects. All intra-agency agreements have been approved by Mayor Sandra Vincent and require approval from the head of the appropriate department.
Some of the remaining funds were already obligated through previously approved contracts or purchase orders. More than $600,000 was obligated to the installation of flock cameras around the city and the purchase of police vehicles. The city will also make improvements to the cemetery irrigation system, and $292,802 was designated towards continuing Phase II improvements to the Blacksville Community, specifically drainage problems.
After approving the recommendations from the city’s finance department, the City Council has obligated all of the remaining $5,693,502 in ARPA funds. While uses of the funds had to be approved before the end of 2024, the city has until Dec. 31, 2026 to empty the funds from its account.
