Committee's Recommendation:

Click Here to View the Committee's Complete Recommendation. - 03/08/22

Background: 

President Joe Biden signed the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Act, the latest federal stimulus bill to aid public health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic on March 11. The plan included $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local and territorial and tribal governments, known as the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.

State governments and the District of Columbia will receive $195.3 billion of the state portion of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) over two tranche disbursements. States must obligate the CSFRF dollars by Dec. 31, 2024, and spend by Dec. 31, 2026.

 Charge of the Committee:

The Town Council established the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Ad-Hoc Committee on September 14, 2021. The Ad-Hoc Committee will work with Town staff to make recommendations to the Town Council on the next steps involving American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, (Federal Stimulus Monies) received by the Town of Farmington.

The Ad-Hoc Committee shall consist of the following members:

Brian Connolly, Town Council Member

Joe Capodiferro, Town Council Member

C.J. Thomas, Town Council Chair (ex-officio)

Kathleen Blonski, Town Manager

Joe Swetcky, Finance Director

Russ Arnold, Director of Public Works/Town Engineer

Rose Ponte, Economic Development Director

Additional Information: 

Farmington is anticipated to receive $7,545,852.06 in funding through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program to address the economic fallout related to the pandemic. 

 Guidance on eligible uses of the ARPA funds comes from the U.S. Department of Treasury. 

Eligible guidelines as of September 2021: 

• Respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impact
• Respond to workers performing essential work during the COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to such eligible workers of the recipient, or by providing grants to eligible employers that have eligible workers who performed essential work. 
• Provision of government services, to the extent of the reduction in revenue of such recipient due to the COVID -19 public health emergency, relative to the revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year to the recipient prior to the emergency. 
• Make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure. 

Ineligible uses:

• Contributions to Rainy Day funds, Reserves or Similar Funds
• Deposits into Pension Funds - Offset a reduction in Net Tax Revenue
• Non-Federal match for other Federal Programs 

Potential uses not specifically outlined in the ARPA guidance; the following criteria must be met:

• First, identify a need or negative impact of the COVID public health emergency, and;
• Second identify how the program, service or other intervention addresses the identified need or impact.