City on track to get last remaining ARPA funds allocated by deadline
By Cameron Montemayor
An approaching cutoff for the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds has city leaders prioritizing final plans for spending the last remaining dollars.
Officials are plowing ahead to finish the last ARPA contracts and ordinances with a self-imposed December deadline looming. The city initially received about $38 million in ARPA funding, part of a massive $1.9 trillion federal stimulus bill signed into law in 2021 designed to boost recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Each week staff meets to go over that active list as it changes and evolves constantly. The Dec. 9 council meeting is what we’re shooting as the last actual opportunity to submit an ordinance or resolution to council for approval,” Interim City Manager Clint Thompson said.
Thompson said the allocation of ARPA funds has taken on a heightened priority within each of the city’s departments. Contracts and funding agreements have made up a significant portion of City Council agenda items in the last several months to ensure everything is complete.
Rescue Plan Act funds were dispersed in two tranches and largely split between the previous city council and current members.
The city had roughly $1.1 million left in August to obligate for expenditures before the end of the year. Since then, the city has committed $150,000 for Missouri Western Law Enforcement Academy tuition, part of $450,000 in total ARPA funds, along with $47,000 for an infill housing study, $494,000 for the Civic Center Park balustrade replacement project and $98,182 to demolish the former HPI Products facility at 408 S. Eighth St.
“We’re on pace to ensure that all projects have been completed or obligated for the use of funds. Obviously, St. Joseph, or no other community that’s received funds wants to lose out on these grant opportunities that that we’ve received,” Thompson said.
Once final expenditures have been identified, Thompson said additional funds could potentially be directed to the city’s sewer infrastructure project to lower ongoing costs and maintenance of the operation.
Since the first contracts were approved in December 2021, ARPA funds have been used to stabilize and enhance numerous areas of the community, from health and education to public safety and economic development.
ARPA agreements authorized since 2021 include $1.5 for Missouri Western’s recently opened Houlne Center for Convergent Technology, $2.3 million to expand Hillyard Technical Center, $600,000 for Family Guidance and $1.5 million for the Downtown InspireU Children’s Discovery Museum.
Smaller funds amounts went to a variety of social service and nonprofit organizations including Community Missions, Youth Alliance, Sisters of Solace, Allied Arts Council and United Cerebral Palsy.
