News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Potential uses for state and federal funding in Van Buren County were discussed during Tuesday’s Committee A meeting.
Mayor Greg Wilson said that $700,000 in federal and $276,000 from the state will all come in before July 31. Wilson said that in order to find non-recurring expenses to fund the county could use the money towards grant matches.
“It might be something we want to look at and put it in the capital projects fund and do that A and B, grant wise ,” Wilson said. “We could apply that money and put it there and its also an interest bearing account too. So it’s just something to look at, and we might not get the CDBG.”
Wilson said in total the county would need to match roughly $130,000 in total for a USDA grant and the potential CDBG grant. It was also mentioned that the state comptrollers office suggested the county use the federal funding to pay the roughly $522,000 tax anticipation loan.
The County is applying for a USDA grant with a 45% match for two new sheriff’s office vehicles and ambulance equipment. The CDBG grant is for fire department equipment, with a 12 percent match on an estimated $280,000.
The USDA grant would require roughly $100,000 matched from county.
“So When you look at that, looking at another $30,000 that still doesn’t use the entire thing,” Wilson said. “But it’s a non-recurring cost that you can apply that money towards.”
Wilson said they are receiving $1.4 million in total federal aid from the $1.9 billion Rescue Plan, with half set to be deposited on May 11. He said the first half can be used to supplement revenues, with the second half used for infrastructure.
