Venango County has received the first half of the $9.8 million the county was allocated through the American Rescue Plan.
The county received $4,920,832.50 from the federal government several weeks ago, and the other half will be sent next summer, said Diona Brick, the county’s chief financial officer.
The county has until Dec. 21, 2024, to spend the funds, Brick said. “But if the money is encumbered we have until 2026 to spend it,” she added.
“The new guidance isn’t fully written. That’s why we are hanging back. We don’t want to spend money until we know the rules,” Brick said.
Permitted uses for the funds fall under five broad categories.
The funds may be used to “support the public health response, address negative economic impacts, provide government services to the extent of reduction in revenue, provide “premium pay” to workers performing essential work during COVID-19, (and) make necessary investments in water, sewer, stormwater or broadband infrastructure,” according to information provided to the newspaper by the county.
Some expenses going back to Jan. 27, 2020, are allowed to be counted as allowable expenses under the American Rescue Plan guidance, Brick said.
She said county officials are thinking about what they want to do with the money and what categories of acceptable uses for the funds their ideas fall into.
“We have plenty of ideas and we’re open to ideas. People have been giving us their two cents on how we should spend the money,” said Sam Breene, chairman of the county commissioners.
“If everyone spends their money on the same things, it’s going to be tough,” Brick said after noting that the county has had trouble getting some materials due to shortages from COVID.
“The process moves slower than you think. A lot of economic factors go into planning. We have talked about it but it is a matter of getting formal guidance,” Brick said.
Breene said the status of the federal infrastructure bill is another factor that will affect how the county will spend its rescue plan money. He noted that money for sewer, water, road, and broadband projects may become available through the infrastructure package if the bill passes.
