An Area County is set to receive more than $8 Million in American Rescue Funds, but Officials say they’re having a hard time understanding the stipulations around this money. Jefferson County received $4 Million in American Rescue Funds and they plan to receive an additional $4 Million by this time next year.
County Commissioner Jeff Pisarcik says this money has to be used for COVID-19 relief, but he says some of the regulations for this money are causing some confusion around the County. Pisarcik saying: “The regulations change sometimes weekly, sometimes every couple of weeks. They’re not the same regulations that we had with the original CARES money or the hospitality grants.”
Pisarcik says they are slowly learning these regulations and learning how they can allocate this money, adding: “A lot of it is around water sewage/stormwater projects that municipalities may have that we may be able to help them. We don’t know all the rules and regulations for that currently yet.” Another huge project he says this money can be used for is broadband.
As they explore multiple avenues, he says these projects have to be in place by 2024 and the money has to be spent by the end of 2026. Pisarcik saying: “Our Development Office has sent a letter out to all municipalities in Jefferson County asking for projects. When it gets to that time, we’ll look at those and see what are qualified.”
