Selectboard Offers Opportunity for Public Input to ARPA Spending Priorities

Monday March 16 Meeting to Feature Time for Public Input and Discussion of Town Priorities for ARPA Funding

The Selectboard's weekly meeting on Monday, March 16, which begins at 6:30pm, will include dedicated time for public input to the Board's priorities for spending of the approximately $2.4M in funding provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF) program. These funds are made available with certain rules and conditions, and are targeted to to the following allowable uses:

1. To address revenue reduction of governments and restore services;
2. To respond to the public health emergency or its negative economic impacts;
3. To provide premium pay to essential workers, and/or;
4. To make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

These uses are themselves quite broad, however, the US Treasury's recently issued Final Rule for this grant program now allows for a further broadening of uses for "traditional" governmental purposes if a community chooses to use an allowance for "revenue loss," which any municipality can claim (up to a limit of $10M) regardless of actual revenue loss. A helpful and detailed summary is provided in the US Treasury's ARPA/CSLFRF Final Rule Overview. The MA Division of Local Services also published this very concise guidance relative to allowable uses based on the Interim Final Rule.

Input can also be directed to the Selectboard via email. Please direct such input with the subject title "ARPA Priorities" to Steve Ellis at townadmin@montague-ma.gov.