Dale County Commission OKs IAC resolutions

The American Rescue Plan Act is a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that was signed into law in March of this year.

Dale County is allocated nearly $10 million under the plan and at the April 27 commission meeting agreed to partner with the Association of County Commissions of Alabama for its administration.

The ACCA’s “Investing in Alabama Counties” program will help guide counties through best use of the federal funding received under the American Rescue Plan Act, according to Dale County Commission Chairman Steve McKinnon. “They will help us best utilize the federal funding.”

At the last Dale County Commission meeting of the year, held Dec. 14, the commission approved several resolutions related to the ARPA fiscal recovery funds.

McKinnon said that the federal funds will be allocated directly to the counties based on the county share of the United States population based on the most recent census data. The first half of these funds was distributed in May 2021 and the second half will be distributed no sooner than 12 months later.

The funds are designed to aid in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its impact. The funds are to be used by Dec. 31, 2024.

The funds can be used “to provide assistance to households, small businesses and nonprofits relative to the negative economic impacts of COVID-19,” according to the ACCA’s membership agreement. It may also be used to aid impacted industries such as tourism, travel and hospitality; to make necessary investments in water, sewer or broadband infrastructure; or, to include premium pay for eligible workers performing essential work during the pandemic.”

At the Dec. 14 meeting, the commissioners approved a resolution to use ARPA funds “to cover the cost of providing paid sick and paid family and medical leave to its employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 health precautions.”

“ARPS funds not presently needed for the administration and implementation of projects or for other uses authorized by the ARPA may be invested in accordance with policies and procedures set forth in the “Investment Policy for the investment of American Rescue Plan Funds,” was the purpose of another resolution adopted Dec. 14.

The commission also signed a resolution authorizing the execution of a custodian account agreement with Regions Bank to facilitate the investment of ARPA funds and a separate resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Morgan Stanley for the investment of ARPA funds.

A resolution and agreement to participate in the ACCA’s “Investing in Alabama Counties” joint bidding program was also approved. According to the resolution, the commission will forward to the ACCA “the names and addresses of each person or company who has submitted a written request to be included in the solicitation of bids for a particular item and that following receipt of said vendor lists, the ACCA shall mail, or as otherwise authorized by Alabama’s competitive bid law, appropriate bid specifications to each applicable person or company if that particular item is being bid.”

According to the ACCA, they will provide assistance to include legal research to determine the type of projects eligible for the funds under the act and state law, monitoring U.S. Treasury regulations and governmental accounting requirements related to the funds and identifying opportunities for counties to maximize existing funds and minimize the risk of repayment and/or assessment of penalties.

The ACCA will also provide intergovernmental assistance during the four and one half year relief program and serve as a liaison with the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts and the Alabama Attorney General’s office.

Conducting training sessions with county leaders and personnel on the projects selected for their county to enable those leaders to inform the community and media of its plan for the funds is also part of the service the ACCA will provide.

According to the agreement, the county will appropriate a flat fee of 8 percent on the first $7 million in funds to be received and 5 percent on any funds to be received in excess of $7 million. Also in accordance with the agreement, the service fee was paid to the ACCA prior to Oct. 6.

The regular meeting set for Dec. 28 has been canceled. The next meeting of the Dale County Commission is Jan. 11, 2022 at the Dale County Government Building in Ozark. A work session begins at 10 a.m. and is followed immediately by a voting meeting. Both meetings are open to the public.