Stanley anticipating nearly $1.6 million from American Rescue Plan of 2021

By Randy Arrington

STANLEY, April 15 — During Wednesday night’s Stanley Council meeting, Town Manager Terry Pettit shared a list of 26 suggested projects among 12 funding areas that could be paid for through nearly $1.6 million in anticipated funding from the American Rescue Plan of 2021.

“In all the time I’ve been working for the town, this is the first council I’ve known of to ever be given this amount of money,” said Pettit, who’s tenure expands across several positions over several decades.

The $1,580,00 in federal funding will be allocated over a two-year period with the first phase focusing on pandemic-related revenue losses by localities and the second allotment earmarked for infrastructure improvements.

President Joe Biden signed the American Rescue Plan into law on March 15 after Congress had passed the $1.9 trillion spending plan a few days earlier. The plan aims to provide funding sources for individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations and local governments to address the continued impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ARP follows two rounds of CARES Act funding that flowed into local coffers after being adopted in March 2020. CARES Act funding flowed from the federal level to the states. Virginia chose to (but was not required to) spread out a large amount of CARES money to county governments and school districts. The Page County Board of Supervisors chose to (but was not required to) share their CARES allotment with the county’s three towns. When ARP funds are distributed over the next two years, payments will go directly to the locality.

In addition to $1,400 checks, the American Rescue Plan helped individuals with unemployment compensation, health insurance premiums, food programs, child care programs, mental health programs and emergency help with rental assistance.

The ARP funding package provides the following for COVID-19 relief:

• $415 billion in increased funding for a national vaccination program, COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, scientific research and development, and manufacturing of pandemic-related medical supplies;

• $360 billion in funding to state, local, and territorial governments for economic relief and $20 billion in funding for public transit systems;

• $176 billion for education, with funds to assist K-12 schools in reopening by hiring more staff and putting in place new testing protocols, as well as funds for institutions of higher education;

• Funds toward cybersecurity efforts (including modernization of federal IT and networks).

The ARP funding package provides the following for businesses:

• Reimbursement for paid family sick leave up to $12,000 per employee;

• $7.25 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding;

• $15 billion in Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding;

• $25 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund for 2021;

• Adds $1.5 billion to the $15 billion in shuttered venue operators grants;

• Adds $86 billion to support approximately 185 failing multi-employer pension plans;

• Adds $10.4 billion to support agriculture.

The Town of Luray anticipates receiving $4.4 million from ARP, while Page County is expecting $4 million. The funds must be used by Dec. 31, 2024. Each recipient must adhere to the following guidelines in appropriating the ARP funds for expenses under the following uses:

• Response to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) or its negative economic impacts, including assistance to households, small businesses, and nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality;

• Response to workers performing essential work during COVID-19 public health emergency by providing premium pay to eligible workers of the locality that are performing such essential work;

• Provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue to the locality due to COVID-19 public health emergency relative to revenues collected in the most recent full fiscal year;

• Make necessary investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.

Pettit told the Stanley Council on Wednesday that the list of 26 projects he was presenting were suggestions, and there would be plenty of time to make adjustments before funds are actually received and then allocated. Below is list of projects that the town manager recommended:

• $85,500 — Utility assistance program ($57 per water customer);

• $80,000 — Non-profit grants (fire, rescue, etc.);

• $80,000 — Hazard pay for employees;

• $60,000 — Town office improvements (AC, ceiling, windows – $50,000 / website upgrade – $10,000);

• $105,000 — Police Department (Leos – $75,000 / pick-up truck – $30,000);

• $155,000 — Water (storage building at Honeyville – $75,000 / one-ton truck – $80,000);

• $250,000 — Water main upgrade (Park Road improvement project);

• $80,000 — Streets (sweeper/vacuum truck);

• $235,000 — Sewer (sewer infiltration – $150,000 / new roof on plant lab – $10,000 / utility shed – $10,000 / painting – $20,000 / sewer camera – $15,000 / LSB upgrade – $30,000);

• $175,000 — Parks and Recreation (pick-up truck – $40,000 / Hawksbill Pool shelter – $20,000 / new playground – $40,000 / men’s locker room at pool – $10,000 / AC, heat upstairs at Hawksbill – $30,000 / outside stage – $25,000 / basketball court at Ed Good Park – $10,000);

• $50,000 — Amphitheater at Ed Good Park (utilities, lighting, etc. – $50,000);

• $75,000 — Stanley Little League

The total for all suggested expenditures in Pettit’s list was $1,430,500, which leaves a remaining $149,500 in anticipated funding from the American Rescue Plan.

Click here for a full description of the American Rescue Plan of 2021 funding.

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