COLUMBUS, Ind. — Columbus is taking steps to prepare to receive the first half of its funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, including how to document future expenditures made with those funds.
Columbus City Council has passed an ordinance creating the ARP Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund. While ordinances are typically required to be read at two council meetings in order to be approved, the council voted to suspend the rules and pass it on both readings in the same night on Tuesday.
Jamie Brinegar, the city’s director of finance, operations and risk, requested the action, as the city expects to receive approximately $3.85 million in the next week. The city is expecting a total allocation of approximately $7.7 million, with the second half arriving in 2022.
“These funds can be used for revenue recovery, nonprofit assistance, infrastructure, transportation, public facilities, economic development and regional collaboration,” Brinegar said.
The ordinance states that business assistance is also an acceptable use of funds.
The Indiana State Board of Accounts is requiring communities to establish a “unique fund” to receive these monies and account for expenditures.
For the full story, see Friday’s Republic.
