HANCOCK COUNTY – Governments in Hancock County are getting the rest of their payments from a federal COVID-19 recovery package and narrowing down plans for the funds.
At about $25 million countywide, officials are targeting a variety of purposes for the money, including utilities, public safety and roads.
Congress enacted the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 in March of that year, providing an estimated $350 billion in taxpayer funds to state and local governments for supporting their recoveries from the coronavirus pandemic.
New Palestine is getting over $500,000 and recently received the second half of its amount. Town manager Jim Robinson expects much of it to go to the wastewater treatment plant expansion the town is planning, expected to cost between $20 million and $40 million.
One of town officials’ goals with that project is to provide regional wastewater service coverage.
“I think there’s a need for it here on this side of the county,” Robinson said. “We have a lot of existing subdivisions anywhere from 30 to 60 years old that are on septic systems and wells and part of our plan is to incorporate them into our wastewater facility.”
The town of Shirley was awarded over $200,000 from the American Rescue Plan and also recently got its second half. Teresa Hester, the town’s clerk-treasurer, said the funds will cover needs at its police department, like protective vests for reserve officers; and needs at the fire department, including toward the addition and remodeling planned there. Water and wastewater needs are other targets as well.
“It’ll be a great help for us,” Hester said. “Especially for a small town like us, it’s really nice.”
McCordsville Town Council approved an ordinance earlier this month appropriating its funds from the federal program, which total nearly $1.7 million. The ordinance outlines uses like replacing sidewalk ramps, future technology upgrades to Town Hall for making meetings available on the internet, upgrading the town’s website and branding, park improvements, road improvements and initial work on a new police station.
Greenfield recently received the second half of its allocation from the program as well, resulting in a total of over $5.2 million. Lori Elmore, the city’s clerk-treasurer, said a committee has been created that will meet to gather ideas on how to best appropriate the funds.
About $100,000 from the program went to Wilkinson. The town used its first half last year to pay two months of customers’ sewer bills, $500 to each of the town’s police officers and firefighters, and the rest toward a sewer project. Janette Young, the town’s clerk-treasurer, said the town received its second half this week and that it will go to the sewer system as well, including cleaning out sewer lines and improving a lift station.
Fortville is getting nearly $1 million from the program anticipated to help with the town’s new water plant underway.
Cumberland’s plan for the over $1.3 million it’s getting in federal COVID relief includes replacing lost public sector revenues to the town’s general fund, investigating partnering with nonprofit organizations that are addressing negative economic impacts caused by the pandemic, and investing in sewer infrastructure.
Hancock County government continues to consider sources for the over $15 million it’s getting. Officials have already decided to divide it across nonprofit organizations, mental health initiatives and infrastructure.
American Rescue Plan funds must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.
American Rescue Plan awards
Hancock County: $15 million+
Greenfield: $5.2 million+
McCordsville: ~$1.7 million
Cumberland: $1.3 million+
Fortville: ~$940,000
New Palestine: $500,000+
Shirley: $200,000+
Wilkinson: ~$100,000
