KINGWOOD — Preston County’s entire allocation of American Rescue Plan Act money can be reported under a single category.
“The federal government assumes that everyone has had at least $10 million of loss and replace that much money. So it shortens your reporting. It does not restrict you from having projects … it doesn’t limit you,” County Administrator Kathy Mace told county commissioners on Tuesday.
The county received its first half ARPA money, about $3.2 million, last June. The deadline to file the ARPA funds expense report is April 30. Mace said she expected to file it Tuesday after the commission made its decision.
“They’re not asking for the support documents, they are saying that there’s no benefit for a county not to take the standard deduction or allowance if you have less than $10 million dollars.”
Mace said the county’s only obligation is $1.674 million to be used as matching funds for about $8.1 million in Line Extension Advancement and Development (LEAD) grant money. No other final decisions have been made.
Commissioner Don Smith made the motion to take the standard deduction, Commissioner Dave Price seconded it and Commission President Samantha Stone voted in favor.
Mace said she was pleased the commission decided to vote the way it did and agreed with Smith that it would give the county more flexibility.
The report also has to include the $3.2 million that hasn’t been sent to the county yet — another reason taking the standard deduction helped — Mace said she expects the second half to come sometime after this June.
The county will also have internal controls to track how the money is spending on individual projects.
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