Ken de la Bastide: Ken de la Bastide column: Clock ticking on allocating ARP funds

Ken de la Bastide, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

May 25—By the end of this year, all local units of government are required to determine how their share of American Rescue Plan funds will be used.

Federal regulations require a plan for the expenditure of the funds to be finalized by Dec. 31, 2024.

The requirement is that all funds be spent by the end of 2026.

Madison County received $26 million and to date has spent approximately $7.1 million of the funds, mostly on the criminal justice system.

The county has spent some funds for four studies, including one that has resulted in the creation of a park board.

The Madison County Commissioners and Madison County Council will be tasked with determining how the remaining funds will be utilized by the end of the year.

It can be anticipated that some of the funds will be used to start the process of creating a county park system.

Another potential use would be for the construction of the new 525-bed jail with an estimated cost of $103 million.

This past week, the commissioners announced that legal drains running through the property will be relocated, which should alleviate some of the flooding along Hartman Road.

ARP funds are a possible source of the money needed to relocate the two drains.

With seven months remaining before the ARP funding decisions have to be made, it can only be hoped that county officials will get input from local residents on how best to spend the remaining money for the betterment of Madison County.

The City of Anderson received $23.1 million, and most of those funds have already been designated for use.

The largest amount, $9 million, has been set aside for improvements to the city's water system which will include new wells, water line upgrades and an expansion of the Lafayette water treatment plant.

The administration of Mayor Thomas Broderick Jr. did create several committees to decide on how to distribute funds to local businesses, non-profit agencies and homeowners.

Madison County governmental units received $55 million in ARP funding.

Officials in Elwood, Alexandria and Pendleton have all used a portion of their funds for infrastructure improvements and purchase of equipment.

With time running out, it is imperative that all elected officials get public input on the use of the remaining funds and make sure the deadline is met for the plan on how to spend those funds.

A one-time gift from the federal government is an opportunity for long-term benefits to all the residents of Madison County.

Senior Reporter Ken de la Bastide's column publishes Saturdays. Contact him at ken.delabastide@heraldbulletin.com or 765-640-4863.