How should Ocean County spend $59.3M in third round of COVID-19 recovery funds?
TOMS RIVER — A public hearing on how the Ocean County Board of Commissioners should spend $59.3 million in federal dollars from a third round of money disbursed through the COVID-era American Rescue Plan Act is set for this morning.
The hearing is largely a formality as the funds are already earmarked for a range of social services and infrastructure improvements, although the county government will consider any recommendations in the next round of funding in the future. The county government has already spent more than $43 million in ARPA funds since President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law in March 2021.
“All these projects have been requested by either service providers, or from our own departments or from the various municipalities (and) have been reviewed … to make sure they were shovel ready,” said County Administrator Michael J. Fiure.
The U.S. Treasury Department allows for the federal aid to be spent on public health initiatives, to mitigate the negative economic impact of the pandemic on individuals and businesses, infrastructure improvements and revenue replacement for existing government services, explained County Comptroller Julie N. Tarrant.
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County Commissioner Jack Kelly pointed out that much of this round of funding will be spent to address stormwater management issues as part of the board’s ongoing effort to reduce flooding issues throughout the county — which have become problematic even after routine storm events.
Fiure said no municipality was turned down that requested funds for stormwater management.
“The other projects we’re talking about were either county projects or human services-developed programs that we’re trying to enhance,” Fiure said.
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Kelly said there were some towns that requested assistance for projects after the application deadline, but those towns will be prioritized in the next round of funding.
The following projects are earmarked in the “Round 3” disbursement, which are expected to be approved at Wednesday’s regular meeting of the board, a day after the public hearing:
$200,000 to municipal police departments that include services for family conflict resolution, mental health, substance abuse, developmental or cognitive disability, homelessness, poverty and isolation issues for those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic;
$75,000 for trauma counseling to children and teens of parents/caregivers who have died due to COVID, suicide or drug overdoses and are suffering from grief;
$50,400 for grief support group and intervention services to both young children and teens who have lost a caregiver as a result of COVID;
$33,750 for support groups for children and adolescents with disabilities;
$1 million for recreation programs dedicated to individuals living with disabilities in an effort to ensure inclusivity within a community;
$2.3 million for homelessness prevention and transitional support through a program that will address housing stabilization needs for those at risk, or impacted by COVID;
$1.8 million for Housing Support: Other Housing Assistance: Homelessness prevention and transitional support through a program that will address housing stabilization needs for those at risk, or impacted by COVID;
$1.1 million for homelessness prevention and transitional support through a program that will address housing stabilization needs for those at risk, or impacted by COVID;
$750,000 for support services in navigating benefits programs established to aid in recovery from the pandemic;
$421,680 to provide care management support to disabled seniors and young adults in the county who are at a pandemic-heightened risk exposure of public health and financial insecurity;
$265,000 for legal services to those at risk of losing their homes;
$400,000 for workforce development programs to assist individuals impacted by opioid abuse;
$300,000 for workforce development programs to assist retirees who want to re-enter the workforce;
$30,000 to assist nonprofit organizations impacted by COVID with time-limited grant writing and administration workshops;
$500,000 for enhanced employment assistance for individuals with limited resources and significant personal barriers who are not eligible for existing public programs that require skill development for gainful employment;
$600,000 for volunteer training to youth mentoring and advocate organizations so they may expand their capacity and reach;
$5 million for nonprofit organizations to acquire property and rehabilitate or construct shelters to establish “bridge housing” for young adults;
$7.5 million for nonprofits to acquire property to construct or rehabilitate dwellings to establish transitional housing for the homeless;
$250,000 to secure roommate-matching services to connect viable roommates experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness for individuals who are 55 and over;
$3.98 million for improvements to concentration tanks in Brick and and clarifiers in Berkeley by the Ocean County Utilities Authority;
$5.68 million for rehabilitation and restoration of waste water collection systems in Little Egg Harbor, Eagleswood and Stafford by the Ocean County Utilities Authority;
$214,000 for stormwater pump station and drainage improvements in Beach Haven;
$2.6 million for stormwater pump station and drainage improvements in Lavallette;
$199,000 for the construction of inlets, manholes and water quality systems; and the raising of road surfaces to mitigate flooding issues in Point Pleasant.
$350,000 for stormwater management improvements in Seaside Park;
$1.6 million for stormwater management improvements in Lakewood;
$350,000 for stormwater management improvements in Seaside Heights;
$1.2 million for stormwater management improvements on county-owned roads in Brick and Jackson;
$1.5 million for stormwater management improvements on county-owned roads in Barnegat, Long Beach Township, Surf City and Barnegat Light;
$500,000 for outfall pipes in Lavallette and Toms River;
$2 million for pipe-lining contracts in Jackson, Lavallette, South Toms River, Stafford and Toms River;
$2 million for stormwater management improvements in Lakewood and South Toms River;
$584,829 for stormwater management improvements in Mantoloking;
$450,000 for reconstruction of bulkhead and boardwalk structure in Bay Head;
$58,140 for bioswale conversion of existing stormwater management basins in Stafford;
$535,000 for replacement of the old water main in Island Heights;
$1.8 million for replacement of a water main in Manchester;
$1.25 million for an environmental remediation effort and beach replenishment project on the northern barrier island;
$4.4 million for an environmental remediation effort and beach replenishment project on Long Beach Island;
$583,400 for shoreline protection and restoration in the Mud City neighborhood of Stafford;
$3.5 million for the construction of inclusive recreation areas for individuals with disabilities in three Ocean County parks;
$1.5 million for upgrades to the Ocean County Sheriff’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems, records management, mobile data systems, fingerprinting management and ability to electronically interface with state and local government systems.
The public hearing will be held at 10 a.m. in the first floor public meeting room of the Ocean County Administration Building, 101 Hooper Avenue, in downtown Toms River.
Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at elarsen@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Ocean County NJ to release $59.3M in federal COVID recovery funds
