| | | | | | | |  | ITEM 3.
County Manager - Administrative Agenda |
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| | | | | | | | | DATE: | October 19, 2021
| | DEPARTMENT: | County Manager
| | REQUESTER: | Roger Desjarlais
| | TITLE: | Authorize Phase One Investments for American Rescue Plan Act Funding |
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| | | | | | | | | I. | MOTION REQUESTED | | | Authorize the County Manager to implement American Rescue Plan Act Recovery & Relience programs enumerated in the attached documents. The County Manager is further authorized to make such adjustments to the program as may be necessary or prudent within the guidelines established by Treasury as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time. Additional program expenditures will be proposed throughout the period in which ARPA funds must be obligated (December 31, 2024). |
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| | | | | | | | | II. | ITEM SUMMARY | | | Directs staff to implement phase one of Lee County's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Recovery & Resilience Plan using a portion of the $149,675,549 in direct federal assistance provided to Lee County under ARPA. Investments will be made in allowable ARPA Expenditure Categories to address: Public Health, Negative Economic Impacts (of the pandemic), Services to Disproportionately Impacted Communities, Infrastructure, and Administrative needs. The time horizon for obligating these funds extends through 2024, so additional investments will be approved by the BoCC as/when appropriate. |
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| | | | | | | | | III. | BACKGROUND AND IMPLICATIONS OF ACTION |
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| | | | | | | | | | A) | Board Action and Other History | | | | Lee County submitted the required ARPA Interim and Performance reports on August 31, 2021.
The BoCC conducted an ARPA workshop on September 7, 2021. Staff is researching additional program suggestions based on workshop feedback and will provide additional information during future BoCC meetings.
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| | | | | | | | | | D) | Analysis | | | | The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides $149,675,549 in direct local funding assistance for Lee County. The first half of the County's award has been received and the second half is expected in mid-2022.
In conformance with the Department of the Treasury Interim Final Rule, Lee County's ARPA Plan will encompass programs and projects to address the approved areas: public health response; negative economic impacts to households, small businesses, and nonprofits; services to disproportionately impacted communities; potential premium pay for some public sector employees; core government services from replacement revenues; and infrastructure needs.
Phase One proposals are included in the attached spreadsheet and additional back-up materials. They include hiring a consulting firm to assist with ARPA program administration, to encompass advisory, implementation and reporting functions.
The County expects to adopt its Recovery & Resilience Plan on a rolling basis starting in the Fall of 2021. The Recovery Plan/Performance Report will be updated accordingly, and the Plan will be revisited and reallocated as priorities require.
Phase One proposals have been developed in part using feedback garnered from the following community engagements:
County Administration
• Lee County Community Impact Survey (see attached results collected as of 9/30/2021)
Human and Veteran Services
• Survey of nonprofits' partners;
• Personal consultation with various CBO including Lee Health, Salus Care, Salvation Army, CASL, United Way, ELC, Collaboratory, Central Florida Behavioral Health Network, and Midwest Food Bank; and
• Survey of Partnering for Result youth services providers.
Economic Development
• Monthly Real Estate Research Institute surveys assessing pandemic impact on business activity:
• Regular consultation with all chambers of commerce;
• COVID -19 related regular information sharing with the Southwest Florida Economic Development Alliance, Small Business Development Centers, and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA);
• Scheduled regular two-way information sharing with industry partners on the LeeCares program and not-for-profit sectors regarding pandemic impact on culture, housing, and human services;
• Weekly meetings with retail representatives regarding operation constraints;
• Weekly supply chain meetings with Lee Health;
• Weekly calls with hospitality industry partners to provide the latest information and assess local business conditions; and
• Regular calls to workforce training partners including Career Source.
Visitor and Convention Bureau
• Weekly information sharing and gathering calls with industry partners;
• Conducted periodic "willingness to travel" consumer sentiment research in key markets.
Attachments
1) Proposed ARPA Phase One Projects spreadsheet
2) ARPA Community Impact Survey results through September 30, 2021
3) Preliminary Implementation Plans (subject to change in the future) |
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| | | | | | | | | | E) | Options | | | | Adopt the Phase One plan in its entirety or approve idividual expenditure proposals. |
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| | | | | | | | | | A) | Current year dollar amount of item:
| See Comments below. | | | B) | Is this item approved in the current budget? | No | | | C) | Is this a revenue or expense item? | Expense | | | D) | Is this Discretionary or Mandatory? | Discretionary | | | E) | Will this item impact future budgets?
If yes, please include reasons in III(D) above.
| Yes | | | F) | Fund:
Program:
Project:
Account Strings: | | | G) | Fund Type? | | | | H) | Comments:
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides $149,675,549 in direct local funding assistance for Lee County. The funds need to be obligated by 2024 and expended by 2026. |
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| REVIEWERS: | | Department | Reviewer | Action | Date | | County Manager | Salyer, Glen | Approved | 10/11/2021 - 12:03 PM | | Budget Services | Henkel, Anne | Approved | 10/11/2021 - 12:52 PM | | Budget Services | Winton, Peter | Approved | 10/11/2021 - 2:02 PM | | County Attorney | Swindle, Amanda | Approved | 10/11/2021 - 2:59 PM | | County Manager | Salyer, Glen | Approved | 10/12/2021 - 8:36 AM |
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