| | | | | | | |  | ITEM 4.
County Manager - Administrative Agenda |
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| | | | | | | | | DATE: | March 5, 2024
| | DEPARTMENT: | County Manager
| | REQUESTER: | Glen Salyer
| | TITLE: | Reprogram Unused American Rescue Plan Act Funding |
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| | | | | | | | | I. | MOTION REQUESTED | | | A) Re-allocate $2,225,792 in American Rescue Plan that was previously allocated to Early Learning Coalition of SWFL, Lee County Human and Veteran Services, Catholic Charities (Diocese of Venice), Lee County Economic Development Office and Lee County Visitor and Convention Bureau;
B) Approve agreement with Salvation Army to provide emergency shelter beds for homeless clients through its Life Navigation program and authorize the County Manager or designee to execute the agreement and accompanying documents;
C) Allocate $1,332,272 of unused American Rescue Plan Act funding to Lee County Public Safety for Emergency Medical Service salaries; and
D) Approve attached revisions to the American Rescue Plan Act Recovery & Resilience Plan Approved Allocations. |
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| | | | | | | | | II. | ITEM SUMMARY | | | Provides $893,520 to Salvation Army for emergency homeless shelter operations through September 30, 2026, and $1,332,272 to Lee County Public Safety for Emergency Medical Services for personnel expenses. The American Rescue Plan Act funds are being reallocated from programs that underspent their initial grant awards to address urgent community needs that are eligible under federal rule. |
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| | | | | | | | | III. | BACKGROUND AND IMPLICATIONS OF ACTION |
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| | | | | | | | | | A) | Board Action and Other History | | | | The BoCC participated in an ARPA workshop on September 7, 2021. On October 19, 2021 the BoCC authorized Phase One investments for American Rescue Plan Act Funding. On February 11, 2022 during its Strategic Planning session the BoCC provided consensus policy direction for Phase Two investments under the American Rescue Plan Act. Phase Two investments for American Rescue Plan Act funding were approved by the BoCC on March 1, 2022. Lee County has submitted all required reports to US Treasury. On June 21, 2022 the BoCC approved revisions to the allocation plan. Lee County has submitted all required reports to US Treasury.
On November 2, 2021 the BoCC approved the creation of twenty-one (21) new EMS positions to address staffing impacts associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. |
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| | | | | | | | | | D) | Analysis | | | | The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides $149,675,549 in direct local funding assistance for Lee County to address public health response; negative economic impacts to households, small businesses, and nonprofits; services to disproportionately impacted communities; core government service; and infrastructure.
All funding must be obligated by December 31, 2024 or returned to US Treasury. Accordingly, as individual grant programs wind down, the County will reallocate unused funding to eligible projects that can be obligated prior to the deadline.
On November 2, 2021 the BoCC approved the creation of twenty-one (21) new EMS positions to address staffing impacts associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Continuing workload impacts have necessitated the ongoing maintenance of those staff positions and staff recommends reallocating $1,332,272 towards those expenses.
In order to supplement Bob James Empowerment Center operations, Human and Veteran Services is urgently seeking additional shelters beds for individuals experiencing homelessness in Lee County. The Salvation Army has the ability to respond to this need and generate additional shelter beds.
The objective of the Life Navigation program is to respond to the unmet human services need of the community by providing 24 shelter beds per nights. The Salvation Army will use the funding to assist homeless individual adults through life navigation: leveraging services for coaching including nights of shelter and supportive services which can include: case management, meals, mental health services, education assessment, employment assistance, housing counseling services, life skills, and transportation.
Subrecipient projects will be monitored for federal compliance. The subrecipients are required to report quarterly to Lee County on project progress and performance. Reporting for the Bob Janes Empowerment Center funding will be generated from the County’s Homeless Management Information system. Lee County will review and submit the required quarterly and annual reports to the US Treasury with information related to each of these projects. |
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| | | | | | | | | | A) | Current year dollar amount of item:
| $2,225,792 | | | B) | Is this item approved in the current budget? | Yes | | | 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.
| | | | F) | Fund: American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
Program:
Project:
Account Strings: 11129500100 | | | G) | Fund Type? | Other: American Rescue Plan Act: Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds | | | 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 | 2/27/2024 - 1:57 PM | | Budget Services | Henkel, Anne | Approved | 2/27/2024 - 2:05 PM | | Budget Services | Winton, Peter | Approved | 2/27/2024 - 2:50 PM | | County Attorney | Swindle, Amanda | Approved | 2/28/2024 - 8:49 AM | | County Manager | Salyer, Glen | Approved | 2/28/2024 - 10:47 AM |
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