Council members reviewed a list of proposed uses for remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and directed staff to investigate several items and return with cost estimates so the city can obligate funds by the federal year-end deadline.

Staff reported the city has about $200,000 of unallocated ARPA funds plus roughly $46,000 in interest earnings. The council was reminded that ARPA funds must be obligated by the end of the calendar year but need not be fully spent; obligated funds are defined as contracts, purchase orders or subawards put in place.

Councilors emphasized a short list of priorities to study immediately: replacement of the library furnace (staff cited a notional estimate of roughly $165,000 but said the number is not final), construction of a weatherproof book-return to reduce energy loss and interior work, and lighting upgrades in municipal buildings to LED fixtures to capture quick payback. Staff also reported solar installations on several municipal buildings and a smaller solar installation at the wastewater treatment plant now have firm analyses; the plant installation showed an estimated 13-year payback at roughly $87,000 in one contractor’s analysis.

Members asked that staff check how much developer-fee or utility-rate funding could cover portions of meter-radio upgrades (estimated here as $25,000) and to consider splitting costs with the library board for the furnace if the board is willing. Councilors agreed to remove sidewalks and the EV charging station from ARPA funding consideration at this time and to return with refined numbers for the library furnace and the book-return mechanism before finalizing ARPA obligations.

Staff said other ARPA-funded items already complete include meter upgrades, GIS mapping, meeting-room improvements and partial payments for municipal solar arrays. The council set a short timetable for staff follow-up so that funds can be obligated before the federal deadline.