The Glocester Town Council on Oct. 16 authorized the town council president to sign first amendments to two American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State Fiscal Recovery Fund Community Learning Center programming support grant agreements for Harmony and Manton libraries.

Town Planner Aaron Scott’s memo to the council explained the Community Learning Center program lets municipalities use federal recovery funds for capital projects and programming that support work, education and health monitoring following the COVID-19 public-health emergency. The town already has a memorandum of agreement with Harmony and Manton libraries for just over $1 million in capital improvement funds, and the programming-support grants guarantee minimum amounts for each library.

The first amendments adjust timing and increase the minimum programming funds the libraries may receive; the memo lists the revised minimum for each library as $95,290.52. The council voted to authorize the council president to sign the two grant-amendment agreements so the town can receive the funds and pass them to the libraries.

No opposition was recorded. The amendments change disbursement timing and slightly increase guaranteed minimum programming payments to the two local libraries.