County staff summarize $28.9 million in ARPA investments; behavioral health center and 800 MHz work among projects under way

Scott County staff presented a summary on Feb. 18 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investments the county has obligated and implemented, saying the county directed most funds to capital and innovation projects and that $28.9 million was used to deliver programs across behavioral health, housing, parks, public safety radio infrastructure and workforce initiatives.

Leslie Vermillion, who led the presentation, said the county prioritized projects that would have long‑lasting value rather than one‑time expenditures. "This is, I'm hoping, our final kind of presentation on ARPA and our trip down ARPA and our investments," Vermillion said, and later summarized that staff "took $28.9 M and delivered this." She told the board that nearly 80% of the allocations went to capital projects and roughly 10% to operating and 10% to innovation, with mental‑health services and long‑term housing among the…