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County outlines $10.9M ARPA spending; approves L3Harris order for 26 radios using ARPA funds
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Summary
GrantWorks reported Van Zandt County obligated $10.9 million in ARPA funds (about $8M spent to date) across 10 projects; commissioners approved Order No. 5 to purchase 26 radios from L3Harris under the existing radio contract using ARPA funding.
Van Zandt County staff and GrantWorks reviewed the county's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) expenditures and obligations, and commissioners approved an equipment order for the P25 radio system under the L3Harris contract using ARPA funds.
Jonathan Stewart, a GrantWorks consultant who joined by Zoom, told the court the county received roughly $10.9 million in ARPA funds, submitted obligation entries by the April 30 deadline, and has obligated the full allocation. Stewart said total spending to date was just over $8 million across 10 projects, with five projects complete and five ongoing.
Stewart summarized the county's ARPA spending categories (revenue replacement, public-sector capacity, and administrative oversight) and a project-level breakdown that the county submitted to Treasury. Key items listed in the presentation included L3Harris radio system work (budgeted at just over $6 million, about $3.6 million spent to date), a radio tower construction allocation of $3 million (about $2.9 million spent), record digitization (about $1.51 million, ~75% complete), GrantWorks administration (budget $461,300; $290,000 spent), Dell dispatch equipment ($11,000, completed) and cybersecurity software ($67,500, completed). Stewart said quarterly reporting to Treasury continues, with the next submission noted for June 30.
After the presentation, the court opened Item 12 to consider Order No. 5 for L3Harris equipment. The order requested 26 radios — 22 mobile units for vehicles or shelter interoperability and four intrinsically safe portable radios for operations such as fire response. County staff and L3Harris representative Barry Black said the county can purchase radios at the contract pricing that was locked at the time of the system contract (executed in 2022); delaying purchase after system acceptance could lead to higher market prices.
County staff said approximately $650,000 remained in the contract budget for terminals (radios), so the requested purchase would be covered within the existing contract and would not require new funding. Commissioners moved to approve Order No. 5 for the P25 radio equipment; the motion passed by voice vote.
The county and GrantWorks stressed that all ARPA expenditures must comply with Treasury rules and the 2 CFR Part 200 procurement and compliance requirements; GrantWorks will continue to help monitor compliance and reporting.
No dollar amount for the radio order itself was included in the meeting discussion beyond the statement that existing contract funds remain available. Officials said detailed project and expenditure records had been submitted in the county's Treasury portal and will be updated in the next quarterly report.
