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Chippewa County presents final ARPA project review: broadband, roads, radios, conservation and parks
Summary
County officials presented a final review of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending, listing projects including broadband expansion, a radio replacement program, conservation work on nitrates and road paving funded with ARPA dollars.
Chippewa County presented a final review of projects funded with American Rescue Plan Act dollars at its Feb. 11 meeting, summarizing how the county used ARPA to pay for broadband expansion, public safety radios, road paving, park improvements, longevity bonuses for employees and conservation efforts.
County Administrator Randy Schultz and staff summarized the county’s ARPA allocations and how the board’s early decisions and procedures guided spending. “We are done with ARPA,” Schultz said, noting the county used interest earnings and followed board‑adopted guidance to limit ARPA to one‑time expenditures rather than ongoing costs.
Chief Deputy Curt Dutton outlined the sheriff’s radio replacement: ARPA provided $190,000 and a separate $100,000 grant from a federal office (Senator Van Orden’s discretionary grant) enabled the department to accelerate a multi‑year radio replacement program and purchase compatible digital radios. “With those two combined, we're able to knock a year off and get everything done this year,” Dutton said.
Linda Schweickert, director of Land Conservation and Forest Management, described a two‑part program funded with $500,000 in ARPA for nitrate remediation and prevention. One piece was a multi‑year cover crop cost‑share program focused on nitrate‑sensitive soils; the other was an effort to provide community water refill stations in townships with high nitrate risk, with examples installed in Wheaton, Anson, Auburn and Lafayette townships.
Highway Commissioner Brian Kelly said ARPA money allowed the highway department to accelerate low‑volume road paving and chip seals, completing roughly 36–41 miles of work over three years that would otherwise have been unaffordable; initial ARPA funding for roads was $8 million with an additional $1.99 million added later.
Facilities Director Larry Ritzinger described park and facility projects: demolition and remediation at the former firearms range, replacement of pit toilets with flush restroom/shower buildings at Otter Lake and Pine Point parks, purchase of picnic tables and benches, and automated firewood dispensers (credit card and cash machines) at camping parks.
Schultz said the county also used ARPA to fund longevity bonuses for employees and to support broadband expansion work alongside local providers. Staff credited outside consultants and auditors (Sikich) for helping ensure ARPA expenditures complied with federal guidance.
Ending: County staff said most ARPA projects are complete, but staff will continue to seek reimbursements where appropriate and will bring individual project closeouts or reimbursement resolutions back to the board if federal guidance changes.
