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Barnstable commissioners extend ARPA deadlines, approve ordinance to finalize remaining funds
Summary
The Barnstable County board approved no‑cost extensions for 27 ARPA subrecipients and introduced an ordinance to appropriate the $10,592 remaining in its ARPA allocation and reassign small balances to cover an algal‑bloom equipment shortfall.
Vera Harrick, assistant county administrator and the county's ARPA grant manager, told the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners on Sept. 25 that the county had legally appropriated all but $10,592 of its $41.4 million in direct ARPA funding from the U.S. Treasury. "Of the $41,400,000 in ARPA funding we've received, we have appropriated legally all but $10,592 of that amount," Harrick said.
Harrick warned the board it is close to the Treasury's obligation deadline and that funds not under contract or purchase order by Dec. 31, 2024, could have to be returned to the Treasury. To keep projects moving, she proposed aligning schedules by authorizing a no‑cost extension of 27 existing grant agreements to June 30, 2025. The board voted to approve the extensions.
Harrick also outlined a "cleanup" ordinance to finalize ARPA appropriations and adjust three county departmental project budgets. She said the county needs to move roughly $34,918 to cover an increase in equipment costs for a harmful algal bloom project and would appropriate the remaining $10,592 to that project. Harrick described these transfers as "de minimis" relative to the total ARPA allocation but said the ordinance is required for the adjustments.
The board authorized introduction of the proposed ordinance to make those adjustments and to ensure all county ARPA funds are appropriately obligated. Harrick told commissioners the county and its 15 towns have multiple tranches of ARPA agreements in place and that Treasury guidance allows some flexibility to move funds among projects under certain conditions.
Next steps: the ordinance will be introduced to the board and then forwarded to the county assembly as part of the formal appropriation process; commissioners said they expect continued oversight to ensure obligations meet federal requirements.
