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Barnstable County presents final ARPA cleanup ordinance, moves $34,919 to harmful-algal-bloom lab equipment
Summary
Assistant County Administrator Vera Harik told the Assembly Oct. 2 that county ARPA grant work is nearly complete, asked the Assembly to appropriate the final uncommitted $10,592 and approve transfers totaling $34,918.61 so the health lab can purchase a FlowCam for harmful‑algal‑bloom work; no final Assembly vote on the ordinance was recorded.
Barnstable County Assistant County Administrator Vera Harik told the Assembly of Delegates on Oct. 2 that the county has appropriated the bulk of its American Rescue Plan Act funds and must obligate remaining amounts by Dec. 31, 2024. Harik said the county received about $41.37 million in ARPA funds and the county’s 15 towns received roughly $26 million, for a total of about $67.4 million.
Harik presented a proposed ordinance to appropriate the last uncommitted $10,592 of county ARPA funds and to reallocate $34,918.61 among county projects so the county laboratory can acquire a FlowCam, a piece of equipment used in harmful‑algal‑bloom monitoring. "By 12/31/2024, we have to have officially obligated all of our funds," Harik said, citing U.S. Treasury obligation rules.
The ordinance as described would: appropriate $10,005.92 directly to the Harmful Algal Bloom program, transfer $10,194.61 from an underspent lab project, and move $14,132 from the regional water initiative, producing a net increase of $34,918.61 for the HAB project. Harik said the extra lab purchase is necessary because the FlowCam will cost more than originally anticipated and that county ordinance 23‑03 requires specific legal authority to shift money between those named projects.
Harik reviewed the county’s ARPA portfolio, saying 27 grant agreements had been extended to June 30, 2025 to encourage timely expenditure and listing that eight of 11 housing projects are under contract while two have completed spending. She also announced one housing award to the Cloverleaf Truro project for about $1.5 million to support 32 affordable rental units. "Every time we award one of these housing projects, my heart sings," Harik said.
Delegates questioned administrative costs and compliance. Harik said the county administrative share is roughly 3 percent and that a significant portion goes to outside auditors to support required single‑audit work. "A significant portion of the administrative budget is for that really important auditing service," she said, and offered to circulate detailed line items.
Harik also described a records‑digitization contract with Iron Mountain to scan historical county documents dating back to 1838; bound historical volumes will be returned, while nonessential paper will be shredded when legally appropriate.
Two delegates recused themselves from the ARPA matter and left the room before the presentation; Harik said some county staff will remain paid through ARPA until June 30, 2025 and that future staffing or budget decisions will be addressed through the regular budget process.
No final Assembly vote on the proposed ARPA ordinance appeared in the transcript. Harik said some ARPA items may go to the finance committee for review. The next procedural step recorded was discussion and potential referral; the Assembly did not record an ordinance vote in the Oct. 2 meeting.
