Frio County's auditor presented and the court approved budget amendments to ensure American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds are obligated before the Treasury's deadline.

Crystal Marquez, the county auditor, outlined line-item moves to obligate unspent 2023'24 funds and to reassign projects that could not be obligated in time. She reported moving approximately $197,491.61 from an economic development line (the Dilley splash pad) into other priorities and reconciling the ARPA balance to $1,519,732.44. The auditor said the reallocation increased the public-safety/mental-health line to cover purchasing and upfitting three shared sheriff vehicles, a transport van, and 18 in-car radios.

Marquez also reported an increase to cover a generator purchase and installation (an increase of $56,008.01), and the auditor confirmed one ARPA-specific task order for the pond project (task order 2) will now be funded at $490,957.04. Several nonprofit contributions and smaller line items were adjusted to meet the obligation deadline; Marquez said the Treasury requires documentation showing how the county intends to spend the funds and that unspent obligated funds may need to be returned if not spent by 2026.

Commissioners voted to approve the amendments. The auditor said staff will provide reconciled reporting going forward and that some items already have purchase orders in place, reducing implementation risk.