Chester CFO: Half of $30 million ARPA package spent; remaining projects tracked toward 2026 deadline

CFO Richard Troutman told the City of Chester Budget & Finance Committee on Feb. 11 that the city has closed roughly $15,000,000 of the original $30,000,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding, with 24 of 35 projects complete and 11 still open.

"All the money has to be spent by 12/31/2026. We're on track to do that," Troutman said, summarizing the office's status report and timeline. He identified the Public Works building—which broke ground in 2025—and a ladder truck expected in August–September as the largest remaining ARPA items.

The presentation included a project-status visualization broken into completed and open projects. Troutman said some ARPA spending is being supplemented by other funds and consultants are assisting with quarterly federal filings and audit preparation. He also told the committee the city has a tracking mechanism for ARPA expenditures and said staff will work to provide clearer public-facing documentation and photos of completed items.

Council members pressed for greater transparency and easier public access to visuals. One member suggested posting before-and-after photos for tangible projects such as pool renovations; Troutman acknowledged pictures exist for some purchases (the fire truck was cited as an example) and said staff will publish more material on the city website.

Troutman and Controller Joy Taylor also discussed a recently awarded state LSA/DCED grant for vehicle purchases, roughly $882,000. That award reflects a submission made about two years ago for approximately 16 vehicles, Troutman said, and may require substitutions or cuts because earlier price quotes are now out of date and one requested model is no longer manufactured.

Troutman advised the council that the city has been building a capital reserve for one-time needs and that staff plan to re-index fleet priorities—selling vehicles beyond useful life and using capital and grant funds to replace critical units. He said quotes for police-station repairs are due this month and identified a $500,000 ARPA line item as a starting point for police-station work, with staff exploring repurposing prior awards to supplement those funds.

On broader finances, Troutman described the December year-to-date statements as unaudited but stable: the city closed well, paid down certain liabilities, and held about $19,000,000 in operating cash before real-estate-tax collections began. He emphasized there are still several projects and cost risks to manage but that planning and reporting activities are ongoing.

What’s next: staff will provide more detailed public-facing ARPA reporting and photos, reconcile the fleet list tied to the vehicle grant with current needs and cost estimates, and return with specifics on change orders and final cost allocations for open projects.