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Knox County shifts $1.2 million in ARPA funding to Knox Clinic after dropping Thomaston as subrecipient
Summary
The Knox County budget committee voted to remove Thomaston as an ARPA subrecipient and reassign a $1.2 million grant to the Knox Clinic’s new Rockland renovation project; commissioners were told legal review cleared the change and the committee recorded the approval with one abstention.
The Knox County budget committee voted Nov. 5 to drop Thomaston as a subrecipient on a $1.2 million ARPA award and allow the Knox Clinic to receive and use the funds to renovate a downtown Rockland building the clinic purchased.
Meredith Badley, executive director of the Knox Clinic, told the committee the organization had an unanticipated opportunity to buy the adjacent Bock Building in Rockland. “It’s less expensive and much faster for us to open up our doors,” Badley said, adding the clinic is pursuing federal community health center designation and has grant support and a capital campaign under way.
County staff said the original ARPA award had been presented as a partnership between the clinic and the town of Thomaston; legal counsel reviewed the change and staff asked the committee to approve removing Thomaston so the clinic can proceed alone. “We’re asking you to approve moving forward … dropping Thomaston and continuing forward with just Knox Clinic,” a county staffer said.
Commissioners sought assurance the change would satisfy federal rules governing ARPA grants. “Because there are federal funds involved … things have to be dotted properly and crossed properly,” one commissioner said. County staff responded that legal review had been completed and that formal approval by the budget committee and the commission is the next step.
A motion to drop Thomaston as the subrecipient and reassign the $1.2 million to Knox Clinic was moved and seconded and recorded as approved by the committee; commissioners noted one abstention during the recorded vote. The commission later moved to the same effect on its side of the meeting.
The committee also asked Badley to share feasibility and market‑analysis documents for public review; Badley said she would provide the reports to the county and the public. The committee noted that ARPA funds must be committed by the end of the current year and spent by 2026, and staff said the requested contract will reflect those federal deadlines.
Next steps: staff will formalize a new contract reflecting Knox Clinic as the subrecipient and proceed with the renovation and spending plan consistent with ARPA timelines and federal compliance steps.
