Whitfield County approves ARPA payroll allocation and retroactive firefighter supplements

Whitfield County commissioners on April 11 approved allocating American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) revenue-loss funds to shore up county payroll in 2022 and authorized retroactive supplements for five firefighters.

The Board voted to apply $3,087,500 of ARPA revenue-loss allowance funds toward general fund payroll this year, including a $3,000,000 request identified for Sheriff and Corrections payroll. The Board also approved using ARPA funds to cover premium pay—an $87,500 estimate to provide up to $3,750 to eligible employees in the district attorney’s and public defender’s offices—bringing the total approved ARPA allocation discussed at the meeting to $3,087,500. County officials reported $3,734,003 in already approved allocated revenue-loss funds and $6,265,997 remaining to be allocated before the December 2024 deadline.

Commissioner Greg Jones introduced the ARPA funding request; the item was discussed as part of Administration’s presentation of eligible uses under Treasury guidance. The Board approved the payroll allocation and premium-pay plan by recorded motion.

In a separate action tied to ARPA and state grant procedures, the Board approved retroactive $1,000 supplements for five firefighters whose certification paperwork was not submitted to the State by the deadline due to an internal administrative error. Commissioner Barry W. Robbins moved and Commissioner Robby Staten seconded the payment; the total county cost including FICA was listed as $5,375.

No members disputed the eligibility of ARPA for these uses at the meeting. The Board’s action leaves a balance of ARPA revenue-loss funds yet to be allocated by December 2024, and officials said future allocations will be scheduled in subsequent meetings.