Whitfield County approves ARPA grant applications for park, court and transit funding
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Summary
The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution to apply for state ARPA funds for park improvements in Qualified Census Tracts and accepted several ARPA-related awards and grant applications, including a $239,582 Judicial Council award and approval to apply for a FY2024 Section 5311 transit grant.
The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 14 approved submitting a state ARPA grant application to fund park and recreation projects in Qualified Census Tracts and accepted multiple ARPA-related awards and applications.
Commissioner Greg Jones moved and Commissioner Barry W. Robbins seconded a resolution to apply for the "Improving Neighborhood Outcomes in Disproportionally Impacted Communities" grant. County administration proposed two projects for the application — improvements to the Edward Parks tennis and pickleball courts and upgrades to Prater's Mill (walking track, restrooms, parking) — and requested a $200,000 cash match drawn from the county's remaining unrestricted ARPA funds. The board approved the resolution 3-0 (Commissioners Robbins, Thomas and Jones voted in favor).
The county noted the grant program allows up to $2 million per project and that multiple projects may be submitted; the application deadline was Nov. 18, 2022, with announcements expected in early 2023. County Administrator Robert Sivick presented the match request and the proposed project list.
In related actions, the board accepted a predetermined $100,000 allocation from the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (to be paid in two $50,000 installments) and approved submittal of a FY2024 Section 5311 grant application to the Georgia Department of Transportation to support rural transit operations. The board also accepted a State ARPA award administered by the Judicial Council of Georgia for $239,582 to address court backlog costs (covering senior judges, jury costs and a new district attorney investigator) for Jan.–Dec. 2023; that acceptance passed 3-0.
Why it matters: the actions package directs federal- and state-related pandemic-era funds toward local infrastructure, judicial capacity and transit operations. If awarded, the park projects could receive significant one-time investments in neighborhoods the county identified as disproportionately impacted. The Judicial Council award is intended to reduce case backlog costs for the Conasauga Judicial Circuit.
Next steps: the county will submit the state ARPA park application and pursue the 5311 transit application; staff will return to the board if awards require match adjustments or project scopes change.