Claiborne County splits $5.9 million in ARP funds equally among nine districts, forms water projects committee
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Summary
The Claiborne County Commission on April 18 voted unanimously to divide about $5.9 million in American Rescue Plan funds equally among its nine districts and appointed the existing Budget Committee to serve as a Water Projects Committee to pursue TDEC grants and oversee water and sewer projects.
The Claiborne County Commission voted unanimously on April 18 to divide approximately $5.9 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding equally among the county's nine districts and to use the county's Budget Committee as a Water Projects Committee to coordinate water and sewer grant applications.
Res. 2022-068 directs that ARP monies awarded to Claiborne County and administered by the State of Tennessee be split equally among the nine district commissioners, who may use their district shares for ARP-eligible projects including waterline and sewerline work. The resolution passed by a roll call vote of 21-0.
Commissioners also passed Res. 2022-067, appointing the current nine-member Budget Committee to meet with engineers, utility districts and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and to oversee grant applications and project planning. The resolution says reusing the Budget Committee will save the county the cost of a separate committee.
Two district-specific ARP allocations were approved alongside the committee resolution. Res. 2022-051 authorizes $213,315.04 in ARP funds for District Five to install a pump station and extend a waterline about one mile on Poplar Grove Road, with any remaining funds to be used on existing CDBG water projects for Ironworks and Connor roads. Res. 2022-065 authorizes $213,315.04 for District Four to extend an existing waterline on U.S. 25E south into the Springdale community until funds are exhausted. Both measures passed by roll call votes of 21-0.
County documents state the ARP allocations must be used in accordance with federal guidelines. Commissioners who sponsored the measures said the actions are intended to improve water access and to position the county to obtain matching state or federal grants through coordinated engineering and utility-district planning.
Next steps identified by the commission include engineers meeting with utility districts and preparing grant applications to TDEC under the direction of the Water Projects Committee. The commission recorded no public opposition during the meeting to the funding plan.