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Charles Mix County elects ARPA 'lost revenue' option and rescinds prior COVID fund restrictions
Summary
The county voted to apply the Treasury's final rule to treat ARPA funds as 'revenue loss' for general government services and elected to use county payrolls for eligible expenses; prior restrictions from Dec. 2023 were rescinded.
The Charles Mix County Board of Commissioners voted Sept. 26 to elect the Treasury Department’s final rule that allows counties to treat up to $10 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds as 'revenue loss' for general government services. The board approved using the option to cover salaries, wages and county-paid benefits from county funds (excluding federally funded programs), effective Jan. 2022, and rescinded earlier motions from Dec. 14 and Dec. 28, 2023 regarding restricted COVID funds.
Commissioner Colin Soukup moved the election; Commissioner Nick Stotz seconded and the motion carried by voice vote. Auditor Jason Gant reviewed the procedural details for the application of the final rule during the meeting in Platte.
Why it matters: electing the final rule changes permissible uses for ARPA funds and can simplify how counties account for pandemic-related revenue shortfalls. The board’s action clarifies county policy on ARPA-held funds going forward.
Record and limits: Minutes state the county may use up to $10 million of ARPA recovery funds under the final rule; the motion specifies excluding funds that are federally funded or otherwise financed by non-county sources. The minutes do not provide a line-item accounting of how much ARPA balance remains or exactly which payroll lines will be charged.
Next steps: The board’s election and rescission of prior directives were recorded in the Sept. 26 minutes; staff will proceed with accounting under the selected policy unless additional board direction is recorded later.
