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Monroe County officials weigh how to keep ARPA funds local as projects finish under budget
Summary
Auditor's office staff told commissioners at the May 7 meeting that roughly 'just north of about $315,000' of ARPA funding may be unobligated as projects come in under budget; the board discussed reallocating dollars to open projects and plans for a joint meeting with council to set a firm reallocation deadline.
Auditor's office staff reported that several open American Rescue Plan Act projects are nearing completion and may return unobligated money to the federal government unless the county re‑obligates it to other local projects. "Just north of about, $315,000," the auditor's office representative said, describing the amount now expected to be available if projects finish under budget.
Commissioners pressed staff for specifics on which projects could absorb those funds before federal deadlines. The chair said the board will need a "drop‑dead date" for reallocations, suggesting a Nov. 1 deadline if money remains unspent. Auditor's office staff said the county is working project‑by‑project to estimate when contracts will conclude and that several open projects could turn around receipts quickly if given time to spend funds before year end.
Discussion focused on two projects already identified as underutilizing their allocations—septic work and jail locks—and a set of open projects staff recommended for re‑obligation (parks, Monroe County Fire Protection District, airport stormwater). One staff member said the septic contracts are under obligation and vendors are working to complete work before the end of the year; another staff member said there remains an off chance a contract may not finish, which would increase unobligated totals.
The auditor's office staff also raised a separate funding line—LATCF—with a balance listed in the meeting memo of $162,378.82; staff advised that LATCF dollars do not share the same expenditure deadline as ARPA but recommended spending them by 2027 per federal guidance from ARPA advisors.
Commissioners directed staff to arrange a joint session with the county council and sought a reallocation plan that would allow quick re‑assignment and spending of funds to keep the money local if projects close under budget. No formal reallocation was approved at the meeting.
Next steps: staff will continue project‑level tracking, pursue options to keep eligible projects open, and schedule a joint meeting with council to set allocation rules and any firm deadlines.
