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Auditor: ARPA funds available; Exit 21 engineering near completion, $200,000 proposed for Exit 22 study
Summary
Cowlitz County Auditor Kaylee McKay said $4.3 million in ARPA direct-qualification cash remains; Woodland (contractor) has spent about $800,000 of a $2.66 million Exit 21 allocation and staff proposed using roughly $200,000 of the remainder to advance engineering for Exit 22 to reduce overflow impacts when Exit 21 goes under construction.
Cowlitz County Auditor Kaylee McKay updated commissioners on American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending and engineering work tied to state highway exit projects.
Allocation status: McKay said the county was allocated funds up front and has $4.3 million in direct-qualification cash remaining across ARPA accounts; most ARPA projects are reimbursement-based, meaning the county pays and seeks reimbursement. She said the Exit 21 allocation totals about $2.66 million and Woodland (the contractor) has spent roughly $800,000 to date on the Exit 21 scope.
Proposed reallocation for Exit 22: Because Exit 22 is likely to see overflow traffic when Exit 21 is under construction, staff proposed using approximately $200,000 of the Exit 21 remainder to contract engineering for Exit 22. McKay explained the funds are on the "revenue loss" side of ARPA, which is flexible for governmental purposes, and said the county can reassign obligated funds or use remaining revenue-loss money for governmental needs if projects change.
Timelines and compliance: Staff said the county expects to be at about 90% engineering design for Exit 21 within the year and that biological assessments and permitting could add two to three years of review. McKay reminded the board that ARPA obligations must be spent by the end of the program window and that she reviews monthly documentation before reimbursements.
Board response: Commissioners asked questions about spending pace and timing; staff reiterated that the $1.6 million remaining in the contract will be used for Exit 21 engineering and construction-related costs and that roughly $200,000 would be set aside for Exit 22 planning if the board agrees. No formal reallocation vote took place at the meeting.
