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West Haven ARPA committee conditions library building purchase, holds $20,000 pending audit
Summary
The West Haven ARPA Committee voted July 7 to approve release of library acquisition funds only after an appraisal, a spending plan and an internal audit; the committee also withdrew prior design funds and directed its attorney to write the conditions into the agreement.
The West Haven ARPA Committee voted July 7 to condition any release of ARPA funds for a proposed library building purchase on an independent appraisal, a detailed plan showing how the building will be converted to library use and a $20,000 holdback pending an internal audit.
The motion, introduced by the committee chair, follows competing proposals the committee reviewed in prior meetings: instead of a mobile library bus previously discussed, the library has a letter of intent to buy a building and an adjacent parking lot and is seeking up to the $1,000,000 the city council previously authorized for library-related uses. Chair said the committee will “withdraw the funds for the design work at Blake,” require an appraisal and “hold back $20,000 pending an internal audit,” language the committee adopted on a voice vote.
The committee emphasized federal conditions that attach when federal funds are used to acquire real property. Mark Ellis, speaking during the discussion, urged that the federal “interest” requirement be explicitly included in any agreement so the city is protected if the property purchase does not proceed as proposed. Committee members asked that the appraisal be paid by the library organization and that the ARPA attorney prepare the written conditions to ensure compliance with federal requirements.
Members also sought clarification that the library had not already spent ARPA funds on items that no longer match the plan (the chair said $28,000 in design funds related to a different site would be withdrawn). The committee voted to require a spending plan showing sources for any additional costs, a timeframe for outfitting the building, and proof that subrecipient reporting obligations to the federal government will continue after the committee’s term ends.
The committee instructed staff to document the motions in writing and to return any required materials — appraisal, detailed budget and timeline — before further ARPA disbursements to the library are made. The motion passed on a voice vote; members said the ARPA attorney will prepare the written agreement reflecting these conditions.
