Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Arpa Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bristow Hospital Authority told state seeks $2.1M repayment of ARPA funds
Summary
At a Feb. 24 special meeting, the hospital authority was advised that the state has questioned ARPA reimbursements and is seeking repayment of $2.1 million; the attorney said 27 invoices were submitted and $2.3 million was received for a Phase I remodel, and staff will pursue documentation and outreach to other recipients.
At a special Feb. 24 meeting, Attorney Beth Anne Childs told the Bristow Hospital Authority that the Oklahoma Department of Health has raised questions about American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) reimbursements and is requesting repayment of $2.1 million.
Childs said the Authority submitted 27 invoices to the state and received a little more than $2.3 million, which was used for the hospital’s Phase I remodel. She told trustees the state returned asking for additional documentation several times and ultimately concluded there was “not enough information,” according to the meeting minutes, and asserted the Authority must repay $2.1 million — the amount the state said had not been approved.
Childs said she is coordinating with Peter Ruul and Jon Rains to collect the documents the state is requesting and plans to contact other municipalities that received ARPA funds to learn how they handled similar reimbursement questions. The minutes report that Childs will return to trustees with more information; no repayment or other formal action was taken at the meeting.
Trustees asked questions during the discussion, though the minutes do not record the specific exchanges. The authority did not vote on any remedy or repayment plan at the Feb. 24 special meeting. The matter remains under review by Authority counsel and staff as they compile documentation and seek guidance from peers and grant administrators.
The meeting adjourned after the update; trustees were recorded as voting to adjourn in a subsequent procedural motion.
