Plans for a $33 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant to Porter County were decided Thursday evening by the county’s ARPA Steering Committee. The amount is equivalent to about 75 percent of the county’s 2022 general fund.
“This amount represents the single largest federal grant that we are aware of, that we have ever received,” said Porter County Auditor Vicki Urbanik. Just under $14 million in spending had already been approved in Phase I of the planning process.
This first phase includes half a million dollars for township assistance, $25,000 for a behavioral health study, almost $1 million for premium pay to county staff, and $2.5 million for construction of the long-anticipated Marquette Trail, a bike path that will eventually run from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Chicago.
A steering committee was formed and appointments made to four sub-committees in February to aid in deciding how the remaining $19 million would be spent. Infrastructure, Behavioral Health, County Covid Response, and Nonprofits and Employers were the categories applicants were divided amongst. Over the course of 23 public hearings the subcommittees reduced the original 63 applicants to 48 finalists.
At its last meeting June 16, the Steering Committee devised a plan to approve any finalists that were at or above the median score for their category, but three from the behavioral health category that fell below the cut were continued to Thursday’s meeting, pending further research. The Valparaiso Women’s Association was seeking $80,000 for the remodeling of bathrooms for homeless women it serves, Family Promise, a non-profit that helps families avoid homelessness during times of housing crisis, was seeking $50,000, and The Caring Place, which assists victims of domestic violence, was seeking $1 million.
“Behavioral health is a pretty big issue in Porter County right now so I didn’t want to make any changes to those above the line right now,” said Porter County Commissioner and Steering Committee Member Laura Blaney, D-South, during discussion on where awards might be trimmed to stay within the $33 million budget. In the end, even those below the line were approved in the behavioral health category, with The Caring Place award lowered to $250,000.
The other categories required less discussion. Seven infrastructure awards were recommended encompassing a total of 11 projects at $7.1 million. These include two flood reduction systems projects, four failed storm water systems projects, a storm water project in Shorewood Forest and repairs to the Pleasant Township Pool, among others.
The Nonprofits and Employers category received $5.5 million in recommendations for 11 applicants. Four applicants that had each requested over $1 million had their awards reduced to $945,000 each. Porter County Commissioner Jim Biggs, R-North, said, “All were asked if they would take less if less is offered, and if their projects could move forward with less, and they all answered, ‘Yes.'”
These four awards of $945,000 each were the largest in this category and will go to Opportunity Enterprises, The MAAC Foundation, Inc., Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater NWI, and Neighbors’ Educational Opportunities.
County Covid Response funds of $2.9 million will be recommended for remodeling of the health department, the County Health Insurance Fund to cover Covid-related claims, and outdoor learning capabilities for the Porter County Library, among others.
Only one person spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, Gary Brown, president of the Porter County Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America, whose organization was not selected for a requested $700,000 award to connect two pieces of property owned by the League. “I think you’ve still got a lot of rotten apples,” Brown said of the projects approved for recommended funding. “I don’t know how they’re holding on.”
“We’ve got one of the best auditors in the state and if we’ve got any rotten apples, she’ll pluck it out,” said Porter County Council President and Steering Committee Member Jeremy Rivas, D-2nd.
The Steering Committee’s recommendation for the use of the remaining $19 million in grant monies will be presented to the County Commissioners at its next meeting July 12. If the Commission adopts the plan, it will then come before the County Council to make a decision on appropriating the funds.
The process is expected to move quickly as many of the applicants are ready to move forward and federal deadlines are in place for the letting of contracts and the spending of the grant.
“There are lots of projects here that are on the clock,” said County Attorney Scott McClure.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Take a look
To see all the applications for ARPA funds, go to porterco.org and click on the blue ARPA Planning Process box on the left of the homepage.
